The students were briefed on the various processes of ethanol production at the plant, which produces 130 million gallons of ethanol a year.
"Ethanol is a Minnesota-grown-and-made renewable fuel that everyday continues to increase our energy independence, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and improve local communities. The ethanol industry is a vital economic driver within rural Minnesota and tours like these highlight the ethanol production process and its role in creating jobs and enhancing our environment," said Jeanne McCaherty, CEO of Guardian Energy.
The students, from grades 7 to 12, were participating in St. James High School’s spring semester FFA field trip that tours local agriculture-related businesses.
During the tour, they learned about several different components of ethanol production including incoming grain grading, grain handling, liquefaction, fermentation, distillation, distillers grain drying, corn oil separation, product storage and product shipment.
The tour was organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association and sponsored by Novozymes, a global microbe and enzyme provider, and supporter of Minnesota’s ethanol industry. Guardian Energy and Novozymes are members of the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association.
“With these tours, high school students gain a better understanding of how a homegrown ingredient is converted into a clean fuel that has been reducing and continues to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, saves consumers money at the pump and makes us more energy independent,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director of the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association.
St. James High School’s Agriculture and Industrial Technology instructor, Jeremy Spitzner, who accompanied his students on the tour, said today’s tour was part of the school’s efforts to expose its students to career opportunities in the agriculture industry.
“With this tour they understood what goes on at an ethanol plant and learned a lot about the employment opportunities there are within the biofuel industry,” Spitzner said. READ MORE
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