Ethanol plants have a new tool to enable them to increase the amount of ethanol they produce per bushel of grain. DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred today introduced QualiTrak, a new measurement and reporting system that facilitates the flow of predicted ethanol yield information to both plant personnel and corn growers.
"QualiTrak is a big step toward increasing the amount of ethanol that processors can get from a bushel," said Russ Sanders, marketing director, Pioneer Hi-Bred. "The system can provide processors with comprehensive comparative ethanol yield prediction data for every load of grain brought to a plant. When shared with corn growers who sell grain to the facility, this information will enable the selection of seed hybrids that can produce higher ethanol yields per bushel.
"This information will help improve the economics of the ethanol industry and corn production as a result of better supply chain management," Sanders said. "QualiTrak can help plants produce more ethanol with the same amount of grain. And quality oriented farmers will have the
opportunity to quantify and communicate the increased value of their crop to grain buyers."
DuPont has developed a three-part strategy that includes improving the yield of grain ethanol production through the research, technology and agronomic expertise of Pioneer Hi-Bred; developing technologies to convert cellulosic feedstocks into biofuels; and discovering new technologies to make improved biofuels with enhanced fuel properties.
