Burnsville, April 15 - Eight students from the University of Minnesota toured Guardian Energy in Janesville on April 9 to learn about renewable energy production. 

“We are always excited to host students from the University of Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Technologies and Food Engineering classes. With these tours, we have an opportunity to showcase how we sustainably transform a local, renewable feedstock into clean energy and co-products - strengthening our rural economies, reducing carbon emissions, alleviating prices at the pump, and promoting energy independence,” said Jeanne McCaherty, CEO of Guardian Energy.

During the tour, the learned about incoming grain grading and handling, fermentation, grain storage, ethanol storage and shipment and dried distillers grains with solubles production and storage. 

The tour was organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels). Guardian Energy is a member of MN Bio-Fuels. 

The students that participated in the tour were from two classes at the University of Minnesota - renewable energy and food engineering.

Min Addy, bioproducts and biosystems professor at University of Minnesota, accompanied her students during the tour. 

“This tour provided real-world experience for students to see how the biofuel industry works. It also taught students knowledge that they can’t learn in the classroom,” she said.