By Sara StrongThe Luverne Economic Development Authority decided not to help fund Loren Forrest’s travel and research for a new corn-to-fuel process.LEDA director Dan Statema said, "We decided that he and his partners could fund the research and come back to the board if they wanted a loan, and they can discuss it then."Forrest said he was confident that the new ethanol process will prove feasible. He may ask the city for a $250,000 loan for a new facility.The first request was for $25,000. The complicated process is through catalytic conversion, rather than fermentation, as used in the current ethanol plant in Luverne.The process uses less corn and can use plant residue, stover or silage. Forrest said he believes a ton of corn could produce up to 291 gallons of ethanol.He would like to eventually form a co-op with a manager handling day-to-day operations.Forrest said he would not proceed unless it proves viable and he gets detailed information to create a similar facility.Forrest, himself, has spent three years studying the process, down to complicated chemistry and how a plant would be physically set up. He said that since it can use silage and other forms of "biomass," that it makes it a good idea. It could be used even in drought years if crops were poor.
