DF Cast: Ethanol, Biodiesel Industries Optimistic on 2010

John Davis

The new year brings in new hope, and it’s no different for the ethanol and biodiesel industries in this country. You couldn’t blame the folks who make biofuels in the U.S. if they just wanted to forget about 2009 … especially when you consider the fights over food versus fuel, delays of regulatory implementations that would have helped both ethanol …

Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels, Domestic Fuel Cast, Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

Biodiesel Maker Contends Study Proves Algae’s Worth

John Davis

A recent study that contends algae-based biodiesel is no more environmentally friendly than conventional row-crop feedstocks has generated some controversy, as well as quite a few comments. And even the algal-biofuel industry seems to be split on the issue. As you might remember from my story last week, University of Virginia researchers have concluded that algae’s environmental footprint is larger …

algae, Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels

How to Create Effective Biofuels Public Policy

Joanna Schroeder

One of the biggest challenges for our country lies in the issue of how to create effective public policies that will grow the biofuels industry and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Dr. Antonio Bento, associate professor in the Applied Economics and Management Program at Cornell University, has been researching exactly how to do this and he shared his results …

Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, politics

Promoting Freedom at AG CONNECT Expo

Chuck Zimmerman

In the growing field of biomass conversion to fuel there’s a plant that Mississippi State University thinks will help farmers and all Americans. It’s Giant Miscanthus and you can follow it on Twitter @GiantMiscanthus. They’ve actually licensed the product which is Freedom Giant Miscanthus that’s being marketed by Sunbelt Biofuels LLC. On the show floor at AG CONNECT Expo last …

Audio, biofuels, biomass, Cellulosic

Another Exciting Year for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

2010 promises to be another exciting year for ethanol, according to Matt Hartwig with the Renewable Fuels Association. “Like the last two, three, four years in the industry, 2010 promises to fulfill on excitement,” he says in this edition of “The Ethanol Report” podcast. That includes work on extending the blenders tax credit, increasing the ethanol blend level, implementing the …

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA

Southeast Poised to be Leader in Energy Crops

Joanna Schroeder

The Southeast is poised to be the leader in energy crop production according to University of Florida Associate Professor and energy crops expert Dr. John Erickson. He has been focusing on research of perennial grasses, mostly C4 grasses in his work with the Agronomy department. These can include sugarcane, energycane, elephant grasses, miscanthus, giant reed, switchgrass and sorghum. In terms …

Audio, biomass, Cellulosic, Ethanol

Transmission Challenges Slow Wind Energy Success

Joanna Schroeder

The wind energy industry enjoyed some success during 2009 despite the economic down-turn and the difficulty of obtaining private investment dollars. There are currently 31 gigawatts of wind in production throughout the U.S. that has reduced carbon dioxide emissions and water use. New projects have increased economic development and tax revenue and 35,000 new green jobs were created according to …

Audio, Wind

XsunX Develops Wafer-thin Solar Cell

John Davis

A California maker of photovoltaic cells has developed a process that makes the solar energy catchers wafer thin, while also trimming the production costs significantly. XsunX, Inc. has announced the development of a fully-functional CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium di Selenide) thin-film solar device. I caught up with XsunX Chief Operating Officer Joe Grimes, who told me that they have pioneered …

Audio, Solar

DF Cast: Bring a Friend to the Biodiesel Conference

John Davis

The 2010 National Biodiesel Conference and Expo is just around the corner, going on February 7-10 just outside of Dallas at the Grapevine Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, and you’ll be able to bring a friend for free. CEO of the National Biodiesel Board Joe Jobe says, with federal legislation and rules pending, this is an event anyone in …

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, Domestic Fuel Cast, NBB

AG CONNECT Expo Preview

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmComm New Media is the social media sponsor of AG CONNECT Expo. This is the new show being produced by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. I’ll be there all next week covering the activities mostly on our AgWired website. Cindy will be joining me mid week and we’ll post information of interest to the renewable fuels industry right here. I …

Audio