Coskata, Inc.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy, Biofuels |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Founder | GreatPoint Ventures |
| Fate | Operations ended in 2015; technology continued under Synata Bio |
| Headquarters | Warrenville, Illinois , United States |
| Products | Cellulosic ethanol, biofuels |
Coskata, Inc. was an energy enterprise headquartered in Warrenville, Illinois, established in 2006 by GreatPoint Ventures, a firm led by serial entrepreneur Andrew Perlman. The company engineered a process to generate cellulosic ethanol utilizing woodchips by integrating biological agents (microorganisms) with thermochemical techniques (application of heat and chemicals). Their innovation sought to drive production expenses below $1 per gallon, contrasting with the roughly $1.40 per gallon cost associated with corn-based ethanol.
In April 2008, Coskata revealed intentions to operate a pilot ethanol production facility near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, designed with an annual output capacity of approximately . This fuel was slated for evaluation by General Motors. The modular pilot plant was constructed by Zeton Inc., located in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Plans were set for a commercial-scale plant producing between 50 and of cellulosic ethanol by 2011. By October 2011, a "semi-commercial" pilot facility in Madison, Pennsylvania had been successfully running for two years.
During 2008, Coskata entered into a collaboration with US Sugar Corporation to establish a biofuels conversion plant in Florida utilizing cane waste.
Among its principal competitors were Fulcrum BioEnergy and LanzaTech.
By March 2013, the company redirected its efforts toward advancing its natural gas conversion technology platform, which was capable of producing various fuels and chemicals from multiple feedstock sources.
Operations concluded in 2015; however, the company's technology later reemerged under the new organization Synata Bio.
External links
- Official Webpage - No longer active.
- Partnership with General Motors