MBI International Introduces New Ethanol Production Process

The US-based MBI International, in collaboration with the University of Illinois, has developed a new process of dry mill ethanol production that can potentially increase ethanol yield, offer additional co-product production and deliver significant energy savings and plant profitability.

While describing the steps involved in the new process, called the quick MBI's Director of Applied Microbiology, Dr Bernie Steele informed that the germ of the corn is removed as the first step in this new dry milling process. The quick germ process yielded an 11.7% increase in ethanol production in testing at MBI as compared to the conventional methods of corn-based ethanol synthesis.

The quick germ process also has the potential to offer additional value to producers through revenues from corn oil production, higher- protein distillers dried grains (DDGs), and other speciality chemicals & oils than traditional ethanol refinery. Dr Mark Stowers, President of MBI, explained that MBI's experiments in quick germ ethanol production are part of a larger effort to create a bio-refinery platform'.

"The quick germ process has the potential to deliver significant benefits for the ethanol producing industry, and it arrives at a particularly appropriate time, with 13 new ethanol producing facilities under construction in 2002," said Stowers.

Dr Steele added, "The ethanol industry produced a record 1.77 billion gallons of fuel in 2001. The quick germ process can help deliver substantially larger yields for 2003 and beyond."

MBI International is focused on the development and commercialisation of products via biotechnology to increase farm profitability, bring new food products & pharmaceuticals to market, protect & clean up the environment and reduce USA's dependence on foreign oil.

Source : Chemical World,
Date : 28 August 2002