The future of renewable fuels is getting a major boost in central Indiana. POET celebrated the groundbreaking of a major expansion at its Shelbyville bioprocessing facility Tuesday, marking another investment in the state’s growing biofuels industry.
The project is expected to increase production capacity while creating construction jobs in the short term and strengthening the facility’s long-term economic impact. Jason Lucas, General Manager for the Shelbyville POET facility, says the expansion reflects continued confidence in ethanol and other bioproducts as demand for lower-carbon fuels continues to grow.
“If you consider what POET is investing right now, that says a lot,” Lucas tells Hoosier Ag Today. “We’re making a $211 million investment here. So, we think that ethanol has a pretty bright future.”
Beyond the plant itself, the investment is expected to benefit area farmers by supporting demand for locally grown corn while generating additional business for contractors, suppliers, and service industries throughout Shelby County.
Decatur County farmer Tim Gauck says, “I tell the story of when I started farming in ’72. Indiana grew 303 million bushels of corn. Today, Indiana grows about 1.1 billion. So, we have to find markets for that. And this is a great way to accomplish that.”
Congressman Jefferson Shreve was on hand at the event and he praised the project as another example of agriculture and innovation working together to create economic opportunities in rural Indiana.
“There’s confidence in Indiana,” Shreve shared with HAT. “There’s confidence in our ag community. We’re growing it here. We’re going to be able to increasingly process it here and use the energy here. And that we can do this here in Indiana sixth district…we’re winning the race.”
With the expansion now underway, POET says Shelbyville will remain an important part of the company’s mission to add value to American agriculture while supporting jobs and economic growth across the region.
