Florida Crystals Selected for New Ethanol Plant

    WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of
 Florida selected Florida Crystals Corporation's Okeelanta facility as the
 site to build a cellulosic ethanol research and demonstration plant in Palm
 Beach County. In a unanimous vote on Tuesday the university selection
 committee chose Florida Crystals from a list of bidders to construct a
 cellulosic ethanol plant that will produce 1 million to 2 million gallons
 of ethanol a year.
     This $20 million project is financed through a state grant to encourage
 the development of alternative energy resources. Technology developed by UF
 professors will be used to convert sugarcane bagasse and other biomass into
 ethanol, a clean energy alternative that protects the quality of our water
 and air.
     "This partnership is an important step in developing reliable, clean
 energy resources for Florida," said Gaston Cantens, Vice President of
 Corporate Relations for Florida Crystals. "We are committed to the
 development of renewable sources of energy. We are excited about this
 collaborative project with UF and hopeful that it will help our state move
 forward in expanding renewable energy alternatives and reduce our
 dependence on foreign oil."
     Florida Crystals has gained the expertise and recognition in the area
 of renewable energy, operating the largest renewable energy power plants in
 the nation. Fueled by sugarcane and yard trimmings, Florida Crystals
 generates clean electricity to run its operations as well as power 60,000
 homes. Florida Crystals also partnered with Florida International
 University earlier this year to do additional cellulosic ethanol research.
     The Fanjul family's privately-owned Flo-Sun, Incorporated, is headed by
 Alfonso Fanjul, Chairman and CEO, and J. Pepe Fanjul, Vice Chairman,
 President and COO. Flo-Sun and its subsidiaries have operations in South
 Florida, the Dominican Republic, Belgium, Canada, California, New York,
 Maryland, and Louisiana. Its consolidated operations own 400,000 acres,
 harvest 10 million tons of sugar cane and refine 4 million tons of sugar
 each year, own and operate the largest renewable energy biomass power plant
 in the United States, and farm and market organic sugars and rice. They
 also have extensive real estate development operations, and own and operate
 the Casa de Campo Resort in the Dominican Republic. The companies have
 combined revenues of approximately $3 billion. Their sugar brands include
 Florida Crystals(R), Domino(R), C&H(R), Red Path(R) and Jack Frost(R). None
 of their businesses manufacture alcoholic beverages of any kind.
 
 

SOURCE Florida Crystals Corporation