Jun 17 2008
DuPont announced it has received an external independent validation from the Illinois Crop Improvement Association (ICIA) which shows that its Ethanol Yield Potential (EYP) near infrared (NIR) calibration reliably predicts the ethanol output of whole corn grain. The calibration, developed by DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred, allows ethanol plants to rapidly and consistently evaluate incoming grain, helping both plant managers and growers determine which corn hybrids and management practices can improve ethanol production.
The calibration has been incorporated into the QualiTrak(SM) system from Pioneer, a measurement and reporting program that facilitates the flow of ethanol yield information to both plant personnel and corn growers. It provides a measurement of the gallons of EYP per bushel of corn.
"Rapid determination of EYP of corn can be a valuable step in improving ethanol plant efficiency," said Dennis Thompson, ICIA chief executive officer. "ICIA recognizes the need for rapid measurement tools based on standardized reference lab methods. Our initial validation procedures have shown a strong correlation between the Pioneer EYP calibration and our laboratory method."
The ICIA laboratory fermentation method uses the procedure developed by Dr. Kent Rausch and others at the University of Illinois Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering to evaluate ethanol yield potential in the conventional dry-grind ethanol process. Further collaboration to evaluate and compare the ICIA and Pioneer laboratory methods is planned.
A number of QualiTrak(SM) and EYP systems have already been installed at plants throughout the United States and are being run on the FOSS Infratec 1241 Grain Analyzers. The technology allows ethanol producers to use analytical data to manage the corn grain feeding for their ethanol production process through rapid analysis and grading at the point of grain receiving. Farmers will be able to take this information and combine it with their on-farm agronomic performance data to tailor the corn hybrids they plant and apply management practices to maximize the ethanol yield on every acre.
"The independent evaluation from the Illinois Crop Improvement Association should give processors and growers greater confidence that the EYP system is a highly accurate tool for evaluating corn grain, regardless of the seed source," said Russ Sanders, marketing director -- Pioneer Hi-Bred. "The system can provide processors with comprehensive comparative ethanol yield prediction data for every load of grain brought to a plant. When shared with corn growers who sell grain to the facility, this
information will enable them to better understand how genetics and management practices influence ethanol yield at the farm level."
Pioneer already has evaluated its entire corn hybrid lineup for ethanol yield potential and has identified more than 170 hybrids that produce higher than average amounts of ethanol. Many of these hybrids contain Herculex(R) I insect protection which translates into better yields and higher overall grain quality. These high total fermentable (HTF) hybrids are being positioned with farmers to provide them additional marketing opportunities as well as improved efficiencies at ethanol production facilities.
Pioneer invites ethanol plants that want to learn more about the EYP prediction model or wish to perform a comparison to other similar technologies to contact Pioneer. Also, since 2007 ethanol plants and commercial grain channel companies can obtain calibration licenses from FOSS North America. For more information, contact FOSS at http://www.foss.us.