Three ACE Member Plants Host MN High School Students
In tours organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association, Al-Corn Clean Fuel in Claremont, Minnesota, hosted groups of students from Owatonna High School, Triton High School, and Southland High School in Minnesota this fall. Highwater Ethanol in Lamberton, Minnesota, also recently hosted students from Sleepy Eye High School’s Crop 101 class to learn about ethanol production, and Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company hosted students from Minnewaska Area High School’s agriculture processing class.
During the tours, students visited the various stages of the ethanol production process, such as incoming grain grading and handling, fermentation, grain storage, ethanol shipment, and distillers grains production and shipment.
“Touring an ethanol plant is a great opportunity for students to learn up-close about possible career options within agriculture and for us to share about the various ways in which our industry benefits the environment, rural economies, and fuel costs for Minnesota drivers and supports energy independence,” said Brian Werner, executive director at the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association.
Students from Sleepy Eye Highschool tour Highwater Ethanol. Students from Triton High School tour Al-Corn Clean Fuel.
Students from Minnewaska Area High School tour CVEC.
ACE Joins USGBC at Global Ethanol Summit and Trade Team Tour
ACE CMO Ron Lamberty attended the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) in October for their Global Ethanol Summit (GES) in Washington, D.C. Lamberty spoke on a panel entitled “Ethanol 201: Retailing, Transportation, Logistics and Infrastructure” at the event, joined by Jake Comer and Kristy Moore with Growth Energy, as well as Hagan Rose with Eco-Energy.
ACE's Anna Carpenter (L) and Ron Lamberty (R) participated in the tour Dakota Ethanol hosted. Leon Gerry (M), the plant's operations manager, was one of the guides.
Following the GES, nine trade teams traveled to corn-growing states to visit advanced farming operations, explore ethanol production plants, view terminal and port facilities, and more to build their networks with U.S. suppliers. Lamberty helped coordinate a stop on the South Dakota tour—organized by the South Dakota Corn Growers Association and USGBC—welcoming a Latin America delegation with representatives from Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. These countries, which blend ethanol with gasoline (except Chile), are key markets for U.S. ethanol.
The delegation included senior officials from government agencies, refineries, fuel and biofuel associations, and major fuel importers. The group visited a farm near Bridgewater, South Dakota, and toured ACE member Dakota Ethanol’s plant in Wentworth. The following day, the team met with a gasoline retailer and an ethanol producer. The goal of the tour was for participants to gain technical insights and practical experiences to support the next phase of ethanol market development in their respective countries, including increasing blending, which ranges from E5 to E10 currently, to higher blends like E15 and E85.
USGBC Latin America Trade Guests pose with Charlie, Scott, and Amanda Stahl at Stahl Farms in Bridgewater, South Dakota.
USGBC Latin America Trade Guests pose with Joe Stortz, Kwik Trip, Inc. District Leader at the Kwik Star location on 85th Street in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
USGBC Latin America trade guests went on a tour of Dakota Ethanol in Wentworth, South Dakota, led by Paul Geraets, the plant's commodities manager.
