Will Ethanol Become an Environmentally-friendly Fuel Some Day?

Michael Giberson

A Reuters story on an ethanol techology advancement is titled, “UK technology could turn U.S. ethanol industry green.” The essence of the process is a composting bacteria that can take distillers’ grain, a by-product of ethanol production, and extract more ethanol from it.  Because the process works while the distillers’ grain is still wet, it can reduce the drying expense needed before the remaining by-product is sold for animal feed.

Robert Rapier examines the claims, observes that it could be possible, but points out that the net result is not as clear as technology proponents suggest.  He sums up, “This new bacteria may giveth, but it also taketh away a story that the ethanol lobby has come to rely heavily upon.”