Verenium Corp., a company involved in the development of next-generation cellulosic ethanol and high-performance specialty enzymes, has announced plans to build its first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Highlands County, Florida, USA. The Company has entered into long-term agreements with Lykes Bros Inc., a multi-generation Florida agri-business to provide the agricultural biomass for conversion to fuel. Verenium has also announced that the Highlands Ethanol project has been awarded a USD 7 million grant as part of Florida’s “Farm to Fuel” initiative. Verenium’s planned commercial facility will be the first in the State of Florida to use next-generation cellulosic ethanol technology to convert renewable grasses to fuel, rather than processing food crops. The plant will be constructed on fallow land, and is expected to produce up to 36 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year. Verenium anticipates breaking ground on this facility in the second half of this year, and expects to start producing fuel in 2011.