Evergreen BioFuels USA Announces Agreement with Show Me Energy Cooperative to Engineer and Manage Largest Agro-Biomass Pellet Fuel Plant in North America

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Evergreen BioFuels USA, world leader in developing available, sustainable and carbon-negative bioenergy fuels for powering utilities, businesses and homes around the globe, announced today an agreement with Centerview, Missouri-based Show Me Energy Cooperative, which is comprised of 400 farm businesses, to engineer, build and manage one of the largest biomass pellet fuel production plants in North America. When completed in early 2008, the $6.5 million plant will produce enough biomass to not only be used in coal utility energy production, but also meet the heating needs of about 20,000 homes.

The agreement between EBF and SMEC will see the annual production of 100,000 tons of biomass pellet fuels, the energy equivalent of 300,000 barrels of crude oil, which EBF will market into the local energy market to replace coal. This agreement is being closely watched by policy makers in Washington D.C., as well as by many other cooperatives who have expressed an interest in developing similar production facilities.

“Our goal is to produce millions of tons of renewable energy pellets to displace coal use. If adopted on a global scale, this has the potential to displace billions of tons of greenhouse gases, which are responsible for today’s climate change crisis,” said Mark Drisdelle, CEO of Evergreen BioFuels USA. “While others are relying on food crops to create energy, SMEC is demonstrating a sustainable, environmentally friendly way that doesn’t threaten the food supply or skew the market.”

At least half of Show Me Energy’s production of Power Pellets is destined to be co-fired with coal, as an immediate means of addressing the issue of reducing carbon emissions, with a percentage of carbon negative renewable energy. EBF’s pellet fuel is engineered to work with existing utility plant infrastructure without the need for replacement or retrofit of existing technology and equipment. According to the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI) this approach of co-firing renewable energy with coal is a near term solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions which are responsible for climate change.

“Since our inception in 2003, our commitment is to be a leading model for other energy co-ops in biomass production and we also strive to benefit the local agricultural marketplace,” said Steve Flick, board of directors president of SMEC. “Our partnership with EBF will allow farm communities and businesses to diversify farm income, keep energy production in state, and effect change globally by replacing coal with clean renewable, locally grown energy crops.”

The production of pellets can use any type of cellulose-based fibers including, wood and crop residues, dedicated energy crops like switchgrass and industrial fibers. These are then formed by extruding them into dense cylindrical pellets with predictable combustion characteristics, to serve as a cleaner-burning alternative to carbon-emitting fuels currently in use by power plants and utilities. The amount of energy generated by solid fuel pellets is similar to that of coal, but can be burned at significantly lower costs due to the fact that they are carbon neutral while reducing other polluting emissions like sulfur and nitrogen oxides.

About Evergreen BioFuels

Evergreen BioFuels stands at the forefront in the development and manufacturing of clean renewable forms of energy for power plants, enabling them to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a cleaner future. Through the use of clean, renewable bioenergy solutions, Evergreen BioFuels is creating a future where the global economical growth doesn't have a negative impact on the environment.

Headquartered in Montreal, Evergreen BioFuels and Delaware the company develops, manufactures and distributes the highest quality biomass pellets that release clean, renewable energy with proven efficiency. Led by renewable energy visionaries and utilizing patent-pending technology innovations, Evergreen BioFuels is the leading company to offer sustainable green energy solutions to prevent global warming in a carbon-constrained future. Visit evergreenbioenergy.com for more information.

About Show Me Energy Cooperative

Show Me Energy Cooperative is a non-profit, producer owned, cooperative founded to support the development of renewable biomass energy sources in West Central Missouri through the establishment of suitable conditions in the field of energy development which incorporate the efforts, products, and goals of local agricultural biomass producers. SMEC provides additional revenue streams for farmers and producers for their products by utilization in biomass energy production and support and reinforce local economy and community through employment and development of renewable, sustainable, technologies

SMEC seeks to keep its member-owners informed about their co-op business, economic, political, charitable, and social environments as well as help to improve the quality of life, both now and in the foreseeable future, in the areas where Show Me Energy Cooperative has a business, purchasing, or distributing presence. Visit goshowmeenergy.com for more information