POET Produces Cellulosic Ethanol from Corn Cobs

[jpak]

http://www.renewableaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=49150

POET has produced cellulosic ethanol from corn cobs. The company intends to make cobs and corn fiber the feedstock for its commercial cellulosic ethanol production facility that will be jointly funded with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

"For a host of reasons, POET is focused on corn fiber and cobs as the first cellulosic feedstock for our production facilities," said Jeff Broin, CEO of POET. "First, the fiber that comes from our fractionation process will provide 40 percent of our cellulosic feedstock from the corn kernels that we are already processing in our facility. That means that nearly half of our cellulosic feedstock comes with no additional planting, harvest, storage or transportation needs."

POET has also produced cellulosic ethanol from fiber, the husk of the kernel, which is extracted through its proprietary BFRAC fractionation process.

"The rest of the cellulosic feedstock will come from corn cobs," said Broin, "which will expand the amount of ethanol that can come from a corn crop with minimal additional effort and little to no environmental impact. There is no major market for cobs, so we will be producing cellulosic ethanol from an agricultural residue and because the cob is only 18 percent of the above ground stover, it will not adversely impact soil quality.

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