Cellulosic & Advanced Ethanol at a Glance

Cellulose refers to the material comprising the cell walls of any green plant and is the most common organic compound found on Earth. Cellulosic ethanol is ethanol produced by turning the sugars in cellulose into alcohol fuel. Advanced ethanol, by comparison, is sourced from non-cellulosic feedstocks including sugars and starches other than corn starch. All sources for ethanol will be required to provide the nation with the kind of energy choices we need.

Existing ethanol production in the U.S. has been and will continue to be the foundation of America’s transition away from a fossil fuel economy. Many existing ethanol biorefineries are exploring technology upgrades that will allow for the production of ethanol from a broader range of feedstocks. These so-called bolt-on technologies will allow ethanol producers to increase ethanol production by converting both grain starch and cellulosic material into fuel at the same facility. Remember, the ethanol molecule is identical no matter the feedstock. Utilizing existing piping, storage, and loading infrastructure at existing facilities may help lower the cost for the first commercial production of cellulosic and advanced ethanol.

The market created by existing ethanol production is also helping pave the way for stand alone, or green field, advanced and cellulosic ethanol biorefineries. Scores of ethanol technology companies are already into the demonstration phase of production, proving that technologies that convert everything from corn stalks to grasses to garbage to algae into ethanol are viable. Importantly, many of these companies are beginning to break ground on commercial-scale biorefineries that will provide tens of millions of gallons of ethanol from a wider range of feedstocks.

All of these technological innovations, together with the development of other biofuel molecules, can break America’s addiction to oil, put hundreds of thousands of Americans to work, and help secure a healthier environment for future generations.

Right now, more than two dozen companies are aggressively deploying demonstration or commercial scale projects all across the nation. Abengoa Bioenergy, one of the nation’s largest producers of ethanol from grain, is currently constructing a joint grain and switchgrass ethanol biorefinery in Hutchinson, Kansas, that will produce 25 million gallons a year once completed. Other companies such as Coskata, Mascoma, and Inbicon are also preparing commercial and demonstration biorefineries that will accelerate the evolution of domestic ethanol production.

Current Next Generation Feedstocks Under Development

• Crop residues, such as corn cobs and stalks, wheat straw, and rice hulls
• Grasses, such as switchgrass and myscanthus
• Sugar wastes
• Wood wastes and fast growing trees
• Municipal solid waste
• Algae