Typically the starch in corn kernels is process and converted into ethanol and the oil, fiber, and gluten protein would be sold for animal feed. Now two ethanol plants in Kansas are taking the oil and through a ‘hydrocracking process’ are turning it into a new form of renewable corn-derived diesel fuel. Vehicles and airplanes will be able to run on this fuel exclusively and it does not have the same cold-weather issues as traditional biodiesel does. Plans are underway to build a new production facility that when completed next year will have an annual capacity of 3 million gallons of renewable diesel. This particular method of hydrocracking has been in development over the past four years and involves mixing hydrogen with the oil which will combine with and remove excess oxygen while also combining with the oil itself. The process requires high temperature and pressure, however after a certain point the reaction generates its own heat, requiring little outside energy. To read further:
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