The theme for the 6th Corn Utilization and Technology Conference (CUTC) is “Corn – New Horizons,” and ethanol is definitely a big part of that landscape.

Organizers say the theme reflects the continued growing importance of corn as a keystone to a carbohydrate-based economy. The conference has been expanded to include new topics in wet milling, dry grind technologies, value-added products from corn and new uses for distillers dry grains (DDGs) that will be of value to ethanol producers and livestock interests.

Among the speakers will be POET Chief Science Officer, Steve Lewis, who will discuss POET’s patent-pending biorefining technologies.

Lewis’s presentation on “Cutting Edge Research in Dry Mill Ethanol Production” will focus on POET’s two innovative technologies, BPX™ and BFRAC™.

BPX is a patent-pending raw starch hydrolysis process converts starch to sugar, which then ferments to ethanol without heat. It reduces energy and water usage by up to 15 percent in comparison to conventional processes.

BFRAC separates the corn into three fractions including fiber, germ and endosperm. The endosperm is then fermented to create ethanol while the remaining fractions are converted into value-added co-products, including POET’s Dakota Gold HP™ (a high protein distillers grain feed product), Dakota Bran™ cake, corn germ meal and corn oil.

The Corn Utilization and Technology Conference hosted by the National Corn Growers Association will be held June 2-4 at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown in Kansas City, Mo.