Quad County Corn Processor produces Iowa’s first cellulosic biofuels at scale

In Iowa, the first ever gallons of commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol produced in Iowa flowed from Quad County Corn Processor’s distillation unit this week, according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. This marks the commissioning of the farmer-owned ethanol plant’s Adding Cellulosic Ethanol (ACE) project, a new “bolt-on” process that adds the capability to convert the kernel’s corn fiber into cellulosic ethanol, in addition to traditional corn starch ethanol.

Quad County Corn Processors is a 35 million gallon per year (MMgy) capacity ethanol production facility in Galva, Iowa.  QCCP’s Adding Cellulosic Ethanol (ACE) process uses corn kernel fiber to produce an additional 2 million gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol.
 
Reaction from the stakeholders

“Through hard work and forward-thinking innovation, we’re excited to be the first cellulosic ethanol producers in Iowa,” stated Quad County Corn Processors CEO Delayne Johnson. “Our Adding Cellulosic Ethanol (ACE) project will not only increase our plant’s production capacity by 6 percent, but it will also continue to boost energy security and provide consumers with more low-cost, cleaner-burning ethanol without adding any additional corn to the production process.”  
 
Johnson also noted the new technology will improve the plant’s distillers grains (DDGs) co-product. “As a result of the new process, the DDGs will be much more similar to a corn gluten meal. It will increase the protein content of the livestock feed by about 40 percent, and we also expect to see a boost in corn oil extraction by about 300 percent,” added Johnson.
 
“We congratulate Quad County Corn Processors on its innovative process that improves plant efficiency, and for becoming the first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol producer in Iowa,” stated IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “While the EPA continues to debate the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2014 and beyond, renewable fuels producers like Quad County Corn Processors remain committed to pioneering new technologies that increase plant productivity and accomplish the goals set forth by the RFS. With other cellulosic ethanol projects nearing completion, Iowa is poised to lead the way in advanced ethanol production.”