Novozymes’ new ethanol enzyme tech saves up to 5% corn, 8% energy

New enzyme cocktail boosts yields to 2.9 gallons per bushel, adds 13% yield in corn oil extraction while dropping energy usage

In Missouri, Novozymes announced the launch of new enzyme technology that can increase ethanol yield from corn by up to 5%. The technology also increases corn oil extraction by 13%, while saving 8% energy.

The efficiency improvements can be achieved when two new enzymes, Spirizyme Achieve and Olexa, are used together with another Novozymes enzyme, Avantec.

“These new enzyme innovations offer strong benefits to ethanol producers,” says Andrew Fordyce, Executive Vice President for Business Operations at Novozymes. “It allows our customers to make more from less and substantially improve their profit margins”.

Novozymes noted that the technology boosts average yields from 2.77 gallons per bushel to 2.92. By using Avantec, Olexa and Spirizyme Achieve, a standard 100 million gallon ethanol plant would save up to 1.8 million bushels (45,000 tons) of corn while maintaining the same ethanol output, and generating up to $5 million in additional profit. Despite the dip in corn usage, overall corn oil extraction would increase by 7% to 9000 tons for a standard plant, while DDGS production would dip to 282,000 tons based on lower corn inputs.