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Cedar Mountian Tour Highwater Spring 2019 edited Photo

Minneapolis, Apr 2 - Twenty-eight students from Cedar Mountain High School toured Highwater Ethanol in Lamberton on March 27 to learn more about ethanol production.

 “We were pleased to welcome Cedar Mountain High School’s students to get a first-hand look at how clean Minnesota-grown renewable energy is produced.

“During the tour, they learned about the ethanol production process and its role in creating jobs in rural Minnesota while reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Brian Kletscher, CEO of Highwater Ethanol.

The students, from grades 7 to 12, visited the plant’s administrative office, water treatment process, incoming grain grading and handling, ethanol loadout, ethanol process facility, energy center, dried distiller grain production and storage during the tour.

The tour was organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels), a non-profit trade organization that represents the ethanol industry in Minnesota and sponsored by Novozymes, a global microbe and enzyme provider, and supporter of Minnesota’s ethanol industry. Highwater Ethanol, which produces 59.5 million gallons of ethanol a year, and Novozymes are members of MN Biofuels.

"We believe it’s important for students to visit their local ethanol plants to learn more about ethanol and its economic and environmental benefits,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director at MN Biofuels.

Hannah Wilts, Agriculture Instructor at Cedar Mountain High School, accompanied her students during last week’s tour.

“This ethanol plant tour was beneficial because it gave the students an opportunity outside of the classroom to see careers in action.

“Without this tour, they wouldn’t have any idea that this would even be an option for them. I have now had a few students say that they know they could have a career in ethanol,” she said.

CVECMinnewaskaMinneapolis, April 8 – Twenty-two high school students from Minnewaska High School toured Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) on April 5 to gain a better understanding of renewable fuel production.

The students, from grades 9-12, toured the various process of ethanol production at CVEC, which has an annual output of 50 million gallons.

"These tours provide us with the opportunity to show students how Minnesota-produced ethanol displaces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, benefits the local economy and increases our energy independence,” said Chad Friese, CEO of CVEC. 

During the tour, the students learned about the different stages in ethanol production including incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation, grain storage, dried distiller grain production and storage, ethanol storage and shipment.

The students were from Minnewaska High School’s Natural Resources and Ag Biotechnology classes.

The tour was organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels) and sponsored by Novozymes, a global microbe and enzyme provider. Both CVEC and Novozymes are members of MN Biofuels.

“We were pleased to give these students their first ethanol plant tour. Every year, we bring hundreds of students to ethanol plants to learn how clean Minnesota renewable energy is produced,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director at MN Biofuels.

CVEC commenced operations in 1996 and currently has 50 employees.

Alana Caron, agriculture instructor at Minnewaska High School, said the tour demonstrated the important link between the agriculture and ethanol industries in Minnesota.

“Being from the Midwest, ethanol plants are very popular and are all around this area, I think it is important for students to know what ethanol is as it becomes bigger and continues to be used more in vehicles,” said Caron.

norwoodheartlandMinneapolis, April 10 – Twenty-seven students from Central High School in Norwood Young America visited Heartland Corn Products in Winthrop yesterday to get a closer look at how clean, homegrown renewable fuels are produced.

The students, from the school’s Small Gas Engines class, toured the various processes of ethanol production at Heartland Corn Products, which produces 120 million gallons of ethanol a year.

“Today’s tour allowed us to showcase how the ethanol industry enhances Minnesota’s economy, reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions and makes America more energy independent,” said Scott Blumhoefer, Vice-President at Heartland Corn Products.

During the tour, the students from grades 9-12, learned about incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation, grain storage, dried distiller grain production and storage, liquefaction and ethanol storage and shipment.

The tour was organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels), a non-profit trade organization that represents Minnesota’s ethanol industry.  Heartland Corn Products is a member of MN Biofuels.

Today’s visit was also the fourth consecutive year Central High School has toured Heartland Corn Products.

“Central High School’s latest visit to Heartland Corn Products highlights the value educators see in bringing their students to tour an ethanol plant,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director of the MN Biofuels.

Jim Mesik, agriculture teacher at Central High School, has accompanied his students for each of the school’s tours at Heartland Corn Products.

“Heartland Corn Products and MN Biofuels always put on a great tour. They really explain the ethanol process very thoroughly from just about all perspectives possible. We really get to see things in action at the plant. Students really enjoy it and learn a lot,” he said.

Mesik teaches his students about ethanol in both his Small Gas Engines and Natural Resource Science classes.

“Students talk about how they didn't realize that there is an animal feed byproduct in the end. They also see how ethanol benefits area farms by creating an additional market for the corn they are raising. We are using a lot of ethanol in vehicles these days and we grow a lot of corn, so being informed consumers and citizens are a good thing,” he said.

guardianstpetereditedJanesville - April 16- Fourteen students from St Peter High School toured Guardian Energy in Janesville this morning to learn about homegrown renewable fuel production.

During the tour, the students, who were from the school’s plant science class, learned about several components of ethanol production including incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation, grain storage, dried distiller grain production and storage, ethanol storage and shipment.

“We provided the students a first hand look at the important role science plays in ethanol production as well as the importance of the ethanol industry to the economy in rural Minnesota and the environment,” said Jeanne McCaherty, CEO of Guardian Energy.

The students were from grades 10-12.

The tour was organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels). Guardian Energy, a member of MN Biofuels, is the largest ethanol plant in Minnesota and produces 150 million gallons of ethanol a year.

“With these tours, we are able to educate students on the importance of a homegrown renewable fuel and how it reduces prices at the pump and makes America more energy independent,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director at MN Biofuels.

Gena Lilienthal, agriculture science instructor at St Peter High School, said her students had learned about alternative plant uses and completed a lab that measured the energy content in ethanol.

“Exposing our students to numerous career opportunities is always very beneficial. We have been learning about crop production and it was a great opportunity to complete our unit by learning about the actual uses of our crops,” she said.

ks95holidayplymouthq22019

Plymouth, Apr 18 – The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels) and KS95 FM teamed up today to reward drivers who chose Unleaded Plus (E15) during an hour-long promotion at the Holiday station on County Road 24 in Plymouth.

From 12 pm to 1 pm, MN Biofuels and KS95 rewarded over 25 drivers who chose E15.

Among the prizes given included $20 in cash, tickets to the Minnesota Twins, gift cards to Applebee’s and Chili’s, tickets to the Minnesota Zoo and KS95 merchandise.

KS95 personality, Rudy Pavich, was at the station with MN Biofuels’ staff educating drivers on the benefits of using E15.

“Today’s promotion was an opportunity for us to talk to drivers on how using E15 saves them at the pump, boosts Minnesota’s economy, reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions and makes America more energy independent,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director at MN Biofuels.

He added MN Biofuels and KS95 will be teaming up again in the coming weeks at several more stations in the Twin Cities metro to educate more drivers on E15. 

CMRPierzHealyHSApril2019Minneapolis, April 23 – Forty-seven students from Pierz Healy High School toured Central Minnesota Renewables (CMR) in Little Falls yesterday to learn more about clean Minnesota-produced renewable chemicals. 

“We were pleased to welcome Pierz Healy High School to our plant to learn about locally produced bio-based chemicals. Tours like this are an opportunity for students to engage with our employees on the facility’s production processes and to highlight renewable chemical’s many benefits,” said Jonathan Olmscheid, VP of Finance at CMR.

CMR produces renewable chemicals such as acetone and n-butanol from corn and has a 45 percent greater carbon efficiency during production in comparison to petroleum-based chemicals.

During the tour, the students visited CMR’s administrative office, energy center, fermentation, distillation, laboratory operations, control room, protein and fiber storage, incoming grain handling and storage and chemical loadout areas.

The students, from grades 10 to 12, were from Pierz Healy High School’s agriculture business and natural resource classes.

CMR’s renewable chemicals are used as raw materials in many consumer products such as Kingsford GreenFlame charcoal lighter fluid, Beauty Secrets acetone nail polish remover, paints, adhesives and coatings.

The tour was organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels), a non-profit trade organization that represents the ethanol and renewable chemical industries in Minnesota. CMR is a member of MN Biofuels.

“It’s important for students to learn about clean, Minnesota-produced renewable chemicals and how they reduce harmful emissions and support the local economy,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director of MN Biofuels.

Pat Tax, who teaches agriculture at Pierz Healy High School, said her students had learned about fermentation processes prior to today’s tour.

“I want the students to understand that we are trying to mitigate our dependence on foreign sources for energy and to see that their crops are helping, plus a look at how renewable chemicals are processed,” Tax said.

ks95atnowmart

New Hope, April 24 – For the second straight week, the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels) and KS95 FM teamed up to reward drivers in the Twin Cities metro for choosing E15 (Unleaded 88).

During an hour-long promotion from 12pm to 1pm at Now Mart on Bass Lake Road in New Hope, MN Biofuels and KS95 rewarded over 20 drivers who chose Unleaded 88 at the pump.

Among the prizes given included tickets to the Minnesota Twins, $20 in cash, tickets to the Minnesota Zoo, gift cards to Chili’s and KS95 merchandise.

Rudy Pavich, from KS95’s Morning Show, was at the station with MN Biofuels’ staff educating consumers on the benefits of using Unleaded 88.

“Now Mart began operations in February and has been providing drivers in New Hope the option of using a cleaner fuel that’s made in Minnesota and is cheaper than regular gas,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director at MN Biofuels.

Last week, MN Biofuels and KS95 teamed at the Holiday station on County Road 24 in Plymouth.  

ks95atstopnshop

Minneapolis, April 29 – Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels) and KS95 FM teamed up for the third straight week today - this time at the Stop N Shop on First Avenue in Minneapolis – to reward drivers who fueled up with Unleaded Plus (E15) during an hour-long promotion.

During the promotion – from 12pm to 1pm – MN Biofuels and KS95 rewarded drivers who chose E15 with prizes that included tickets to Minnesota Twins, $20 in cash, gift cards to Chili’s, tickets to the Minnesota Zoo and KS95 merchandise.

Rudy Pavich, from KS95’s Morning Show, was at the station with MN Biofuels’ staff to educate drivers on the benefits of using E15.

“Today’s event was our third joint-promotion in as many weeks with KS95 and we’ve found that more and more drivers want to use a fuel that reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, is cheaper than regular unleaded, helps Minnesota’s economy and makes us more energy independent,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director at MN Biofuels.

MN Biofuels and KS95 were previously promoting E15 at the Now Mart station in New Hope last week and at the Holiday station on County Road 24 in Plymouth on April 18.