Producing a significant amount of ethanol strictly from corn cobs is possible but would require a specific set of circumstances to be economically feasible, according to a new report from Purdue University researchers. In the report “The Economics of Harvesting Corn Cobs for Energy,” Matthew Erickson and Wallace Tyner found that factors such as corn yield, farm size, harvesting equipment …
Cane and Corn Ethanol Updates
The sugarcane harvest in Brazil is running ahead of schedule and the U.S. corn crop is progressing well, according to the latest reports. The cane crush in Brazil so far this year is running about 20 percent ahead of last year, which is not necessarily good news according to the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association’s (UNICA). Technical Director Antonio de Padua …
Ethanol and Corn Groups Call for Increase to E12
Three major farmer and ethanol groups today called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to formally approve the use of E12 (12% ethanol) in the nation’s gasoline supply. The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) sent a joint letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson saying, “based on the EPA’s delay …
Ethanol Opponents Call for End to Tax Incentives
Seizing on last week’s CBO report and a proposal by Growth Energy to phase out and redirect the blenders tax credit for ethanol (VEETC), several long-time opponents of ethanol renewed their call for an end to all tax incentives for the home-grown fuel. In a press conference this morning, representatives from the American Meat Institute (AMI), Environmental Working Group (EWG), …
Growth Energy Calls for National Ethanol Policy Shift
Ethanol organization Growth Energy is proposing a redirection and eventual phasing out of government support for ethanol in return for increasing infrastructure investment that would level the playing field with fossil fuels and give consumers true freedom to choose their fuel. Specifically, the “Fueling Freedom” plan calls for funds currently going to the oil industry as an incentive for blending …
MO Ethanol Plant Helps Feed Hungry
With the help of corn growers and FFA members, a northwest Missouri ethanol plant helped provide 2,600 meals for hungry families in the Kansas City area last week. Mid-Missouri Energy, a farmer-owned ethanol plant near Malta Bend, Mo., donated a plot of land to grow sweet corn for the hungry. Members of the Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA) and Malta …
New Study to be Released at Hoosier Ethanol Forum
A new study from Informa Economics will be unveiled Wednesday at “Fuel Freedom, the Indiana Ethanol Forum,” a first time event presented by the Indiana Corn Growers Association and sponsored by the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Growth Energy, according to a story from Hoosier Ag Today. Dallas Clark from the Indianapolis Colts and General Wesley Clark, co-chairman of Growth …
DF Cast: Flying at 200 MPH on Ethanol
Indy cars recently tore up the track running on clean-burning ethanol, right next to the Iowa corn fields where the feedstock for the green fuel is grown. In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, we bring you some of the sounds and interviews from the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer, and the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Our …
Book Review – The Economics of Food
It wasn’t too long ago that the ethanol industry experienced the perfect storm…high energy prices, high corn prices and low ethanol prices. Also during this time food prices rose. Why? While the reality was that high energy prices were a major factor (oil was more than $15o per barrel at its peak), ethanol was blamed over and over again as …
Need For Research On Grain Quality and Ethanol Production
You may be interested to know how grain quality affects ethanol production and DDGs. If so, then you would interested in Leland McKinney’s presentation at the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference, held recently in Atlanta. I spoke with him to learn about his research on this topic. Leland is Extension State Leader in the Dept. of Grain Science at Kansas …