EMMETSBURG, Iowa - The late harvest and a cold wind didn't stop several hundred farmers from attending Poet's Project Liberty Field Day here recently.
The farmers came to see new harvesting equipment for cellulosic ethanol and hear details on federal programs that could assist them in getting started in the collection of biomass.
Sixteen companies showcased new equipment for the collection of corn cobs.
In addition, officials from Poet, the USDA and the state encouraged area farmers to learn more about money available to help buy equipment and matching payments for the biomass.
Poet CEO Jeff Broin told farmers this is the time to get involved in cellulosic ethanol.
“We're making cellulosic ethanol today, and we're making it in a manner that we know is going to be profitable,” he said.
Poet, the Sioux Falls, S.D., company, has a pilot-scale plant in Scotland, S.D., that is running seven days a week and is producing cellulosic ethanol from corn cobs.
The company plans to commercialize the process with Project Liberty - the 25 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg that will be operation in 2011 and located next to the Poet's existing grain ethanol plant.
Poet is working with 14 farmers near Emmetsburg to contract for cob collection. The company plans to increase the number of farmers it works with for next year and is encouraging farmers to sign on.
Once it is running, the Project Liberty facility will require more than 700 tons of cobs and fiber per day to fuel the plant.
Officials from the USDA and Poet encouraged area farmers to learn more about funds available to help obtain equipment and secure matching payments for biomass.
The federal government is working to establish the feedstock market through programs, such as the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, which provides matching funds to farmers for their biomass.
Also, through an additional $20 million grant from the Department of Energy, Poet can help farmers put cob harvesting technology in the field.
Equipment on display at the Project Liberty field day included pieces in production and pre-commercial prototypes. Area farmers who have been harvesting cobs have been using and testing some of that equipment.
Companies that have not started production of their equipment have not set prices.
“The equipment manufacturers have stepped up to the plate with developing cob-harvesting equipment,” said Scott Weishaar, Poet vice president for commercial development.
“The next link in that chain is the farmers. We need your participation.”
Poet offers an economic working model for farmers to use to determine acreage, equipment choices, collection rates and other cost factors to build an economic model or business plan. Interested farmers are encouraged to contact the company for details.
“Obviously, this has to be a profitable and sustainable venture for farmers,” Weishaar said.
He told attendees about the important role they would play in providing more homegrown fuel for the nation.
“The development of the first commercialized cellulosic eth-anol facility is historic,” said retired four-star General Wesley Clark.
“We are going to significantly reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, and we will strengthen America's national security.”
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