A Cincinnati-based advanced biofuel technology company has announced the development of its next generation, sugar-based fuel ethanol process.
According to AdvanceBio LLC, the process is capable of utilizing sugars derived from sugar cane, sweet sorghum, sugar beet and other similar crops as feedstock for the production of fuel ethanol and green power while generating zero liquid waste.
When built in conjunction with the sugar milling operation, plants employing AdvanceBio’s sugar-based ethanol process will have the same, low-greenhouse gas footprint found in Brazil’s existing cane-based fuel ethanol industry. “The facilities will be extremely self-sufficient. In addition to eliminating costs associated with outside sources of fossil fuels, power and process water, our technology eliminates the need for extensive waste treatment processes and the cost of transporting large volumes of liquid vinasse back to the cane fields. These ethanol production facilities will also meet stringent U.S. pollution and occupational safety regulations,” said Dale Monceaux, Principal.
AdvanceBio envisions that producing fuel ethanol by processing cane and sweet sorghum feedstocks will serve to supplement corn as the country transitions to cellulosic ethanol and beyond. Currently, U.S. legislation establishes a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requiring the production of 36 billion gpy of renewable fuels by 2022. Of this total, 15 billion gpy is designated as a cellulosic ethanol requirement.