Bio-Acetone Breakthrough Spins New Revenue Stream for Corn-Ethanol Industry

Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS) and Braskem have teamed up to revolutionize the corn-ethanol industry. The two companies have unveiled a bio-acetone production platform that enables biorefineries to generate a new coproduct alongside ethanol.

The innovative platform combines LBDS' proprietary fermentation technology with Braskem's bio-acetone recovery process, creating a new revenue stream for producers. According to Craig Ammann, Vice President of Business Development for LBDS, the partnership is a natural fit due to their expertise in yeast and fermentation, as well as Braskem's knowledge of biochemicals and biopolymers.

The technology has been five years in the making and will be made available to the US ethanol industry. The innovative yeast strain enables bio-acetone production during fermentation without affecting performance. Braskem's bolt-on technology separates the resulting bio-acetone from ethanol, and the company will handle all sales and market development for the product.