Commercial biomass sugar plant coming to Sarnia, Ont.

Canada-based cellulosic glucose technology provider Comet Biorefining, Inc. is establishing a new commercial scale biomass-derived sugar facility in Sarnia, Ont.

The 60 million pounds per year plant will come online in 2018 producing dextrose sugar from locally sourced corn stover and wheat straw. Corn stover consists of residues left in the field after harvest including stalks, leaves, husks and cobs. “Using our proprietary patented process, Comet converts non-food agricultural and forest residues into high-purity dextrose sugars that will be transformed into bio-based products including organic acids, amino acids and bioplastics,” the company said.

These low-carbon bio-based products are designed to replace traditional petroleum-based materials.

In a statement, Comet said it chose to locate in Sarnia by working together with Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and an Ontario farmers’ cooperative on a project to attract sustainable technology providers to the region and to meet increasing demand from chemical suppliers and consumers for low-carbon products. “Construction of this first-of-a-kind plant represents a key step towards the large-scale commercialization of our cellulosic sugar business,” said Comet CEO Andrew Richard. “It highlights the important role our technology plays in the value chain, helping to drive the bioeconomy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Comet is headquartered in London, Ont.