World Grain - October 2007 - 55

BIOFUELS QUARTERLY: THE BEAT GOES ON FOR ETHANOL

Tyson Foods Inc. to produce biodiesel
from excess animal fats.
CELLULOSE NOT CLOSE
As has been the case for some time,
cellulosic ethanol still appears to be
several years away from making a significant contribution to the volume of
ethanol produced. Estimates range from

2 to 20 years before cellulosic ethanol
becomes viable, with most estimates
falling in the 5- to 10-year range. In its
recent study, "An Analysis of the Effects
of an Expansion of Biofuel Demand on
U.S. Agriculture," the USDA did not
even consider cellulosic-based ethanol
in its projections to 2016, although it did
a separate analysis on it.

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"While cellulosic-based ethanol production holds promise in the longer
term, more research and development is
needed to make the conversion process
commercially widely viable," the USDA
said. The primary limiting factor is the
cost of enzymes needed to break down
plant material, estimated at nearly 50¢
per gallon, but several other factors, including costs of producing, transporting
and storing biomass materials, also must
be further studied, the USDA said.
Despite the hurdles, the USDA and
DOE expect cellulosic ethanol to play a

Cellulosic ethanol still appears
to be several years away from
making a significant contribution to the volume of ethanol
produced.

significant role in the future of renewable
fuels. In research referred to as the "billion-ton study," the two agencies said it
was feasible to produce 110 billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol by mid-century. One ton of biomass can be converted
to about 80 gallons of ethanol.
Because the amount of ethanol that
may be realistically produced from maize
(15 billion gallons a year by most estimates, requiring about 5.5 billion bushels
of maize) is limited, the industry knows
"second generation" ethanol must be
sourced from other feedstocks. As a result, several cellulosic ethanol projects
are under way, but most are small, experimental facilities. Legislation recently
passed by both the House and the Senate
provide incentives to research and build
plants to produce cellulosic ethanol. As
with production of maize-based ethanol,
ADM also is taking an active role in deWG
veloping cellulosic ethanol.
Ron Sterk is assistant editor of World Grain's
sister publication, Milling & Baking News. He
can be reached at rsterk@sosland.com.
We want to hear from you - Send comments and
inquiries to worldgrain@sosland.com. For reprints of
WG articles, e-mail reprints@sosland.com.

For more information, see Page 78.

October 2007 / World Grain / www.World-Grain.com

http://www.gametmfg.com http://www.World-Grain.com

World Grain - October 2007

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