Расширение завода Gevo в Ричардтоне увеличит производство этанола и создаст новые возможности для фермеров Северной Дакоты

Richardton energy plant expansion aims to boost production in North Dakota RICHARDTON, N.D. (KFYR) - A major energy expansion in Richardton could soon provide a significant boost to North Dakota’s agricultural economy. However, the project goes beyond fuel, with the potential to lift a financial burden currently weighing on local producers and farmers while providing more nutrition to area livestock. Gevo North Dakota bought the former Red Trail Energy plant in Richardton last year. Now, the company plans to add a second production facility at the site, bringing its total capacity to roughly 150 million gallons of ethanol per year. The plant currently produces 67 million gallons of the fuel. Ethanol production is not the company’s only goal. Gevo plans to introduce “Project Northstar” during Phase 3 of its plan to begin production of sustainable jet fuel. “We call it ATJ-30, which stands for alcohol to jet that’s 30 million gallons. That will turn about 50 million gallons of that low-carbon ethanol that we produce today into 30 million gallons of jet fuel,” said Paul Bloom, the CEO of Gevo Inc. According to Bloom, Gevo chose the former Red Trail Energy plant due to its location, noting it has one of the world’s largest carbon capture and sequestration facilities. Massive amounts of carbon dioxide are produced during ethanol production, and the company plans to trap the greenhouse gas instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. “As we capture carbon, we’re able to take carbon dioxide that was in the air, we can basically concentrate that through the process that we use and then we can capture it. And the geology right there in Richardton is perfect to store that CO2 in deep underground wells,” said Bloom. About 700 million bushels of corn are grown annually in North Dakota, but much of the crop leaves the state. “Over 40% of it today is exported out of state. That’s all good. It’s going to great markets. But we want to keep more of that corn in the state and process it in North Dakota,” said Bloom. By keeping the corn local, the company hopes to create a new market for area farmers and the surrounding community. Aside from increasing demand for corn, the expansion could create new opportunities for livestock producers through the plant’s distillers’ grains. According to Bloom, the company aims to complete the planning stage by the end of this year, with operations for the second stage expected to begin by 2027. Copyright 2026 KFYR. All rights reserved.