Spiritwood Ethanol Plant Operational – Video

(CSi) Gov. Jack Dalrymple’s Chief of Staff, Ron Rauschenberger, congratulated Midwest AgEnergy Group as it marks the beginning of operations for the company’s new 65 million-gallon-per-year biorefinery located next to Great River Energy’s Spiritwood Station near Jamestown.

 Video of entire Press Conference as aired on CSi TV

Photos & Video by Thomas Ravely/CSi

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The Dakota Spirit AgEnergy biorefinery uses steam from the combined heat and power plant and corn from local farmers to produce ethanol, distillers grains and fuel-grade corn oil.

More Photos by Thomas Ravely – The Replay Channel – at Facebook

President of Midwest AgEnergy Group,  Greg Ridderbusch,  announced the official operation beginning during a press conference on Friday, July 24th. Representatives for Governor Jack Dalrymple, Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Senator John Hoeven, and Congressman Kevin Cramer were on hand to help commemorate the new 65 million gallon-per-year biorefinery.

The state provided nearly $40 million in grants and loans for the renewable fuel project, including funds for feasibility studies, construction and jobs training. The state’s investment includes loans from the Bank of North Dakota and the North Dakota Department of Commerce’s (NDDOC) Development Fund, along with grants from the North Dakota Industrial Commission and the NDDOC’s Agricultural Products Utilization Commission and Community Development Block Grant programs. Funding for new jobs training was provided by Job Service North Dakota.

Rauschenberger said, “The Dakota Spirit AgEnergy biorefinery is an important investment for North Dakota because it adds value to the state’s production agriculture industry, expands our renewable energy offerings, and creates jobs and economic opportunities for our people. Congratulations to Midwest AgEnergy Group and its many local and state partners as they celebrate the beginning of operations for this unique biorefinery and its impact on both the local and statewide economies.”

The plant will produce 65 million gallons per year of ethanol, 198,000 tons of distillers grains for livestock feed and 6,900 tons of fuel-grade corn oil for products like biodiesel. The ethanol produced at Dakota Spirit AgEnergy amounts to about 20 percent of North Dakota’s annual fuel demand. The biorefinery will purchase 23 million bushels of corn annually from farmers and employs 38 people. The cost of the project was $155 million.

News release…

Spiritwood, N.D. — The Dakota Spirit AgEnergy biorefinery is fully commercialized and producing renewable fuel for the nation’s vehicle fleet.

The new 65 million-gallon-per-year biorefinery is located next to Great River Energy’s Spiritwood Station and utilizes steam from the combined heat and power plant and yellow corn from local farmers to produce ethanol, distillers grains and fuel-grade corn oil.

“Dakota Spirit AgEnergy is a unique plant as it purchases steam over the fence from Spiritwood Station. Because of the inherent efficiencies of the combined heat and power configuration of Spiritwood Station, Dakota Spirit AgEnergy qualified for certification under the Renewable Fuel Standard,” said Greg Ridderbusch, president, Midwest AgEnergy Group.

The utilization of steam from an adjacent plant is a concept Midwest AgEnergy Group first employed at Blue Flint Ethanol near Underwood, N.D., in 2007.

The ethanol produced at Dakota Spirit AgEnergy amounts to about 20 percent of North Dakota’s annual fuel demand. The facility also produces an additional 6,900 tons of fuel-grade corn oil for products like biodiesel and 198,000 tons of distillers grains for livestock feed.

“Dakota Spirit AgEnergy has a significant benefit on the local economy through the purchase of 23 million bushels of corn annually from farmers, availability of feed and oil byproducts, and the 38 direct jobs at the biorefinery,” said Jeff Zueger, chief operating officer, Midwest AgEnergy Group.

Also noteworthy is the site’s significant rail system including the capacity for two unit trains at any given time. Dakota Spirit AgEnergy is able to access this rail loop as a tenant of the Spiritwood Energy Park Association (SEPA) and take advantage of the efficiency and economies of Class I rail service. The energy park infrastructure, including rail loop, road upgrades, steam, water and electricity, is the result of a significant collaborative effort between the plant, utility, city and county.

“We are proud to be a part of the huge team effort to bring this project to reality,” Ridderbusch said.

About Midwest AgEnergy Group
Midwest AgEnergy Group, an Upper Midwest biofuels enterprise, is owned by Great River Energy and other accredited investors including ag producers and businesses. Midwest AgEnergy Group owns Dakota Spirit AgEnergy and Blue Flint Ethanol, an existing 65 million-gallon-per-year ethanol biorefinery. Blue Flint Ethanol was the first co-located, directly integrated biorefinery in North America. More information is available at  dakotaspiritagenergy.com

The news conference and speakers presentations were recorded by CSi 10 THE REPLAY CHANNEL.