Products

Ethanol

Ethanol is one of the products that we produce. Ethanol is a great alternative fuel that has many positive attributes including, cheaper fuel for consumers, more enegry security, higher farm incomes and rural employment, significant carbon emission reduction, greater economic growth, and lower imports and energy prices. This safe, clean burning, cost effective fuel will help promote a healtheir environment. The ethanol that we produce will be used to make ethanol-enriched gasoline, or E-85, which is an 85%/15% ethanol/gasoline mixture.

Aside from being good for the car because of the detergent properties of ethanol, E-85 reduces ozone forming volatile organic compounds by 15%, carbon monoxide by 40%, NOx by 10%, sulfate emissions by 80%. Ethanol also has a positive energy balance creating more energy than it takes to produce it.

DDG's

Another important product that the Sharon Ethanol plant will produce is DDG's or Distillers Dried Grains. Starch, which accounts for 70% of the the corn kernel, is extracted and used in the ethanol production process. The other 30% of the kernel (protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins) is not wasted, but instead, used to produce a valuable feed for livestock commonly known as DDG's. This feed can be used to feed dairy cattle, swine, poultry, and aquaculture. DDG's is also an economical partial replacement for corn, soybean meal, and dicalcium phosphate in livestock and poultry feeds. Over 85% of DDG's has been fed to dairy and beef cattle, and it is popular commodity because of its longer shelf life and ability to be transported over long distances.

C02

Another co-product of the ethanol production process is carbon dioxide (C02). During the fermentation process C02 is collected and cleaned. This co-product is then ready to be sold to industries that utilize C02 in their production processes. Companies that use C02 include the beverage industry, food processors, paper mills, and dry ice manufacturers.