With nearly 30% of the nation’s 204 biofuel plants idled since March 1 and many others slashing production, Al-Corn has kept the doors open, running at 38% of capacity by doing some minor plant rejiggering to produce ethanol for hand-sanitizer makers, reports the Star Tribune.
Al-Corn Clean Fuel, Claremont, MN, which employs 51, is one of the state’s oldest and largest ethanol producers, expanded its capacity in 2017 from 50 million gallons to 120 million gallons.
To help with the current crisis, Al-Corn began producing ethanol for the hand-sanitizer market about three weeks ago.
To meet even relaxed federal standards, Al-Corn had to install new piping and rent storage tanks to process and hold ethanol designated for hand-sanitizer makers, which isn’t treated with additives that go into ethanol bound for fuel markets.
Read the full report here.
