The Agriculture Department estimates about 33 percent of this
year's record 13.2 billion bushel corn crop will be used to
produce ethanol. The renewable fuel also yields the valuable
byproduct of distiller's grains which contain about 80 percent
of corn's original nutritional value for livestock. Another,
more dubious byproduct, CO2, typically is criticized these days
as a pollutant. But an innovative operation is employing
cutting-edge technology to turn what was once considered waste
into the next generation of biofuel. Andrew Batt explains.
Transforming a kernel of corn into fuel-grade ethanol is nothing
new for biofuel producers like Green Plains Renewable Energy.
But the fourth largest ethanol company in North America also is
brewing something different. Something their CEO calls the next
generation of renewable fuel – the very green process of growing
algae. Todd Becker, CEO Green Plains Renewable Energy: "…now
that we're seeing corn ethanol succeed and to start to really
turn the corner we can really f