Lloydminster and Minnedosa Ethanol Plants

Husky is Western Canada's largest producer of ethanol and was a pioneer in marketing ethanol-blended fuels. Its first ethanol plant was built in 1981 to produce ethanol for fuel and industrial use. Husky retail outlets market ethanol-blended gasoline under the "Mother Nature's Fuel" brand.

Husky's two ethanol plants are located in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan and at Minnedosa, Manitoba. They produce approximately 260 million litres of ethanol per year from more than 700,000 tonnes of non-food quality grain. Husky is one of Western Canada's largest grain buyers.

The plants use efficient, modern technology and apply the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle, such as:

• Existing industrial land was used for the plant sites;
• Process water is reused, reducing the need for raw water;
• Wastewater is recycled, dust control systems and efficient technologies help minimize emissions; and
• No significant solid wastes are produced from the facilities.

Husky markets approximately 260,000 tonnes of a co-product called Dried Distillers Grain with Solubles (DDGS) as a high-protein feed supplement for livestock operators.

Ethanol

Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is made from wheat, corn or sugar. Husky's ethanol is made by converting the carbohydrate (starch) portion of grain into sugar. The sugar is then converted to ethanol in a fermentation process.

Pure ethanol was first promoted as a transportation fuel by Henry Ford for his Model T automobile. Today, all vehicle manufacturers approve a blend of up to 10 percent ethanol. Blends of more than 10 percent require a flexible-fuel vehicle, which is designed to run on gasoline or ethanol blends of up to 85 percent.

Ethanol Production

The process of turning grain into ethanol involves milling, cooking, fermenting, distilling and dehydrating. Grain is milled, mixed with water to produce a slurry, and then cooked. Enzymes are added to the mixture to convert starch into fermentable sugars and yeast is added to start the fermentation process.

The fermented mixture requires distillation to separate ethanol from solids and water. Distillation requires heating the fermented mixture until it emits a vapour. Ethanol and water vapour from the top of the distillation column is captured, cooled and condensed to a liquid. The liquid then passes through a dehydration system, where the remaining water is removed via a molecular sieve. The resulting product is pure ethanol.

The ethanol produced is treated or "denatured"” by adding a small amount of gasoline to turn it into fuel-grade ethanol. The ethanol is then blended with gasoline at points in the distribution system or at blender pumps at Husky retail outlets. It is also sold to third parties for offsite blending.

The heavy solids or mash that remains are dried to produce Dried Distillers Grain with Solubles, a high-protein feed supplement sold to livestock producers.

Feedstock Requirements

Feedstock for Husky's ethanol facilities includes Soft wheat, Prairie Spring wheat, Winter wheat and corn.

These feed-grade wheat and corn varieties contain more ethanol producing starch than higher quality milling wheat. Other grains such as durum, barley, and rye may be used on occasion. Husky's facilities are specifically designed to process non-food grade wheat and corn.

Advantages of "Mother Nature’s Fuel"

Ethanol-blended fuels increase engine performance by keeping fuel tanks and systems clean of contaminants and acting as a natural gasoline-line antifreeze in winter.

Ethanol and the Environment

Husky is committed to helping reduce vehicle emissions.

Depending on driving conditions and the vehicle's age, ethanol-blended fuel can reduce emissions, as detailed in several Canadian studies. These studies have tracked GHG emissions from the time of planting and fertilizing fields through to harvest, trucking feedstock to the ethanol plant, production of ethanol, transportation to fuel distributors and retailers, and finally consumption in vehicles.

Environmental protection and energy efficiency are important elements of Husky's ethanol plants. At Lloydminster, the facility is integrated with Husky's heavy oil upgrader and an onsite co-generation power facility to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions.