Verbio has begun construction to convert its South Bend ethanol plant into the second integrated biorefinery plant in North America.

The facility will incorporate both the production of renewable natural gas (RNG) and bioethanol using an innovative production approach. The company, a subsidiary of Europe`s leading biofuels and bioenergy producer Verbio SE, had received approval for its expansion proposal from the City of South Bend in April. Following the application of the Verbio technology and commissioning, Verbio targets a production capacity of at least 85 million gallons of corn ethanol and 2.8 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of RNG annually.

Verbio CEO Claus Sauter says the RNG will be created using the corn stillage co-product coming from the ethanol production process. “The technology approach we are applying integrates bioethanol and RNG production in a unique way,” said Sauter. “We are working with a closed-loop system that uses all raw materials sustainably and most efficiently. Almost 100% of all accumulated waste products are being refined in further steps into high-quality fertilizer products that are then sold back to growers.”

South Bend Ethanol is the second biorefinery project of Verbio in the United States. The company`s first RNG plant in Nevada, Iowa, has been producing RNG from corn stover since 2021. The build out in South Bend coincides with the expected commissioning of ethanol production at the Nevada plant in the coming weeks. Stillage from the ethanol production will be used to produce additional RNG, similar to the expansion of South Bend.