BioFuels Journal

Mantra Venture Group Announces Exclusive Joint Venture to Use Northwind Ethanol Proprietary Technology for Cellulose Ethanol Production

Seattle, WA—Mantra Venture Group Ltd. ("Mantra" - OTCBB: MVTG - FSE: 5MV) is pleased to announce that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with Northwind Ethanol Ltd. ("Northwind") in regards to a joint venture to produce cellulosic ethanol using their proprietary technology.

The vehicle for the joint venture will be Mantra NextGen Power Inc. ("NextGen"), a Nevada company and a Mantra subsidiary.

For some months Mantra has been looking for a way to make a difference in the transportation sector with a technology capable of reducing its reliance on fossil fuels.

The ongoing work being done on hydrogen fuel cells and batteries to power vehicles of all kinds seems, after review, to be aimed more at the future.

In the immediate term, Mantra has decided that a renewable fuel like ethanol would be highly desirable (and attractive in the marketplace) if it were not based on corn as its feedstock.

Corn-based ethanol is now seen in North America as undesirable both economically and politically.

The answer lay in Mantra's introduction to cellulosic ethanol: ethanol derived from wood and agricultural wastes, an inexpensive and readily available feedstock.

The problem is that, although various companies are working to meet the need, no technology is available today that met Mantra's exacting standards.

Our search for a cellulosic ethanol technology resulted in our discovery of Northwind and our undertaking due diligence.

The NextGen technology promises to be much more economic than ethanol from corn, practical in operation, clean (closed loop - there are no waste streams), and able to power itself by using material superfluous to the core process.

The technology meets Mantra's test.

One of the aims in creating NextGen was to change the economics of ethanol manufacturing, to produce ethanol at well below $1 per liter. NextGen management believes that this can be accomplished.

Fred Enga, Northwind's C.E.O., commented, "Our two companies are close to achieving the agreement that will commence this joint venture in NextGen.

Shortly after we finalize the agreement, we will begin to negotiate our first plant.

Additional sites are also in negotiation and once we start, I expect the expansion process to move forward quite quickly."

Brian Currie, Northwind's C.F.O. added, "NextGen is the right business model to develop our technology combining the financial strength of Mantra with the technical expertise and market knowledge of Northwind."

For more information, call 604-267-3022.