POET Biorefining – Mitchell is layering another level of water recycling on top of its current system with a new process to use storm water from nearby retention ponds.

The plant received approval last week from the South Dakota DENR Water Management Board to use storm water from three nearby POET retention ponds in its process of producing ethanol. The plant already has POET’s Total Water Recovery System, which has cut water use at the plant by 100,000 gallons per day.

“The efficiency gains at this plant just over the past year are phenomenal. This plant is now one of the most innovative in the world in terms of water use,” General Manager Dean Frederickson said. “Water use is an important issue for our world, and it’s been a priority for POET for some time.”

About POET
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 23-year-old company produces more than 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol and 10 billion pounds of high-protein animal feed annually from 27 production facilities nationwide. POET also operates a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs, leaves, husk and some stalk as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

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