Using yeast and enzymes to rapidly ferment corn into ethanol and distillers feed is not a new technology. But, new enzymes and processes have greatly speeded up the process that is used to make “corn liquor”. Natural fermentation and aging are required for the kind that is used for human consumption. To make corn based alcohol for liquid fuels requires a fast, continuous flow process.
Modern enzyme processes have speeded up that fermentation process so that ethanol can be recovered in a matter of days rather than months. High prices for liquid motor fuels plus adapting modern engines to efficiently use ethanol have created a massive market. That demand has also developed a distribution and blending system so the ethanol can get to the marketers of retail motor fuels.
Market is expanding: Several of the large fuel companies in the US have been using either 10 % or 15 % ethanol blends for liquid fuels for several years. Some fuel suppliers are now marketing E-85 which is 85 % ethanol and 15 % petroleum gasoline. The auto manufacturers are now making vehicle engines that will run on E-85. There are only a few stations where E-85 is available in upstate NY. They are more common in the Midwest. Soon they will be available on the NYS Thruway. All of the recent engines (last 5 years) will run on the 10 % or 15 % ethanol blends. As an example, all the western NY Sunoco stations carry 10 % ethanol gasoline blends and most people don't even realize it.
There are over 100 facilities now producing ethanol in the US, mostly in the Midwest (commonly called the “corn belt”). Corn is scientifically known as Zea maize and is called maize in most of the world. There are many sub-species- flint corn, popcorn, sweet corn, "Indian" corn, etc. The one used for corn to ethanol is dent corn, a sub-species that has been bred for a variety of feed use specialties. We now have silage varieties, grain varieties, high lysine varieties and now high fermentable starch varieties.
New facilities: I have recently paid attention to the “ethanol” blog on the Data Transmission Network information service. Here are a few of the latest facilities coming on line:
• Western NY Energy, Medina NY, investor owned and now taking in grain.
• North East BioFuels, Baldwinsville NY, investor owned, winter ’08.
• POET in Leipsic, Ohio, investor owned with headquarters in Sioux Falls SD.
• VeraSun, Brookings SD headquarters now has 450 million g/y capacity, publicly traded corporation.
• VeraSun’s most recent is in Albion, Nebraska (NE), 110 million g/y.
• Standard Ethanol Madrid LLC, Madrid NE, now processing 43,000 bu/day.
• Two more proposed plants in NY.
• A proposed plant in Conoy Township, PA

This is just a sampling. Also, several cellulosic conversion facilities are underway as private ventures in addition to the US Department of Energy pilot facilities. Watch for an announcement in NY within the next several years.
Genetic improvement for select traits: Corn varieties developed specifically for the ethanol market are already coming on line. Monsanto is marketing varieties with enhanced highly fermentable starch so that the yield of ethanol per bushel is 2 to 4 percent better than commodity varieties. Western New York Energy has signed an agreement and the Medina facility will be one of their “Preferred Processors”. That means they will be installing testing equipment that can confirm a load as being “high ethanol” in a matter of 30 seconds. Whether (or how much) premium will be paid is yet to be determined. The changes coming in soybeans will make them higher in oil content and high in omega-3 type oil.

The market expands, the technology improves and the mix of private and public research keeps it all moving.
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