By Sarah Light, staff writer

Broin Companies&8217; recent ethanol breakthrough is an exciting development that could, in the future, affect Albert Lea&8217;s Exol ethanol plant, said Exol General Manager Rick Mummert Wednesday.

The South Dakota-based Broin Companies&8217; announcement Monday revealed that the company will use the entire corn plant, instead of just the kernels, to make the ethanol fuel.

Mummert added that Exol was &8220;definitely affiliated with the research and development&8221; of the breakthrough, but at this time no one from their research labs could talk to the press.

This breakthrough will be implemented in the company&8217;s plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa, increasing capacity of the fuel to 125 million gallons a year, up from the current capacity of 50 million gallons.

&8220;We&8217;re very excited to see them working with this new technology, and we&8217;re in a fantastic position for future acceptance of this,&8221; Mummert said.

Because it is a new technology, it still will need to be refined, but it is something that could possibly be offered to the other partner plants, including Exol, in the 2010 era, he said.

Ethanol is used as an environmentally-friendly fuel and as a high quality livestock feed for local, regional and national markets.

Though corn is not the complete answer to America&8217;s energy dependence, it is another piece to the puzzle in reducing America&8217;s dependence on foreign oil, Mummert said.

&8220;We&8217;re really excited that we can be a part of that,&8221; he said. &8220;It&8217;s exciting that America&8217;s recognizing the value of renewable fuels.&8221;

Five years ago, people didn&8217;t even know what it was for, but now they are at least recognizing it and they have an idea that it can expand the country&8217;s energy supply, he said.

He added he also appreciates that auto companies are partnering and recognizing the need and value of renewable fuels.