04/05/07 Idaho ethanol potential

For many years Kevin Edberg has been involved in cooperative, farmer and community owned renewable energy projects in his home state of Minnesota. While working with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Edberg helped secure grants for projects and he did equity drives for farmers who became involved with biodiesel, ethanol and wind production. EDBERG "Minnesota's ethanol industry grew from one plant to 14 plants. At one time we had as many as 7 thousand farmer owners of ethanol plants." American farmers are planning to plant more corn this year to help meet the ethanol demand but Edberg says there's only so much corn. EDBERG "As the market demands more ethanol that will come from the expansions of existing facility rather than the creation of new facilities." New facilities that use feedstock other than corn will become part of the equation and Edberg sees opportunities for farmers to get involved. EDBERG "Cellulosic ethanol as well as or other biomass fuels like co-firing with coal or other biomass driven energy systems. The last one that I am thinking of is community owned wind and possibly community or cooperatively owned manure digestion or community owned digesters." Idaho has a couple of ethanol plants under construction in the Magic Valley with talk of more to come. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott