VeraSun Energy Plans Groundbreaking This Saturday for Fuel Ethanol Plant in Iowa

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Privately held, VeraSun Fort Dodge LLC (Aurora, South Dakota), the renewable energy arm of VeraSun Energy Corporation, has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony this Saturday, September 18, 2004, in Fort Dodge, Iowa for construction of one of the country's largest fuel ethanol plants.

Senators, local, and state leaders, along with the companies' principles will gather at 1:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the 252-acre site, located just west of Fort Dodge, to kick-off construction of yet another ethanol plant in Iowa.

Plans call for the construction of a 110 million gallon per year dry grind ethanol plant that will chew up about 40 million bushels of locally grown corn per year. The plant will also have the capability of producing some 352,000 tons a year of distillers dried grains as well.

The company selected ICM Incorporated (Colwich, Kansas) as the engineering firm for the project, and leading ethanol plant builder, Fagen Incorporated (Granite Falls, Minnesota) will be the prime construction contractor. Some site preparation work began earlier this summer on this estimated $140 million plant. Construction is scheduled to be completed by early 2006.

Iowa currently is home to nine operational ethanol plants. With the VeraSun project, five plants are now currently under construction in the state and another five are in various stages of development.

VeraSun Energy Corporation is focused on creating a future America to include renewable energy. The company uses the latest biotechnology to create viable fuel alternatives for today and for the future. They convert corn to fuel-grade ethanol, which is blended with gasoline to extend fuel supplies and reduce automobile emissions.