Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008 - (Page 60)

Tropical Maize Ethanol Species of Corn Creates High Sugar Source in Stalk A researcher at the University of Illinois (U of I), Champaign-Urbana, is disobeying the rule about “fooling mother nature” by growing tropical maize under longer day lengths to create sugars for ethanol production. The results, stalks with high concentrations of sugar (20%) for conversion to ethanol. “The neat thing about tropical maize is you trick the biology of the plant so it stays in the vegetative phase,” said U of I Professor of Plant Physiology Fred Below (217-333-9745). According to Below, tropical maize grows to almost twice the height of normal corn plants. It flowers so late in areas like Illinois that there is no ear of corn. The stalk would be harvested, not the ear. “The stalk becomes the sugar source,” Below noted. “We’re testing the yield now,” Below said in late October. “We have preliminary data showing sugar yields that are comparable to sweet sorghum and sugar cane.” He said growing tropical maize in Illinois would be similar to growing sugar cane or growing sweet sorghum in other areas. In conventional ethanol plants utilizing corn The sugar was squeezed out of the tropical maize for fermentation by graduate student Eric Jones under the direction of Blaschek. “From the standpoint of fermentation, this is like a no-brainer,” Blaschek said. “If you don’t pretreat and don’t have to add enzymes, this has tremendous potential” Blaschek said his tropical maize fermentation process is much like Brazil’s system for converting sugar cane directly to ethanol, which is less expensive. “I do know their economics are more favorable because they are starting with sugars,” Blaschek said. Next Step Professor Fred Below (right) with tr opical maize alongside conven tional corn . (Marilyn Upah Bant photo) “From the standpoint of fermentation, this is like a nobrainer. If you don’t pretreat and don’t have to add enzymes, this has tremendous potential.” - Hans Blaschek, U of I Center for Applied Bioenergy Research as feedstock, starch has to be converted to sugar first. This eliminates that step. In a similar process, Brazil grows sugar cane for ethanol, eliminating the starch conversion step. “In addition, you could still use the stover cellulosically,” Below added. “The real advantage to tropical maize is you can use the same equipment to plant and harvest the crop,” Below continued. “It might require less nitrogen. Nitrogen on a corn plant is all about making grain.” Fermentability The next step for Blaschek is to use the rest of the “juice” squeezed from the tropical maize Below raised and try to modify the process for fermentation. “The next experiment is to try and optimize and just see how much alcohol we could produce.” In addition, raising the tropical maize will also be further researched. “The next step is to compare it to sorghum and regular corn in the southern part of the state,” Below said. Tropical Maize Advantages • Requires less nutrient inputs than corn. • Can be harvested with the same equipment as corn. • Eliminates the step to convert starch to sugar in ethanol process. • Produces similar sugar yeilds to sugar cane and sweet sorghum. In the meantime, Professor Hans Blaschek of the U of I’s Center for Advanced Bioenergy Research (217-2449270), tested the fermentability of the tropical corn. 60 BFJ | JAN/FEB 08

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008

Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008 Contents Biofuels Safety Lockout/Tagout Managing Safety Ethanol Incidents Hot Work Safety Arresting Falls Firefighting Foam Confined Spaces Natural Fiber Clothing LifeLine Foods - St. Joseph, MO Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Indiana A New Energy Era POET - Portland, IN Company Profile, OPW State Ethanol Promotion State Report: Nebraska Anti-Lignin Beetles Sequential Extraction Developing Energy Crops Stover Logistics Cellulosic Ground Covers DDGS to Feed Fish Miscanthus: Energy Crop Webinar Series Launched New Fractionation Process Tropical Maize Ethanol Synthetic Fuel High Starch Corn Testing Abengoa's Cellulosic Ethanol Plans Credits and Incentives POET Cob Harvest High Oil Corn SunOpta Steam Explosion Process Enough Water? Ethanol Water Use Seth Snyder, Argonne National Laboratory Continuous Fermentation ACE Blend Study Wood Waste Ethanol Fodder Beet Ethanol Monthly Ethanol Production Ethanol Terminal Wood Feedstock Carbon Credits Bio Motor Oil Ethanol Bacteria Ethanol Pipeline Ethanol Plant Construction - Canada Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Under Consideration Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Construction Map In the Pipeline Ethanol Blending History Ethanol World Calendar Profile: Zabler, Pine Lake Corn Processors Industry News Western Dubuque Biodiesel - Farley, IA Profile: Winkel, Central Iowa Energy Biodiesel Construction List Biodiesel Plants Under Construction Map Wet vs. Dry Biomass Storage Book Review Green Earth Fuels - Houston, TX Biodiesel News Alternative Feedstocks Glycerol as Feed EPA Requires Standards Mustard Biodiesel Sun Grant Initiatives Biodiesel Jet Glycerol Alternatives Platts Advanced Biofuels Seminar Cellulosic Heating Oil Glycerine Used for Ethanol Blackmer Fremont Industries Biomass Association DOE Grants $7.7 Million for Biofuels Aecometric Corp. Civacon Viking Pump, Inc. SimplexGrinnell ICM Inc. Applied Milling Systems Ad Index

Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008

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