Turning Brewing Waste Into Ethanol

February 5, 2009

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E-Fuel Corp. and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. are working together to produce ethanol from discarded beer yeast. Testing will begin in the second quarter of this year, with the goal of achieving full-scale ethanol production in the third quarter, Edmunds.com reports.

The companies have agreed to house small MicroFuelers made by E-Fuel at the Chico, California, brewery. The MicroFuelers will allow the brewery to make 100 percent ethanol using waste from its brewing process.

According to E-Fuel, the MicroFueler can create up to 70 gallons of ethanol per week using an alcohol feedstock.

Molson Coors, which began converting waste beer to ethanol in 1996, produces about 3 million gallons of ethanol per year

Other breweries are also greening up their acts. New Belgium Brewing plans to cut CO2 emissions by 25 percent per barrel by 2015.

Anheuser-Busch says it will brew more than 5 billion green beers in 2009. The company is aiming to run its U.S. operations on 15 percent renewable fuel by 2010.

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Reader Comments

As a former owner of a brew pub I am heartened that the beer industry is reaching into green manufacturing. It should also be a great money maker for them. Well done and I hope to see more brewers do the same.

Greenat50 | February 6th, 2009

That’s great news more breweries are making good use of their brewing waste by turning it into fuel.
It would be even better if they were able to market the beer yeast ethanol too….I’m sure there are many men (and women) who wouldn’t mind buying beer based fuel!

Tara | February 6th, 2009

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