Ethanol processing co-products: Economics, impacts, sustainability

Abstract

The US corn-based fuel-ethanol industry is experiencing unprecedented growth. This industry has continually evolved and technological innovations and process changes have been implemented that have improved process efficiencies, but have also affected the resulting co-product streams. As a consequence, new questions, challenges, and opportunities for utilizing these residues have arisen. As the quantity of these materials continues to grow, it is vital that value-added uses for distillers grains continue to be developed.