recent news links, events, and press releases http://www.poet.com Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:01 CSTConferences & Events

New ethanol co-products can help ethanol plants become true biorefineries, unlocking the additional potential of each kernel of corn.  

POET Vice President of Commercial Development Scott Weishaar will discuss opportunities and challenges of adding such co-products to the ethanol production process at the Next Generation Bio-Based Chemicals Summit this week at the Westin San Diego in San Diego, Calif. Weishaar will be a panelist in the session titled “Perspectives of Biorefinery Owners and Developers on the Bio-Based Chemicals Value Chain” from 8-9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10.

Co-products such as Inviz, POET’s branded zein, open many new markets for producers today. Inviz is a biodegradable, low-nutrient protein found in corn.  It can be used as a gum base or in films, packaging, adhesives, coatings and glazes.  Inviz zein is extracted using a patent-pending process developed by POET.

Distillers grains are a co-product already broadly produced by the industry. POET is committed to exploring more products to further expand the potential of corn and change ethanol plants nationwide into true biorefineries.

Cellulosic ethanol will provide new opportunities as well, as diverse feedstock lead to new products. POET’s planned cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa, will use the waste stream to create energy, enough to power the entire cellulosic ethanol plant and the majority of the adjacent grain ethanol plant as well. Bio-based chemicals and related products will likely emerge as viable co-products.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 22-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=190Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:01 CSTConferences & Events

Ethanol limits oil imports and makes our environment cleaner, but its positive impact in the future will be many times what it is today thanks to more efficient production technology and commercialization of cellulosic ethanol.

POET CEO Jeff Broin Wednesday will outline these impacts and those to come at Retech 2010 in Washington, D.C. Broin’s comments will be part of the opening plenary session Wednesday from 2-5 p.m. in the Washington Convention Center. The session features Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, as well as other leaders in energy and the environment.

Also at the event, POET Director of Corporate Affairs Doug Berven will take part in a panel discussion “Research and Development: Conventional Biofuels” on Friday, Feb. 5 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Berven also will join a side event panel on international cooperation in biofuels production on Thursday from 10-11:30 a.m. Both events will be held in the Washington Convention Center.

POET’s research over the years has lead to industry-leading efficiency improvements in areas such as fermentation, water use, energy use and distillers grains production. In recent years, POET has tripled the size of its laboratory in Sioux Falls, S.D. and the company operates multiple pilot-scale ethanol plants in Scotland, S.D. to test new processes and technology before commercialization.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 22-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=189Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTProject LIBERTY/Cellulosic Ethanol

In the near future, cellulosic ethanol will be produced across the Midwest, and farmers everywhere should start thinking about corn cobs as an additional revenue crop.

POET Biomass Director Mike Roth will take that message to Mason City, Iowa on Friday in a presentation at the KGLO Ag Expo, North Iowa Fairgrounds. Roth will speak about POET’s Project LIBERTY, a planned 25 million gallon-per-year commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg Iowa that will use corn cobs as feedstock. He will also discuss the growing need for cobs, successful cob harvests in 2009 and the variety of harvesting options for farmers.

The presentation starts at 10:30 a.m.

POET already has an operating pilot cellulosic ethanol plant in Scotland, S.D. producing 20,000 gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year.

To see a documentary about POET’s pilot cellulosic ethanol plant visit www.poet.com/cellulosedocumentary.htm. Media outlets are welcome to link to the documentary in online coverage. Photos of the pilot plant are also available for publication at http://www.poet.com/news/releases.asp.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 22-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com or http://www.projectliberty.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=188Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTProject LIBERTY/Cellulosic Ethanol

The Iowa Department of Economic Development on Thursday approved an agreement for the final $5.25 million in financial assistance to POET’s Project LIBERTY, a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant that will produce ethanol from corn cobs.

The final approval brings Iowa’s total contribution to the project to $20 million. The initial $14.75 million, from the Iowa Power Fund, was approved in February 2009. In 2008, POET and the Iowa Department of Economic Development agreed to terms surrounding the project. &nbsp;Approval Thursday finalized those terms.

“The state has shown vision and leadership in helping our nation continue down this important path to eliminate the need for dirty and imported oil,” Project LIBERTY Director Jim Sturdevant said. “We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Iowa in commercializing cellulosic ethanol.”

Project LIBERTY is a 25 million gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa that uses corn cobs as feedstock. POET plans to begin construction this year on the plant, which will be co-located with POET’s current grain-ethanol plant at the site. POET’s pilot-scale plant in Scotland, S.D. is already producing cellulosic ethanol at a rate of approximately 20,000 gallons per year.

To see a documentary about POET’s pilot cellulosic ethanol plant visit www.poet.com/cellulosedocumentary.htm. Media outlets are welcome to link to the documentary in online coverage. Photos are also available for publication at http://www.poet.com/news/releases.asp.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 22-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=187Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTCorporate News & Announcements

The Environmental Protection Agency has honored the city of Sioux Falls and POET for a landfill gas project that offsets significant energy for process steam at POET Biorefining – Chancellor.

In a ceremony Tuesday, the EPA recognized eight projects that “employed unique project structures and took creative approaches to utilize (landfill gas) from municipal solid waste landfills.” The award ceremony was conducted at the 13th Annual Landfill Methane Outreach Program Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

The city’s 11-mile pipeline, completed in February 2009, transports methane from waste at the Sioux Falls Regional Sanitary Landfill to the Chancellor plant. That methane, in conjunction with a waste wood boiler, produces process steam for ethanol production. The methane currently offsets 15 percent of the plant’s energy needs, and as the supply of landfill gas increases, that is expected to double by 2025. When combined with waste wood, the plant will one day be powered completely by renewable energy.

“As this award signifies, POET wants to do more than produce renewable fuels,” POET Chief Operating Officer James Moe said at the conference. “We want to use renewable energy to power our production process as well.”

POET pays the city for the methane, providing a revenue source from gas that had previously been flared at the landfill.

“This has been an excellent partnership that continues to grow,” Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson said. “We’re honored by this national recognition, and we’re committed to doing even more to take advantage of the opportunities presented by our landfill gas project.”

Methane has more than 20 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. Instead of allowing the gas to escape into the air, it can be captured, converted, and used as an energy source through projects such as this. Using landfill gas reduces odors and other hazards associated with emissions, while preventing methane from migrating into the atmosphere and contributing to local air pollution and global climate change.

In his speech, Moe noted other methods in which POET seeks to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy. For example, three POET plants use cogeneration and another uses an anaerobic digester for power.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 20-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=186Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTCorporate News & Announcements

A proposed ethanol pipeline would be an economic boost for the U.S., a new report demonstrates, creating almost 80,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs across the country.

POET and Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. have formed a joint venture to assess the feasibility of a 1,800-mile ethanol pipeline from ethanol production facilities in the Midwest, starting at Davison County, S.D., to distribution outlets in the northeast U.S., ending in Linden, N.J. &nbsp;Once the feasibility study is complete, the pipeline would be operational as early as 2014.

A recent report from the consulting firm LECG shows that the majority of the jobs created will be in the construction and transportation industries. &nbsp;More than 50,000 jobs will come from construction alone.

The pipeline project would provide approximately 1,100 permanent jobs after construction is complete.

“This project has the clear environmental benefit of dramatically reducing carbon emissions from traditional ethanol transportation, and this latest report shows its important impact on our economy as well,” POET CEO Jeff Broin said. “Ethanol continues to play a large role in the new energy economy taking shape here in the United States.”

“Pipelines are the most cost efficient, safest and most reliable mode of transportation for liquid energy. Construction of a large-scale renewable fuel pipeline complements the national objective of creating quality jobs while increasing transportation efficiencies for the growing renewable fuels industry,” Magellan COO Mike Mears said.

A loan guarantee with the U.S. Department of Energy is necessary for this project to become a reality. Congress is considering amendments to DOE’s loan guarantee program to include large-scale renewable fuel pipeline projects.

Besides job creation, the report outlines other economic benefits of the project including:

- $6.6 billion in U.S. economic growth
- $3.7 billion in household income
- $0.7 billion in federal tax revenues
- $0.6 &nbsp;billion in state and local tax revenues

The LECG report is attached.

<b>About POET and Magellan</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 20-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP) is a publicly traded partnership formed to own, operate and acquire a diversified portfolio of energy assets. The partnership primarily transports, stores and distributes refined petroleum products in twenty-two states. Magellan owns and operates the nation’s longest refined products pipeline system is connected to over 40% of the &nbsp;refining capacity in the United States. More information is available at http://www.magellanlp.com.


# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=185Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTConferences & Events

POET Director of Corporate Affairs Doug Berven highlights the changes and opportunities in agriculture in a bourgeoning energy market at two separate events next week in Orlando.

Berven will outline agriculture’s growing role in America’s advancement toward energy security and the role legislation can play in achieving that goal. His presentation titled “Energy Independence Through Ag and Ethanol” will be given at the Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference on at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12.

He then joins experts from equipment manufacturing, ag production, academia and the petroleum industry at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the AgConnect conference in a panel discussion titled “Biomass: The next generation in biofuel production.”

Both events take place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

For some time, POET has been working closely with ag equipment manufacturers on different ways to harvest corn cobs: the company’s preferred feedstock for producing cellulosic ethanol. POET operates a pilot cellulosic ethanol plant in Scotland, S.D. and will commercialize the process soon through Project LIBERTY in Emmetsburg, Iowa. Project LIBERTY is a 25 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant that will be co-located with POET’s grain plant at the site.

In November, POET brought equipment manufacturers together with Emmetsburg-area farmers for a demonstration field day to show the latest cob harvesters available now or coming soon.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 20-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=184Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:01 CSTConferences & Events

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dec. 14, 2009) – POET CEO Jeff Broin arrived in Copenhagen to join global biofuel and agriculture leaders in a discussion about how biofuels can be deployed sustainably, achieve rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, reduce fossil fuel use and spur development.

The Danish Climate Consortium side event Wednesday titled “The Global Potential of Biofuels” will feature a panel discussion with Broin and these global biofuels leaders:

- Milkyas Debebe, Managing Director, Gaia Association, Ethiopia
- Yue Guojun, Assistant President, China National Cereal, Oil & Foodstuff Corporation (COFCO), China
- Niels Henriksen, CEO, Inbicon, Denmark
- Marcos Jank, President and CEO, UNICA, Brazil
- Luciano Pizzatto, Federal Deputy, Brazilian Parliament, Brazil
- Steen Riisgaard, President and CEO, Novozymes, Denmark
- Ajay Vashee, President, International Federation of Agricultural Producers, France

Keynote speaker is Growth Energy Co-Chair General Wesley Clark.

“Biofuels are such an important part of any climate discussion, and I look forward to the opportunity to share with global leaders what this industry means for the United States and its potential for the world,” Broin said.

POET is the largest ethanol producer in the world and is at the forefront of efforts to commercialize cellulosic ethanol. &nbsp;It plans to begin construction in 2010 on a 25 million-gallon-per-year commercial cellulosic ethanol plant that will make ethanol from corn cobs.

“What we’ve done in the United States is only a glimpse at what the future will hold,” Broin said. “With more than a billion tons of biomass available in the U.S., there is significant potential to displace large quantities of fossil fuels. And since cellulose is the most common organic compound on the face of the earth, the worldwide potential is staggering.”

The keynote speech and panel discussion will take place at the Bella Center in Copenhagen from 3-4 p.m. Central European Time.

Jeff Broin's comments are linked below.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 20-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=183Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:01 CSTGeneral Press Releases

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – POET, the world’s largest ethanol producer and a leading developer of cellulosic ethanol, welcomed a letter from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the Growth Energy Green Jobs Waiver.

“We were pleased that the EPA’s letter shows a clear path to E15,” POET CEO Jeff Broin said. “Without increasing the base blend of ethanol to E15, it will be impossible to achieve the targets set in the Renewable Fuel Standard and there will be no market for cellulosic ethanol. POET is spending tens of millions of dollars to commercialize the production of ethanol from harvest leftovers but needs E15 to be certain there will be a market for the product.”

Because the science overwhelmingly supported higher blends of ethanol, POET was among the 54 ethanol producers to sign the Growth Energy Green Jobs Waiver that was submitted to the EPA on March 6, 2009. The waiver can be found at http://www.growthenergy.org.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 20-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.poet.com">http://www.poet.com</a>.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=182Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:01 CSTProject LIBERTY/Cellulosic Ethanol

POET announced today that cost reductions achieved over the past year of operating their cellulosic ethanol pilot plant have exceeded expectations in their drive to commercialize the process. Reductions in energy usage, enzyme costs, raw material requirements and capital expenses have reduced POET’s per gallon cost from $4.13 to $2.35 over the course of the past year, and the company’s goal is to be below $2 by commercial plant start-up.

Jeff Broin, CEO of POET, said he is pleased with the progress the company has made over the past year.

“POET has been working on cellulosic ethanol for close to a decade and there were some days that I wasn’t sure we’d be successful,” Broin said. “While we still have some challenges ahead, I can say unequivocably that Project LIBERTY will be commercially viable by the time we start up the plant.”

Project LIBERTY is POET’s planned 25 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg.

Broin pointed to several areas of progress in the production process that helped them achieve the overall cost reduction:
• Chemical raw materials required in the process have been reduced, resulting in an operating cost savings of $0.20 per gallon.
• The energy used in the pretreatment process has been reduced by more than half.
• Alternative energy technology has been demonstrated to provide all of the energy for the cellulosic ethanol plant and at least 80 percent of the adjacent corn-based plant.
• Enzyme cost has been cut in half and is expected to decline by start-up of Project LIBERTY.
• Through continuous optimization of the process, entire unit operations have been eliminated, reducing overall capital cost by over 40 percent.

Dr. Mark Stowers, Senior Vice President of Science and Technology for POET, said that there are some promising areas for future cost reductions in the cellulosic production process.

“There are still several opportunities to make the process more efficient,” Dr. Stowers said, “particularly in fermentation. Additionally our enzyme partners have committed to significant additional cost reductions. But significant gains can also be made once we start up the commercial facility and POET uses its 20+ year history in biorefining to drive cost reductions and efficiency improvements in the process.”

Visit POET TV for a full video interview with Dr. Stowers plus b-roll footage of POET’s cellulosic ethanol efforts.

POET’s pilot-scale plant is in Scotland, S.D. and has produced approximately 20,000 gallons of cellulosic ethanol since it started producing on November 18, 2008. To see a documentary about POET’s pilot cellulosic ethanol plant visit www.poet.com/cellulosedocumentary.htm. Media outlets are welcome to link to the documentary in online coverage. Photos are also available for publication at http://www.poet.com/news/releases.asp.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 20-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com or http://www.projectliberty.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showRelease.asp?id=181Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTfrom Rochester Post-Bulletinhttp://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=435699http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=435699Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTfrom Associated Presshttp://finance.yahoo.com/news/Landfill-gas-a-winwin-for-apf-1240890784.html?x=0&.v=1http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Landfill-gas-a-winwin-for-apf-1240890784.html?x=0&.v=1Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTfrom Indianapolis Starhttp://www.indy.com/articles/metro/thread/plan-for-1-800-mile-ethanol-pipeline-unveiledhttp://www.indy.com/articles/metro/thread/plan-for-1-800-mile-ethanol-pipeline-unveiledThu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTfrom The Advertiser-Tribune (Ohio)http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/page/content.detail/id/520409.html?nav=5005http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/page/content.detail/id/520409.html?nav=5005Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTfrom Sioux Falls Business Journalhttp://siouxfallsbusinessjournal.argusleader.com/article/20100113/BJUPDATES/100113016http://siouxfallsbusinessjournal.argusleader.com/article/20100113/BJUPDATES/100113016Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTfrom Prairie Business Magazinehttp://www.prairiebizmag.com/event/article/id/10408/http://www.prairiebizmag.com/event/article/id/10408/Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CSTfrom Feed & Grainhttp://www.feedandgrain.com/publication/article.jsp?pubId=1&id=1382&pageNum=1http://www.feedandgrain.com/publication/article.jsp?pubId=1&id=1382&pageNum=1Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:01 CSTfrom Wall Street Journalhttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703510304574626101259053062.html?mod=vocushttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703510304574626101259053062.html?mod=vocusFri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:01 CSTFrom Farm Journalhttp://www.agweb.com/FarmJournal/current/Article.aspx?id=154884http://www.agweb.com/FarmJournal/current/Article.aspx?id=154884Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:01 CSTfrom MIT Technology Review bloghttp://www.technologyreview.com/blog/energy/24453/http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/energy/24453/Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:01 CST2/10/2010

New ethanol co-products can help ethanol plants become true biorefineries, unlocking the additional potential of each kernel of corn. &nbsp;

POET Vice President of Commercial Development Scott Weishaar will discuss opportunities and challenges of adding such co-products to the ethanol production process at the Next Generation Bio-Based Chemicals Summit this week at the Westin San Diego in San Diego, Calif. Weishaar will be a panelist in the session titled “Perspectives of Biorefinery Owners and Developers on the Bio-Based Chemicals Value Chain” from 8-9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10.

Co-products such as Inviz, POET’s branded zein, open many new markets for producers today. Inviz is a biodegradable, low-nutrient protein found in corn. &nbsp;It can be used as a gum base or in films, packaging, adhesives, coatings and glazes. &nbsp;Inviz zein is extracted using a patent-pending process developed by POET.

Distillers grains are a co-product already broadly produced by the industry. POET is committed to exploring more products to further expand the potential of corn and change ethanol plants nationwide into true biorefineries.

Cellulosic ethanol will provide new opportunities as well, as diverse feedstock lead to new products. POET’s planned cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa, will use the waste stream to create energy, enough to power the entire cellulosic ethanol plant and the majority of the adjacent grain ethanol plant as well. Bio-based chemicals and related products will likely emerge as viable co-products.http://www.poet.com/news/showEvent.asp?id=36Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CST1/29/2010

In the near future, cellulosic ethanol will be produced across the Midwest, and farmers everywhere should start thinking about corn cobs as an additional revenue crop.

POET Biomass Director Mike Roth will take that message to Mason City, Iowa on Friday in a presentation at the KGLO Ag Expo, North Iowa Fairgrounds. Roth will speak about POET’s Project LIBERTY, a planned 25 million gallon-per-year commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg Iowa that will use corn cobs as feedstock. He will also discuss the growing need for cobs, successful cob harvests in 2009 and the variety of harvesting options for farmers.

The presentation starts at 10:30 a.m.

POET already has an operating pilot cellulosic ethanol plant in Scotland, S.D. producing 20,000 gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year.

To see a documentary about POET’s pilot cellulosic ethanol plant visit www.poet.com/cellulosedocumentary.htm. Media outlets are welcome to link to the documentary in online coverage. Photos of the pilot plant are also available for publication at http://www.poet.com/news/releases.asp.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 22-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com or http://www.projectliberty.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showEvent.asp?id=35Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:01 CST1/12/2010 - 1/13/2010

POET Director of Corporate Affairs Doug Berven highlights the changes and opportunities in agriculture in a bourgeoning energy market at two separate events next week in Orlando.

Berven will outline agriculture’s growing role in America’s advancement toward energy security and the role legislation can play in achieving that goal. His presentation titled “Energy Independence Through Ag and Ethanol” will be given at the Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference on at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12.

He then joins experts from equipment manufacturing, ag production, academia and the petroleum industry at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the AgConnect conference in a panel discussion titled “Biomass: The next generation in biofuel production.”

Both events take place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

For some time, POET has been working closely with ag equipment manufacturers on different ways to harvest corn cobs: the company’s preferred feedstock for producing cellulosic ethanol. POET operates a pilot cellulosic ethanol plant in Scotland, S.D. and will commercialize the process soon through Project LIBERTY in Emmetsburg, Iowa. Project LIBERTY is a 25 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant that will be co-located with POET’s grain plant at the site.

In November, POET brought equipment manufacturers together with Emmetsburg-area farmers for a demonstration field day to show the latest cob harvesters available now or coming soon.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 20-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showEvent.asp?id=34Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:01 CST11/12/2009

POET CEO Jeff Broin will be available for interviews from media attending this Thursday’s National Association of Farm Broadcasters Trade Talk in Kansas City from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

POET recently hosted Project LIBERTY Field Day, an event that showcased new corn cob harvesting technology from 16 leading agriculture equipment manufacturers across the nation. &nbsp;Project LIBERTY is the name of POET’s effort to commercialize cellulosic ethanol, using corn cobs as feedstock. http://www.poet.com/news/showEvent.asp?id=33Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:01 CST11/3/2009

Area farmers will see new and pre-commercial equipment in action harvesting corn cobs for cellulosic ethanol next month at Project LIBERTY Field Day in Emmetsburg, Iowa.

Farmers, agricultural equipment manufacturers, POET representatives and state and federal officials will be at POET Biorefining - Emmetsburg on Tuesday, Nov. 3 for the event, which will feature live demonstrations of equipment from leading manufacturers and an informational session for area farmers on the opportunities afforded them by harvesting biomass for cellulosic ethanol.

"We’re really excited to show farmers all the new developments in corn cob harvesting," Project LIBERTY Director Jim Sturdevant said. "We’ve seen significant strides in not only development of cob harvesting technology, but in opportunities through incentives for farmers to benefit from this new revenue steam."

The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will feature morning and afternoon rounds of equipment demonstrations separated by lunch and a short program. Hundreds of farmers attended the event last year, and this year will feature new options for farms of all sizes. Click here for video and photos of some of the cob harvesters featured last year.

Corn cobs are the feedstock of choice for POET’s effort to commercialize cellulosic ethanol, known as Project LIBERTY. The project will be a 25 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant co-located with the current grain ethanol plant. The target date for startup is late 2011. POET’s pilot-scale plant in Scotland, S.D. is already producing cellulosic ethanol at a rate of approximately 20,000 gallons per year.

Fourteen farmers in the Emmetsburg area will run cob harvests this year with pre-commercial equipment. POET continues to develop the infrastructure for harvesting, storing and transporting cobs for use in ethanol production. That effort got a big boost recently when the U.S. Department of Energy announced a $6.85 million funding increase to an existing grant for feedstock development. Negotiations are underway for another $13.15 million funding increase, also for feedstock.

To see a documentary about POET’s pilot cellulosic ethanol plant visit www.poet.com/cellulosedocumentary.htm. Media outlets are welcome to link to the documentary in online coverage. Photos are also available for publication at http://www.poet.com/news/releases.asp.

An advisory will be issued prior to the event for any media planning to attend.http://www.poet.com/news/showEvent.asp?id=30Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:01 CST10/28/2009

POET corporate headquarters in Sioux Falls will host Day One of the BIOFUELS JOURNAL 2nd Annual Commercial Ethanol Technology and Research Workshop.

The workshop will outline ways to make ethanol production more efficient and profitable. Technology such as displacing natural gas for energy savings, fractionation, and adding new co-products will all be covered. Industry progress in commercializing cellulosic ethanol will also be highlighted.

Wednesday's session will take place at POET. The Thursday session will be at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center in Sioux Falls.

Keynote speakers for the event are Jeff Broin, CEO of POET, and Brian Jennings, executive vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol.http://www.poet.com/news/showEvent.asp?id=32Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:01 CST10/23/2009

POET Director of Corporate Affairs Doug Berven will discuss challenges in developing feedstock infrastructure for cellulosic ethanol production in a panel discussion this week.

Berven will participate in Platts fourth annual Cellulosic Ethanol and 2nd Generation Biofuels conference at the Embassy Suites Downtown Lakefront in Chicago. &nbsp;He will be part of a panel Friday for a segment titled “Biomass Feedstocks – Availability, Cost, and Logistical Challenges.”

POET is now using corn cobs to produce cellulosic ethanol at a pilot plant in Scotland, S.D. &nbsp;That process will move to commercial scale in Project LIBERTY, a 25 million-gallon-per-year ethanol plant to be built in Emmetsburg, Iowa.

POET recently received a grant increase to help build the feedstock infrastructure for Project LIBERTY. &nbsp;The U.S. Department of Energy approved a $6.85 million increase to an existing grant to provide incentives for farmers and manufacturers to speed production and use of cob-harvesting equipment. &nbsp;Negotiations are underway for another $13.15 million grant increase for the same purpose.

POET is also working with Iowa State University on sustainability research regarding corn cobs.

To see a documentary about POET’s pilot cellulosic ethanol plant visit www.poet.com/cellulosedocumentary.htm.

<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 20-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showEvent.asp?id=31Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:01 CST6/17/2009

WHO: Jeff Broin, POET Chief Executive Officer
Mark Stowers, POET Vice President of Science and Technology

WHAT: CEO Jeff Broin will update media about POET’s efforts to commercialize cellulosic ethanol, including recent progress at POET’s pilot cellulosic ethanol plant in Scotland, S.D.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 17, 10 a.m. Mountain Time (noon EST)

WHERE: Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo
Media Room (#105)
Colorado Convention Center
Denver, Colo.

CALL IN: Media not attending the workshop and expo can dial in to the press conference. &nbsp;Contact Matt Merritt at (605) 965-2225.


<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 20-year-old company produces more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 26 production facilities nationwide. POET recently started up a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in 2011. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showEvent.asp?id=29Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:00:01 CST12/7/2008

In October, POET Biorefining - Glenville East and The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council provided a deserving family in Hayward, Minn., a brand new Ford F150 Flex-Fuel Vehicle and a year’s worth of E85 fuel during taping of the ABC show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

The show, titled "DeVries Family," will air from 7 to 8 p.m. Dec. 7. A special on "Extreme Makeover" host Ty Pennington will air from 6 to 7 p.m. that same night. http://www.poet.com/news/showEvent.asp?id=28Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:01 CST12/3/2008 - 12/4/2008

POET CEO to speak at Washington, D.C. forums
Jeff Broin will address opportunities for ethanol within a new Congress and Presidential administration

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (November 26, 2008) – In two upcoming forums in Washington D.C., POET CEO Jeff Broin will discuss the potential for ethanol production amid changes in Congress and the new administration of President-elect Barack Obama.

Broin will join speakers including eight former U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture at the Food and Agriculture Policy Summit, sponsored by the Farm Journal and Farm Foundation, on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the Westin Washington, D.C. City Center Hotel.

On Thursday, Dec. 4, Broin will participate in a session assessing the state of renewable fuel policy and determining a best-case policy scenario in a conference hosted by the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) titled “Phase II of Renewable Energy in America: Recommendations to the next President and Congress.” Broin joins former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and former Director of Central Intelligence Jim Woolsey in that session.

There are a number of important ethanol policy issues facing the next Congress and Presidential administration. Among those is approval of higher blends of ethanol for use in standard vehicles. Current law caps the amount of ethanol for use in standard vehicles at 10 percent. If this does not change, the ethanol industry will not be able to meet production goals mandated in the Renewable Fuels Standard.


<b>About POET</b>
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world according to the Renewable Fuels Association, is an established leader in the biorefining industry through project development, design and construction, research and development, plant management, and marketing. The 20-year-old company currently operates 26 production facilities in the United States with five more in construction or under expansion. The company produces and markets more than 1.54 billion gallons of ethanol annually. For more information, go to http://www.poet.com.

# # #http://www.poet.com/news/showEvent.asp?id=27