TMO Renewables signs MOU with Province of Heilongjiang
Thursday, August 23, 2022
First step towards the construction of a future facility
Surrey, UNITED KINGDOM – August 23, 2012 -Developer of second generation biofuels technology, TMO Renewables (TMO) is pleased to announce the signing of an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the authorities of Heilongjiang, China, to secure long term large volume biomass feedstock supply for future biofuel production facilities from Heilongjiang State Farm, the largest state owned farming corporation in China.
The MOU was signed today at a ceremony in Haerbin attended by Mr Sui Fengfu, Secretary-general, Director-general of Heilongjiang State Farm (HSF); Mr Wang Congjiang, Director of the Committee of Industrial and Information Technology of HSF; Mr Zhang Guichun, Director-general of HSF 93 farm; David Weaver, CEO of TMO; Jason Robinson, TMO’s Operations Director and Stephen Edkins, Partner at Diverso Management.
With a population of over 38 million people and covering an area of 473,000km2, Heilongjiang’s most significant economic activity is agriculture. In 2011 the Province’s nominal GDP was 1,250 billion yuan (US$198.5 billion), and its annual growth rate was 12.2%.
The MOU is the first step towards building the first of a future series of second generation biofuel production facilities in China. TMO will be able to assess the full potential of the HSF feedstock using its Process Demonstration Unit (PDU) in Surrey. The UK’s first cellulosic demonstration facility, the PDU is used to conduct feasibility studies on a wide range of feedstocks to determine the optimal process for each material for clients at a commercially relevant scale.
In conjunction with its principle shareholder, Diverso, TMO has been building a successful track record of working in China and is able to leverage that experience to its advantage in its work in Heilongjiang. In May 2011 TMO announced that it had been selected to be evaluated as the technology partner of two major organizations in China: COFCO, China’s largest diversified products and services supplier in the agribusiness and food industry, and CNOOC New Energy Investment Co, a wholly owned subsidiary of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), one of the largest state-owned oil companies. Both companies signed agreements with TMO to embark on joint testing programmes to manufacture ethanol from cassava residue and cassava stalk. In May 2012 TMO advanced to demonstration scale evaluation on cassava stalk feedstock with both COFCO and CNOOC.
David Weaver, CEO of TMO, said, “The scale of this opportunity is exciting and we are delighted to be developing our presence in China further. This is the first step towards building one of the first second generation biofuel facilities in China. Our network in China is growing and we look forward to announcing an offtake agreement for the ethanol produced, another key element that needs to be in place for the delivery of an operational plant in the province.”
Mr. Zhang Guichun, Director-general of HSF 93 farm, said, “Second generation ethanol production has been part of our strategy at the Heilongjiang State farm for some time and so we are excited to see the first step in the realisation of this strategy and eager to see the future plant start production as soon as possible.”
For further information or photos please contact:
TMO Renewables Ltd
Gaye Bramwell
01483 303305
M:Communications
Elly Williamson
+44 (0) 20 7920 2339
Patrick d’Ancona
+44 (0) 20 7920 2347
Notes to Editors
About TMO Renewables Limited
TMO Renewables Limited is a global leader in the development of ‘second generation’ biofuels produced from non-food, organic feedstocks. TMO has built an integrated, unique, three-stage conversion platform featuring a thermophilic organism that reduces the cost and time required to manufacture cellulosic ethanol. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, TMO’s process has been operational in a viable, industrial-scale plant since 2008 and is being commercialized in the US, China, Brazil and Russia. Learn more at tmo-group.com
About Diverso
Diverso is a China-based independent clean technology investment firm that networks ideas and people from around the world to identify and develop the leading clean technology companies of the future. Utilising its extensive knowledge of the market and policy direction in China, Diverso identifies global technologies that align with current and future regulations to provide clear and viable paths to commercialization.
With a strong current focus on next generation biofuel technology, Diverso took a significant stake in TMO in 2009 having identified its suitability for the Chinese market. It has since facilitated the verification and approval of TMO technology for use in China by a panel of leading scientists and the successful completion of an initial feedstock testing programmes for both COFCO and CNOOC. Diverso is currently carrying out a selection process of the most suitable sites for locating 2g ethanol plants in China and South-East Asia.