POET Optimistic About Corn Ethanol Future
Posted: January 14, 2008
Next generation ethanol coming from feedstocks other than corn is what everyone is talking about these days, but number one ethanol producer POET is sticking to its roots, even when it comes to expanding into the cellulosic realm.
At the Reuters Global Agriculture and Biofuels Summit Monday, POET CEO Jeff Broin said their plan is to add facilities to make cellulosic fuel from corn cobs onto the majority of its 22 distilleries in coming years modeled after its Project Liberty in Iowa.
At Liberty, a project jointly funded by the company and the U.S. Department of Energy, POET plans to turn corn cobs into 31 million gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol.
“Our facilities are surrounded by a significant supply of cellulose … we’ve chosen to focus on corn cobs,” Broin said.
Contrary to other industry officials who see the corn ethanol market taking a back seat in the years to come, Broin says POET plans to increase production capacity by at least 25 percent to more than 1.5 billion gallons per year by the end of 2008, mainly by building new plants.
“Our strategy is to be the lowest or best cost producer,” Broin added.
POET just opened its 22nd plant, POET Biorefining – Leipsic, in Ohio. The photo is Jeff Broin at a media event held last fall in South Dakota to demonstrate harvesting techniques for corn cobs, courtesy of PoetPics on Flickr.