Our industrial process, in steps
We provide to 2nd generation ethanol
technology producers with sugarcane bagasse grown in
european territory. This allows for a quick and no-worries
access to what is considered the best feedstock for
cellulosic ethanol production, and thus where the market is
heading. Indeed, the option would be to import it from
countries such as Brazil and India, with the ensuing
red-tape, costly delays, phitosanitary measures, etc which
always involve produce which comes outside european borders,
especially when they are rather new and thus unknown by
local authorities.
1 - Growing and harvesting the crop
The EUnergyCane is Europe's only sugarcane varierty able to grow in european territory. It was developed from naturally improved varieties from the area of Granada in the south of Spain. This is where our fields are located and this is where we continuously grow it and improve it
2 - Separating bagasse and tips+leaves
From the harvest, the tips and leaves are separated from the stems. The stems will then be crushed to remove the sucrose-rich sap and obtain the dry residue, called "bagasse". The tips and leaves are, depending on the client, crushed into thin fibers, or just discarded. This last option however is becoming less common, as it is increasingly noticed that, just like bagasse, they can be also valuable sources of cellulosic ethanol.
3 - 1st step crush
The stems are crushed first into a lighter machine which breaks down its internal structures, releasing some of the sap, and making the job easier for the machine doing the 2nd step crush.
4 - 2nd step crush
The semi-crushed stems are then sent to the 2nd step crushing machine. This machine, which has 4 rollers, removes up to 85% of the sap, leaving a practically dry residue (see picture), which makes the testing of the cellulosic ethanol technologies much easier, as it avoids unwanted degradation products such as hydroxyethylfurfural, levulinic and formic acid, etc which would hinder the enzymes involved in the production of cellulosic ethanol.
5 - Milling the produce
The bagasse and sometimes also the tips and leaves are then milled to obtain a finely ground fiber (see picture). This allows for the effective and easy testing of the cellulosic ethanol technology at the client's site without it having to mill it itself, and sets up apart from the usual solutions, which involve importing bagasse from producing regions such as Brazil and India, which always send it as it comes from their crushing machines at a higher water content (50% instead of 15% with us), and in crushed stems which still need to be milled.
6 - Packing, freezing, and sending
The end product is packed in regular fruit boxes and put on a pallet. This pallet then it is kept refrigerated at 5 degrees celcius, thus avoiding deterioration from fermentation or from ice-building. The pallet is then sent by refrigerated trucks to the client and usually arrives in a couple of days.