By Stefanie Briggs 1-17-07
The notable steam vapor billowing into the sky from the pipes of the Red Trail Energy LLC ethanol plant was noticeably gone Tuesday.
The plant was shut down for maintenance as it had been gearing up to work at full capacity this week.
RTE Chief Executive Officer Mick Miller said the plant is expected to be back online this morning.
“We shut down to work out some glitches, which are just routine things and normal for start-up,” Miller said Tuesday. “We are filling a rail car this afternoon with ethanol.”
The plant officially started running Friday, Jan. 5. Since then, the plant has made more than 300,000 gallons of ethanol, which is normal for when an ethanol plant begins production.
The plant is hoping to operate at full capacity this week as it was only at 80-90 percent capacity last week.
The plant is expected to produce up to 145,000 gallons of ethanol a day when at full capacity, which requires using 50,000 bushels of corn and 375 tons of coal.
The plant is set to produce ethanol around the clock 365 days a year.
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