Biodiesel industry maximises corn oil use

Corn oil was the fastest growing feedstock for biodiesel production in 2013.

According to Joe Riley, FEC Solutions, approximately 85% of today's dry grind ethanol plants are extracting corn oil to create a new co-product and additional revenue streams.

Corn oil extraction in the ethanol-making process remains ever-popular. 'This can be done at a relatively low capital cost and, depending on the plant's size and how much corn oil it is producing, can add $2.5 million (€1.8 million) to $4 million (€2.9 million) per year to the bottom line,' Pete Moss, VP of marketing, Cereal Process Technologies, says.

Dry grind ethanol plants engaged in the extraction process are currently producing approximately 3 billion pounds of corn oil, at the current value of $0.33-$0.35 per pound.