New testing methods have reopened the door for cellulosic corn kernel fiber ethanol produced in-situ to generate D3 renewable identification numbers (RINs). In-situ production of cellulosic ethanol breaks down corn kernel fiber alongside starch during fermentation. Differentiating the volume of ethanol produced from starch, which qualifies for a D6 RIN, and the cellulosic volume derived from fiber, which qualifies for a more valuable D3 RIN, was the major obstacle holding in-situ production volumes back.&nbsp;Edeniq leverages this new testing methodology alongside its proprietary mass balance work to bring its customers consistent, accurate and timely data on the conversion of sugars and carbohydrates, also known as glucans.&nbsp;Understanding glucan conversion helps ethanol producers make decisions on operations and market options, says Brian Thome, CEO of Edeniq. The lab’s results enable ethanol producers to assess their facility’s fermentation efficiency and evaluate enzyme dosing and supply, corn oil extraction and conversion of cellulosic material in-situ.&nbsp;“We’re able to accurately quantify and qualify those glucans that are being converted and then how much of the ethanol production is attributable to those sources,” he says. “Obviously, the value for that for the ethanol plants is not only just holistically on their operations, but also on the increased value they get for low carbon-intensity ethanol in California, other low-CI markets, and then also the D3 RINs on the cellulosic side.”Company History&nbsp; Edeniq was launched in 2008 with the vision of identifying, developing and deploying new technologies for the ethanol industry, particularly for cellulosic production. Early on, the company pursued equipment development—technologies such as the patented Oil Plus, a corn oil extraction system, and Cellunators, colloidal milling systems that optimize particle size, maximizing surface area for enzyme absorption.Over time, that goal evolved into a focus on carbohydrate testing. In 2010, Edeniq discovered corn kernel fiber’s cellulosic potential. “We accidentally put corn kernel fiber in with a bunch of cellulosic mass on something we were working on for cellulosic [data],” Thome says. “We had weird results, [and realized] there’s something here that we didn’t expect. And thus, Intellulose ... was born, which was the effort to really look more closely at how we could measure and qualify and quantify the amounts of corn kernel fiber that might be converted in-situ in existing plants.”Edeniq contributed comments and participated in the discussion leading up to the EPA’s 2014 rulemaking on corn kernel fiber. In 2015, the first of Edeniq’s customers submitted a D3 RIN registration. Three ethanol producers were approved in 2016, followed by three more in 2017.&nbsp;Shortly afterward, an administration change impacted the cellulosic market. “[We] had a number of plants by then that were getting lined up and ready to go and wanted to go in and create D3 RINs. Unfortunately, the previous Trump administration made some decisions to change gears,” Thome says. “And so D3’s went by the wayside for quite a while. We shifted our focus over to working with our customers for CARB purposes, measuring corn kernel fiber [holistically] and not just the cellulosic portion.”When the Biden administration reinstated an emphasis on D3 RINs, Edeniq responded quickly, helping ethanol producers take advantage of that opportunity. Thome explains that perseverance is paramount when adapting to challenges, such as changing administrations or market shifts. Ethanol producers are adept at handling these changes, he says. “Anybody in this industry will tell you, there’s ups, there’s downs, there’s times when it’s tight and times when it’s not. You just have to hang on and you just have to persevere. You have to work hard and maintain your focus.”To help maintain stability, Edeniq prioritizes multiple products that are less susceptible to political shifts and identifies more stable markets.Breakthrough Methodology&nbsp; The amount of D3 RINs issued grew after Neogen developed its verification method using its proprietary assay and registered the process with ASTM International. The registration process was completed in January 2024, according to Neogen. Once the method became ASTM accredited, the U.S. EPA recognized it as a way to determine the amount of cellulosic ethanol produced in-situ, allowing ethanol producers to access D3 RIN verification. The method’s introduction caused “a wonderful overnight change,” according to Thome.Before Neogen’s method emerged, the EPA’s rulemaking only allowed for a method developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory or a method approved by a voluntary consensus body, such as ASTM. Neogen built upon the framework provided by the NREL method to measure more of the glucan conversions, Thome says.Testing for in-situ cellulosic material conversion entails evaluating individual glucan conversion via the mass volumes entering and leaving fermentation. Using proprietary reagent assays, Neogen targeted the specific glucans relevant to understanding conversion of cellulosic material, eliminating conversion activities that could muddy the results.&nbsp;“Developing these assays and reagents takes a lot of work and a lot of money for the companies doing it,” Thome says. “So, understanding what the NREL method did originally, applying some additional assays, reagents and steps in order to isolate and look at the conversions of other individual glucans that could influence the results, then, most importantly, going through a number of working group sessions with other really good people in the industry in terms of scientists, users at labs like [ours].” Ethanol producers that would be subject to the methodology’s results also were involved, checking the impact of the test and what it would mean for a plant’s bottom line.&nbsp;The final step, putting the methodology through the ASTM process itself, differentiates between the percentage of ethanol produced from fiber—which is not cellulosic but does qualify for low-carbon fuel credits—and the cellulosic percentage. Nearly one-third of the corn kernel fiber ethanol produced is cellulosic, Thome explains. The average yield increase from in-situ holistic fiber ethanol production stands at 3.6% to 3.8%. Running the ASTM standard over the past 18 months, Edeniq tracked an average cellulosic percentage of 1.05% across the ethanol producers it works with.“Think of it as 3.6% is corn kernel fiber, so [derived from] all of the different fiber glucans,” he says. “And 1.05%, meaning just under one-third of that corn kernel fiber, is actually coming from the cellulosic portion.”Product Offerings&nbsp; Edeniq’s Intellulose platform measures carbohydrate conversions happening during fermentation for both fiber and the cellulose found within it. One version of the platform, Intellulose 2.0, measures the glucan conversion of corn kernel fiber holistically, while the other, Intellulose EPA, utilizes the ASTM method to identify the subset of cellulosic material found in corn kernel fiber. Although the ASTM method is public, Edeniq uses proprietary mass balance techniques to ensure its test results are reproducible and precise, helping it stand out from competitors.&nbsp;“[Producers] have to work hard at keeping their plant operating day in and day out,” Thome says. “And they’re working with a hundred different levers. The last thing we want to be is a lever that they don’t want to deal with. The plant takes samples, they freeze them, send them to us, and we take it from there.”The company’s 35 lab technicians use a four-step quality control strategy that adheres to National Institute of Standards and Technology requirements. “We talk openly about the fact that every time the customer sends a sample set, we are earning their business all over again,” he says. “We need to deliver on time, accurately, every time.”To further enhance the credibility of the results, Edeniq works with third-party quality assurance providers (QAP) to ensure the lab is audit-ready, explains Thome. The company values the extra assurance provided by QAP because it helps establish a “robust underpinning” to the ethanol industry’s RINs and avoids any potential problems, he says.&nbsp;Another component of Edeniq’s operating philosophy is “staying in your lane,” avoiding offering advice on issues outside the company’s purview, Thome says. This philosophy comes into practice often, as Thome and his team are frequently approached with questions ranging from which enzyme to use to opinions about third-party engineering firms to potential dose rates. “The answer ... is the plant has to decide what’s best,” he says. “And that’s part of what I mean by staying in our lane. We are not the marketer of the D3 RINs. I could talk about what I see our other customers doing when someone asked me a question about certain marketing of D3 RINs, but I’m also careful to say, ‘But you need to go talk to your marketer, and you need to do what’s best for you as a plant.’”Research and Development&nbsp; Edeniq continues to explore new applications for its carbohydrate testing platform. “We quietly have some research and development going on with other polysaccharide carbohydrate types of testing, getting into some other industries where there’s a need to look, for example, at disease detection in agriculture and things like that,” Thome says. “A little bit separate from what we do today, but focused still on our core capabilities, which are what you would consider extremely rigorous and difficult-to-operate polysaccharide analytical methods.” The company’s passion for the energy, food and water sectors drives exploration of opportunities in those areas, all while remaining invested in the ethanol space.&nbsp;Constant communication with ethanol producers helps Edeniq identify where to focus its innovation, applying its analysis to other feedstocks or grain products. The ceiling of how much cellulosic ethanol can be extracted from corn kernel fiber has not yet been reached, according to Thome. Opportunities such as hemicellulose conversion could increase the amount of qualified D3 gallons. “The enzyme companies are doing a great job of working hard to improve certain activities,” he says. “Plants are learning more, we are learning more that we can share with our customers around what may continue to drive those cellulosic conversions ever higher.”&nbsp;Corn kernel fiber constitutes an opportunity for ethanol producers to increase their total yields, access lucrative D3 RINs and sell to low-carbon markets. Reliable results are vital in making that market attainable.&nbsp;“We stand behind the numbers we provide, period,” Thome says. “And we take that seriously, so when a customer receives their results, their reports, we’re putting a number in front of them and saying, ‘This is your percent of ethanol right now coming out of that sample set for this period of time that is attributable to either fiber or cellulose, whatever the case may be, and we stand behind it.’” Author: Katie Schroeder&nbsp; katie.schroeder@bbiinternational.com

2025-03-27 - Moving Fiber Forward (Ethanol Producer Magazine)

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Edeniq utilizes analytical expertise to support ethanol producers in their pursuit of a lower-carbon gallon and elusive, lucrative cellulosic ethanol.

Moving Fiber Forward

Moving Fiber Forward

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