Biofuel company Energenetics International claims that micro refineries and new corn hybrids can improve the per acre yield of ethanol by nearly 300 percent while reducing the cost of production. The Iowa company says its process uses improved corn developed by the USDA that require less fertilizer, and therefore, petroleum to be grown.
Energenetics is touting the energy efficiency of smaller ethanol plants that are being tested by 3 universities Unfortunately the press release didn't mention how the process varies from the larger biorefineries.
I'm all for natural methods of improving corn instead of genetically modifying crops to make them a better fuel feedstock.
However, a new corn hybrid that hasn't been approved for expert is making ethanol producers nervous. According to Agriculture Online, the Renewable Fuels Association is concerned that the corn could be mixed in with approved feed and that foreign countries would stop purchasing corn from the U.S.
This is another example of how the fuels industry is affecting agriculture, which ethanol skeptics say could disturb the food supply.
