With the ethanol industry traditionally dominated by corn, many are beginning to explore alternatives.
The National Sorghum Producers discusses the growing potential of sorghum, or milo, as a viable feedstock for ethanol.
According to Matt Durler, “The starch structure of corn sodium is essentially the same. So, they can grind them both in the same bin if they choose to. Several of the plants segretate those, but basically fully fungible. Now, we do have a little bit more bound protein in starch matrix and sorghum, so we use a little different enzyme cocktail initially. But today is plants look to separate the corn oil from the distiller’s grains, pretty much the enzyme cocktail is the same amongst the plants too. So, we have a lot of flexibility, and we look at corn and sorghum as feedstocks, there’s a little more protein in sorghum coming into the plant. A Little more fat in the corn. So different revenue opportunity for the corn oil. Also, different opportunity in the animal feed because the enhanced protein coming from sodium distillers, but largely similar.”
Dusrler says that sorghum offers added benefits, including antioxidant value and increased food-grade sodium. It is also a versatile crop that can be used for both entaol production and feed, particularly in regions like Kansas where it fits well into crop rotation with cotton, wheat, and corn.
