Carbon Green BioEnergy

Continuous incremental improvement, that’s the idea that guides us. It’s not enough to produce ethanol and offer a price advantage to Michigan corn producers who sell us their corn. We want to do everything better—always conscious of our obligation to the corn producer, to the consumer, and to the environment.  Moreover, this is the first biofuels production facility in the United States to create its own ethanol brand. We made it our goal to extend the advantages of higher ethanol blends, making it easy to locate access points throughout the state. At the same time we began alerting drivers to their full range of fuel choices. As a result of our education campaign, consumers throughout Michigan are learning to connect Yellow Hose® with renewable fuel.

Why Did We Install an On-site Fueling Station?

We gave local residents the chance to sample the full range of blends made possible by our ethanol production, blends they couldn’t access locally. Many see the advantages, and our on-site fueling station near Lake Odessa typically dispenses 1,000 gallons a day. Ultimately, we wanted to supply the market with a cost-competitive choice, showing local retailers how to add consumer choice and improve utilization and increase use of a locally-produced product.   Around-the-clock fueling at the Carbon Green BioEnergy fueling station allows patrons to choose E15, E30, E50, or E85. We eliminated E10 because all vehicles year 2001 and newer can run on E15. Consumers who use the fueling station are:

• Showing their support for local corn producers.
• Making better use of their flex-fuel vehicles.
• Scoring points for energy independence.

Consistent Incremental and Strategic Improvements

The facility, an ICM design, was erected by Fagen Construction in 2005 and went online in 2006. Its original nameplate specified plant capacity at 40 million gallons of ethanol per year. Today, Carbon Green BioEnergy produces at 55 million gallons yearly.  In June 2009, new investors purchased the plant and took steps to expand its potential. Everything was evaluated—processes, ingredients, equipment, and grain storage structure—in a holistic approach that considered where improved technology could offer better efficiencies and the best product. Then, in order to increase production and equip our facility for the convenience of corn producers who deliver to us, we made strategic improvements.  The plant, designed for a 2.75 (non-denatured) gallon yield of ethanol per bushel currently performs at an improved 2.85 (non-denatured) gallons per bushel. With every incremental upgrade, we also lessen the environmental impact of our production. Since 2009, we’ve reduced our water consumption by 25% and our energy consumption by 18%.

Why Ethanol Drives Us

Corn producers deliver 75 truckloads of corn to our plant every day from one impressive Michigan harvest to the next. Ethanol is renewable energy that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the need for imported oil.  Carbon Green BioEnergy LLC produces 55 million gallons of ethanol per year. Together, all ethanol plants in the United States produce over 14 billion gallons in a year. U.S. Department of Energy research projects 30% of our motor fuel needs can be met with ethanol fuels by 2030.  Carbon dioxide released when ethanol burns is balanced by carbon dioxide captured by the grow process of corn that goes into ethanol. Petroleum comes from plants that grew millions of years ago and offer no offset.  We have reduced our water usage by 4.4% and our overall utilities usage by 17%, reducing our impact on the environment.  Throughout the process, from corn planting to ethanol production to use in consumers’ vehicles, corn-based ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 52% compared to gasoline. (Source: U.S. Department of Energy.)  In 2014, ethanol use reduced greenhouse emissions by 33.4 metric tons, the equivalent to removing 5.2 million vehicles from U.S. roads. Looking at it another way, 5.2 million is close to the number of registered vehicles in the entire state of Michigan!