US: Enogen corn from Syngenta has agreements with 30+ plants with combined capacity of 3 billion gallons

Date:06-13-2018

• Significant reduction in corn mash viscosity from using Enogen corn helping a growing number of ethanol producers be more competitive
• Participating plants gain corn market knowledge from mid-year corn estimates, invest in their community, increase yield and throughput potential and achieve more robust fermentation
• Growers at participating plants expected to earn $28.5 million in per-bushel premiums during 2018, keeping enzyme dollars local

June 12 Syngenta US company announced that, it has agreements in place with more than 30 ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of approximately 3 billion gallons. As new plants come on board, Syngenta expects ethanol produced with Enogen® corn enzyme technology to be approximately 2.5 billion gallons during 2018 alone.

Enogen corn is an in-seed innovation available exclusively from Syngenta and features the first biotech corn output trait designed specifically to enhance ethanol production. Enogen corn is rapidly gaining widespread acceptance because of the value it delivers to ethanol producers and the opportunity it provides corn growers to be enzyme suppliers for their local ethanol plants.

“Enogen corn is adding value for ethanol plants, corn growers and rural communities,” said Jeff Oestmann, head, Bio-fuels Operations – Enogen at Syngenta. “Across a growing number of ethanol plants, Enogen corn is helping to fuel enzyme innovation.”

The robust alpha amylase enzyme in Enogen grain significantly reduces the viscosity of corn mash and eliminates the need to add a liquid form of the enzyme. This breakthrough reduction can lead to unprecedented levels of solids loading, which directly contributes to increased throughput and yield potential, as well as critical cost savings from reduced natural gas, electricity and water usage.¹ Enogen corn also enables ethanol plants to gain corn market knowledge from mid-year corn estimates.

Farmers who grow Enogen corn are eligible to earn an additional premium per Enogen bushel. During 2018, Enogen corn is expected to generate approximately $28.5 million of additional revenue for local growers contracting with plants using Enogen grain through per-bushel premiums. Numerous trials have shown that Enogen hybrids perform equal to or better than other high-performing corn hybrids.²

“Syngenta is committed to the success of the U.S. ethanol industry and to helping ethanol plants adopt the best enzyme strategy,” Oestmann added. “We are proud to have made a significant investment to bring this game-changing technology to market. Enogen corn is helping to make ethanol more sustainable and is helping ethanol producers to differentiate their offerings while supporting their local communities by keeping enzyme dollars local.”

¹ Calculations based on Enogen trial and commercial results at Midwest ethanol plants.
² Syngenta production data, 2012-2017