Ethanol Maker POET Comments on E15 Approval

" We're clearly moving forward, but significant hurdles remain"

SIOUX FALLS, SD - January 21, 2011: Rob Skjonsberg, POET Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Corporate Affairs, made the following statement today after the Environmental Protection Agency announced approval of E15 (15 percent ethanol blends) for use in vehicles model-year 2001 and newer.

“The EPA's decision today opens the door to solving the market barrier on ethanol use. We’re clearly moving forward, but significant hurdles remain before consumers can start using E15. Research supports approval of E15 for all vehicles. We knew this two years ago when the industry submitted the waiver.

“This is a necessary first step, but we have to move toward a market that allows competition. POET supports Growth Energy’s Fueling Freedom plan, which opens the fuel market through expansion of blender pumps and Flex Fuel Vehicles. E15, along with the Fueling Freedom Plan, provides real consumer choice and is the only realistic plan to get off our dependence on imported oil.”

About POET

POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 23-year-old company has a production capacity of more than 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol and 9 billion pounds of high-protein animal feed annually from 27 production facilities nationwide. POET also operates a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs and light stover as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.