After all the excitement at the ethanol pump promotion yesterday, I have a day of calm before race weekend event frenzy. I decided to take advantage of my down time and stake out a spot in the media center at the Chicagoland Speedway. EPIC’s Director of Communications Joanna Schroeder and Marketing Director Jenny Powell popped in for a visit and …
North Carolina Drives Toward Statewide Ethanol Fuel Blend
A newly appropriated biofuel center in North Carolina will be the state’s launch pad for its latest targeted benchmark with biofuels. Catalyzing an entire new industry for North Carolina is the long-term task of the newly established Biofuels Center of North Carolina, which moved to reality Tuesday following its first board of directors meeting. Funded with a $5 million initial …
Virginia Ethanol Plant Fights Opposition
The developers of a proposed 216 million-gallon-per-year ethanol plant in Chesapeake have mounted a major campaign to educate the community about ethanol. The Virginian-Pilot reports that developer International Bio Energy Virginia LLC has hired a public relations professional and is taking out full-page ads in local newspapers to try and address community concerns about the plant. “I understand it’s an …
Feeling Good Producing Food and Fuel
With the slogan “Fueling America, Feeding the World,”LifeLine Foods is opening a new generation ethanol plant in St. Joseph, Missouri that could eventually put to rest the whole “food versus fuel” issue. This episode of “Fill up, Feel Good” features comments from LifeLine Foods CEO Bill Becker, ICM Inc. President Dave VanderGriend and National Corn Growers Association president and one …
Central Indiana Ethanol Plant to Open
Indiana Senator Richard Lugar will give the keynote address September 15 at the official opening of the Central Indiana Ethanol plant near Marion. This will be the second plan Lugar will help open in two days next month – the first being POET Biorefining – Portland on September 14. The founder of the CIE plant is Indiana farmer Jay Berry, …
Producing Food AND Fuel
The newest ethanol facility to mark its grand opening is uniquely designed to maximize efficiency and produce both food and fuel from the same corn kernel. LifeLine Foods of St. Joseph, Missouri held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for the public on Friday with about 1,000 people attending. Actual ethanol production is expected to begin at the facility next …
South Dakota Plant Opening
Redfield Energy, LLC celebrated the start-up of production Thursday with a grand opening at the plant in South Dakota. Located outside Redfield, South Dakota, the facility will produce 50 million gallons of ethanol per year from 18 million bushels of corn. RE is a South Dakota LLC comprised of 657 members who represent two share classes. Class A equity shareholders …
First Indiana POET Plant to Open
POET has certainly been staying busy with groundbreakings and grand openings. Next month, POET plant #21 will open in Portland, Indiana – the first for the company in that state. The guest of honor on September 14 will be U.S. Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), a huge ethanol supporter and biofuels industry expert. The event will also include a flyover from …
VeraSun Rising
Illinois Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama made a stop in Charles City on his five day tour of Iowa last week to help cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the third ethanol plant for VeraSun Energy. Obama says ethanol “ultimately helps our national security because right now we’re sending billions of dollars to some of the …
POET Breaks More Ohio Ground
POET held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for their third ethanol production facility in the Ohio. The site is located northeast of Fostoria. POET Biorefining – Fostoria is planned as a 60 million gallon per year facility which will consume 21 million bushels of locally grown corn. Mike Wagner, Executive Director of the Buckeye Renewable Fuels Association, said “We’ve been working …