ARF17 - Experimental use of Ontario grown sorghum (Milo) as 4% feedstock for a full scale ethanol plant

Researcher:

Mark Schwartz, GreenField Ethanol Inc.

Objectives:

1. Purchase enough sorghum for a large-scale trial through our ethanol plant to demonstrate that Ontario Sorghum is profitable for ethanol production.

2. Demonstrate to Ontario farmers Sorghum is a desirable crop in Ontario and it is profitably marketable to an ethanol plant.

3. Determine and document any operational difference to plan for Milo use in future, i.e. handling, thickness, foaming, distillation fouling, decanter operation and evaporator compatibility.

4. Determine the differences between Milo and Corn spent grains.

5. Collect meaningful data on the average yield differential verses corn in order to calculate the relative value of the crop compared with corn.

6. Document any changes in the industrial ethanol

7. Determine if specialized Ontario grown Hybrid Milo has the characteristics required for cost effective ethanol production

Expected Benefits:

Growing Milo may give farmers an alternative/additional crop that can be marketed easy to the ethanol plants making greater profits for Ontario farmers reducing the importation of corn.

Summary of Research Results:

GreenField Ethanol Inc. is looking to bring greater value to farmers and ethanol production in Ontario and Canada by developing additional feedstocks. In 2007 the company worked with farmers and AERC to have grain sorghum (milo) grown, harvested and delivered to its Tiverton biorefinery for a test run. GreenField found that milo handled and processed similarly to corn. The two grains could be blended together or in separate runs with no issues. While milo yields less ethanol per unit than corn, it costs farmers less to grow, so it could potentially be contracted at a discount to corn to compensate for the yield and excess production cost. GreenField is interested in testing the grain at its other facilities in the future.