Poet gets final approval for DoE loan guarantee

The construction of ethanol producer Poet's commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa, US, will remain on track after it received final approval for a $105 million (€78 million) loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy (DoE).

The plant, Project Liberty, will be able to produce 25 million gallons a year of cellulosic ethanol from biomass when it comes online.

'This commercial-scale biofuel plant will reduce carbon emissions and create new, green American jobs that will help strengthen the nation's economy,' says Steven Chu, US energy secretary.

In 2010, Poet began building a 22-acre stack yard for storing biomass and it started preparing the site for the biorefinery earlier this year. The plant will be built adjacent to Poet's existing grain ethanol plant, Poet Biorefining – Emmetsburg, and will share roads, land and other infrastructure.

Project Liberty will also generate biogas, which will be used to power the Emmetsburg facility.