Last fall farmers in and near Emmetsburg, Iowa were harvesting biomass. Currently, they are in the process of delivering these biomass bales to POET’s 22-acre storage site situated next to Project LIBERTY, the future 25 million gallon per year cellulosic ethanol plant. Area farmers have harvested nearly 56,000 tons of corn cobs, leaves, husks and some stalk but had to …
Sugarcane Promising Source for Energy in California
California Ethanol & Power (CE&P) has commissioned a study to better understand the role sugarcane and sweet sorghum may play in producing ethanol and electricity for the state of California. The Economic Impact Analysis report was conducted by Solution Mountain, Inc., and sponsored in part by the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation along with the California Association for Local Economic …
Finding Fuel in Agricultural Waste
The commercialization of cellulosic biofuels is closer than you think. During the DC Auto Show this week, Novozymes and POET are showcasing their successes in bringing cellulosic ethanol to the commercial market. With recent breakthroughs in enzyme technology and advancements in corn stover and cob collection processes this fuel is closer to reality than people realize. In a regulatory impact …
Adminstration Offers Boost for Advanced Biofuels
In addition to loan guarantees for biorefineries in the southeast, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE) announced other steps today designed to give the advanced biofuels industry a much-needed boost. “With the renewable fuels standard goal, there’s going to be a need for additional biofuels and it must be met in large part by advanced biofuels,” said …
USDA Announces Funding for Biorefinery Projects
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $405 million in guarantee loans for three biorefinery projects in the southeast under the Biorefinery Assistance Program. The three projects are located in Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. “We believe it’s critical and crucial to develop a biofuel industry powered by feedstocks produced in every corner of the country,” said Vilsack during a conference call …
Best of America Tour Visits Cali Ethanol Symposium
Last week EcoTrek’s “Best of America Tour” kicked off at the Pier of Santa Monica. On Friday, January 14th, the EcoTrek truck made a tour stop at the California Ethanol Symposium. I had the chance to check out the EcoTrek truck and spend some time with Tom Holm the Executive Director of the EcoTrek Foundation and the creator of the …
Georgia Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Closing
A lack of investment capitol is taking its toll on a Georgia cellulosic ethanol plant. According to media reports, the Range Fuels plant in Soperton will temporarily shut down after producing a small quantity of cellulosic ethanol. Range Fuels just announced in August 2010 the successful production of cellulosic methanol using non-food biomass at a Georgia biofuels plant in the …
Iowa to Get Another Ethanol Plant
The state of Iowa continues its monopoly over ethanol plants today with the announcement that the Iowa Power Fund has awarded DuPont Danisco (DDCE) a $9 million grant to build a cellulosic ethanol plant in either Story or Webster County. The biorefinery will use corncobs, leaves and stalks to produce cellulosic ethanol. Interestingly, should the plant be sited in Emmetsburg, …
Valero Invests in Michigan Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
Energy company Valero Energy Corporation will invest up to $50 million dollars into one of the world’s first commercial scale wood-based cellulosic ethanol biorefineries to be started later this year in Kinross Charter Township, Michigan. This press release from biofuels company Mascoma Corporation says the deal through Mascoma’s operating subsidiary, Frontier Renewable Resources LLC, with Valero, the nation’s largest independent …
POET Fuels EcoTrek Tour
Cellulosic ethanol from the nation’s largest ethanol producer is powering a cross country road trip of the non-profit EcoTrek Foundation to showcase renewable fuels and educate the public about environmental issues. The cellulosic ethanol made from corn cobs and stover will be provided by POET, which has a pilot plant in Scotland, S.D. that has produced cellulosic ethanol for more …