Brazil's ERB to build US$110mn biomass plant

Energias Renováveis do Brasil (ERB) will invest 237mn reais (US$110mn) to build a biomass thermoelectric plant at the Santa Vitória Açucar e Álcool ethanol complex in Brazil's Minas Gerais state.

The 46MW facility, to be fired by sugarcane bagasse and straw, will begin operating next year, ERB said in a statement.

The Santa Vitória mill is current owned by a joint venture involving Michigan-based Dow Chemical and Japan's Mitsui.

"This will allow the companies to focus more on their principal business," ERB president Emílio Rietman said.

According to ERB, the facility will produce 230t/h of steam and consume 108t/h of cane bagasse.