FAQ
Can ethanol be made from other sources?
Ethanol can be made from any crop high in starch or sugar. Corn is currently used in the us due to its availability to be grown in a variety of climates, high yield for starches, relatively low cost, and multiple end products throughout the process. Other countries such as Brazil have used sugar cane due to availability in their climate. It is likely the future of ethanol in the us will include the use of cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic biomass - corn stalks and husks, straw, sawdust, grasses, etc. - holds tremendous promise due to it's widespread availability, lower costs, and high potential for yield. The problem currently facing the industry is, unlike in grain such as corn, the sugars in cellulose are locked in complex carbohydrates called polysaccharides, or long chains of simple sugars. While there are few operations currently using this type of stock, separating these sugars in an efficient and economical way is essential to the future. Realizing the future in the market, enzyme companies are hard at work at enzymes that are strong enough for the process, leading experts to believe the technology is on the way in the near future.
