Wyoming Ethanol plans $14M expansion

The plant exudes an earthy smell, like a mixture of bread and sweet fermentation.

Across the road, Hereford cattle laze about in the afternoon sun, growing fat on syrup and a rich corn cake produced by their industrial neighbor.

Fat cattle, however, are not the objective. The target is your gas tank.

On the outskirts of this Goshen County farm community, Wyoming Ethanol produces ethanol, a colorless, flammable liquid produced by fermentation of sugars.

Last year, Wyoming Ethanol produced 5.3 million gallons of the sweet-smelling stuff. A $14-million expansion of the plant that begins this month will double the plant’s production capacity, said Dan Schwartzkopf, senior vice president of parent company Renova Energy.

Wyoming Ethanol employs 24 people and has an annual payroll of about $900,000. It is among the largest contributors to the county tax base and the biggest user of natural gas between Glenrock and Scottsbluff, Neb.

Associated Press

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