Ethanol plant to open in Sauget
Lori Schueler, Alestle News Reporter
Issue date: 2/22/07 Section: News
A new ethanol plant is being built in Sauget. The plant will create more jobs, and the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center on campus may be training the workers.
The new facility is scheduled to open late this year, according to BioFuels Journal.
Pam Keck, assistant director of workforce development and scientific projects at the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center on campus, said the new plant being built is a great idea, as it is located right on the river in a good location for grain handling.
"I think it is wonderful," Keck said. "I applaud the people at Sauget for making that happen."
Keck, a former chemistry professor at SIUE, said her plant hopes to be able to train workers for the Sauget plants, as well as workers elsewhere.
The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center applied for $1.4 million from the National Science Foundation to establish the center as a National Biofuel Education Consortium. They expect to find out next month whether they will receive the funding.
"If we do receive the money, we will be able to work with 12 colleges and universities across the nation, as well as establish a two-year curriculum to train people to be ethanol process operators." Keck said. "An average ethanol plant requires 40 workers."
Keck said one branch of research they do is exploring ways to use alternate fuel sources.
Many gas stations have E-10 fuel, which is 10 percent ethanol, 90 percent gasoline. Any car can run on this type of fuel.
Keck said six billion gallons of ethanol are produced each year, yet 140 billion gallons of gasoline are consumed each year.
For all gas stations to have E-10 fuel, ethanol plants would have to produce 14 billion gallons, or 10 percent of gasoline consumption.
E-85 fuel consists of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Keck said to be able to use E-85 fuel, car manufactures have to make cars that will run on it.
According to the Renewable Fuel Association, as of early 2006 there were 650 retail stations that offered E-85. Today, over five million cars run on E-85.
The new facility is scheduled to open late this year, according to BioFuels Journal.
Pam Keck, assistant director of workforce development and scientific projects at the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center on campus, said the new plant being built is a great idea, as it is located right on the river in a good location for grain handling.
"I think it is wonderful," Keck said. "I applaud the people at Sauget for making that happen."
Keck, a former chemistry professor at SIUE, said her plant hopes to be able to train workers for the Sauget plants, as well as workers elsewhere.
The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center applied for $1.4 million from the National Science Foundation to establish the center as a National Biofuel Education Consortium. They expect to find out next month whether they will receive the funding.
"If we do receive the money, we will be able to work with 12 colleges and universities across the nation, as well as establish a two-year curriculum to train people to be ethanol process operators." Keck said. "An average ethanol plant requires 40 workers."
Keck said one branch of research they do is exploring ways to use alternate fuel sources.
Many gas stations have E-10 fuel, which is 10 percent ethanol, 90 percent gasoline. Any car can run on this type of fuel.
Keck said six billion gallons of ethanol are produced each year, yet 140 billion gallons of gasoline are consumed each year.
For all gas stations to have E-10 fuel, ethanol plants would have to produce 14 billion gallons, or 10 percent of gasoline consumption.
E-85 fuel consists of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Keck said to be able to use E-85 fuel, car manufactures have to make cars that will run on it.
According to the Renewable Fuel Association, as of early 2006 there were 650 retail stations that offered E-85. Today, over five million cars run on E-85.
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