2010 was a tough year for Iowa’s biodiesel producers, but the industry roared back to life in 2011 and set a new production record. According to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), ten of Iowa’s 13 biodiesel plants operated during 2011 and produced a combined 169 million gallons. With plants restarting throughout the year, the rate of biodiesel production in …
Record Biodiesel Production Continues
Nearly 108 million gallons of biomass-based diesel were sold during the month of November, continuing a record year of production, according to figures released by the EPA. Biodiesel makes up the vast majority of the EPA’s biomass-based diesel category under the Renewable Fuel Standard program, representing about 95 percent of the volume this year. In a news release from the …
Iowa Ethanol Production Up in 2011
Iowa’s ethanol production increased slightly this year; however, the rate of annual growth slowed as the domestic E10 market became saturated, according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. Iowa has 41 ethanol refineries that produced 3.7 billion gallons in 2011, up from 3.5 billion gallons in 2010. This represents 27 percent of the estimated 13.8 billion gallons of nationwide ethanol …
The Mcgyan Process
As we’ve reported before, Biodiesel Analytical Solutions is teaming up with Mcgyan Biodiesel. I learned more about this at the recent National Biodiesel Conference when I spoke with David Wendorf, Mcgyan Director of Marketing. He’s seen here in their booth. David says Mcgyan was formed about 6 months ago as the company to license their new biodiesel technology. It’s a …
Ethanol Nameplate to Run at 67% Through 2010
The ethanol industry received some negative news today compliments of the newly released Soyatech Biofuels Monitor, a publication from HighQuest Partners. The study projects that for First Quarter 2009 the U.S. ethanol industry will operate at 67 percent of nameplate capacity through 2010. The study authors, in part, based their predications on data from the USDA Planting Intentions report that …
Making Ethanol at Night
Ethanol plants are cool in a lot of ways. They’re producing a domestic fuel solution to our energy problems and that lessens our dependency on foreign oil for example. But they can also make a pretty picture too. I was driving south through Missouri last night and passed through Laddonia and the POET plant there. This was a handheld snapshot …
Cellulosic Ethanol Close to Commercial
Doubts about commercial opportunities for cellulosic ethanol are evaporating: “It is no longer a question of if we are able to produce cellulosic ethanol, but when,” POET CEO Jeff Broin said. Jeff announced POET’s commitment to develop a commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Elmersville, Iowa at the Ethanol Conference and Trade Show in Omaha, Nebraska earlier this month. Construction on …
PG&E Mixes Solar with Biofuels
Pacific Gas and Electric Company says adding renewable solar hybrid power to its energy mix will mean “around-the-clock” clean energy production. PG&E has entered into two contracts with San Joaquin Solar Technology that are meant to combine solar power and biofuel. The contracts equate to 106.8 megawatts of solar thermal-biofuel hybrid power. Located near Coalinga, CA, the solar-biofuel projects will …
Biosource Boosts Biofuel Production
Nova Biosource Fuels is building up its biofuels. The energy company has announced that it has commissioned its second 20 million gallon per year train. It’s biodiesel refinery in Seneca, Illinois has also produced more than 3 million gallons of ASTM 6751 standard biodiesel fuel. “Our progress at the Seneca refinery continues to solidify our proven process technology that enables …
SunEthanol Gets New CEO
Biofuels expert William Frey is the new CEO of SunEthanol. Frey will lead SunEthanol’s commercialization of fuel that is created from plant waste and fast growing grasses. SunEthanol announced today that it has hired biofuels leader William Frey, Ph.D., as the cellulosic ethanol company’s new chief executive officer. Previously, Dr. Frey led the efforts to commercialize advanced biofuels and new …