Coastal Xethanol

Coastal Xethanol was a biotechnology-driven renewable energy company established in 2006 as a joint venture between Xethanol Corporation and Coastal Energy Development. The company focused on the commercialization of biomass-to-ethanol technology, utilizing proprietary fermentation and yeast engineering to convert agricultural and forestry waste into biofuels and co-products like xylitol. A defining project for the firm was the acquisition and planned $8.4 million retrofit of a former Pfizer pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Augusta, Georgia, intended to serve as a flagship cellulosic ethanol plant. Although the company aimed to develop a network of production facilities across the Southeast United States, its progress was halted following the 2009 bankruptcy of its parent company, Global Energy Holdings Group. Coastal Xethanol is recognized for its early attempt to leverage pharmaceutical-grade infrastructure for industrial biotechnology and sustainable energy production.