Eight or nine times out of 10, ethanol plants answer the energy question with the same answer—natural gas. But the painful combination of price swings, declining supply and growing demand can strain a producer's pocketbook, leaving many facilities casting about for energy saving options.
Built in what is essentially Ron Fagen's backyard, Granite Falls Energy is not only a fuel ethanol plant. It's a symbol of prosperity for a southwest Minnesota community struggling to recover from harder times.
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