BioFuels Journal

Pekin, Ill. — Nov. 13, 2014 — Jeff Render has been named utilities manager for Aventine Renewable Energy Inc., with responsibility for overseeing efficient operation of the new natural gas boilers, cogeneration electricity turbine systems and water treatment system at the company’s 100-million-gallon wet mill plant in Pekin, Illinois.

Aventine’s cogeneration process produces 10 megawatts of electricity per day, which provides residual steam used in the corn wet-milling process.

He has returned to Pekin after serving as maintenance manager for the past year to support the restart of Aventine’s two dry mill facilities in Aurora, Nebraska.

A native of Pekin, Render attended Illinois Central College in Peoria before starting his career with the company in 1992 in the wet mill production department.

In 1998 he entered an instrument/electrical apprenticeship, and in 2004 he became the instrument and electrical maintenance coordinator.

In that position his primary focus was on continuous improvement, reliability and cutting costs at the Pekin complex.

In 2007 Render supported Aventine’s startup of the new 50-million-gallon dry mill facility in Pekin, bringing total production to more than 150 million gallons per year for the two Pekin plants.

In his new position Render oversees operations of two Indeck® high-pressure natural gas boilers that were part of the recently completed $13.2 million project upgrade.

Replacing 70-year-old coal boiler technology with new boilers dramatically improves the wet mill’s energy efficiency while also substantially improving Pekin’s air quality.

The boiler installation is part of the more than $30 million investment Aventine is making to restore its two plants in Pekin.

At the Fagen dry mill more than $2 million in improvements have included replacing conveyors, economizers, dryers, rebuilding centrifuges, thermal oxidizer and agitation motors.

For more information, please contact Susan Pepperdine at 913-262-7414 or [email protected]

See Related Websites/Articles:

• Aventine Renewable Energy, Inc.

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