Sunoco Ventures into Biofuels with Corn Ethanol Plant in Fulton, NY

Sunoco Inc. has forayed into biofuels and the New York county has welcomed it. Sunoco is currently into the production of a novel brew in the Fulton Ethanol Plant. The Philadelphia-based refiner started distilling corn ethanol last month at a huge converted brewery in Fulton, New York. Sunoco claims that this massive facility is the largest plant for biofuels in the entire Northeastern region of the United States.

The Fulton facility will deliver about 20% of the company’s requirements for this grain-alcohol fuel that gets mixed with gasoline as per a federal mandate for reducing the reliance upon petroleum. Sunoco spent $8.5 million for buying this facility out of bankruptcy and then spent an additional $25 million towards fixing design flaws.

Sunoco is entering into the production of ethanol in uncertain times, since a sluggish economy results in abundant ethanol supplies and tight profit margins but the company is ever optimistic about this venture. The company’s Fulton plant has an annual production capacity of 85 million gallons. The Fulton plant also gives the company a laboratory for exploring ethanol production from various other renewable sources.