[3] Of the 18 million bushels of corn used each year for feedstock, the majority will be grown in southeast North Dakota and brought in via rail, with the remaining one third being produced locally.
The Coal Creek power station which provides the thermal input to the process began construction in 1974, becoming fully operational for electricity production in 1980.
[4] In 2005 Headwaters Incorporated, in conjunction with Great River Energy, announced their plans for the construction of an ethanol production facility collocated with the Coal Creek Power plant.
Great River Energy is also building a 62 megawatt baseload (37 megawatt peaking capacity) coal-fired boiler in Spiritwood, North Dakota which will produce both electricity,[8] malt,[9] and 100 million U.S. gallons (380 million liters) of ethanol yearly.
[10] Additionally a 20 megawatt plant in Goodland, Kansas will produce electricity, ethanol, and biodiesel.