CASE STUDY
Biorefineries Quest to Recycle Wastewater + Reduce Water Consumption Public and private partnerships are being used by POET biorefineries for reducing water usage and project siting. POET, a South Dakota based company and leader in ethanol production has utilized creative and innovative methods to provide water to greenfield facilities where water supply is limited. Examples include:
The first goal of POET's sustainability initiative, ingenuity, is to cut water use at POET plants by a total of 1 billion gallons over the next five years, a 22% reduction. POET notes that many of the carbon reduction pathways under their consideration will require state and federal policy support and significant capital investments. POET also has a patented Total Water Recovery system, which filters, treats, and recycles water used in the production process. This system essentially eliminates liquid discharge from POET’s network of bioprocessing facilities, except for steam and water within bioproducts that exit the facility.
» 80% of the plant in Big Stone, South Dakota gets its water from the cooling ponds of an adjacent power plant and discharges it back to the power plant. » 100% of the plant in Portland, Indiana is recycled water from a nearby quarry. » At the Corning, Iowa plant, most of the water used for cooling comes from the City's wastewater treatment plant. » 100% of POET Biorefining in Mitchell, South Dakota draws water from Lake Mitchell.
Visit the link to learn more: bit.ly/POETcutswateruse
Key Takeaways » Public and private partnerships maximize successes » Recycled wastewater from other industrial sources » Goal to cut water use at POET plants by a total of 1 billion gallons over the next five years, a 22% reduction
138 | Water Quality
South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development
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