title: Economic analysis of fuel ethanol production from winter hulled barley by the EDGE (Enhanced Dry Grind Enzymatic) process.
abstract: A process and cost model was developed for fuel ethanol production from winter barley based on the EDGE (Enhanced Dry Grind Enzymatic) process. In this process, in addition to β-glucanases, which are added to reduce the viscosity of the mash, β-glucosidase is also added to completely hydrolyze the oligomers obtained during the hydrolysis of β-glucans to glucose. The model allows determination of capital costs, operating costs, and ethanol production cost for a plant producing 40 million gallons of denatured fuel ethanol annually. A sensitivity study was also performed to examine the effects of β-glucosidase and barley costs on the final ethanol production cost. The results of this study clearly demonstrate the economic benefit of adding β-glucosidase. Lower ethanol production cost was obtained compared to that obtained without β-glucosidase addition in all cases except one where highest β-glucosidase cost allowance and lowest barley cost were used.
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA. John.Nghiem@ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: Nhuan P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Nghiem
authors.forename: Edna C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McAloon
authors.forename: Winnie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Kevin B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Hicks
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000191:economics*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D001467:Hordeum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D018803:Models, Economic; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism*; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D000431:Ethanol; D001617:beta-Glucosidase