Dry Mill Ethanol Plants – Today’s Technology and Tomorrow’s Future

Dry Mill Ethanol Plants – Today’s Technology and Tomorrow’s Future

Current Energy Efficiency

• 34,000 Btu of energy per denatured gallon of ethanol– With all distiller’s dried

• 0.75 Kwh of electricity per denatured gallon of ethanol

• Continually improving efficiency of equipment energy use, waste heat recapture and recycling

Technology Advancements with Inputs

• Increased Yield– Corn genetics

modified to produce highly fermentable-starch varieties for industrial uses

– Production and yield increases thru pest, disease and climatic resistance

• Improved Enzymes– Continually utilizing

higher percentages of a corn kernel’s starch content

Optimization of Plant Functions

• Dry-mill product lines expanding– Germ removal – lower

fat/higher protein– Fiber removal – higher

protein/less DDGS tonnage– DDGS characteristics can

be optimized for certain species

Today’s DDGS Consumers

Optimization of Plant Functions

• Corn oil extraction– Can be extracted front end for food-grade corn oil– Can be extracted on the back end for biodiesel

production– Increases protein in distiller’s grains, but reduces

their energy value

• Pursuit of high value co-products (usually in low volumes and often difficult/expensive to extract)– Nutriceuticals– Proteins

Distiller’s Grains–Dryer Technology

• Design affects efficiency, quality of product• Lower Temperature dryers improve quality

of the product + efficiency of the plant

Cost Reduction Advancements

• Enzymatic Milling– Lower temperature technology reduces

need for heating, reducing energy costs– Requires special enzymes

• Biomass as lower cost energy source– Existing coal burners originally designed to

burn biomass– Corn stover, corn fiber possible fuel sources

for plants– Logistics, handling and compliance

requirements

Technology Drivers

• What will determine how fuel ethanol production technology evolves?– Reliability of the technology!– Location of ethanol production

• Access to feedstocks – grains and others• Proximity and supply of alternative energy

sources (biomass, manure, etc.)

– Federal and state programs to promote energy crops – both technology and agronomic structures

Technology Drivers

PADD 1’04 Actual - 589

million gal.Projected New –1.2 billion gal.

(MTBE)

PADD 2’04 Actual - 1.8 billion gallons

Potential New – 2.0 billion gallons

PADD 3’04 Actual - 19.2 million gallons

Projected New – 500 million gallons – (MTBE)

PADD 4 ’04 Actual - 37 million gallons

Projected New – 100 million gallons

PADD 5’04 Actual - 1.1 billion

GallonsProjected New – 600 million

Gallons – (10% Blend)

– Location of ethanol use• Alternative energy technologies• Alternative feedstock conversion technologies when

financially viable

Fuel Ethanol Production’s - The Era of “Applied Research”

• Water use, quality– Reduce, reuse, recycle

• Energy availability– Natural gas cost and supply driving rapid

innovation• Enzyme strength

– Stronger enzymes=lower temperature– Cellulosic ethanol technology

• Feedstock Genetics– Grain and Energy Crops

• Logistical Improvements tied to Production Practices

Thanks for your attention!

Questions?

Greg KrissekGreg.Krissek@usbioenergy.net