Date: August 24, 2008
Source: News Room
Solid waste officials in Lake County approved a preliminary agreement with a company hoping to build an $80 million gasification-based waste-to-energy system that would convert municipal waste into ethanol. The Lake County Solid Waste Management District selected Powers Energy One (formerly Genahol-Powers 1, LLC) by a vote of 16-5. The plan calls for crushing and shredding carbon-based solid waste such as paper, cardboard, wood and food waste, and heating the mixture to 1,400 degrees in a low oxygen atmosphere. The resulting gas would be distilled into ethanol. "This answers so many problems facing society," said Jeff Langbehn, the district's executive director. The plan, which will need final approval after public hearings, was selected over a competing approach from Agresti Biofuels, with county officials saying that Powers Energy One did the best job of meeting the overall contractual, technological and financial hurdles.
To learn more, visit:
Lake County Solid Waste Management District: www.lcswmd.com.
Powers Energy One (formerly Genahol-Powers 1, LLC): www.genahol.com.
PRESS RELEASE
Lake County Solid Waste Management District and Powers Energy One Of Indiana Announce Agreement To Convert Municipal Solid Waste Into Bioethanol
Merrillville and Evansville, Indiana, November 25, 2008: Commissioner Gerry Scheub, Vice Chairman of the Lake County Solid Waste Management District (LCSWMD), and Earl Powers, Chairman of Powers Energy One of Indiana, jointly announced an agreement under which Powers Energy is to build a plant which will convert municipal solid waste provided by all participating cities and towns in Lake County into bioethanol using a process technology licensed from INEOS Bio. The agreement provides for all participating municipalities in Lake County to supply Powers Energy with its solid waste for fifteen years. Powers Energy in turn is to be paid a tipping fee for receiving the waste, at a cost to the municipalities delivering the waste substantially below the amount currently being paid to landfills. The plant will then process the waste and convert the carbonaceous material into bioethanol for sale to the market while recycling metals and glass.
Gerry Scheub said: "The benefits to our communities are tremendous. We will substantially reduce the buildup of landfills, we will save our citizens a considerable amount of money on waste disposal, and we will be contributing toward the nation's goal to achieve energy independence. This is viewed by the District Board as a win-win."
Earl Powers added: "This process is a revolutionary step forward in addressing two major issues facing our nation: the environmental problems caused by our difficulties in disposing of the mountains of waste we produce; and finding a cost effective way to provide alternative energy from domestic sources. We are moving forward with the same process in multiple markets, but the forward thinking leadership provided by Lake County is a major breakthrough and important first step."
Phillip Kuiper, Chairman of the LCSWMD, said: "We are very excited about this move. It has been thoroughly vetted over nearly two years, and we are confident in the process and its contribution to our communities. Beyond the benefits mentioned by Gerry Scheub, the project will also create approximately 160 jobs. Several steps remain to be taken before we can break ground, including finalization of a site and the requisite approvals, but we are hopeful these can be accomplished quickly so we can begin to reap the benefits as soon as possible."
Earl Powers added: "We hope to have site selection and approvals completed soon; we have our engineering underway and construction teams lined up. Our next step is to secure financing through our financial advisors, David A. Noyes and Company. We are hoping to break ground in the Spring, and commence operations in 2010."
Ken Bosar, Engineering Director for Powers Energy One, stated that "this facility is an important step in our efforts to produce bioethanol from non-food feedstocks. The process that will be used at our facility is commercially ready and has been fully proven in INEOS Bio's pilot plant for more than 5 years and 40,000 hours of continuous operation. Eighteen LCSWMD board members and community leaders visited the pilot plant to witness the process in operation before moving forward in Lake County."
For more information, contact:
Gerry Scheub
LAKE COUNTY COMMISSIONER
(219) 755-3055
Earl Powers
POWERS ENERGY ONE OF INDIANA
(812) 473-5500
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