Quad County Corn Processors, a biorefinery based in Galva, Iowa is definitely an innovative ethanol facility and its paying off. During a visit with Delayne Johnson, whose plant recently broke ground on its bolt-on cellulosic technology coined “ACE,”I got a quick update on how the Enogen corn was faring in their ethanol process. Quad County was the first ethanol plant in the country to adopt Enogen corn, featuring a trait specifically developed to maximize the ethanol production process.

Johnson said they starting using Enogen in their plant full time on January 8, 2013. To date, he said the plant has been able to reduce its energy use, and thus energy costs by approximately five percent, because with Enogen they can put more starch in each fermenter. (The starch is what is converted to sugar and then converted to ethanol.)

Quad County has also seen the ethanol yield per bushel of corn increase approximately 1 percent. Johnson noted that the 2012 corn crop was very weather stressed. He said he is optimistic that they will see the same, if not better results as they get corn that was grown in more ideal weather conditions.

Johnson said these are only early results and they are pleased with what they have seen to date.

To learn more about Quad County’s success with Enogen corn, listen to my interview with Delayne Johnson here: Delayne Johnson Talks Enogen

Visit the Quad County Corn Processors “ACE” Groundbreaking photo album here.