Shakopee, MN - On November 12, 2009, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and Rahr Malting were honored by Friends of the Minnesota Valley at the Friends’ 2009 annual dinner for their joint venture Koda Energy. They were awarded the Leadership in Stewardship Award for their corporate leadership on conservation issues in the Minnesota River Valley.

This was the third year of the award, which is presented to an area business or organization that demonstrates a commitment to the conservation of natural resources in the Lower Minnesota River Watershed.  The Leadership in Stewardship Award derives its name from Friends of the Minnesota Valley’s comprehensive conservation programs designed to conserve and enhance wildlife habitat, improve water quality, and promote increased community investment in and stewardship of the Minnesota River.

Lori M. Nelson, Executive Director of Friends of the Minnesota Valley, talked about the award. “Koda Energy demonstrates the kind of conservation partnership, innovation, and leadership that characterizes the Leadership in Stewardship Award and the mission of Friends of the Minnesota Valley. We see benefits not only in the reduced carbon footprint resulting from the operation of the Koda plant, but we are also confident that Koda Energy will provide landowners in the Minnesota Valley with an economically and environmentally-beneficial production alternative to traditional row crop agriculture. Ultimately, this can help improve the water quality of the Minnesota River.”

SMSC Chairman Stanley R. Crooks who is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Koda Energy, commented on the award. “We are pleased to have been honored along with Rahr Malting for Koda Energy. Together we have devoted a lot of resources to this project, and we are happy this biomass plant burns renewable fuels as a valid alternative to fossil fuel based energy.”

Koda Energy, which began operating in May 2009, is an environmentally friendly energy project. Considerably cleaner than a coal plant and considered CO2 neutral, this combined heat and power plant is the only facility in the United States which burns exclusively natural, non-manmade materials. Using a suspension boiler for maximum efficiency to burn only renewable products, its heat conversion rate is approximately 87% compared to coal, which is about 63%. Products burned in Koda Energy are agricultural and plant seed byproducts, materials which do not deter land from use as row crops. A combination of barley malt waste, oat hulls from General Mills products like Cheerios, and wood chips are currently burned to generate energy. This biomass energy generation project provides energy for Koda Energy and Rahr Malting, with excess sold to Xcel Energy.

Koda Energy requires 170,000 tons of biomass fuels per year. By-products from Rahr Malting contribute 50,000 tons of fuels; the remainder is provided by contractors who supply Koda Energy with local agri-business by-products, dried wood waste, and other fuels. Future plans are to use dedicated energy crops such as switchgrass as a major fuel source.

The Friends’ Watershed Initiative Coordinator, Scott Sparlin, presented the Leadership in Stewardship Award to Paul Kramer of Rahr Malting, who accepted the award on behalf of Koda Energy and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. Kramer is also the President of Koda Energy.

Over 1,800 members and supporters of Friends of the Minnesota Valley support programs and activities aimed at protecting and promoting the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and conservation programs directed at developing partnerships, promoting citizen engagement, and cultivating conservation leaders within the Lower Minnesota River Watershed.

For more information on the Friends, go to www.friendsofmnvalley.org.