Fagen selected as contractor for cellulosic ethanol plant

DuPont Industrial Biosciences announced today it will contract with Fagen, Inc., to build one of the world's first commercial cellulosic ethanol biorefineries in Nevada, Iowa.

Fagen is a biofuels engineering, procurement and construction contractor that has built more ethanol plants in the United States than any other company, the company said.

“Our selection of Fagen as a partner to build our plant in Iowa marks the next critical step on the road toward commercializing DuPont's cellulosic ethanol technology,” said James C. Collins, president of DuPont Industrial Biosciences.  “We look forward to a strong collaboration.”

During 2011, DuPont Industrial Biosciences purchased land adjacent to the existing Lincolnway Energy ethanol plant, which will enable potential synergies in energy and logistical management.  DuPont's unique field-to-fuel capabilities leverage the company's strong foundation in science and operations including enzyme and fermentation technology and agronomic expertise from its Pioneer business.

Fagen has constructed more than 85 ethanol plants and has recently entered into a collaboration with Butamax Advanced Biofuels, LLC, a joint venture between BP and DuPont, for a retrofit project to commercially produce biobutanol.

“We look forward to working with DuPont to develop one of the first commercial scale cellulosic biorefineries in the United States,” said Aaron Fagen, CEO of Fagen, Inc.  “We have worked extensively to help develop first-generation biofuels and DuPont has presented us with an exciting opportunity to expand the advanced biofuels industry.”

DuPont had already contracted KBR Inc. to execute the front-end engineering, procurement and detailed engineering design work for the project.

DuPont Industrial Biosciences continues to work with Iowa State University to complete large-scale stover supply chain testing.  This collaboration establishes best practices for supplying the planned Nevada, Iowa, biorefinery sustainably and economically.  The company has already been operating a fully-integrated cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant in Vonore, Tenn., in collaboration with the University of Tennessee and Genera Energy.

Fagen Inc. is a full-service industrial contractor and the largest green energy design-builder in the United States.  Usinga database of over 25,000 highly skilled craftworkers, Fagen Inc. has constructed 60 percent of the ethanol production capacity in the United States, as well as multiple wind, solar, and power projects.

For more information about Fagen, vist www.fageninc.com.

DuPont Industrial Biosciences works with customers across a wide range of industries to improve products and make processes more sustainable.  Bringing together the expertise from Danisco, Genencor, and DuPont has yielded a unique combination of strengths in enzyme technology, materials science, and bioprocessing.  Powered by DuPont Genencor Science, the business delivers innovations in bioactives, biomaterials, and biorefineries.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802.

The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment.  For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit

www.dupont.com.