| Osage Bio Energy
is committed to operating as a sustainable, environmentally responsible
company and will differentiate itself from traditional Midwestern
corn-based ethanol production companies in several key ways:
First, Osage Bio Energy ethanol will primarily
be produced from regionally grown barley. Currently, in the Mid-Atlantic
and Southeast nearly five million acres per year remain fallow
in winter months. Barley is a winter crop that we consider as
an energy crop. It will be grown for the production of ethanol
and does not compete for land for food production. Barley-based
ethanol is a product that is considered as an Advanced Biofuel
under the present Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS); and one that
offers farmers in the region additional crop options. Barley does
not require the nutrients and moisture required for corn and it
can be double-cropped with food crops such as soybeans. In addition,
the co-product of barley-based ethanol, a protein meal, is a superior
feed supplement for local cattle, poultry and swine since it is
high in essential amino acids required for livestock. The final
element of our value proposition is the use of the barley hulls
for their full value to displace the need for other fossil fuels
to provide energy to our plants.
Second, OBE has negotiated an exclusive agreement
with KATZEN International, Inc., one of the leading, and oldest
privately held process design and technology company, in the biofuels
industry. This arrangement allows for exclusive use of KATZEN
technology capable of producing ethanol from barely within a 200-mile
radius of each plant site.
Third, OBE’s site selection model provides
significant energy balance advantages as an Advanced Biofuel.
Our presence in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast is our commitment
to maximizing the opportunity to produce a truly renewable fuel
by partnering with existing steam producers to utilize their waste
heat, utilizing our own waste products for energy, and procuring
locally grown biomass.
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