Author
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Bothast, Rodney |
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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 7/10/1998 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Current use of ethanol as a fuel additive or alternative fuel depends on many factors, including political actions, tax policies, agricultural practices, regulatory issues, and international economic trends. The relatively high cost of ethanol production remains an important constraint on its use. Removing technical barriers is the key to a viable biofuel industry. Advances in enzymology, microbiology, metabolic engineering, an chemical, biochemical and process engineering are required to underpin this effort. Conversion of biomass, a vastly abundant feedstock, is an economic necessity. The ARS program's initial biomass target is corn fiber. Immediate integration of corn fiber to ethanol is feasible and could result in a 10% production increase. Research on corn fiber is applicable to other forms of biomass as well, ranging from agricultural and forestry wastes to fast-growing crops that could be cultivated solely for energy production. The ARS-NCAUR research program focuses on, but is not limited to, developing new enzymatic processes for saccharification and improved microorganisms to ferment the sugars found in biomass. To further improve process economics, value-added coproducts are being developed from current byproducts and separation technologies are being improved for ethanol as well as coproduct recovery. Research under this program is ongoing at many different ARS locations (Albany, CA; Ames, IA; Madison, WI; Peoria, IL; Winter Haven, FL; Wyndmoor, PA). Other collaborative research arrangements/projects range from formal cooperative agreements and material transfer agreements, to informal exchanges of information with other government, industrial and academic partners such as US DOE, Manildra Energy, Pekin Energy, ADM, University of Florida, Purdue, etc. |
