As a result of efforts related to our Odor Response Action Plan with the city of Milton, we’ve received approval from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to begin the super contingency recommended by Bill Roddy, from ICM, Inc. This contingency includes tying in the CO2 scrubber stack and process vent gas scrubber stack into the regenerative thermal oxidizer. With an October completion date, this is another step we’re taking to reduce odors from United Ethanol. It also allows us to use substantially less chemicals in our process, so it is a win/win project.
On June 14, 2010, GreenShift Corporation announced its execution of a license agreement with United Ethanol for use of GreenShift’s patented corn oil extraction technologies. Corn oil extraction will remove corn oil from the process stream prior to entering the distiller’s grain dryer. Corn oil sales will provide another stream of income and improve the flowability of our distiller’s grain. It will cut our overall energy costs, too.
Another project on our plate at United Ethanol is incorporating anaerobic digestion into our ethanol production process. This will allow United Ethanol to become energy independent through the creation of "green" power. Anaerobic digestion can lessen feedstock and energy risks; it will decrease our dependence on natural gas by approximately 30 percent.
Export demand for ethanol has greatly improved due to the extremely weak U.S. dollar and very little available product out of Brazil. Ethanol prices have averaged 12 cents per gallon higher in August than they were in July, which has more than offset the higher corn prices. Export demand for dry distiller’s grain (DDG) has also improved in August and it looks like that strength will remain in place thru September. We continue to remain cautiously optimistic and are trading ethanol, trading DDG, and buying corn according to that position.
Through the first half of 2010, United Ethanol produced 21,551,096 gallons of undenatured ethanol. We also produced 60,956 tons of DDG, 4,464 tons of wet distiller’s grain, and 22,366 tons of liquefied carbon dioxide.
Correspondence regarding United Ethanol will arrive in November, again. Until then, enjoy the remainder of your summer.
