Corn featuring the Syngenta Enogen trait designed for ethanol production will soon be used at an Ohio biorefinery.

Syngenta has signed a commercial agreement with Three Rivers Energy, LLC of Coshocton, Ohio, to use grain featuring Enogen trait technology following the 2014 corn harvest.

“We are thrilled to announce this agreement with Three Rivers Energy, as we extend our Enogen corn geography into Ohio, demonstrating the growing acceptance of Enogen technology and the value it is creating for ethanol plants, farmers and local communities,” said David Witherspoon, head of renewable fuels for Syngenta.

According to Syngenta, Enogen grain delivers alpha amylase enzyme in the corn kernel, eliminating the need for an ethanol plant to use liquid alpha amylase. The alpha amylase enzyme found in Enogen grain helps an ethanol plant reduce the viscosity of its corn mash and can lead to better levels of solids loading, which directly contributes to increased ethanol yields and throughput, as well as cost savings from reduced natural gas, energy, water and chemical usage.

Three Rivers Energy recently resumed ethanol production in Coshocton, Ohio. Its sister plant, Plymouth Energy, LLC (Merrill, Iowa) signed a commercial agreement with Syngenta in the fall of 2012 to use Enogen grain, and is currently completing its first year contracting with local growers to produce Enogen corn commercially. Three Rivers Energy and Plymouth Energy are operated by Lakeview Energy, LLC.

Three Rivers Energy is recruiting growers to produce Enogen corn in 2014 and will begin using the specialized corn grain in commercial production following the 2014 corn harvest. Growers under contract will deliver their Enogen grain to the ethanol plant and will be paid an average premium of 40 cents per bushel for their grain.