Emerson Helps Range Fuels Bring First Next-Generation U.S. Biofuels Plant into Commercial Production

Cellulosic biofuels company to safely and efficiently convert wood waste into
fuel at Georgia plant
AUSTIN, Texas--(Business Wire)--
Second-generation biofuels company Range Fuels has formed a strategic
relationship with Emerson Process Management, a business of Emerson (NYSE: EMR),
to help bring online the first commercial cellulosic biofuels plant in the
United States.

Range Fuels selected Emerson as its main automation contractor for the new
Soperton, Ga., plant, which will use non-edible biomass such as timber and wood
waste generated by nearby forest industry operations to produce more than 100
million gallons of ethanol and methanol annually. Emerson also is the main
automation contractor for Range Fuels` existing pilot plant in Denver, which was
designed to optimize the proprietary and patented thermo-chemical process that
converts timber and wood feedstock into fuel.

"We expect to shorten our project cycles and ramp up to production target levels
safely and efficiently with Emerson`s assistance," said Bill Schafer, senior
vice president, business development, Range Fuels. "Our intent is to replicate
this plant and to strategically establish additional plants near feedstock
sources in the United States."

Emerson`s engineering expertise and process control and automation technologies
have enabled Range Fuels to test and refine its processes at its Denver
optimization plant, which successfully demonstrated to government partners and
financial backers the commercial viability of its biomass-to-ethanol conversion
technology. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently awarded Range Fuels an
$80 million loan guarantee, the first ever for a cellulosic ethanol plant.

As the main automation contractor for the Soperton plant, Emerson is assessing
risks and defining protocol, engineering, and automation standards that will
allow Range Fuels to lower risks, reduce downtime, and run reliably and
efficiently to meet its production goal of more than 100 million gallons of
ethanol and methanol annually. Production at the Soperton plant is expected to
begin in 2010.

In addition to Emerson`s engineering expertise, Range Fuels is using Emerson`s
PlantWeb digital automation and safety technology, which is ideally suited to
Range Fuels` Soperton facility and the emerging alternative fuels industry due
to its network of digital systems and intelligent field devices. The technology
is easy to use and enables end users to address special applications and
maximize plant performance and safety while delivering operations and
maintenance efficiency.

"We are delighted to have a strategic relationship with Range Fuels, which is
clearly an innovative leader in this emerging alternative fuels industry," said
Steve Sonnenberg, president, Emerson Process Management. "We`ve been honored to
work with them from inception, beginning with process development in the lab and
at the process plant, continuing to the commercial facility in Georgia, and
certainly expanding to more plants in the future. We are committed to their
success and that of the overall industry as it helps resolve the world`s
declining oil supply and meets increased demand for alternative fuels."

The biofuels industry is an important one for Emerson given the predicted
shortage of oil in the coming years. In fact, the International Energy
Association World Energy Outlook 2008 projects the world oil shortage will reach
28.6 million barrels a day by 2030.

To address commercialization issues and other topics in the biofuels industry,
Emerson has launched a series of leadership summits on the viability of the
biofuels industry and will host an Alternative Fuels/BioRefinery Summit on March
19 in Denver, where industry, academia, and government representatives will
share best practices from related industries and identify contemporary
technologies that provide safe operations, environmental protection and
sustainable commercial viability.

About Range Fuels

Range Fuels is a privately held company headquartered in Broomfield, Colo., and
funded primarily by greentech venture capital companies, including Khosla
Ventures, LLC, arguably the top venture firm in the United States focusing on
alternative, clean (green) energy systems. Its proprietary two-step
thermo-chemical process converts biomass into fuel-grade ethanol. Biomass
includes all plant and plant-derived material, such as wood, switch grass, corn
stover, and miscanthus grass - making it a renewable energy resource that
produces no net greenhouse gases.

About Emerson Process Management

Emerson Process Management (www.emersonprocess.com), an Emerson business, is a
leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing, and
distribution in the chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, power,
water and wastewater treatment, mining and metals, food and beverage, life
sciences, and other industries. The company combines superior products and
technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management,
and maintenance services. Its brands include PlantWeb, DeltaV, Fisher, Micro
Motion, Rosemount, Daniel, Ovation, and AMS Suite.

About Emerson

Emerson (NYSE: EMR), based in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global leader in
bringing technology and engineering together to create innovative solutions for
customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation,
climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2008
were $24.8 billion. For more information, visit www.Emerson.com.

Emerson
Denise Fraser, 512-899-0004

Copyright Business Wire 2009