9 Planned Midwestern Ethanol Plants to Utilize Novel Processing Technology - which boosts yield 30%

THis process boosts ethanol production from corn by 30% and reduces energy inputs to the process too.

http://www.checkmatepublicaffairs.com/bioproductsarticle.php?storyid=1004

The Bloomington-based company plans to become the first firm to use a new process to make ethanol that uses more of the corn kernel while producing less pollution in the conversion process, said Dale Elder, vice president and chief finanacial officer for Reed-Three Rivers.

The new process was developed by Purdue University professors Lifu Chen and Qin Xu, he said. "We've spent the last 14 months perfecting the Chen-Xu process," said Elder.
~~
A typical ethanol plant makes 2.6 gallons (Wet-mill, Dry mills are producing about 2.8 gal per bushel_JW) )of ethanol from a bushel of corn. We plan to make over three gallons per bushel," he said.

<more>

THE new process involves ultrasonics wich sounds quite similar to a process developed by Iowa State universtity which boosts ethanol production (in the lab) by 30%.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060601213717.htm

He has worked on cars and machinery for years and is the go to guy even retirement. He said that you can put up to 9% water in gasoline and it will still run, not well especially in today engines. He figures gasoline with ethanol decreases mileage up to 5%.

Higher yield would be a good idea but since all research today rigged to sell a product, not be neutral, it is more likely they are getting 10-15% more yield.

I was a pro-ethanol until the last year when it became food vs fuel and they started slashing the rain forest to plant corn. Now, not being a lemming, I think this experiment has failed and unless they manage to stop starving people and depleting our oxygen I think we should stop any expansion of ethanol as a replacement now.

Yes, it's food vs. fuel now, but it only got to be that way through globalization and the destruction of indigenous agriculture. To get rid of imported oil, growing fuel is going to have to become a viable technology. To help poor countries feed their populations, LESS imported food is needed and MORE development of local agriculture is called for. Here is one site dedicated to helping the problem: http://www.underutilized-species.org/default.asp

Here's another link: http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11879&page=104

There are so many solutions to local food shortages that wasting fuel to move food from one continent to another should never enter into the discussion.

focusing on helping people living in the drier savanna regions of the world. THey have all kinds of projects helping people to be more successful cultivating their soils and supporting themselves.
These organizations which give people a cow or a goat or chickens are great. Just this can turn people into self supporting families and away from needing food aid. But the effective organizations listen to the people and ask them what THEY want.

REagarding food issue, biofuels has added to the demand for some commodities but it's arelatively small effect when compared to index funds and hedge funds buying commodities. When it became apparent that the economy was going to go down the tubes money managers got out of stocks and poured money into commodities - energy , materials and grain futures: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x148053

of storms knocking out oil facilities in this country coupled with a terrorist attack on oil facilities in the Mid East. It showed that we would be stopped dead in our tracks.

But Brazil would not be effected because they make ethanol out of sugar cane. They now produce 80% of the fuel they use with cane ethanol. They do not import oil and the cane does not compete with food production since they sugar is collected along with making ethanol.

http://www.grainnet.com/articles/Reed_Three_Rivers_Bio_Grain_to_Use_New_Process_to_Make_Ethanol_That_Uses_More_of_Corn_Kernel__While_Producing_Less_Pollution_in_Nine_Ethanol_Plants_Across_Illinois_and_Indiana-48791.html





Reed-Three Rivers Bio-Grain, Inc. plans to build nine 240 million gallon per year (MMGY) corn ethanol plants at Havana, IL, Danville, IL, Greenville, IL, Henry, IL, Paducah, KY, Gila Bend, AZ, and three facilities in the state of Indiana These facilities will all use the Chen-Xu Process of converting corn to ethanol.

Besides 240 MMGY of ethanol, the plants will produce six other pharmaceutical and/or human food grade products.

~~
This technology will enable corn growers to deliver earlier harvested corn with higher moisture content and to receive a premium for that higher moisture grain and lower drying costs.
~~
Their decision to use the Chen-Xu process is predicated on the capability of this new manufacturing process to reduce pollution, and most importantly to utilize the remaining portion of the corn kernel for human food consumption and pharmaceutical use.

crop!

http://www.commercial-news.com/local/local_story_270063058.html

With the Chen-Xu Process, the entire corn kernel is used, Elder said.

Besides ethanol, the process yields food-grade and pharmaceutical byproducts and zein — a protein of the corn kernel that, when heated, turns to elastic and can be used to make biodegradable surgical gloves, Elder said.

~~
~~


“We want farmers to pick corn at 30 to 36 percent moisture content,” Elder said.

“That means farmers would pick their corn at the end of July, and depending on their latitude, they might be able to get a second crop in,” he said.