Ethanol production in southwestern New York: technical and economic feasibility. Final report
Based upon the analysis conducted for this study, the development of centralized ethanol conversion facilities in the Steuben and Allegany Counties is likely to be commercially feasible if either locally produced cheese whey and/or imported corn are used as feedstocks. Development is shown to be profitable under a broad range of potential economic conditions and technical considerations. Four plant designs varying in annual production capacity from 1.675 to 27.5 million gallons of ethanol (and utilizing alternative conversion technologies and feedstocks) are investigated. In general, all of the various plant sizes investigated are economically viable. Although economic profitability is enhanced by the existence of federal subsidies, in the form of $0.40 per gallon from federal gasoline tax rebates, energy investment tax credits and low interest loans, a public subsidy is not necessary, under most conditions, to ensure the economic feasibility of any of the plant design investigated. In all cases, a by-product in the form of an animal feed is produced, thereby generating additional revenue for the conversion facility and adding to the likelihood of commercial feasibility. In the case of the corn/whey plant, the by-product takes the form of a distillers dried grain. In the case of the whey plants, it takes the form of a high mineral, medium protein feed supplement for low and moderate producing dairy cattle. Both have a ready market in the study region. Fermenting of deproteinized whey to produce ethanol and drying the resulting distillation slops for animal feed completely utilizes the original cheese whey. The techniques developed in this study produce three valuable products and leave no residual requiring disposal.
- Research Organization:
- Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6552211
- Report Number(s):
- NYSERDA-81-3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
BIOMASS CONVERSION PLANTS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
ETHANOL
BIOSYNTHESIS
MAIZE
FERMENTATION
NEW YORK
WHEY
ANIMAL FEEDS
BY-PRODUCTS
DAIRY INDUSTRY
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
AGRICULTURE
ALCOHOLS
BIOCONVERSION
CEREALS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOOD
FOOD INDUSTRY
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
INDUSTRY
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
SYNTHESIS
USA
WASTES
140504* - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)
090222 - Alcohol Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)
299003 - Energy Planning & Policy- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation- Other- (-1989)