Missouri’s youngest governor has decided not to run for a second term, saying he has accomplished all the goals he had when he took office in 2005. Among those goals was a ten percent ethanol mandate for gasoline, which took effect this month. Blunt recently announced proposals for $2 million in tax incentives for retailers who install E-85 ethanol pumps …
ND Biomass Research Work
North Dakota State University and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service are working on ways to convert cropland to biomass production for energy use. According to a university news release, the research is working to determine what crops would maximize biofuels production and to develop economically feasible management systems for transitioning in and out of bioenergy crop production. “This project will strengthen …
First Texas Ethanol Plant Opens
The first large-scale ethanol plant in Texas opened this week in Hereford. White Energy president Kevin Kuykendall, says the plant will provide significant economic benefits to the panhandle economy and will support both the farmers and the cattle ranchers in the area. The 100 million gallon capacity plant will use 36 million bushels of corn and milo annually. A majority …
Show Me Conflict
Too many political bedfellows are spoiling the chances of a Missouri ethanol plant getting some government financing incentives. Show Me Ethanol of Richmond, Missouri is scheduled to open this spring, backed by over 700 investors including a congressman’s wife, the governor’s brother and a state legislator. The plant was approved to receive a low-interest loan rate backed by the state, …
Florida Awards Biofuels Grants
Twelve grants totaling $25 million were awarded today by Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson as part of the state’s “Farm to Fuel” initiative. “We believe that awards such as these are critical in triggering the development of a renewable energy industry in Florida,” Bronson said. “With the backing of and an investment from the state, we’re …
Biofuels Dominating Renewable Energy Patents
Patents for biofuels dominated renewable energy patents in 2007… outdistancing patents for solar and wind combined. According to this article on cleantech.com, since 2001, nearly 2,800 biofuel patents were published in the U.S. with 1,045 of those coming in 2007 alone. That compares to 555 for solar and 282 for wind power last year. Overall, the number of patents for …
“Fields of Fuel” Debut at Sundance
A documentary about biofuels makes its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah this week. “Fields of Fuel” is directed by Josh Tickell, who also wrote “Biodiesel America,” which was introduced at the 2006 Biodiesel Conference. Tickell is a long-time advocate of biodiesel who became known for his “Veggie Van” tours in the late 1990’s. While his main …
Promoting Biofuels in Indiana
Indiana corn and soybean growers are helping to promote biofuels awareness in their state in a number of ways. For one, the corn growers have partnered with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) on a billboard and radio campaign in major Indiana cities aimed at informing consumers that all automakers approve the use of 10 percent ethanol-enriched fuel. The …
Renewable Energy Investments Up 50% in 2007
Venture capital (VC) investments in renewable energy sources, including solar, biodiesel, and ethanol (among others) hit $3.4 billion… up a whopping 50 percent over investments in green energy ventures in 2006. This story from RenewableEnergyAccess.com has more information: Investment in solar was more than $1.05 billion in more than 70 financing rounds. Investment in battery technology came to $433.9 Million …
Ethanol Boosts Bottom Line for Farmers
According to a Reuters poll done this week U.S. farmers overwhelmingly said they have benefited from the demand for corn to produce ethanol, with 71 percent of those surveyed saying the renewable fuel has helped boost their bottom line. The poll also showed that 90 percent of those farmers said they would not reduce their corn plantings this year because …