"Has anyone thought about ethanol?"
 
 Nick Hatcher posed the question at his first economic development council meeting in Liberal, Kan., in early 2005. For Hatcher, the question seemed natural. Southwest Kansas is heavily dependent on agriculture, and an ethanol plant seemed a sure way to capitalize on rising energy costs and the need to add value to local crops.
 
 The question eventually led to a request from Seward County, Kan., Economic Development Director Colleen Towns to begin researching possible ethanol plant sites in the region. Hatcher partnered with Dusty Turner to discuss the possibility, holding a lengthy meeting with an ethanol plant developer. "Walking out of that meeting four hours later, we thought we needed to get something happening," Hatcher said.
 
 They did. Hatcher and Turner, now president and vice president, respectively, of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.conestogaenergy.com/ ">Conestoga Energy Partners</a>, found more than a plant site. They helped form Conestoga Energy Partners in 2005 to build and operate ethanol plants in southwestern Kansas. The group features a nine-member board comprised of a steering committee that pushed for an ethanol project in Liberal, Kan., and members of a group that had pushed for a plant in Garden City, Kan. Through Conestoga Energy Partners, both groups are seeing their plans through to fruition.

 
 Bonanza Bioenergy LLC, a 55 MMgy plant in Garden City began construction in May 2006. A second project, Arkalon Energy LLC (pronounced Ar-KAY-lon), began construction in August on a 110 MMgy plant near Liberal. Both plants are being designed and built by Colwich, Kan.-based ICM Inc. and managed by Conestoga Energy Partners. 
 
 Hatcher said the idea for one group to manage two plants was a "right place, right time" decision. "Having put together two plants and trying to facilitate how we were going to create the best synergy, it just became a natural process to put together a management company to manage the two plants," Hatcher said.
 
 Plans for a third facility are already underway. An agreement was recently announced between Conestoga Energy Partners and Ethanol Energy Inc. to build a facility near Dodge City, Kan. Boot Hill Biofuels LLC is a 110 MMgy plant expected to begin construction in spring 2007.
 
 The three plants will essentially form a triangle of ethanol production in southwest Kansas and supply roughly a 200-mile area with distillers wet grains. A feasibility study, conducted by BBI International Inc., had identified 3.5 million cattle in feed yards within 150 miles of the Garden City site.
 
 A majority of the plants' feedstocks, corn and milo, will be sourced locally. Although the area is grain-deficit, the plants' locations are benefited by other factors. "The reason to build is easy access to other markets," said Ed Stahl, BBI Project Development's manager of ethanol business development. "Southwest Kansas is ready to serve the Texas market for ethanol."
 
 The Garden City plant is already ideally located for feedstock origination. The plant is adjacent to WindRiver Grain LLC, which has 1.3 million bushels of grain-handling capacity along a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway line. The facility can handle 110-car trains.
 
 Conestoga appears to be reaping the benefits laid by other facilities that built in the region. Hatcher said the success enjoyed by Western Plains Energy in Oakley, Kan., may have boosted awareness for ethanol. "When Western Plains was trying to build that project, some people didn't understand the full benefits of ethanol," Hatcher said. "Because of their success, it certainly helped fuel our success."
 
 Hatcher said Conestoga Energy Partners' success is summed up by the motto "Fueling New Frontiers." The three plants are providing a financial boom to the area and creating a new market for farmers. "My whole premise is to do one thing—add value to agriculture," Hatcher said.
 

 Bonanza Bioenergy LLC
 Location: Garden City, Kansas
 Design/builder: ICM Inc.
 Process technology: ICM Inc.
 Capacity: 55 MMgy
 Feedstock: corn/milo
 Ethanol marketer: Murex
 Distillers grains marketer: Conestoga Energy Partners
 Carbon dioxide marketer: N/A
 Broke ground: May 2006
 Target start-up date: October 2007
 
 Arkalon Energy LLC
 Location: Liberal, Kansas
 Design/builder: ICM Inc.
 Process technology: ICM Inc.
 Capacity: 110 MMgy

 Feedstock: corn/milo
 Ethanol marketer: Murex
 Distillers grains marketer: Conestoga Energy Partners
 Carbon dioxide marketer: undeclared
 Broke ground: August 2006
 Target start-up date: December 2007
 
 Dave Nilles is Online Editor for Ethanol Producer Magazine. Reach him at <a href=mailto:"dnilles@bbibiofuels.com">dnilles@bbibiofuels.com</a> or (701) 373-0636.
 
 Posted: 1:40 p.m. CST Thursday, November 16, 2006

Conestoga Energy ‘Fueling the New Frontier'

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Upcoming Events

2025 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo

Carbon Capture & Storage Summit

Sustainable Fuels Summit: Sustainable Aviation Fuel & Renewable Diesel

North American SAF Conference & Expo

Conestoga Energy ‘Fueling the New Frontier'