ETHANOL

[timhyma]

ALGAE-AS-RENEWABLE-FUEL PROJECT MAY BREAK GROUND BY SEPTEMBER

(Shenandoah) -- The world's first algae farm for use in renewable fuels may be in our very own Shenandoah.

Greg Connell is Shenandoah Chamber and Industry Association's Executive Vice President and founder of the project. Connell says the project is expected to begin in the end of August or beginning of September. Some of that will be simple ground work identifying CO2 quality and temperatures, water quality etcetera.

Connell expects by October there will be actual modules growing algae. One issue being addressed now is harvesting the algae without stopping the growth process. Connell says those issues are being addressed and will sorted out with time.

An important advancement has taken place in the venture: Green Plains experienced a merger recently for the furtherance of the algae project with a company from Dublin, Ireland called National Toll Road. Connell feels the merger provides more access to funds and moves the project much farther along scientifically. He believes algae is a great companion project to the ethanol industry

Connell says there seems to be no negatives to such a project. The algae farm would use waste water from the cooling towers of the ethanol plant, capture waste CO2 from the plant (which happens to emit 140,000 tons of CO2 each year) with the water/sunlight photosynthesis process that produces the algae, it will produce a tremendous amount of biomass and is usable for many products - including cosmetics.

Participants:

Senator Tom Harkin and his Energy Advisor Ellen Boes, Kevin Lynch, National Toll Road (NTR) (the merged company with GPRE), Dublin, Ireland, Wayne Hoovestol, CEO Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc. (GPRE), Omaha, NE, Todd Becker, CEO VBV, Omaha, NE, Bob Vavra, Chairman of Board of Directors GPRE, Shenandoah, IA, Scott Poor, Corporate Council, GPRE, Omaha, NE, Gregg Connell, Executive Vice President, Shenandoah Chamber & Industry Association, Shenandoah, IA

08/21/2008 6:16:21 AM

http://www.kmaland.com/localnews.asp