Ethanol Maker POET Drops Annual Water Use

Company is ahead of pace to cut use by 1 billion gallons by 2015

SIOUX FALLS, SD (December 8, 2011) – POET is more than 75 percent of the way to achieving the water reduction goal the company set under the environmental initiative “Ingreenuity.”

With startup of the proprietary Total Water Recovery system at its 18th ethanol production facility, POET Biorefining – Chancellor (S.D.), POET has now reduced water use by more than 770 million gallons per year over 2009 numbers. The goal under Ingreenuity is to reduce water use by 1 billion gallons annually by 2015.

“We’ve made reducing water use a priority at our plants, and it shows,” POET CEO Jeff Broin said. “I’m confident that we can reach our overall water use goal, and this bodes well for coming Ingreenuity goals as well. Water is a precious natural resource and our company is committed to doing everything we can to conserve it.”

Chancellor’s Total Water Recovery System saves the plant 131 million gallons of water per year. That savings means Chancellor uses 2.6 gallons of water for each gallon of ethanol produced, down from 3.5.

“The water savings, coupled with the alternative power sources of wood waste and landfill gas mean this is one of the most environmentally friendly ethanol plants in the world,” General Manager Brian Wilt said.

Eighteen POET plants now have Total Water Recovery systems. In Iowa, they are POET Biorefining – Ashton, Gowrie, Jewell and Hanlontown. In South Dakota, they are POET Biorefining – Mitchell, Hudson and Chancellor. In Minnesota, they are POET Biorefining – Bingham Lake and Lake Crystal. In Indiana, they are POET Biorefining – Portland, North Manchester, Cloverdale and Alexandria. In Ohio, they are POET Biorefining – Leipsic, Marion and Fostoria. POET Biorefining – Caro (Mich.) and POET Biorefining – Laddonia (Mo.) have also installed the technology.

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 produces more than 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol and 10 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, leaves, husk and some stalk as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.