ACE Convention Underway

Chuck Zimmerman

The American Coalition for Ethanol convention got kicked off yesterday but I didn’t get in until late. I’m doing a little bit of catch up this morning from an event I was attending earlier this week. By this afternoon I should have some good audio for you since we’ll have an opening general session this afternoon featuring Minnesota Governor Tim …

Ethanol, News

Ohio to Get First Ethanol Plants

John Davis

Ohio has been laying a big, fat goose egg when it came to ethanol production, but that could all change soon… in a big way. The Buckeye State has been lagging behind many of its Midwestern neighbors in the number of ethanol plants, such as Indiana and Illinois with 10 plants each, producing 1.1 billion gallons of ethanol for the …

Ethanol, News

Cleaner Air in the Windy City

Cindy Zimmerman

The 20th annual American Coalition for Ethanol conference and trade show is underway in St. Paul, MN. The event officially kicked off Tuesday after the golf tournament with a presentation by the CityHome O2 Diesel progran on how the ethanol industry can make positive headlines in our nation’s third largest city – Chicago. After proven success in several communities, CityHome™ …

Biodiesel, conferences, EPIC, Ethanol, News

California to Blend More Ethanol

John Davis

In an effort to cut down on global warming, California regulators have stepped up the amount of ethanol to be blended in the state’s fuel supply. Currently, the state puts ethanol in gasoline at a six percent rate. That goes up to 10 percent in 2010. This article from the San Francisco Chronicle points out the problem with that: not …

Ethanol, News

Kansas Cellulosic Plant Coming

Cindy Zimmerman

Abengoa Bioenergy will formally announce the site of its cellulosic ethanol plant later this month, but word is already out that it will be located in the southwest Kansas town of Hogoton. The $300 million project, which will be partly funded by a $72 million Department of Energy grant awarded earlier this year, which will also include a traditional corn-to-ethanol …

Cellulosic, Ethanol, News

Johanns Meets the Press Club

Cindy Zimmerman

When Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns spoke at the National Press Club on July 27, the inevitable question about ethanol was asked. “Corn-based ethanol may help the nation reduce its dependence on foreign oil, but critics say that ethanol costs almost as much as the energy it produces. Isn’t corn-based ethanol a wasteful way to produce energy, and won’t it …

Ethanol, Government, News

Rex Invests in Ethanol

John Davis

Electronics retailer Rex Stores Corp. has invested the final $10 million in an Iowa ethanol maker. The investment completes the retailer’s $20 million investment stake in Big River Resources, LLC. This article on BizJournals.com says last October, Rex invested the first $5 million in the company: Big River Resources is a holding company for several entities including Big River Resources …

Ethanol, News

NEVC Testimony

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC) testified this week at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing on renewable fuels infrastructure, specifically looking at how to change the existing fuel distribution system to account for the anticipated larger volumes of ethanol and other biofuels. ”The 1,251 E85 fueling stations operating today in 41 states across the nation pale in comparison …

E85, Ethanol, News

North Dakota Gets “e” for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

A North Dakota law labeling ethanol at the fuel pump with the “e” logo officially went into effect this week. Fargo hosted the state’s official labeling kick-off event on Thursday at the Cenex Convenience Store. North Dakota Governor John Hoeven; Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) executive director Tom Slunecka; state legislators and North Dakota corn growers were all on …

EPIC, Ethanol, News