New cellulosic ethanol plant will lead to clean burning biodiesel

A new bio-refinery is being constructed by Quad County Corn Processors (QCCP) that will convert corn kernel fibre into cellulosic ethanol to be used in biodiesel. QCCP recently broke ground at the site that will house the $8.5 million (£5.5 million) refinery, which is located next to the company's current ethanol facility.

The company's existing facility has the capability to produce around 35 million gallons of corn ethanol a year. The new facility, dubbed the Adding Cellulosic Ethanol (ACE) project, will be used to create a clean-burning, high-octane ethanol from kernel fibre. Around two million gallons of cellulosic ethanol will be produced each year from the feedstock, using QCCP's revolutionary, patent pending technology.

The ACE technology has been designed and manufactured thanks to a grant of $4.25 million from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Energy. The Biomass Research and Development Initiative grant allowed for the development of a 'bolt on' technology, which allows the ACE pre-treatment and fermentation process to attach to the conventional process for the production of corn starch ethanol.

The new ACE technology can produce around 300 times more corn oil than the conversion technology that is being used within the existing facility. It may also improve the overall quality of the ethanol co-products that are produced.

Bob Dinneen, president and chief executive of the Renewable Fuels Association, said that the groundbreaking of the new QCCP facility “is proof of the success of the Renewable Fuel Standard to spark innovation and investment, to stimulate job creation and economic development, and most important to produce millions of gallons of domestic renewable fuel in the name of energy independence."

Delayne Johnson, QCCP general manager, said: “With the addition of this new cellulosic process, we will stretch the production capacity of each and every corn kernel that passes through our plant. We will increase our ethanol yields by six per cent, increase our corn oil extraction three times over, while also creating a higher protein livestock feed. This is value-added agriculture at its best.”