Chippewa Falls, WI - The Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) and Ecostrat are pleased to announce the issue of an investment grade BDO Zone ‘A’ Rating for 380,000 bone dry tons per year of Corn Stover for the Chippewa County BDO Zone.
The BDO Zone Initiative certifies regional readiness for bio-based manufacturing, creates global connections with project developers, and ignites an influx of clean energy opportunities. The Chippewa County BDO Zone is the first ‘A’ rating in the State of Wisconsin and extends a 75-mile drive distance from Chippewa Falls, WI. The BDO Zone ‘A’ rating denotes high prospective viability of feedstock supply chain and infrastructure, and low expectations of default risk in the Zone.
“The 'A' rating for Chippewa County highlights our community's exceptional potential to lead globally in the bioeconomy,” stated Charlie Walker, President/CEO of the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC). “We look forward to collaborating with bioenergy, biochemical, and bioproduct companies to diversify and expand markets for our agricultural resources. Without Ecostrat’s expertise and the USDA's support through the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG), the establishment of Wisconsin’s ‘A’ rating BDO Zone would not have been possible- we are grateful for their partnership in advancing this rural economic development initiative.”
The Chippewa region features a steady increase in grain crops, indicating a positive outlook for corn stover availability and lacks established competition for corn stover within a 150-mile radius of Chippewa Falls, WI. The Chippewa County BDO Zone has trucking access to North America's largest inland freshwater port, a rail line adjacent to the several industrial sites, easy connections to Interstate 94, and a well-maintained local road network that provides affordable global market connections.
Jordan Solomon, Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative, stated, “As Wisconsin’s first ‘A’ rating, Chippewa County is ideally positioned to support biobased companies seeking prime locations for biomass projects. The BDO Zone highlights their commitment to strategically utilizing corn stover biomass, paving the way for new, sustainable, low-carbon markets in the region.” Ecostrat is the North American leader in biomass due diligence for biofuels, renewable chemicals, biogas, and bio-product project development and finance.
To see the full BDO Zone Rating for Chippewa County, Wisconsin please click here, or visit www.bdozone.org.
