Logan County, Colorado Issued BDO Zone ‘A’ Rating for Wheat Straw

August 24, 2023

Print This Article Share it With Friends

(Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone Initiative) ‘A’ Rating Signals Untapped Feedstock Potential The Logan County Economic Development Corporation and Ecostrat are pleased to announce the issue of a new Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone designation for wheat straw.

The Logan County BDO Zone is rated ‘A’, or low risk, based on the reliable generation of biomass and access to larger supply basins at marginal transportation cost increments. The BDO Zone extends an 80-mile drive distance from Logan County and generates 100,000 oven-dried tons per year of wheat straw. Strong supply chain and logistics components provide substantial support for new bioenergy initiatives. Logan County achieves a significant milestone as Colorado’s first BDO Zone rating.

“Northeast Colorado is supportive of providing more options for farmers to help increase their bottom line.” stated Logan County Commissioner, Jerry Sonnenberg. “Agriculture has a very narrow profit margin and utilizing wheat straw as an additional commodity will not only benefit those farmers but also the entire community”.

This recognition solidifies the region as a bio-based industry frontrunner, positioning it as an ideal destination for bio-based projects requiring the reliable supply of wheat straw. The ‘A’ rating underscores Logan County’s significance and opens doors for future bio-based economic development, fostering wheat straw utilization across the region.

Jordan Solomon, Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative added, “We’re thrilled to announce the issue of a prestigious ‘A’ rated BDO Zone designation for Logan County, CO, marking a first-ever rating spanning parts of four states: Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Kansas. This milestone provides a credible signal to bio-based project developers worldwide that Logan County is a renewable energy frontrunner, actively looking to leverage its agricultural residues to power new bio-based manufacturing. The ‘A’ rating showcases Logan County as a prime destination for ground-breaking bio-based projects”.

To see the full BDO Zone Rating for Logan County please click here, or visit www.bdozone.org.

About Logan County

Located in the far northeast corner of Colorado, Logan County is in a perfect position to draw from all of Northeast Colorado, Southeast Wyoming, Southwest Nebraska, and Northwest Kansas. With a population base of 22,000 and a labor shed extending to over 30,000 people, Logan County boasts the necessary workforce for successful project establishment. It is also home to Sterling Ethanol, an innovative ethanol plant currently engaged in a new carbon sequestration project and CO2 pipeline development. This dynamic makes Logan County a prime hub for biomass-related activities.

Moreover, Logan County houses Northeastern Junior College, renowned for its premier training program in industrial and renewable energy technologies. This nationally recognized initiative is embarking on an extensive expansion in 2023, featuring an $18 million state-of-the-art facility.

Functioning as a pivotal renewable energy hub in Colorado, Logan County not only hosts one of the state’s initial wind farms but also boasts multiple wind generation sites and solar arrays that together wield a generation capacity surpassing 1 Gigawatt. Excitingly, additional projects in the planning stages could augment this capacity by up to another gigawatt within the next few years.

Serving as the regional nucleus of Northeast Colorado and its surrounding regions, Logan County, in conjunction with the City of Sterling, caters to a secondary trade market encompassing over 70,000 people. This vibrant setting offers a diverse array of entertainment, restaurants, and lifestyle amenities, rendering the area an alluring destination for attracting and retaining a skilled workforce.

Logan County’s versatile development landscape caters to specific requirements, providing an array of development sites. The county boasts two substantial interstate natural gas pipelines, additional networks, and three railroads, including sites offering dual service from two Class-1 railroads. The region benefits from extensive transportation networks along Interstate 76, situated less than 40 miles from Interstate 80, and an intersection of multiple state highways converging in the Sterling area. Furthermore, high-speed fiber optic networks, capable of speeds up to 10 Gigabits, span across this rural expanse. The abundance of large-acreage sites across various areas of the county accommodates projects according to their specific needs.

About the Logan County Economic Development Corporation

The Logan County Economic Development Corporation (LCEDC) operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity, engaging in close collaboration with both the City of Sterling and Logan County. Together, they drive forward economic development initiatives encompassing business recruitment, retention, expansion, and critical infrastructure projects. Acting as a pivotal bridge, the LCEDC facilitates interaction between the State of Colorado and various business endeavors, providing invaluable support in terms of incentives and essential requirements.

Presently, the LCEDC is immersed in the orchestration of several multi-million-dollar ventures spanning renewable energy development, cutting-edge technology, warehousing solutions, and transformative retail undertakings. The organization’s key role lies in guiding these projects towards fruition, leveraging its expertise to enhance their success.

One of LCEDC’s core services involves assisting projects with site selection, a process facilitated by matching unique project needs with properties equipped with the requisite infrastructure. As the community experiences a surge in active investments, the LCEDC is also intently focused on housing developments. This strategic emphasis ensures that the community’s growth is sustained well into the future, supported by the necessary capacity to accommodate the evolving workforce demands.

For more information about the Logan County Economic Development Corporation, visit www.sterling-logan.com. The BDO Zone Local Development Leader (LDL) is Trae Miller, Executive Director (trae@sterling-logan.com).

About The BDO Zone Initiative

The BDO Zone Initiative is an economic development platform that enables local communities to deploy powerful economic development tools – BDO Zone Ratings – to drive, accelerate, and catalyze biobased investment and commercial project development in BDO Zones.

A BDO Zone rating is a standards-based technical risk assessment of biomass feedstock, supply chain, and infrastructure attributes of a region with respect to the feasibility and development potential of new biofuel, renewable chemical, biogas, bioproduct, or clean hydrogen plants.

BDO Zone ratings help regions and communities attract new biobased project development and participate in the growing global bioeconomy by demonstrating the maturity of local biomass supply chains and whether or not they are developed enough to support biobased manufacturing without excessive risk.

For more information on the BDO Zone Initiative, please contact info@bdozone.org. To view all current and upcoming BDO Zone designations, visit www.bdozone.org or check out the BDO Zone LinkedIn page for all news and updates.

About Ecostrat

Ecostrat is the North American Leader in supplying biomass due diligence for biofuels, renewable chemicals, biogas, and bio-product project development and finance. Ecostrat led the USDOE/BETO funded project to develop the new investment Standards and Ratings for Biomass Supply Chain Risk which were subsequently used in the development of the CSA W209:21 Biomass supply chain risk National Standard of Canada.

The Advisory Group combines the BSCR Standards with powerful predictive analytics to understand and minimize supply chain risk. The Biomass Supply Group has 25 years of experience in sourcing and supplying more than 5 million tons of biomass feedstock for bioenergy, biofuel, and biochemical projects across North America.

Jordan Solomon is Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative and President of Ecostrat. He has overseen the development and operation of biomass supply chains for more than 5,000,000 tons of feedstock over two decades for bioenergy, biofuel, and biochemical projects.

Jordan Solomon can be reached at jordan.solomon@ecostrat.com. For more information about Ecostrat, visit the company’s website at www.ecostrat.com/standards or check out the Ecostrat LinkedIn page for all news and updates. READ MORE