Corn Cob Harvest
Posted: October 31, 2007
South Dakota-based ethanol producer POET held a media event this week on the family farm of Darrin Ihnen near Hurley, S.D. to demonstrate techniques for harvesting corn cobs.
POET CEO Jeff Broin says, “We are going to do something that has never been done before: produce cellulosic ethanol from corn cobs on a commercial scale. When our Emmetsburg, Iowa plant is operational in 2011, it will necessitate harvesting, storing and transporting 275,000 acres of corn cobs. The 4,000 acres we’re harvesting this fall represents the first step toward making that massive harvest achievable.”
POET is working with several leading agricultural equipment manufactures, including John Deere, Kinze and Case, to refine methods for harvesting, storing and transporting corn cobs for commercial cellulosic ethanol production.