I am currently trying to catch up on a lot of emails and news and hoping to post some of them. In the meantime, this caught my attention about a fiber separation technology from ICM Inc.

I don’t usually cover biofuels but I am trying to understand what are the challenges upstream in producing cellulosic ethanol since this chemical can also be used for industrial applications downstream such as ethylene and derivatives. (Example: P&G and DuPont cellulosic ethanol supply partnership)

ICM, Inc. has been marketing this patent-pending Fiber Separation Technology™ FST™ and Generation 1.5 Grain Fiber to Cellulosic Ethanol Technology™ Gen 1.5™ for ethanol plants. FST™ is a value-added platform technology that increases ethanol yield and throughput, as well as increases oil recovery for its customers. The FST™ process separates the fiber that will be used as the feedstock for the Gen 1.5™ process to produce cellulosic ethanol.

According to ICM, removing the fiber from the standard ethanol stream with the FST™ process allows the plant to produce each gallon more efficiently as well as creates the option for diversified co-products with high protein feeds and fiber to be produced.

The company recently had a Professional Services Agreement with Patriot Renewable Fuels, LLC of Annawan, IL, for the use of these technologies, with plans to install the units in 2015 at Patriot’s ethanol plant. The FST technology is expected to improve ethanol yield to over 3.08 gallons per bushel.

Here is a video that will explain better on how ICM’s technology works.