Funding Awarded: $297,500

INDUSTRY PARTNERS:

Heron Lake Bio Energy , Archer Daniels Midland, Granite Falls Energy, NovaTech Process Solutions, POET Biorefining, Southern MN Beet Sugar Cooperative

Key Partners:

MN West Community & Technical College, Southwest MN State University, Central MN Jobs & Training, SW MN FIRST Collaborative, SW Initiative Foundation, SW MN Workforce Council

Project Summary:

Throughout the state, workers from renewable energy manufacturers will be trained using an ethanol process simulator (from NovaTech Process Solutions) that provides the experience of operating an ethanol facility, along with production operation and lab training.

Project Outcomes:

• Simulator Training Manual/Teacher's Guide developed

• 77 people enrolled in ethanol training (54 expected to complete by end of project)

• 3 educators prepared in ethanol simulator training, 20 students/year expected to be trained

• Two classes offered: online Ethanol Process Fundamentals; on-campus Simulator Training

Project Description:

One of the first biofuels programs in the nation is offered at Minnesota West Community & Technical College, and this grant funded the addition of an ethanol process simulator to the course.

"The simulator is a great learning tool for ethanol plant workers and biofuels students because it allows you to start up, shut down, and bring a plant to steady state operation without the fear of blowing one up!" said MN West Community & Technical College Biofuels instructor, Rose Patzer. The ethanol process simulator was developed in collaboration between NovaTech Process Solutions engineers, ethanol plant employees, and MN West instructors.

MN West Director of MN Energy Enterprise Center, Duane Carrow, emphasizes that it was Industry that drove the creation of the biofuels course. Mike Bauman, a supervisor at Granite Falls Energy, participated both in course design and in delivery. He sees firsthand how valuable this training can be to employers. "One of my employees had the training at the college and he caught on to the DCS (distributed control system) a lot faster than most new people."

Safety director Brent Pavelko at the Heron Lake Bio Energy plant also upgraded his knowledge during the course. "I learned so much more about the processes that I monitor each day and it's helped me be better at my job. Also, since parts of the course were online, I was able to fit it into my busy home and work life."

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Biofuels Training  

Biofuels employers across the WIRED region report a shortage of qualified potential employees
within the local area of their facilities.  Increased and more accelerated training for
production/operations staff was identified as being most beneficial in helping plants improve and
grow.

Skills required for a successful career in the biofuel industry encompass the three discipline areas
of biology, chemistry, and process control.  A basic understanding of all the disciplines makes the
best operations personnel.  

The WIRED grant funding allowed Minnesota West Community and Technical College to develop a
training manual for NovaTech's ethanol training simulator, develop outreach and communication
brochures, award scholarships to initial program trainees, deliver online biofuel training to current
biofuel employees, deliver hands-on vendor training to operations personnel as it coincides with
online training, improve operator skill levels in biology, chemistry and process control.

Minnesota West partnered with Huron Lake Bio Energy, having recognized the need for skilled
employees.  HLBE has identified an aggressive career path allowing current and potential
employees an opportunity to develop and/or advance their biofuel skills.  Several employees are
enrolled in the Biofuels Certificate program http://www.mnwest.edu/programs/program-
type/certificate/biofuels-technology-ethanol/.  Out-sourced training was identified and other
employees were able to complete various programs to improve their skills.

Development of a training manual to accompany the one-of-a-kind NovaTech Ethanol Training Simulator (NETS) prepares trainees and gives them the ability to control the ethanol process.  "Controlling the ethanol process via the use of a computer is one of the most stressful duties of ethanol production" says shift supervisor Mike Bauman.  "New employees and sometimes even seasoned employees are often reluctant to make board adjustments for fear of making a production mistake."  Having an opportunity for simulated control allows a trainee to make adjustments to the process without concern about damaging equipment or endangering personnel.  Simulated hands-on training is as effective as any training tool available today.

 

In spring semester 2010, Minnesota West enrolled and trained 25 southwest Minnesota ethanol plant employees in our on-line Ethanol Process Fundamentals course and 16 employees in the NETS Simulator lab, Process Optimization/Troubleshooting course on-campus.  On the heels of this
success we marketed the program to plants outside the state of Minnesota and currently have 55 enrolled in Ethanol Process Fundamentals and 19 in the ethanol simulator course for June 2010. Tuition, fees and books are funded by this WIRED grant.

All the components needed for training the biofuel workforce will be in place and can be easily replicated at any biofuel facility in Minnesota and/or surrounding states. As other colleges or training facilities develop biofuel programs, they can obtain a simulator from NovaTech and the training materials, developed under this grant, will be available to them at no charge.