Turning ethanol into an ultra-low carbon—someday, net-zero—biofuel calls for the powerful convergence of three things: continued efficiency gains at the facility level (perhaps including the future replacement of fossil energy); the widespread adoption of carbon capture systems (of all kinds); and the adoption of state and federal low-carbon fuel policies that reward climate-smart agriculture. All three legs of this strategy are necessary, and each shows up in the pages of this June edition. It is ironic that the least talked about component of our net-zero quest is arguably the most vital and difficult to achieve. There’s a strong case for reducing the allocated carbon intensity of corn grown on farms that use low-carbon techniques like reduced tillage and cover cropping, along with shrewd nutrient management. But we seem to be miles away from real incentives. As we report in “Sequestration In the Field,” on page 16, current incentives for low-carbon biofuel—namely what’s offered by California’s LCFS—assign the same base-level carbon intensity rating to all corn, regardless of cultivation practices and soil management. Status quo programs don’t reward ethanol producers sourcing (or planning to source) low-carbon, soil-friendly feedstock from growers practicing regenerative agriculture. In turn, they fail to provide farmers with an incentive to change. Still, there is sizeable interest in climate-smart farming. Important pilot programs are underway, and there’s real hope for both state and federal legislation that would finally give both farmers and ethanol producers the credit they deserve.&nbsp; Continued process efficiency gains are an important aspect of the industry’s net-zero quest, and our page-26 story on Little Sioux Corn Processors is a good example of how ethanol producers can grow dramatically, in stages, while maximizing efficiency and building new revenue streams. As you’ll discover while reading “Climbing Higher Over Time,” LSCP has done this while embracing the humble mantra of “doing more with less.” And, oh, are they doing more—of everything. After hearing about multiple ethanol plants making headway with installations of ICM Inc.’s Advanced Processing Package, we asked the company to share its progress. We’re glad we did. The Kansas-based process technology company is staying busy with APP installations, and we catch up on their journey in our page-36 story, “Going for Gold.” ICM’s system, which allows ethanol plants to produce a yeast-enriched 50% protein, along with traditional DDGS or, alternatively, a high-energy animal feed, provides numerous tangential benefits (more ethanol, more corn oil and less energy use, to name a few). The multi-part package is easily integrated with existing equipment and can be adopted in stages or, if desired, all at once. &nbsp; New technologies and plant expansions are exciting, but there are also sobering aspects to growth, compliance being one of them. In “Tighter LDAR Protocols,” on page 44, we look at the relatively stringent leak detection and repair procedural requirements ethanol producers must maintain and sometimes amend—especially when they make facility changes. With some frequency, regional and federal enforcement agencies have been auditing LDAR plans and stopping by ethanol plants to scan for leaks with infrared cameras. Fortunately, third-party contractors can help plants reduce their compliance stress with LDAR program management that helps them be audit-ready at all times. Finally, be sure to check out our story on Comstock’s wood ethanol vision, on page 52, followed by three really good contributions—one from renowned builder Fagen Inc. that fits right into this month’s decarbonization theme.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Enjoy the read.Author: Tom Bryan, President &amp; Editor, Ethanol Producer MagazinePrinted in the June 2023 issue of Ethanol Producer Magazine.

Tom Bryan, President & Editor, Ethanol Producer Magazine

CI Reduction at the Plant and On the Farm

Upcoming Events

2024 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo

Biodiesel Summit: Sustainable Aviation Fuel & Renewable Diesel

Carbon Capture & Storage Summit

North American SAF Conference & Expo

2025 International Biomass Conference & Expo

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Upcoming Events

2024 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo

Biodiesel Summit: Sustainable Aviation Fuel & Renewable Diesel

Carbon Capture & Storage Summit

North American SAF Conference & Expo

2025 International Biomass Conference & Expo

CI Reduction at the Plant and On the Farm