Sweetwater receives patent for technology

Andrea Deckert//December 7, 2012//

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Sweetwater Energy Inc. received a patent this week that company officials say will help it place its equipment closer to customers and supply low-cost cellulosic sugars.

The patent, issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, is for the use of portable pretreatment units designed for the extraction of sugars from any cellulosic feedstock.

The technology allows Sweetwater to locate its cellulosic pretreatment technology in areas where an available feedstock provides the best economics for sugar production, company leaders said.

Chairman and CEO Arunas Chesonis said the patent is an industry landmark.

It adds confirmation to Sweetwater’s leadership in developing a decentralized method of cellulosic sugar production that has the ability to deliver cheaper sugars to a wider variety of customers than traditional, large facilities, Chesonis said.

"I think there will always be room for both types of production in this industry, but for the customers Sweetwater is targeting, there’s no question the decentralized model works best," he said in a statement.

Sweetwater is a Rochester-based cellulosic sugar manufacturer led by the former Paetec Holding Corp. chairman and CEO. It employs roughly 23 workers.

Sweetwater uses a technology to produce low-cost sugars from non-food plant materials, including waste materials such as wood thinnings or purpose-grown crops such as energy sorghum.

The sugar solution is sold to refineries that use it to produce biofuels, biochemicals and bioplastics.

Sweetwater Energy’s process uses renewable plant materials that are grown domestically and reduce greenhouse gas, company leaders said.

The patent comes on the heels of Sweetwater being named to various lists last month, including Biofuels Digest’s Hottest Bioenergy Companies and Hottest Renewable Chemicals Companies, New York State’s Most Promising Green Tech Companies and Lux Research’s Top 10 Innovative Companies.