BIOMASS HUB

BrighterEnergy.org reports that biofuels technology company GreenShift Corporation is suing 11 ethanol producers over claims they are using its corn oil extraction technology without paying royalties.

The New York company has already been pursuing companies including Cardinal Ethanol, Big River Resources, ICM, Inc., and GEA Westfalia Separator on grounds of using its technology without consent.

Now it has named 11 more biofuels companies it says have been using its technology, which can extract oil from the by-products of corn-based ethanol production.

That brings the total now facing legal action to 17.

The action involves GreenShift’s patent title “Method of Processing Ethanol Byproducts and Related Subsystems”. The patent covers processes for recovering corn oil from whole stillage, a precursor to the distillers grain co-product of corn ethanol production.

The ethanol producers now facing legal action include three plants in Illinois, two in Indiana, three in Iowa, four in Minnesota, two in Wisconsin and one in North Dakota.

It also includes two equipment suppliers, Kansas firm ICM, Inc., and New Jersey firm GEA Westfalia.

More on GreenShift Corporation’s suit against ethanol producers.