Bioproducts involve a wealth of products and chemicals produced from biomass. A biorefinery could produce a suite of fuels like ethanol and other value-added products. Agricultural processing wastewater can generate high-value chemicals like lactic acid. Resins and adhesives are made from wood biomass. Even concrete cement additives are derived from biomass. The opportunities for biofuels and bioproducts are vast and growing!
Areas of EERC Expertise
- Creation of alcohols, organic acids, and other biobased products from plant materials and other renewable sources using biorefinery processes
- Conversion of by-products from biodiesel processing into fine chemicals, such as propylene glycol
- Refining biomass-derived oils into ethanol and high-value organic acids
- Fertilizer production from renewable feedstocks
Consortium Investigates Bioproducts
A consortium project involving Ensyn Inc., Alliant Energy, the Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development, Cargill, the University of Minnesota, South Dakota State University, the EERC, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) investigated thermal conversion or fast-pyrolysis fermentation of switchgrass biomass to bioproducts including ethanol, biodiesel, and other value-added chemicals.
Renewable Fuels
New renewable fuels were developed to blend with petroleum gasoline and diesel to achieve maximum power output and combustion efficiency and reduced emissions in partnership with the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, South Dakota State University, the University of Minnesota-Mankato, and the EERC National Alternative Fuels Laboratory®.
Ethanol and Biodiesel Plants
Feasibility studies were performed on expanding biomass processing in rural communities, including studies on 1) siting ethanol and biodiesel plants in cooperation with corn grower associations, state ethanol promoting agencies, and other agricultural interests and 2) the current economics of producing ethanol from conventional corn mash processing, acid hydrolysis and enzymatic pretreatment processing of biomass, and gasification pretreatment of biomass.
