VeraSun Rising

Cindy Zimmerman

Illinois Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama made a stop in Charles City on his five day tour of Iowa last week to help cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the third ethanol plant for VeraSun Energy. Obama says ethanol “ultimately helps our national security because right now we’re sending billions of dollars to some of the …

Ethanol, Facilities, News, RFA

POET Breaks More Ohio Ground

Cindy Zimmerman

POET held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for their third ethanol production facility in the Ohio. The site is located northeast of Fostoria. POET Biorefining – Fostoria is planned as a 60 million gallon per year facility which will consume 21 million bushels of locally grown corn. Mike Wagner, Executive Director of the Buckeye Renewable Fuels Association, said “We’ve been working …

Ethanol, Facilities, News

Ord Opening

Cindy Zimmerman

US BioEnergy Corporation this week celebrated the grand opening of the company’s newest ethanol plant in Ord, Nebraska. Nebraska Governor and current Chairman of the Governor’s Ethanol Coalition Dave Heineman joined US BioEnergy CEO Gordon Ommen, Ord Mayor Randy O’Brien and other local and industry dignitaries for the ceremony on Wednesday. “The reality for communities from coast to coast to …

Ethanol, Facilities, News

Blue Flint Grand Opening

Cindy Zimmerman

Blue Flint Ethanol, a joint venture between Great River Energy and Headwaters Incorporated, celebrated its grand opening Tuesday for a 50 million gallon per year ethanol biorefinery near Underwood, North Dakota. Unique to the U.S. ethanol industry, Blue Flint Ethanol is located adjacent to Coal Creek Station, a coal-fired electric facility, and is using the excess steam from Coal Creek …

Energy, Ethanol, Facilities, News, RFA

News From US Bioenergy

Cindy Zimmerman

US BioEnergy Corporation is planning to utilize US Bio Process Technology™ at its Albert City, Hankinson, Dyersville and Janesville plants which is expected to increase the production capacity at each of these plants from 100 million gallons per year (MGY) to 120 MGY by the end of 2008. According to a company release, US Bio Process Technology includes a combination …

Energy, Ethanol, Facilities, News

Third POET Plant for Indiana

Cindy Zimmerman

POET officials broke ground Friday for their third ethanol production facility in Indiana, this one near North Manchester. According to POET, the 65 million gallon per year facility will be one of the most environmentally friendly ethanol production facilities in operation today. It will utilize proprietary technology from POET, like the patent-pending BPX process that eliminates cooking in ethanol production …

EPIC, Ethanol, Facilities, News

Liberty for Michigan

Cindy Zimmerman

Liberty Renewable Fuels of Ithaca has announced plans to build Michigan’s largest ethanol plant. The plant will be located in the middle of Michigan corn country and will produce 110-million gallons of ethanol per year. Liberty officials have also announced the opportunity for local investors to contribute to the alternative energy plant. “We are thrilled to have progressed to this …

Ethanol, Facilities, News

Ethanol Sunrise

Cindy Zimmerman

You may have heard of a Tequila Sunrise – well, this is an Ethanol Sunrise. Chuck Zimmerman took these shots of the sun rising on the Poet Biorefining plant in Laddonia, Missouri Tuesday on his way to the 2007 InfoAg Conference in Springfield, Illinois. According to POET’s website, POET Biorefining – Laddonia began operations in September of 2006. The state-of-the …

EPIC, Ethanol, Facilities, News

Ethanol Merger in the Works

Cindy Zimmerman

Farmer-owned Dakota Ethanol of South Dakota is merging with Countryside Renewable Energy of Iowa. Under the proposed merger announced this week, Dakota Ethanol owners Lake Area Corn Processors would exchange 100 percent of its ownership for a combination of cash and equity shares in Countryside. According to a press release, Dakota Ethanol board member Brian Woldt said the company has …

Ethanol, Facilities, News

POET Expansion Complete

Cindy Zimmerman

The expansion of POET Biorefining – Big Stone from a nameplate production capacity of 40 to 75 million gallons per year is now complete, according to the company. The $42 million construction project began in April of last year and was completed at the end of May. Located approximately 6.5 miles northeast of Milbank, S.D., POET Biorefining – Big Stone …

EPIC, Ethanol, Facilities, News