Cellulosic ethanol leaders plan to discuss future in Iowa

Source: By Donnelle Eller, Des Moines Register • Posted: Tuesday, January 14, 2014

A group of renewable fuels executives will explore the state’s future in cellulosic ethanol production, using corn cobs, stalks and other materials, during a panel discussion at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit on Jan. 28.

The executives on the panel includes:

— Steve Mirshak, global business director of DuPont Cellulosic Ethanol, which is building a cellulosic ethanol plant near Nevada that will use corn stover as its feedstock.

— Craig Stuart-Paul, CEO of Fiberight, a Maryland company that plans to make ethanol from post-recycled municipal solid wastes in Blairstown, Ia.

— Steve Hartig, general manager of licensing of POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels, a partnership behind the cellulosic ethanol project in Emmetsburg that will use corn stover.

— Delayne Johnson, CEO of Quad County Corn Processors, which is adding a cellulosic plant in Galva that will use corn kernel fiber to make ethanol.

Gov. Terry Branstad, among others, also has agreed to attend the summit. It’s being held at The Meadows Conference Center at Prairie Meadows in Altoona.

The summit is free, open to the public but participants must register at iowarfa.org/2014Summit.php.

Iowa renewable fuels supporters have been fighting an Environmental Protection Agency proposal to scale back the ethanol and biodiesel that must be blended into the U.S. fuel supply this year. The deadline for comments is Jan. 28.

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