Purified Renewable Energy Puts Minnesota Ethanol Plant Back to Work

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Privately held start-up Purified Renewable Energy LLC (Buffalo Lake, Minnesota) has put the former Minnesota Energy fuel ethanol facility in Buffalo Lake, Minnesota, back to work.

The plant has been shut down since early 2010, and some $2 million in upgrades to the plant were performed. The 20 million-gallon-per-year plant has been producing ethanol since July of this year.

Minnesota Energy, with partner Farmers Cooperative, first put the plant into production in 1997. In April 2010, the company closed the plant due to tight margins and a $1.1 million environmental penalty for a variety of violations. The plant utilized a process technology licensed to Katzen International Incorporated (Cincinnati, Ohio).

The plant is currently permitted to produce 25 million gallons per year. Capacity could be expanded to 35 million gallons per year if margins improve to the point where additional capital can be invested in the plant.

The plant is located roughly 70 miles west of Minneapolis in corn-rich Renville County. About 25 to 30 employees have been hired to run the plant.

Industrial Info's databases provide a comprehensive outline of all current development activities in the emerging alternative fuels market. Our North American Biodiesel Database covers 136 operational plants and 90 plants in development. Our North American Ethanol Database covers 214 plants in operation and 138 plants in various development phases. Our North American Wood Fuel Pellet Database includes 63 operational plants producing more than 25,000 tons annually and 38 projects in progress.

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