Economic feasibility of co-producing bioethanol and glycerol from grain and cane molasses fermentations

With crude oil at $30.00 per barrel, bioethanol is a viable fuel alternativ e. Bioethanol is clean burning, has high octane numbers, is renewable and d oes not contribute to global warming. However, in the absence of tax credit s, the production of bioethanol is less attractive. A determination of retu rn-on-investment was carried out based on tests to optimise the co-producti on of bioethanol and a high-value product, glycerol. Using corn or mile (gr ain sorghum) as the raw material, the return-on-investment increases from 1 2.3% (bioethanol) to 19.7% (bioethanol plus glycerol). When blackstrap mola sses is the raw material, the return-on-investment increases from 12.8% (bi oethanol) to 22.3% (bioethanol plus glycerol). Therefore, value-added produ cts such as glycerol are the key to making fuel ethanol plants profitable n ow and in the future.