(January 11, 2012)  Washington – The Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC) is pleased to welcome Beta Renewables as a new member. Beta Renewables is a leading company in making cellulosic biomass practical and cost-effective for the production of advanced biofuels and biochemicals.  Beta Renewables is a unique $350 million joint venture formed from the Chemtex division of Gruppo Mossi & Ghisolfi and TPG.  Chemtex brings over 60 years of success in process development and commercializing hundreds of plants worldwide.

"There are obvious synergies between Beta Renewables' efforts to commercialize ligno-cellulosic bio-ethanol production and the Advanced Ethanol Council's singular focus on developing forward-looking policies and open markets for the advanced ethanol sector,” said Guido Ghisolfi, President and CEO of Beta Renewables. “The Advanced Ethanol Council has put itself at the center of the discussion about promoting both advanced ethanol and advanced biofuels as a whole, and we see our membership with the Council as a critical part of our efforts to further develop Chemtex's PROESA technology and related business platforms in the United States."

Beta Renewables has invested over $200 million in the development of its PROESA™ process. The company is currently building the world’s largest cellulosic ethanol facility in Crescentino, Italy, which is expected to be in commercial production in mid-2012. The company has signed a number of PROESA™ technology licensing agreements with U.S. companies and is in the process of bringing its unique processing technology to the U.S. marketplace.

“We are very pleased to have Beta Renewables on board at the Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC),” said Bill Brady, President and CEO of Mascoma and Chairman of the AEC.  “Beta Renewables is an excellent addition to our strong and growing membership. As we mature as an industry, it is critical that advanced ethanol interests align from both a policy and open fuel market perspective. We look forward to working with Guido and the Beta Renewables team on policy and open fuel market strategies that will put the industry in a position to succeed in 2012 and beyond.”

The Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC), in partnership with the Renewable Fuels Association, represents worldwide leaders in the effort to develop and commercialize the next generation of ethanol fuels, ranging from cellulosic ethanol made from dedicated energy crops, forest residues and agricultural waste to advanced ethanol made from municipal solid waste, algae and other feedstocks.

The AEC is the only advanced biofuel group with the singular purpose of promoting advanced ethanol fuels and technologies.