NREL equips biorefineries with procedure to boost cellulosic ethanol production

In Washington, D.C., with support from the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office, National Renewable Energy Laboratory scientists unveiled a new analytical method to give companies an unprecedented level of ease and precision for measuring the amount of cellulose in their grain, an achievement that could help biorefineries expand production of low-carbon cellulosic ethanol.

By completely removing starch from grain samples using special enzymes, NREL’s method sidesteps inaccuracies present in current analytical methods.

Federal incentives can help ethanol refiners expand their plants into generation 1.5 biorefineries designed to make ethanol from both the cellulose and starch sugars found in corn grain. To apply for such support, however, biorefiners need a robust but simple analytical process for measuring the amount of cellulose in their grain.