The Renewable Fuels Association congratulates producer member Chippewa Valley Ethanol Co. (CVEC) as the company celebrates its 30th anniversary today with an open house at its Benson, Minn. biorefinery.
“All of us at RFA are proud to join our friends at CVEC in celebrating this remarkable milestone,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Because of CVEC’s vision, persistence, and pioneering spirit, consumers across Minnesota and the entire upper Midwest are breathing cleaner air, paying less at the pump for gas, and enjoying a more secure fuel supply. And thanks to CVEC’s leadership, farmers in west-central Minnesota have a durable, reliable, value-added market for their corn. As the ethanol industry enters its next chapter, CVEC remains one of the most innovative, forward-looking companies in the business. We look forward to continuing our partnership with CVEC to build new markets and create new opportunities for ethanol producers and farmers alike.”
CVEC began producing ethanol in 1996, with an annual capacity of 15 million gallons per year. The biorefinery has since expanded to 50 million gallons of capacity, and has attracted investment from more than 950 producers, elevators, and community members. The company has been a member of RFA since 2001, with former general manager Bill Lee serving as RFA chairman in 2004 and 2005. General Manager Chad Friese currently sits on the RFA Board of Directors.
In addition to producing fuel ethanol, CVEC is the parent company to Glacial Grain Spirits, which produces industrial and beverage grade alcohol, and CVEC is a founding owner of Renewable Products Marketing Group (RPMG), which currently markets approximately 2 billion gallons of ethanol and 2.2 million tons of distillers grains annually.
