The move toward sustainability has become increasingly important in recent years, but at POET, it’s not a new concept. It’s been a part of the company’s DNA since the beginning. From day one, they have sought to embody a spirit of innovation and environmental stewardship, finding ways to utilize the resources God gave us with integrity while creating value for farmers and the world.
In 2021, POET published its inaugural Sustainability Report. The most notable of POET’s goals include reducing the carbon intensity of its bioethanol by 70% compared to traditional gasoline by 2030 and transitioning all of POET’s 34 bioprocessing facilities to carbon neutral by 2050.
Here is a look at a few of the numerous ways POET strives to be a leader in sustainability.
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Nathan Hauck volunteers at POET's annual Earth Day event in Sioux Falls
Earth Day
Every year, Earth Day is a call to action: a reminder that our planet’s health is in our hands and a motivation to take meaningful steps toward a brighter future.
POET answers that call. With a team dedicated to living every day like it's Earth Day, POET’s core mission is to be good stewards of the Earth and give back to its communities. For the past four years, POET has hosted a company-wide Earth Day volunteer event, with participation from its 34 bioprocessing facilities and its corporate offices in Sioux Falls and Wichita.
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Team members across POET's footprint celebrate Earth Day with various activities
“POET’s Earth Day efforts across our footprint are just one small part of our ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Alyssa Broin Christensen, Vice President of Team and Community Impact. “It’s a small but powerful reminder that when we unite behind a common goal, we have the power to impact real change in the world.”
Solar Farm
The POET Solar Farm powers the company’s headquarters located in Sioux Falls, S.D. The solar farm generates two-thirds of the electricity needed to power the headquarters. It produces 745,000 kWh of electricity each year, offsetting 630,000 pounds of CO2. Any excess power generated by the farm goes back to the Sioux Falls grid to supply local homes and buildings with clean, renewable power.
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Biomass-to-Power
The launch of POET’s biomass-to-power technology at POET Bioprocessing – Emmetsburg, Iowa is known as Project Freedom. It uses corn stover to generate thermal energy via steam, reducing the facility’s reliance on natural gas by up to 65 percent.
POET Bioprocessing – Chancellor, S.D. is powered by steam generated from biomass combustion (recycled wood pallets, waste wood from trees, and wood targets from a local axe-throwing business) and landfill biogas transported via pipeline from the nearby Sioux Falls landfill. The gas would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. POET – Chancellor gets nearly half of its energy from recycled sources.
Steam-Powered Turbines
Steam-powered turbines are designed to efficiently convert high-pressure steam to electricity prior to the steam being used in the facility. As of today, 18 turbines have been installed at 17 of POET’s bioprocessing facilities.
The turbines reduce the electricity consumed by the plant, allowing the plant to reuse its own energy more efficiently, reducing emissions and cutting down POET’s carbon footprint. Each steam turbine powers a generator that produces an average of three megawatts of electricity per facility, totaling 50 megawatts per year.
Total Water Recovery
Another key sustainability initiative at POET is the Total Water Recovery (TWR) system. This patented process continuously filters, treats, and recycles the water used in bioethanol production. By implementing this internal water recycling program, POET effectively eliminates liquid discharge from its bioprocessing facilities, with the only exceptions being steam and the water contained in the bioproducts produced.
Twenty POET bioprocessing facilities have installed TWR, which reduces water use and wastewater discharge used for the production of bioethanol and bioproducts within the plants. POET’s facilities have reduced their water consumption by 33 percent as a result of the total
water recovery technology.
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A team at POET Bioprocessing – Big Stone celebrates Earth Day by planting trees
Leading with Responsibility and Innovation
A key part of POET’s mission is to leave the world better than they found it. That mission is shared by all of POET’s team members across two corporate headquarters, 34 bioprocessing facilities, and four terminals. "At POET, we recognize that every day is an opportunity to champion sustainability and environmental stewardship," said Nathan Hay, POET Vice President of People & Culture. "In every aspect of what we do at POET — from our low-carbon biofuels and plant-based bioproducts to our team’s culture — we are passionate about innovation and changing the world for the better.”
To learn more about POET’s sustainability efforts, visit poet.com/sustainability.
