Michigan Milk Producers Association and Canadian Dairy Distillery announced a joint initiative that will transform a dairy byproduct into the world’s lowest carbon-intensity ethanol, adding to the biofuel supply for cars and trucks.
Ontario-based Dairy Distillery developed technology to transform a lactose-rich dairy byproduct, called milk permeate into vodka, aptly named Vodkow. This high value use of milk permeate caught the attention of MMPA whose Constantine, MI facility produces 14,000 metric tons a year that’s being used for animal feed. Looking to create more value for its dairy farmer members, MMPA partnered with Dairy Distillery to build a plant to process its milk permeate into 2.2 million gallons of ethanol. When blended with transportation fuel, the permeate ethanol will offset 14,500 metric tons of carbon a year. This offset will reduce the carbon footprint of the milk processed at Constantine by 5% percent.
