renew Operation Timber Strike
The ground debris is ready for the solid fuel boiler.
On April 17, 2013, Southeast South Dakota was ravaged by an ice storm. The storm knocked down thousands of utility poles and trees causing power outages, structural damage to many buildings and road blockages. The City of Sioux Falls, S.D. set to work on clean-up – dubbed Operation Timber Strike. Initial clean up estimates included over 100,000 tons of wood debris headed for the Sioux Falls Regional Sanitary Landfill (SFRSL). The SFRSL is utilized by over 240,000 citizens in the Sioux Falls area and brings in approximately 700-800 tons per day of municipal waste and construction/demolition debris. The storm debris would have the same impact on the landfill as 125 days of normal garbage deliveries. The partnership between the City of Sioux Falls and POET Biorefining – Chancellor, S.D. was about to be strengthened. The two businesses already work together to collect methanol gas from the landfill that is piped to the ethanol plant and used in a solid fuel boiler to produce steam to power the plant. The plant was the perfect fit to help out with Operation Timber Strike – the solid fuel boiler also utilizes waste wood! In September, Chancellor finally started receiving wood debris from the April storm. It’s a long road to collect, grind, screen (for dirt and debris) and transport over 50,000 tons of wood (final estimates after collection and grind process). The wood is being delivered to Chancellor at 1000 tons per week, where it is producing about 50,000 lbs/hr of steam and offsetting 65 MMBTU/hr of natural gas! POET Biorefining – Chancellor will continue to receive wood from Operation Timber Strike for the next year.
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THE ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVE
Apples for all POET Biorefining – Groton, S.D. has always tried to be a good steward to the land the plant occupies. Since it was built in 2003, POET Biorefining – Groton has been a part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and has reserved a piece of their property for their area pheasants. The POET team as well as a board member and his son have been planting trees on the property over the last several years. The property now includes a shelterbelt and several apple trees. The administration office area boasts 5 apple trees with another 20 or so located in the shelter belt. This year, the trees are just loaded with apples. It’s not an uncommon sight to see a team member stroll past the tree for an afternoon snack. It also provides apples enough for apple crisp, apple pie and other delicious sweets. The CRP land has had a positive impact on the pheasant community, the land and the POET Biorefining – Groton team.