VeraSun Increases Capacity to 340M Gallons with Early Startup of Third Ethanol Plant

12 April 2007

VeraSun Energy Corporation, the second-largest US ethanol producer, has brought its third, 110-million gallon ethanol plant on stream nearly three months ahead of schedule.

The startup of the Charles City, Iowa facility increases VeraSun’s total annual production capacity to 340 million gallons per year. The plant will annually process 39 million bushels of corn and produce 350,000 tons of distillers grains for livestock feed in addition to 110 million gallons of ethanol. Full production at the facility is scheduled to be reached within 30-45 days.

VeraSun also has two additional facilities under construction in Hartley, Iowa, and Welcome, Minnesota, and is expected to announce the site for its sixth biorefinery this quarter. All of VeraSun’s facilities—current and under construction—are designed with a 96-car unit train system, allowing for the efficient and flexible shipment of ethanol to markets beyond the Midwest.