Food vs fuel? An integrated approach to producing both

PRIME Biosolutions uses a patented method to tie cattle feeding with anaerobic digestion and ethanol production. The ethanol plant takes in grain (corn, sorghum, barley) and produces ethanol, wet distillers grains that are directed to the feedlot, thin stillage that can be used as feedstock for the anaerobic digestor and carbon dioxide that is used in nutrient removal. The anaerobic digestion unit is fed with manure from the feedlot as well as with thin stillage from the ethanol plant. The digester facilitates economic removal of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The feedlot consumes all of the distillers grains. There’s no drying or hauling—saving freight is a significant advantage. Although it is a concentrated animal feeding operation, we have no run off, etc.