Bioethanol Plant in Pekin

In March 2004 the molecular sieve unit at the Aventine Renewable Energy plant was brought on stream. With a rated capacity of 1.2 million liters per day (110 mm gallons per year) anhydrous alcohol, at that time the largest capacity molecular sieve alcohol dehydration unit in the world.
The molecular sieve unit replaced the ageing cyclohexane dehydration unit and resulted in significant energy savings, while maintaining additional evaporative capacity of the integrated Vogelbusch distillation/evaporation/dehydration plant.
Over more than 20 years Vogelbusch is associated with the facility of Aventine Renewable Energy in Pekin. In 1981 the original plant using Vogelbusch technology was the first MultiCont© continuous fermentation system in the U.S. In 1993 the plant was expanded and later, step after step, a distillation, a molecular sieve for high quality potable and industrial alcohol and a vacuum distillation for yeast recovery were added.
In 2015 Aventine Renewable Energy Holding, merged with Pacific Ethanol, Inc. Its two production facilities in Pekin, IL and one in Aurora, NE are now operating as Pacific Ethanol, Inc.