Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine has released his plan for how Virginia will become more energy independent and practice better energy conservation… and at the top of the list seems to be the promise of more ethanol and biodiesel production. This press release from the governor highlights the Virginia Energy Plan: The first goal calls for increased energy independence through …
Ethanol Not to Blame for High Wheat Prices
The latest knock against ethanol claims the green fuel was fueling a spike in wheat prices as more growers were switching to corn acres to provide the feedstock for ethanol. But USDA’s Chief Economist Keith Collins says it just isn’t so. This story from Farms.com says Collins claims global stocks are really behind the rise in wheat: Collins took umbrage …
First Commercial Biomass Ethanol Plant Slated for Kansas
An area best known for its natural gas fields will become home to the first commercial biomass ethanol plant in the U.S. This story in the High Plains Journal says Abengoa Energy will build the plant in Hugoton, Southwest Kansas: The new plant should be completed in 2010 and is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy. Abengoa …
POET Turns 21 with Plant in Indiana
Ethanol-giant POET has opened its 21st plant during a grand opening ceremony at its latest facility near Portland, Indiana. The 65-million-gallon-a-year makes POET the largest ethanol producer in the world cranking out an amazing 1.1 billion gallons annually. This press release from the company says this is the first POET ethanol plant in Indiana, but two more are in the …
OECD and FAO Not Friends of Ours
If you’re not familiar with the Organization for Economic Co-operation (OECD) you probably will soon since they’ve released their “OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook – 2007-2016” report and it’s already being quoted and used by the people who want to bash the development of biofuels, most especially ethanol. The report devotes quite a bit of misguided text to the subject of biofuels. …
Ethanol Shifting Research to Pipelines
Research and development efforts to get ethanol into the nation’s already-existing oil pipeline… a key issue into getting more ethanol into the nation’s gas tanks… took a step forward this week. This story in Ethanol Producer Magazine says the Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) is expanding its ongoing research and development efforts to get past the technical barriers to …
Nebraska Officials Answer Ethanol Questions
Some folks in Nebraska are getting a little nervous over the rapid rise of the ethanol industry in the state. That’s why state officials and industry experts set up shop in Norfolk, NE on Thursday (Sep. 13th) to answer some of those concerns. Nebraska’s 17 ethanol plants (and another nine on the way) makes the state third in the nation …
Biofuels Council offers Biofuel Bio
The biofuels industry is rapidly picking up steam and the fast track growth is spurring a demand for professionals who are educated in biodiesel, ethanol and other alternative fuels. The American Biofuels Council wants to meet that demand wtih a new biofuels educator program. The American Biofuels Council (ABC), a national grassroots communications network for the advancement of biofuels adoption, …
IRL, EPIC Reflect on Ethanol Performance in IndyCar Series
It was a breakthrough year for ethanol, with the fuel fully powering the IndyCar Series for the first time. The Indy Racing League and the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council agree that the switch to 100% ethanol was a success. The 2007 season of the IndyCar(R) Series featured a dazzling display of intense and unpredictable competition, with a margin of …
Canada Pledges Half-Billion Dollars to Renewables
In a move that can only be seen as a bold one to boost renewable fuels north of the border, the Canadian government has pledged to put $500 million into development of fuels from renewable sources. This story from The Canadian Press says the money is going to be put in a development fund managed by Sustainable Development Technology Canada: …