Patriot Renewable Fuels‘ General Manager Rick Vondra came home seven years ago when he began working with the biorefinery. He grew up about 80 miles north of Annawan, Illinois on the Illinois-Wisconsin border. Since high school he has been working in the agriculture industry and has traveled around the world in his various roles with ag companies. But now because …
IL State Rep Moffit: Ethanol is Still Exciting
Illinois State Representative Donald Moffitt knows agriculture. He grew up on a family farm, on which his son still farms (and Don occasionally helps). This has been a huge asset for him in his role because agriculture is the number one industry in both the 74th District as well as the state of Illinois. Rep Moffitt was serving in this …
Ag, Biofuel Industries Dealt a Blow From EPA
The agriculture and biofuel industry has been dealt a blow according to Adam Nielsen, director of legislation and policy development for the Illinois Farm Bureau. Nielsen, who spends a significant amount of time promoting the agricultural industry in Washington, D.C., said the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed 2014 reduction of the amount of corn ethanol blended as part of the …
IL Sen. Todd Sieben “Retired To” Working for Ethanol
A good friend once told Todd Sieben, Chairman Central Bank and retired state senator, that when you get ready to retire, don’t retire from something, but retire to something. After 21 years as a state legislator, Sieben did just that and he “retired to” working on projects in his local community including helping to bring the idea of Patriot Renewable …
Tips from Patriot’s Dave Gerhart on Improving Efficiency
When you want to learn about ethanol, you go to an industry veteran and I did just that when I spoke with Patriot Renewable Fuels Plant Manager Dave Gerhart who began his career in the early 80s at is what is now known as Nebraska-based Chief Ethanol Fuels. At the time, they were the largest dry mill ethanol plant in …
A Q&A with JatroDiesel
JatroDiesel’s technology has been selected by Patriot Renewable Fuels for its 4-5 million biodiesel facility under construction next to its ethanol plant in Annawan, Illinois. The biodiesel plant, when it goes into operation in September 2014 will use the corn oil produced during the ethanol process for its primary feedstock. To learn more about the multi-feedstock biodiesel technology, I spoke …
Annawan Mayor Kennard B Franks Applauds Patriot
Annawan Mayor Kennard B Franks applauds Patriot Renewable Fuels for how much their ethanol plant (and soon to be biodiesel facility) has done for the local community. “Patriot has helped us immensely,” said Mayor Franks. He noted that they knew they were in a great spot on Interstate 80 along with the railroad routes and two natural gas pipelines running …
Rep. Cheri Bustos Loves Ethanol
Did you know that Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL) loves ethanol? Those in attendance at Patriot Renewable Fuels roundtable and RFS rally learned this when hearing from Rep. Bustos about her support of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). A little over two weeks ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its proposed renewable fuel volumes for the 2014 RFS. However much …
Patriot – The Little Biofuels Plant That Did
Remember when you were growing up the story your mom or dad read to you called, “The Little Engine that Could“? It was a motivational story about a little train engine that overcame doubt and adversity to save the day. Patriot Renewable Fuels based in Annawan, Illinois is the little biofuels plant that could in part by mading a recent …
EPA RFS Proposal: A Slap in the Face of Vets
Darrell Rakestraw joined the military in 1982. A local boy who grew up on a centennial farm near Annawan, Illinois, he served his country in the army for nearly 20 years before retiring and moving back home with his family. During the time he was stationed in Germany, he came home on leave and heard everyone talking about how America …
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