A group of 30 teachers toured the POET Biorefining—Marion plant as part of the Ohio Corn & Wheat-sponsored Feed the World workshop. After making ethanol as part of a science lab, teachers were able to see how this process is done on a larger scale!
Rick Fox, the general manager, said, “Biofuels support farmers, improve engine performance, cost less at the pump, decrease dependence on foreign oil, provide jobs and investment, and help the environment.”
The plant began operations in October 2008. The ethanol production facility consumes approximately 50 million bushels of locally-grown corn to produce 150 million gallons of ethanol annually, along with 360,000 tons of high-quality animal feed. It also captures carbon dioxide and sells it to local food-related producers.
This facility, one of seven in Ohio, employs about 40 people and adds to the local economy with improved corn prices, value-added markets for farmers, and increased local tax revenue. About 38% of Ohio corn is used for ethanol production.