Qteros and ACT: Sewage goes in one end, fuel comes out the other
Qteros, a company that until now has been one of many using microbes to convert cellulosic feedstocks into fuel, has broken away from the pack, partnering with Israeli firm Applied CleanTech to turn recovered sewage into a biofuel replacement for gasoline.
For a while, the two companies have been producing ethanol on a pilot-program scale. But they just announced plans to build a larger demonstration plant that would primarily turn municipal wastewater into fuel for cars…. Continue Reading
Valero inherits hefty stake in ethanol producer Qteros
Oil and gas company Valero Energy has acquired an undisclosed stake in Qteros, maker of microbial ethanol, along with other assets divvied up from bankrupt ethanol producer VeraSun Energy. It also assumed ownership of seven of the company’s plants — 780 megawatts in all — and rights to build another for $477 million.
Formerly called SunEthanol, Qteros specializes in converting biomass into cellulosic ethanol. It has received $2 million from the government for a pilot plant… Continue Reading
Qteros readies for near-term cellulosic ethanol production
A technology that might offer some respite to first-generation ethanol makers like Verasun and Pacific Ethanol has received a significant $25 million from backers including oil giant BP and George Soros’s investment fund. The company in question is Qteros, formerly called SunEthanol, a little-known startup placing big bets on a plucky microbe.
Qteros is one of a large group of companies trying to engineer a microorganism to cheaply break down woody matter, including everything from corn… Continue Reading