Ethanol Researchers Make Breakthrough in Energy Recovery

MSU Researchers Claim 2000% Increase in Energy Recovery from Ethanol Process

By Jean-Paul McDonald, Farms.com

Researchers at Michigan State University claim they have made an important breakthrough in energy recovery from the ethanol process. A research team at MSU, led by Dr. Gemma Reguera, has pioneered a microbial electrolysis cell that utilizes a specific type of fermentative bacteria capable of generating large amounts of energy with reduced levels of waste.

The specialized bacteria have been shown to thrive on corn stover – the left over portions of the corn plant that are often seen as waste after the corn has been harvested for cobs and kernels. The research team claims that this breakthrough may boost energy recovery from the ethanol process by 2000%. The more traditional methods of ethanol production are capable of recovering up to 4.5% of the energy found in corn stover, while the new process developed by the MSU researchers could yield up to 40% in energy recovery from the same corn stover.

News of this breakthrough comes at a time when most farmers and consumers are worried about their crops and food supply in the wake of severe drought conditions, while ethanol industry critics are deeply concerned that too much valuable corn is being used as a fuel source instead of feeding a hungry planet. The breakthrough could lead to significant increases in ethanol production without being a burden on food supplies.