Ben Franklin Invests in Home-Grown Solution to Alternative Energy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:      March 18, 2010

ERIE, PA — A Crawford County-based company, Ernst Biomass, LLC, will receive $125,000 from Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA to help with the planning, development, and operation of a biomass densification facility.  The goal of the project is to convert switchgrass into a solid biomass fuel. 

Solid biomass fuel will be sold to retailers, wholesalers, commercial operations, utilities, and home owners in two forms – pellets and briquettes.  In appearance, pellets resemble wood pellets and are most often used in residential applications; briquettes are typically preferred by utilities.

Switchgrass pellets provide an attractive alternative when the price of wood pellets varies, often from lack of availability and cost change in fiber.  Ernst Biomass, LLC has the distinct advantage of being able to create their own feedstock, whereas the wood pellet/chip industries must rely on by-products from other industries for their supply. 

Test burns on the Ernst Biomass product have been conducted at various sites, including a greenhouse in Indiana, a co-gen facility in Westmoreland County, a school district in Columbia County, and Advanced Recycling Equipment’s test facility in St. Marys, Pennsylvania.  In addition, talks are ongoing with several interested utilities. 

For more information on Ernst Biomass, LLC, see www.ernstbiomass.com.