A Japanese company said it has started producing cellulosic ethanol at a pilot-scale facility in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. BioEthanol Japan said it began producing ethanol Jan. 16 from construction wood waste at a 1.4 million-liter-per-year (370,000 gallons-per-year) facility.

BioEthanol Japan Kansai Company was established in 2004 by five companies including construction firm Taisei Corp., trading house Marubeni Corp., Daiei Inter Nature System and Sapporo Breweries Ltd. The Japanese Ministry of the Environment has subsidized construction of the facility since 2004, according to the Ministry’s Web site.

Marubeni is supplying the process technology, which it is licensing from Dedham, Mass.-based Celunol, according to a BioEthanol Japan release. Celunol, which was formerly named BC International, is also developing a pilot project in Jennings, La.

The Sakai plant is Japan’s first commercial facility for the production of ethanol from waste wood. BioEthanol Japan will begin supplying automobile fuel for certification tests being conducted by the Ministry of the Environment.

Japan’s government has recently pushed for the development of domestically produced biofuels. In its 2007 budget proposal, the Ministry of the Environment requested funds to develop the use of biomass energy. Japan currently imports biodiesel and ethanol from Brazil.

Dave Nilles is Online Editor for Ethanol Producer Magazine. Reach him at dnilles@bbibiofuels.com or (701) 373-0636.

Posted: 3:15 p.m. CST Tuesday, January 23, 2007