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Ý About 5% of the ethanol produced in the world in 2003 was actually a petroleum
product. It is made by the catalytic hydration of ethylene with sulfuric acid as the
catalyst. It can also be obtained via ethylene or acetylene, from calcium carbide, coal,
oil gas, and other sources.
Ý 3ioethanol, unlike petroleum, is claimed by certain advocates to be a form of
renewable energy that can be produced from agricultural feedstocks. It can be made
from very common crops such as sugar cane, potato, manioc and corn.

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Ý xeduction of corn feedstock due to the reduction of corn planted area results in higher
feedstock costs and tightening supply for all grades.
Ý imited imports due to globally disappointing harvests and the resulting intensified
competition with the food and fuels sectors, along with a series of unplanned and
planned synthetic ethanol unit outages.
Ý ¦ow useful bioethanol will be in replacing gasoline. Concerns about its production
and use relate to increased food prices due to the large amount of
Ý arable land required for crops, as well as the energy and pollution balance of the
whole cycle of ethanol production.

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Ý ëthanol from sugar

ëthanol production begins by grinding up the feedstock so it is more quickly and
easily processed. Once ground up, the sugar is either dissolved out of the material, or
the starch is converted into sugar. The sugar is then fed to yeast in a closed, anaerobic
chamber. The yeast secretes enzymes that digest the sugar (C6 ¦ 2O6), yielding several
products, including lactic acid, hydrogen, carbon dioxide (CO2), and ethanol
(C2¦5 O¦).
Ý ëthanol from starch
Producing ethanol from starch feedstocks (such as corn, wheat, and cassava) requires
an additional step. Starches must first be catalyzed into simple sugars. This process,
called saccharification, requires more energy and increases the cost of production.
Ý ëthanol from Cellulose
 

 


  


 

Ý ÿThe ³dry-milling´ process involves simply grinding the unprocessed, heterogeneous

seed into granules.

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Ý Sugars, Starches and other biomass

ëxamples: Grains (corn, sorghum, barley), sugars (sugarcane and beets), beer, and
other sugars and starches.
Ý Pretreatment: dry-mill fermentation
Ý ‰ualifications: Grain processing

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Ý Intermediate products: Mash, sugar

Ý Main Products: ëthanol
Ý 3y-products: Corn oil, corn gluten meal, corn gluten feed, carbon dioxide, liquid
biofertilizers




Ý The dry-mill fermentation process is not as expensive as wet mill.

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Ý ÿThe ³wet-milling´ process soaks grains in water, usually with a sulfurous acid, to
separate the starch-rich endosperm from the high-protein germ and high-fiber husks.
These wet mills tend to be larger and produce a number of co-products in addition to
ethanol.

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Ý Mostly: Corn
Ý Pretreatment: Wet-mill fermentation
Ý ‰ualifications: Grain processing

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Ý Intermediate products: Mash, sugar
Ý Main Products: ëthanol
Ý 3y-products: Distillers' grains plus solubles, Carbon Dioxide
Ý 

Ý The wet-mill fermentation process is more versatile than dry mill fermentation,
because of the products it yields.