Major Expansion At Al-Corn in Claremont

It was announced this afternoon that Al-Corn Clean Fuels in Claremont will be undergoing a major expansion. Randy Doyal, the general manager, told me they will be more than doubling plant capacity from 50 million gallons of ethanol per year to 120 million gallons. When Al-Corn went on line 20 years ago, the name plate capacity was 10 million gallons per year. Through the past 20 years they have been able to increase efficiencies and do some minor expansions but this is a big expansion. This one ethanol plant will need about 42 million bushel of corn each year.

I was a little confused because I was aware that an expansion was proposed by the board. A vote was held and members of AL-Corn voted against it. Doyal said after the vote, members were coming into his office saying they voted against the expansion but "we need to expand Al-Corn." Board members at AL-Corn were hearing the same thing. They called all members and asked them about the expansion. Apparently most were not in favor of selling shares at 50 cents a bushel and letting more members into the co-op at that price. But they were in favor of an expansion. The permitting process has begun with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Doyal said he would be really happy in they can begin construction this summer but more likely it will be this fall.