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POET has implemented technology at its Laddonia facility, making the process of producing ethanol even greener.
On a recent tour of the facility, Plant Manager Steve Murphy, showed how POET is taking green to another level.
Being able to produce electricity has been a big boom since the plant opened. The biorefining plant currently makes 12 mega watts every hour. In addition to that, the BTUs get used twice – once to generate the electricity, and the second time, to generate steam that runs the distillation for the operation.
“It basically pays for itself, and delivers electricity in a very economical and environmentally friendly way for both the electricity and ethanol production,” Murphy said.
There are four things of varying significance currently going on at the plant – combined heat and power, total water recovery, the use of variable speed pumps for the fermentation process, and tree planting.
Combined Heat and Power
A turbine generates electricity for the grid, and the plant is able to capture the waste heat coming out, and use it for additional power. The heat is needed for the distillation process to boil off the water in ethanol.
“Here, all the energy is used twice, which increases efficiency, and makes us more economically and envrionmentally friendly for both the electricity and ethanol production,” Murphy said.
Total Water Recovery
The plant used to discharge 60 million gallons of water a year from its cooler tower. With its new total water recovery system, it recycles the water in the process, rather than discharging the wastewater. It saves about one gallon of water per gallon of ethanol produced (bringing the plant down to about 2.5 gallons total per gallon of ethanol produced).
“On a typical day, we have zero gallons of water going out,” Murphy said.
Variable speed pumps for fermentation
Using a 50/50 incentive program from Ameren Missouri, the plant purchased new fermentation pumps that can slow down, rather than running at 100 percent all the time. The pumps cut electricity use by 5.5 percent.
“The variable frequency drive allows the pump to run hard when it needs to, and slower when it doesn’t, which saves on electricity,” Murphy explained. POET made this change in October and November of 2010, which shaved quite a bit off of their electric note as well. “We’re trying to become greener, more efficient, more economical, and more competitive as a source of ethanol, source of fuel, all the time.”
For every 10 million gallons of ethanol produced, POET plants a new tree. To date, 25 trees have been planted.
“We’ve put out more than 200 million gallons of ethanol. We plan to do another tally in the fall,” Murphy said.
A lot of people think that corn comes in, and the only thing that goes out is ethanol. The coop products also make feed, called Dakota Gold – which is dried distiller grain that has to meet very high specifications for protein, fat, moisture and color, and can be used to feed swine, cattle and chickens as part of ration.
When asked how all its modifications and functions benefit the community, Murphy said the plant currently makes 60 million gallons of ethanol a year that pretty much stays in Missouri and uses all local corn. They have a draw area of 50 to 60 miles at most, but most are 30 miles from the plant. This year’s forecast, he said, is to use about 21 million bushels – which covers a pretty big draw area.
If POET has a profitable period, the farmers – as part of the ownership group – see a profit too, Murphy said.
POET has implemented technology at its Laddonia facility, making the process of producing ethanol even greener.
On a recent tour of the facility, Plant Manager Steve Murphy, showed how POET is taking green to another level.
Being able to produce electricity has been a big boom since the plant opened. The biorefining plant currently makes 12 mega watts every hour. In addition to that, the BTUs get used twice – once to generate the electricity, and the second time, to generate steam that runs the distillation for the operation.
“It basically pays for itself, and delivers electricity in a very economical and environmentally friendly way for both the electricity and ethanol production,” Murphy said.
There are four things of varying significance currently going on at the plant – combined heat and power, total water recovery, the use of variable speed pumps for the fermentation process, and tree planting.
Combined Heat and Power
A turbine generates electricity for the grid, and the plant is able to capture the waste heat coming out, and use it for additional power. The heat is needed for the distillation process to boil off the water in ethanol.
“Here, all the energy is used twice, which increases efficiency, and makes us more economically and envrionmentally friendly for both the electricity and ethanol production,” Murphy said.
Total Water Recovery
The plant used to discharge 60 million gallons of water a year from its cooler tower. With its new total water recovery system, it recycles the water in the process, rather than discharging the wastewater. It saves about one gallon of water per gallon of ethanol produced (bringing the plant down to about 2.5 gallons total per gallon of ethanol produced).
“On a typical day, we have zero gallons of water going out,” Murphy said.
Variable speed pumps for fermentation
Using a 50/50 incentive program from Ameren Missouri, the plant purchased new fermentation pumps that can slow down, rather than running at 100 percent all the time. The pumps cut electricity use by 5.5 percent.
“The variable frequency drive allows the pump to run hard when it needs to, and slower when it doesn’t, which saves on electricity,” Murphy explained. POET made this change in October and November of 2010, which shaved quite a bit off of their electric note as well. “We’re trying to become greener, more efficient, more economical, and more competitive as a source of ethanol, source of fuel, all the time.”
For every 10 million gallons of ethanol produced, POET plants a new tree. To date, 25 trees have been planted.
“We’ve put out more than 200 million gallons of ethanol. We plan to do another tally in the fall,” Murphy said.
A lot of people think that corn comes in, and the only thing that goes out is ethanol. The coop products also make feed, called Dakota Gold – which is dried distiller grain that has to meet very high specifications for protein, fat, moisture and color, and can be used to feed swine, cattle and chickens as part of ration.
When asked how all its modifications and functions benefit the community, Murphy said the plant currently makes 60 million gallons of ethanol a year that pretty much stays in Missouri and uses all local corn. They have a draw area of 50 to 60 miles at most, but most are 30 miles from the plant. This year’s forecast, he said, is to use about 21 million bushels – which covers a pretty big draw area.
If POET has a profitable period, the farmers – as part of the ownership group – see a profit too, Murphy said.
