CLOVERDALE, INDIANA, US — POET has reopened its bioprocessing facility in Cloverdale, Indiana, US, following a four-year halt in production.
Acquired by POET in June 2010, the Cloverdale plant underwent $30 million in upgrades, including the installation of POET’s fermentation process that uses enzymes instead of heat, prior to beginning operations on March 22, 2011.
Production at the plant was halted in 2019, though, due to issues surrounding the implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). POET said it made the decision to reopen the plant as the result of better federal management of the RFS and strong support for E15 (a 15% bioethanol blend) at the state level from key Indiana policymakers.
As part of the reopening, POET said it invested an additional $30 million in new technology and upgrades, increasing its annual production rate to 95 million gallons of bioethanol from 80 million.
“At POET, we believe the future of biotechnology lies at the intersection of innovative science, practical engineering, and responsible agriculture,” said Jeff Lautt, president and chief operating officer at POET. “This facility will continue POET’s legacy of creating value for rural America, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with the state of Indiana for many years to come.”
