OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Plains Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRE), today announced the completion of its upgrade to United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Grade alcohol at its York, Neb. biorefinery. The York upgrade included the installation of a new distillation production unit, and remains capable of producing up to 50 million gallons per year.

“The high purity alcohol produced at York has been utilized in some of the leading cleaning products in the world, and due to its favorable characteristics, has been perfectly suited for use in sanitizers and disinfectants. Now that we are producing USP Grade alcohol at scale we are expanding our customer base to consumer product companies that seek higher quality alcohols while continuing to serve our existing customers,” said Todd Becker, president and chief executive officer of Green Plains. “Combined with the Ultra-High Protein technology we are constructing across our platform, this upgrade represents an integral component of our transformation. We believe it will enhance our overall financial strength, help drive predictable and recurring earnings, and provide cash flows that will help accelerate the funding of our Ultra-High Protein buildout.”

The York, Neb. biorefinery will be further upgraded to Grain Neutral Spirits (GNS) by adding additional distillation and processing capabilities to serve other high-value markets, including the beverage alcohol market and will continue to produce USP during construction. The GNS upgrade is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2021. Fluid Quip Technologies is providing the engineering and construction services to complete the GNS project.

About Green Plains Inc.
Green Plains Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRE) is a leading biorefining company focused on the development and utilization of fermentation, agricultural and biological technologies in the processing of annually renewable crops into sustainable value-added ingredients. This includes the production of cleaner low carbon biofuels, renewable feedstocks for advanced biofuels and high purity alcohols for use in cleaners and disinfectants. Green Plains is an innovative producer of Ultra-High Protein and novel ingredients for animal and aquaculture diets to help satisfy a growing global appetite for sustainable protein. The Company also owns a 48.9% limited partner interest and a 2.0% general partner interest in Green Plains Partners LP. For more information, visit www.gpreinc.com.

Green Plains Inc. Contacts
Investors: Phil Boggs | Senior Vice President, Investor Relations | 402.884.8700 | phil.boggs@gpreinc.com
Media: Leighton Eusebio | Manager, Public Relations | 402.952.4971 | leighton.eusebio@gpreinc.com