biorefinery

noun

bio·​re·​fin·​ery ˌbī-ō-ri-ˈfī-nə-rē How to pronounce biorefinery (audio)
-ˈfīn-rē
plural biorefineries
: a facility that processes biological material (such as crop waste) to produce fuel (such as ethanol and biodiesel), electricity, and commercially useful chemicals (such as succinic acid)
Meanwhile DuPont, the chemical giant, is figuring out how to construct a biorefinery fueled by corn stover—the stalk and leaves that are left in the field after farmers harvest their crop.John J. Fialka et al.

Examples of biorefinery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The company refers to the operation as a biorefinery, reflecting its beyond-ethanol focus on clean-energy products and other marketable grain biproducts. Karl Ebert, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024 In addition to a waste digester, the resort plans to install a biorefinery by the end of the year to transform leftover cooking oil into biodiesel. Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN, 30 Oct. 2022 The feedstock for the biorefinery will be transported in by truck from two off-site locations, one in Indiana and one in Illinois. Carrie Napoleon, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2022 Grind bales at a biorefinery in a 90-minute closed-loop process. Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver, 9 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'biorefinery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of biorefinery was in 1980

Dictionary Entries Near biorefinery

Cite this Entry

“Biorefinery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biorefinery. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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