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Enerkem is a Montreal-based cleantech company. Founded in 2000, Enerkem uses its proprietary technology to convert non-recyclable municipal solid waste into products like clean transportation fuels and chemicals.〔http://enerkem.com/en/about-us/profile.html〕 Manufactured from waste biomass, instead of fossil sources like petroleum and natural gas, Enerkem’s technology produces ethanol and renewable chemicals that are used in a broad range of industrial and consumer applications. Enerkem operates two plants in Quebec: a demonstration plant in Westbury and a pilot plant in Sherbrooke. The company’s first full-scale commercial plant is under construction in (Edmonton ), Alberta.〔http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2012/01/edmonton-hopes-to-win-the-war-on-waste-with-an-innovative-idea/〕 The company has several similar facilities under development in the U.S., Canada, and around the world. Enerkem is majority-owned by institutional, clean-technology and industrial investors, including Rho Ventures, Waste Management, Braemar Energy Ventures, Investissement Quebec, Valero, Cycle Capital, The Westly Group, Fonds de solidarite FTQ and Fondaction CSN. ==History== Dr. Esteban Chornet (Ph.D. from Lehigh University; Professor Emeritus from Sherbrooke University) conceived the idea for a waste-conversion technology after being inspired by his father, who used wood waste from his sawmill to make electricity in the late 1930s in Mallorca, Spain. In 2000, Dr. Chornet co-founded Enerkem with his son Vincent Chornet. Under Vincent Chornet's expert guidance, Enerkem has established itself as an entrepreneurial leader in the field of advanced biofuels and green chemicals and grown to 160 employees (as of October 2013).〔http://www.enerkem.com/assets/files/biogrphie_eng_fr/eng/team/Vincent_Chornet_Enerkem_Biography.pdf〕 In 2003, a pilot facility began operations using Enerkem’s technology in Sherbrooke, Quebec. In 2007, Enerkem announced the construction of Canada’s demonstration cellulosic ethanol plant to use waste materials. This plant is located in Westbury, Quebec. In 2008, Enerkem announced an agreement with the City of Edmonton, in Alberta, to build the world’s first commercial municipal waste-to-ethanol facility. In 2008, Enerkem announced its plan to launch a next-generation biofuels project in Pontotoc, Mississippi. Later that year the Department of Energy awarded Enerkem up to $50 million in funding for this Mississippi facility. Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi welcomed the project stating that “projects like Enerkem fit the definition of what America needs to solve (U.S. )’s energy problem with more abundant, affordable American energy.”〔http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/3311/enerkem-awarded-$50-million-for-its-mississippi-biorefinery-project/〕 As of December 2013 no work has been started on the Mississippi project. In early 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture offered Enerkem a conditional commitment for an $80 million loan guarantee for its Mississippi project.〔http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2011/06/02/valero-invests-in-enerkem-in-60m-funding-round/〕 As of December 2013 no work has been started on the Mississippi project. In February 2012, the Government of Quebec announced its plan to inject $27 million in a joint venture partnership formed by Enerkem and GreenField Ethanol for the construction of Quebec’s first full-scale commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Varennes, Quebec.〔http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2012/02/08/quebec-government-awards-27m-to-enerkem-greenfield-ethanol-project/〕 *2010: Enerkem named a 2010 Global Cleantech 100 Company by The Guardian and the Cleantech Group.〔http://www.guardian.co.uk/globalcleantech100/enerkem-producing-fuel-from-waste〕 *2009, 2010 and 2011: Enerkem named one of the 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy by Biofuels Digest (25th, 16th and 7th positions, respectively).〔http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2010/12/07/the-50-hottest-companies-in-bioenergy-for-2010-11/〕〔http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2011/11/09/50-hottest-companies-in-bioenergy-2011-12/〕 *2011: Fast Company magazine named Enerkem one of the World's 50 Most Innovative Companies.〔http://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2011/profile/enerkem.php〕 *2011: President Barack Obama referenced Enerkem’s Mississippi project in a speech at Georgetown University. He said, “Over the next two years, we'll help entrepreneurs break ground on four next-generation biorefineries ... And going forward, we should look for ways to reform biofuels incentives to make sure they meet today's challenges and save taxpayers money.”〔http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/03/30/remarks-president-americas-energy-security〕 *2011: Valero Energy Corporation joined existing strategic investor Waste Management, positioning Enerkem as one of few renewable product companies to align with industry leaders from both the front and back-ends of its business.〔http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/Petrochemicals/7747437〕 *2012: Joint venture partnership formed by Enerkem and GreenField Ethanol announced plans to build and operate Quebec's first full-scale waste-to-biofuels production facility.〔http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2012/02/08/quebec-government-awards-27m-to-enerkem-greenfield-ethanol-project/〕 *2012: IPO withdrawn due to unfavorable market conditions (22 employees laid-off, out of 154) *2013: Enerkem raises C$50 million in latest financing round and Investissement Québec, as a mandatary for the Government of Québec, joins as strategic investor.〔http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/energy/Quebec+invests+million+into+clean+energy+company/8555395/story.html〕 http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Cleantech-VC-Roundup-Solexel-Enerkem-Blu-Homes-Goal-Zero-Amalyst-Vita * 2013: Enerkem earned the top ranking by Lux Research for near-term growth opportunity among 415 companies,〔http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/10/10/top-10-innovating-companies-named/〕 and was named a 2013 Global Cleantech 100 company by the Cleantech Group.〔http://www.cleantech.com/global100/global-cleantech-100/〕 The company now has 160 employees in Canada and the U.S. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Enerkem」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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