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EPA Recognizes Facility in Missouri that Demonstrates Exceptional Energy Savings and Emission Reductions

Release Date: 04/06/2009
Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, [email protected]

POET Biorefining Ethanol Plant, Laddonia, Mo.

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Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., April 6, 2009) - EPA recognized the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission (MJMEUC) for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions at a ceremony in the Region 7 office. An ENERGY STAR Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Award was given for its combustion turbine-based system located at the POET Biorefining – Laddonia, Mo., ethanol plant.

"EPA is proud to recognize the outstanding pollution reduction and energy efficiency innovations of this project by presenting this award. The heat recovery system is contributing to a cleaner and healthier environment," said Acting Regional Administrator William Rice.

In September 2007, the heat recovery steam generation system became fully operational. Electricity is generated by a natural gas-fired turbine, which requires approximately 26 percent less fuel than typical on-site thermal generation and purchased electricity. Based on this comparison, the system reduces carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 31,000 tons per year, which is equivalent to 6,400 acres of pine or fir forests storing carbon for one year or the annual emissions from 5,200 passenger vehicles.

Waste heat is recovered from the turbine exhaust and used to produce up to 63,000 pounds of steam per hour to support ethanol production. The system generates up to 13 megawatts of electricity.

POET CEO Jeff Broin said, "We want to thank the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission for helping POET in its mission to further reduce the environmental impacts of transportation fuel. As this partnership demonstrates, we are committed to making the production of ethanol even more efficient."

"In the design and operation of this facility, we went to great lengths to minimize its environmental footprint. We have a solid track record in the co-generation system based on the successful system at POET's ethanol plant in Macon, Mo.," said Macon Missouri's Operations Representative Scott Lucas. Macon is one of the 32 cities in Missouri that receive electricity from the facility.

MJMEUC Chief Operating Officer John Grotzinger said, "The electricity generated by the gas turbine at the ethanol plant in Laddonia, Mo., helps keep electric rates stable for municipal electric customers throughout Missouri."

MJMEUC is a statewide agency, which was formed to provide community-owned utilities the ability to pool their resources, to buy and sell electric power and invest in power generation and transmission facilities. These community-owned utilities serve 347,000 retail customers.

The EPA's CHP Partnership program recognizes projects that reduce emissions and use at least five percent less fuel than state-of-the-art, comparable separate heat and power generation.