According to Syngenta, 16 ethanol plants have agreed to use grain from Enogen corn seed, designed to enhance ethanol production. The 16 plants have a combined ethanol production capacity of more than 1 billion gallons, and Syngenta is in discussions with other ethanol plants to continue its expansion.
The alpha amylase enzyme found in Enogen corn hybrids helps an ethanol plant dramatically reduce the viscosity of its corn mash and eliminate the need to add a liquid form of the enzyme, explains Jack Bernens, head of Enogen for Syngenta.
“This breakthrough viscosity reduction can lead to unprecedented levels of solids loading, which directly contributes to increased throughput and yield, as well as critical cost savings from reduced natural gas, energy, water and chemical usage in ethanol plants,” says Bernens. “Growers who plant Enogen corn benefit as well – they earn an average premium of 40 cents per bushel.”
Enogen was grown on approximately 225,000 acres in 2015, and Syngenta expects it to top 400,000 acres in 2016.
Assuming an average yield of 165 bushels an acre, Syngenta estimates Enogen corn will generate about $26 million of additional revenue for growers in 2016 through per-bushel premiums. According to the company, trials have shown that Enogen hybrids perform equal to or better than other high-performing corn hybrids.
