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GreenField Ethanol Chatham plant to install odour-eliminating thermal oxidizer

CHATHAM, Ontario

GreenField Ethanol, Canada's largest ethanol producer, today announced that it will install a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) system at its Chatham plant.

"This Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer is proven to be the best technology for eliminating odours and conserving energy," said Bliss Baker, Vice President Corporate Affairs for GreenField Ethanol. "Agreements and timelines need to be finalized but we are moving full steam ahead with this project."

This energy efficient system will virtually eliminate odour-causing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from the drying of wet grains and syrup into dried distillers grains with solubles.

In 2000, GreenField installed a stack to disperse and dilute odour-causing compounds. Once the new RTO system is in place, gas from the drying and distillation systems will be thermally oxidized to eliminate odour-causing VOCs.

"Over the past several years, I have worked closely with the GreenField Ethanol team to bring this new technology to the plant," said Pat Hoy, MPP for Chatham-Kent Essex. "This new system will be a huge benefit to our region."

"Since its Chatham plant opened in 1997, GreenField Ethanol has worked with all levels of government to do what is best for the Chatham-Kent community," said Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope. "We are excited about the success and growth of this facility and commend GreenField for the active role they play in the Chatham-Kent community."

Since its inception, GreenField Ethanol's Chatham plant has produced more than 1.2 billion litres of ethanol using 120 million bushels of corn. The Chatham plant produces 187 million litres of ethanol per year and turns out a full range of ethanol products – from fuel ethanol to industrial and beverage alcohol. In June 2007, the Chatham plant took delivery of its 100,000th shipment of corn.