Cargill Ethanol Expansion Plans

Cindy Zimmerman

cargill Cargill PlantI had to look back at recent posts to make sure I had not already done this story, since I have written about so many new plants lately. This one was actually announced November 9, and it’s a significant one because it would be the largest in the country and would make Cargill the second largest ethanol producer in the country. Cargill is planning to build a second plant in Blair, NE that would produce 110 million gallons of ethanol per year. Currently, the largest plant in the country is Aventine Renewable Energy’s plant in Pekin, IL at 100 million – at least two other 100 mmgy plants are in the works, in Texas and Missouri. Aventine is currently the country’s second largest producer, but a far second from leader Archer-Daniels Midland. ADM produced over a billion gallons of ethanol last year at seven plants in the midwest. Cargill’s new plant would raise their total annual U.S. production capacity to 230 million gallons.

Ethanol, Production