The initial pre-feasibility evaluation should include but is not necessarily limited to:
- An overview of the ethanol industry.
- A review of current and projected regional markets, including competing gasoline components and prices.
- A review and assessment of possible areas in a state or region that may be best suited for ethanol production, based on factors such as feedstock availability, demand and cost; utilities and related infrastructure including waste water treatment options, roads, process and drinking water quantity and quality; transportation options; pre-existing environmental conditions that may impact the area; land zoning and cost; weather and prevailing wind patterns; other key economic issues, including eligibility for public finance programs.
- An initial assessment of labor availability.
- An assessment of co-products and by-products from preferred feedstocks and production processes.
- A preliminary assessment of markets for co-products.
- An overview of production processes that are applicable to preferred feedstocks in the area.
- An estimate of the capital, operating costs and environmental impact of ethanol plants of a size considered practical when feedstocks and applicable production processes have been evaluated.
- An assessment of the approximate economic impact of the proposed plant on the local area.
- Review of a financial model that is applicable to the proposed process.
- Review of the business structure options that may be viable for the proposed project.
- A review of additional informational and potential financial resources that may be available to project developers.
- Resources