POET, Antora, and Otter Tail Power Partner for Groundbreaking Thermal Battery Energy Storage to Decarbonize Ethanol Production
Key Insights
POET, Antora, and Otter Tail Power are collaborating on the Big Stone South Energy Storage Project to supply steam to POET's ethanol plant using innovative thermal batteries.
The project utilizes Antora's proprietary thermal battery technology, marking its first commercial-scale deployment for industrial decarbonization and energy efficiency.
This initiative aims to significantly lower POET's Carbon Intensity score and qualify for federal tax credits, enhancing its market competitiveness in low-carbon fuel markets.
Otter Tail Power will provide a direct electrical connection to the facility, leveraging wind energy resources to meet stringent carbon reduction regulations.
Sioux Falls-based ethanol producer POET is embarking on a pioneering collaboration with California thermal battery manufacturer Antora and Minnesota utility Otter Tail Power to implement an innovative energy storage solution designed to significantly decarbonize its operations. The partnership centers on the development of the Big Stone South Energy Storage Project near POET's ethanol plant in Big Stone City, South Dakota, representing a critical step towards industrial electrification and a strategic response to evolving carbon reduction mandates.
Antora's proprietary thermal battery technology will form the core of the new facility. This system utilizes electricity to heat large carbon blocks, storing energy as high-temperature thermal energy. This stored heat will then be converted into steam, a vital input for POET's ethanol production processes, replacing traditional fossil fuel-derived steam and substantially reducing operational emissions.
Otter Tail Power has formally requested approval from the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for the necessary electric service agreements to both Antora's storage facility and POET's plant. The PUC is slated to review these requests on Tuesday, July 15, a key regulatory hurdle for the project's commencement.
This strategic pivot by POET is driven by a dual objective: enhancing economic competitiveness and improving environmental performance. By integrating this thermal energy solution, POET aims to lower its Carbon Intensity (CI) score, a crucial metric influencing pricing in burgeoning low-carbon fuel markets, and qualify for federal tax credits. This initiative also serves as a direct response to recent South Dakota legislation that imposed restrictions on the use of eminent domain for CO2 pipelines, which had previously impacted POET's carbon reduction strategies.
The Big Stone South project signifies the first commercial-scale deployment of Antora's thermal battery technology, underscoring its potential for broader industrial decarbonization. A new electrical interconnection from Otter Tail Power will directly link POET's operations to renewable wind energy resources, specifically Crowned Ridge I and II wind farms. This direct renewable energy connection is essential for meeting the stringent requirements set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for reducing the ethanol plant's carbon intensity score, highlighting the project's alignment with leading clean energy standards.