Prairie Skies Biomass Co-op to produce biofuels in Minnesota

Prairie Skies Biomass Co-op, a grower cooperative based in Madelia, Minnesota, US, is to build a third-generation biofuels project to produce petrol, diesel and ammonia.

Perennial and other agricultural feedstocks will be supplied by Prairie, and an existing torrefaction facility will be used in the first phase of the development.

The second two phases of the project will help to create a combined cycle facility and a fuel and ammonia facility.

Drop-in fuels will be produced as the petrol and diesel, instead of an additive or blended fuel. Through the use of locally grown feedstocks, torrified materials will be used as energy.

Most of the feedstocks to be used will be native grasses, alfalfa, wheat straw, corn stover and short rotation willow and the facility is expected to produce 300 tonnes a day or 75,000 tonnes a year.

Rural Advantage, a local not-for-profit company, created the Madelia Model concept with the project is running alongside, meeting the sustainability goals set by the scheme.

Around 20 fulltime staff will work at the plant and even more will be employed through the feedstock production system.