Tiny Taste of Indy

John Davis

Marina and Rebbecca BravoJust being able to snag a ticket to the race means a huge Indy experience for most racing fans. But, some race-goers are lucky enough to snag tickets for the Hot Lap, taking their Indy experience one step further. The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council holds a raffle for every member racing event. For the Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 here in Kansas, EPIC sent 5 members and guests for a spin around the track.

Mike Sobetski with LifeLine Foods brought his brother Bob along for the pace car ride. Kurt Bravo with Midwest Ethanol gave his tickets to his mother and fiance, Marina and Rebecca. Each of them jumped at the chance to circle the track twice at over 100 mph. And, each of them said they would do again… in a heartbeat.

You can listen to Marina and Rebecca’s reactions here:
[audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/epic/kc-hotlap-08.mp3]


2008 Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 Photo Album

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, Racing

Ryan Has High Hopes for “Home” Race

John Davis

Team Ethanol Driver Ryan Hunter-ReayTeam Ethanol Driver Ryan Hunter-Reay knows that the ethanol industry started here, in the nation’s heartland. That’s why he fondly refers to the Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 as a “home” race. He knows that the Midwest is where most of ethanol production begins. He said a high finish for today’s race at the Kansas Speedway would be a great start to the 2008 racing season. And, he says there’s no reason Team Ethanol can’t snag a great position… which he hopes will be a top 5 or even a top 3 finish.

You can listen to Ryan here:
[audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/epic/kc-hunter-reay-08.mp3]


2008 Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 Photo Album

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, International

Rahal Shares in Pre-Race Excitement

John Davis

Bobby Rahal of Rahal Letterman RacingEarlier today, Bobby Rahal addressed the members of EPIC who came out to enjoy the Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300. Rahal said he felt good about today’s race and he was confident in Team Ethanol Driver Ryan Hunter-Reay, despite the tendency for crowding out on the Kansas Speedway’s 1.5 mile oval. There’s already been three delays due to Indy cars bumping and grinding out there on the track. So far, Ryan has avoided the trouble.

You can listen to Rahal here:
[audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/epic/kc-rahal-08.mp3]


2008 Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 Photo Album

Audio, EPIC, Indy Racing, International, News

Beatn’ the Heat on Ethanol

John Davis

EPIC Food and Fuel DiscussionThere’s no question that there’s been a media barrage giving ethanol a bad rap. Just today, the Kansas City Star’s cover story focused on criticism of the alternative fuel. That story came just in time for today’s Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300. The entire IndyCar Series runs on nearly 100 percent ethanol fuel. And, leading representatives of the ethanol industry say there’s a reason why the IndyCar series backs ethanol. In fact, they say there are numerous reasons why. More importantly, they say there are a handful of reasons why consumers should support ethanol, despite the media’s recent ethanol scapegoating for rising food and fuel costs. The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council hosted a panel discussion at the Kansas Speedway today to address the recent abundance of “misinformation” about ethanol.

The panel included EPIC’s new Executive Director Toni Nuernberg, CEO and President of ICM Dave Vander Griend, Mike Sobetski with LifeLine Foods, and Greg Krissek with ICM. They argue that ethanol has a negligible impact on food prices, specifically corn. They talk about new technology that proves there isn’t a debate about “food versus fuel” but a discussion about “food and fuel.” And, they say that, despite what critics in the media suggest, ethanol actually keeps gas prices lower.

You can listen to the entire panel discussion here:
[audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/epic/kc-epic-08.mp3]


2008 Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, E85, Energy, Environment, EPIC, Ethanol, Food prices, Indy Racing, News, Promotion, Racing

Turbo Racing

John Davis

Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300The Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 is officially underway and the ethanol flag once again signaled “green” for go. Ethanol has been the center of a lot of criticism in the media lately, but that couldn’t be further from the truth out here on the race track. In one of the media events earlier in the day, Team Ethanol Driver Ryan Hunter-Reay commented how he even loved the smell of burning ethanol.

Team EthanolIt’s been a busy day with ethanol being the focus of a lot of debate. I’ll have interviews posted shortly. For now, tune into ESPN to catch the race live on tv. Ryan has already been putting on pressure against his components…


2008 Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 Photo Album

EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, International, News, Racing

Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 in KC

John Davis

kc-indy08-01.jpgIt’s a cold one out on the track at the Kansas Speedway today. I’m here covering the Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300. Fortunately, the clouds and mist are breaking up and a bit of blue sky is peeking through. Hopefully, that mean things will heat up. Right now it’s 45 degrees and that’s causing some delays. Official Indy rules require the thermometer to hit 50 degrees before cars are allowed on the track. The Indy Lights qualifications have already been canceled do to the chilly temperatures.

In the meantime, the ethanol fuel tanks are standing by… ready to feed the speed racers. And, I’ll be running around covering the various activities the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council has planned for race day.


2008 Roadrunner Turbo Indy 300 Photo Album

Energy, Ethanol, Indy Racing, News

Wind Capital Gets $150 Million Investment

John Davis

ntr.jpgAn Irish renewable energy and sustainable waste management company has made a significant investment into a St. Louis-based wind energy company.

windcapitalgroup.gifThis story from the St. Louis (MO) Business Journal says that NTR plc is putting $150 million into Wind Capital Group and will supply 150 megawatts of wind turbines on behalf of Wind Capital to help move forward the company’s development projects:

The investment will help St. Louis-based Wind Capital expand beyond the Midwest region and into a major national player in wind energy development in North America, the company said in a statement.

NTR’s supply of 150 megawatts of wind turbines will be delivered to Wind Capital in 2010, according to a release.

Wind Capital is currently developing wind farm projects in eight states across the Midwest with a development pipeline of more than 2,000 megawatts.

As you might remember from my post earlier this week (April 21), Wind Capital is behind making Rock Port, Missouri the first community in the nation to be powered 100 percent by wind energy.

Wind

MO Governor Says Ethanol Not to Blame

John Davis

blunt.jpgMissouri Governor Matt Blunt says don’t blame ethanol for the rising cost of food for people… or animals for that matter.

In this story in the Springfield (MO) News-Leader, Blunt defended the state’s new 10 percent ethanol mandate… a measure that has come under fire in the state legislature this spring:

At a news conference in Springfield on Thursday, Blunt said soaring grocery bills are more due to higher energy costs for producing it and the “rapidly escalating worldwide demand for food.”

As more people on that planet “try to eat like Americans,” Blunt said, “food’s going to become more expensive.”

Blunt used China as an example of a nation with a hungrier population. The Republican governor said the average Chinese resident is eating 200 more calories per day today than just a few years ago.

“If you do the math, 1.3 billion times 200 calories is a lot of calories.”

Actually, it’s 260 billion more calories per day.

Blunt has promised he won’t sign any measure that repeals Missouri’s four-month-old mandate. Since he’s not running for re-election, it could be an issue that whoever succeeds him will have to tackle. The two main Republican and one main Democrat gubernatorial candidates have also said they are dedicated to renewable energy.

Ethanol, News

EBB, NBB Get Into Biodiesel Fight

John Davis

ebbnbb.gifMembers of the European Biodiesel Board have asked the European Union to impose punitive tariffs on American biodiesel over complaints that U.S. subsidies on the green fuel are unfair. But their American counterparts at the National Biodiesel Board aren’t taking the threats lightly as they promise to hit back on what the NBB says are unfair trade barriers by the Europeans.

This Reuters story says at the heart of the dispute are the U.S. subsidies for “B99” biodiesel. It’s blended with a small amount of mineral diesel, and the Europeans say that breaks World Trade Organization rules. In addition, U.S. exports qualify for EU subsidies as well:

The head of a U.S. biodiesel group accused the EU sector of trying to use litigation for protectionist ends and said his group would “aggressively challenge” EU trade obstacles.

“It is hypocritical for the European Biodiesel Board to cry foul while they benefit from a blatant trade barrier,” said Manning Feraci, vice president of federal affairs at the National Biodiesel Board.

He called EU biodiesel fuel specifications discriminatory.

“Our industry will aggressively challenge existing EU trade barriers — such as the EU’s discriminatory biodiesel fuel specification — and other EU biofuel policies that are inconsistent with WTO rules and provide preferential treatment to European fuel producers,” Feraci said in a statement.

U.S. trade representatives remind the Europeans that everyone benefits from a dynamic biofuel industry, worldwide.

EU officials now have 45 days to decide to start an investigation into the complaint, and then they would have nine months to impose tariffs.

Biodiesel, Government, International

New Buick Lucerne to be FlexFuel

Cindy Zimmerman

General Motors is adding the 2009 Buick Lucerne sedan to its lineup of flex-fuel vehicles that can run on up to 85 percent ethanol.

2009 Buick LucerneGM Vice President of Environment, Energy and Safety Policy Beth Lowery says the Lucerne, the first flex-fuel capable Buick passenger car, will be among more than 15 GM models with flex-fuel capability in 2009.

“We continue to believe that ethanol used in high blends like E85 offers the best near-term solution to offset increased oil demand,” Lowery said at the Department of Energy’s Biomass Conference. “There are more than 7 million vehicles today that can use E85. The key is to increase the number of stations that offer the fuel.”

GM has 11 flex-fuel vehicles in its line up this year.

E85, Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles, News