Lightning hits Nevada stover for a second time but the show goes on

In Iowa, a second lightning strike has hit the stover storage piles at DuPont’s Nevada cellulosic ethanol plant, this time impacting about 10,000 tons of feedstock. The fire earlier this month destroyed at least 10,000 bales of stover as well. Despite the summer storms wreaking havoc on outside storage, the company says the damage is relatively minor and won’t be impacting its capacity to produce cellulosic ethanol. As it is the fifth stover fire started by lightning in recent years, the company says research is being undertaken to understand why stover attracts lightning.

DuPont: The Digest’s 2015 5 Minute Guide