3-step process produces biofuel, animal feed simultaneously

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  Researchers have developed technology for simultaneous production of biofuel and animal feed.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Japanese researchers have developed technology for simultaneous production of biofuel and animal feed without the need for off-site processing.
  The process is called the solid-state fermentation (SSF) system.
  How does the SSF system work?
  

  • Non-sterilized whole rice plants are packed into a round bale in the field at harvest and wrapped in polyethylene, along with a mixture containing yeast, enzymes and bacteria.
  • After an incubation period during which sugars and starch in the plant are converted by the yeast into ethanol, the ethanol is recovered through a one-step distillation.
  • The silage that remains after processing can be used as animal feed.

  A paper detailing the study was published in the journal Biotechnology for Biofuels. The process yielded up to 12.4 kg of pure ethanol from each bale, after a six-month incubation period. The system produced 10 times the amount of ethanol that is produced from traditional silage production.
  Fermentation takes longer in this system, but no extra energy is required and the ethanol contains no insoluble particles.