Emerging technologies in ethanol production. Agriculture information bulletin
The fuel ethanol industry is poised to adopt a wide range of technologies that would reduce costs at every stage of the production process. Improved enzymes and fermenter designs can reduce the time needed to convert corn to ethanol and lower capital costs. Membrane filtration can allow the recovery of high-value coproducts such as lactic acid. Adoption of these and other innovations in the next 5 years is expected in new ethanol plants constructed to cope with new demand resulting from Clean Air Act stipulations for cleaner burning fuel. Biomass (agricultural residues, municipal and yard waste, energy crops like switchgrass) can also be converted to ethanol, although commercial-scale ventures are limited by current technology. While biomass requires more handling and sorting before conversion, those costs may be offset by the abundance of biomass relative to corn.
- Research Organization:
- Economic Research Service, Washington, DC (United States). Resources and Technology Div.
- OSTI ID:
- 6697594
- Report Number(s):
- PB-93-157014/XAB; USDA/AIB-663
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: See also PB--88-197264
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ETHANOL
PRODUCTION
ETHANOL PLANTS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
ABUNDANCE
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
BIOMASS
CAPITAL
COMMERCIAL SECTOR
CONVERSION
COST ESTIMATION
CROPS
DEMAND
DESIGN
ENERGY DEMAND
ENZYMES
FERMENTATION
FILTRATION
FUELS
INFORMATION NEEDS
LACTIC ACID
LEADING ABSTRACT
RESIDUES
SORTING
US CLEAN AIR ACT
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
ABSTRACTS
ALCOHOLS
BIOCONVERSION
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY SOURCES
HYDROXY ACIDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LAWS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC WASTES
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POLLUTION LAWS
PROTEINS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
WASTES
090800* - Biomass Fuels- Production- (1990-)