Prairie Public Broadcasting

"Unique" ethanol plant up and running BISMARCK, ND (Prairie Public) - Its owners call the Blue Flint ethanol plant the most efficient plant of its type in the US.

The plant -- a joint project of Headwaters Energy Services and Great River Energy -- has been up and running since February. And it has already produced 25-million gallons of ethanol. It is right next to the Coal Creek Station power plant, south of Underwood.

"It's the most efficient ethanol plant currently operating in the country," said David Saggau, the CEO of Great River Energy. He and other state and company officials held a formal grand opening for the plant Tuesday.

The ethanol plant uses the waste steam from the power plant. Saggau says the power co-op was looking for this kind of partnership.

"There's a lot of energy going up those chimneys," said Saggau. "We are using that waste steam to fuel the ethanol-making process. We don't have a separate boiler for the ethanol plant."

Saggau says the power plant emissions are also being used in a process called "coal beneficiation," which removes some of the water from lignite.

"It reduces the amount of coal we have to burn, increases the efficiencies of the power plant, and reduces emissions."

The Blue Flint plant employs 37 people.


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