New Team Ethanol Driver Debut

Cindy Zimmerman

Hunter-ReayRyan Hunter-Reay said he would be happy if his first IndyCar Series race ended with a “top 6 or 7” finish and he got his wish. He finished seventh, overcoming some mechanical problems in practice.

“It felt great. The first time out in these cars with no testing and to finish in the top seven feels like a win for me,” said Hunter-Reay. “We had a couple of fluky things happen in practice and the Ethanol team showed amazing tenacity, we kept after it, we didn’t do anything cute, we had good pace and ran well. It was a satisfying day for us.”

The driver who replaced Jeff Simmons in Rahal Letterman Racing’s No. 17 car slid off the track during practice with a stuck throttle, damaging the left front suspension and wing package. It was repaired in time to start in the 10th spot.

The next race is August 5 at Michigan International Speedway.

EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, News, Racing

Cellulosic Ethanol Toast

Cindy Zimmerman

ToastThere was reason for a cellulosic ethanol celebration at the second annual Farm to Fuel Summit held in St. Petersburg last week.

In this photo released from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, UF Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources Jimmy Cheek (left), UF Distinguished Professor of Microbiology Lonnie Ingram (center) and Verenium Vice President for Business Development Tim Eves (right) raise a toast to celebrate the first payment from Verenium to UF for use of cellulosic ethanol technology developed by Ingram. (AP photo/University of Florida/IFAS/Thomas Wright)

VereniumThe check, representing the beginning of profitability of this technology, was presented at the second annual Farm to Fuel Summit.

Verenium Corporation, a leading developer of biofuels derived from low-cost, abundant biomass and a developer of specialty enzyme products, presented the University of Florida a $66,000 royalty check for its patented cellulosic ethanol technology.

BioEthanol Japan — a joint venture of Marubeni Corp. and Tsukishima Kikai Co., LTD — is using the technology under license from Verenium in their 1.4 million liter-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant in Osaka, Japan. It is the world’s first commercial plant to produce cellulosic ethanol from wood construction waste.

Professor IngramDomesticFuel did a story and telephone interview with Dr. Ingram in April 2006, so it was a pleasure to meet him at Farm to Fuel to do a follow-up. He has been working on production of cellulosic ethanol for about 20 years. “The breakthroughs we have had in the past year are successes in scaling this up and actually having the first commercial plant operational,” said Ingram. He says it is fully commercialized at this point, with that first royalty check being paid by Verenium, and a small plant in Japan is converting wood waste to ethanol. “The first wood-to-ethanol plant in the world,” says Ingram.

As for the big question, how long before cellulosic ethanol production will really be commercially viable, Ingram avoids a direct answer, but notes that there is another demonstration plant being built in Jennings, Louisiana using sugarcane bagasse. “In addition, the University of Florida has received a grant to set up a research demonstration plant in Florida to specifically address Florida biomass sources.”

He believes the potential is there for “Florida to produce all of its automotive fuel needs as ethanol from renewable biomass. There’s also a potential that Florida could produce much of its power from biomass.”

Listen to the 5:00 interview with Dr. Ingram here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/audio/f2f-ingraham.mp3]

Audio, Cellulosic, Ethanol, News, Research

Simmons’ Statement

Cindy Zimmerman

Team Ethanol GarageNow former Team Ethanol car driver Jeff Simmons released a statement this week after being replaced on the Rahal-Letterman team.

“I want to thank everyone involved in the Team Ethanol program for all of their support and friendship. I was honored to be a part of the program and to have the opportunity to carry on Paul Dana’s vision.

I truly believe in Ethanol’s importance to the world’s energy needs and environmental future. The demand for Ethanol will continue to grow and prosper through the important work of the dedicated people at the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. They are tireless in their efforts and I will miss working with them.

Additionally, I want to thank Bobby Rahal, David Letterman, and all of my friends at Rahal-Letterman Racing˜not just for ‘the ride,’ but for the opportunity to be a part of something so ground-breaking. It was a real honor, and I wish them the very best.

As for me, I look forward to being back in the IndyCar Series very soon.”

Jeff has been a class act and a great spokesperson for the ethanol industry. We here at Domestic Fuel wish him the very best and we definitely look forward to him being back very soon.

EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, News

Florida Getting Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Matt and RobertThe Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) both had a presence at the Florida Farm to Fuel Summit this week in St. Petersburg.

Matt Hartwig with RFA (pictured at the podium) drove home the growth of the ethanol industry, the economic importance and what RFA has been doing in Washington to help the industry expand. “It’s important to appreciate the scope of the industry,” said Hartwig. “There are 123 biorefineries in 23 states, not just corn producing states, they states like Arizona and California.” In the next 24-36 months, he said, production will exceed 12 billion gallons.

He noted that federal and state legislative policy and regulations remain the number one driver for increasing ethanol demand and use across the country.

Listen to Matt’s remarks here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/audio/f2f-hartwig.mp3]

EPIC’s Robert White (seated) talked about his organization’s marketing and promotion efforts in Florida with the “Florida Needs Ethanol” campaign that kicked off earlier this year, one he says will be ramping up in the next few months. “Obviously our objective is to educate Floridians on ethanol as it starts to flow,” said White. “I can tell you that there is a contract being negotiated right now to clean 1180 underground storage tanks to bring in E10 before the end of the year. So, congratulations, you are about to become a very welcomed ethanol state.”

Listen to Robert’s remarks here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/audio/f2f-robert.MP3]

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, News, RFA

Giuliani Promotes Ethanol During Iowa Campaign Stop

John Davis

GiulianiRepublican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani says he can lead America to energy independence, and of course, tells Iowans during a campaign stop in the Hawkeye State that ethanol is one of the keys.

This story in Forbes points out that Iowa leads the nation in ethanol production. And right now, it leads in presidential campaign promises:

Presidents going back to Richard Nixon have promised energy independence, “and we haven’t made much of a real dent in getting there,” Giuliani told a gathering Wednesday at restaurant in Le Mars.

“But we’ve got Brazil way ahead of us on ethanol,” the former New York mayor said. “It doesn’t make sense that Brazil, per capita, would be ahead of us on ethanol.

Giuliani claims to support the current 51-cent-a-gallon tax credit to help the ethanol industry grow. It’s set to expire in 2010.

As an Iowan who has seen many a candidate come through and go through… and usually forget… Iowa after the January caucus, let’s just hope that New Yorker still means it, if he ends up in charge.

Ethanol, News

Green Generators for Entertainment

John Davis

Green Power GeneratorsGreen Power Generators is helping the entertainment industry lessen its carbon footprint. GPG is already known for its biodiesel-fueled power generators. According to this story posted on on BusinessWire.com, the company has come up with the next generation of green fuel power:

“We’re very excited to be able to provide the entertainment industry with the only truly eco-friendly energy outsourcing option available today,” explained Tomer DeVito, co-founder of GPG and a television commercial and music video producer. “Generators are the biggest polluters on sets, at concerts and events, and we wanted to change that. We hope to pioneer a change in the way we do things in Hollywood, and beyond. We have already been embraced by several environmental non-profits who will help us encourage all large scale productions to use clean burning fuel.”

Adds Alton Butler, co-founder of GPG and president of Line 204 Studios, GPG’s parent company: “This is a real breakthrough in a business world that is growing increasingly concerned about the environment. The industry standard tier-2 diesel engines are not qualified to burn biodiesel. The available industry standard diesel-engine generators can burn only up to 5% bio-diesel (B5) – if you burn a higher percentage you risk losing your warranty. Currently productions don’t have an option for burning cleaner fuels. GPGs are specially designed to burn the cleanest biodiesel fuels possible”.

A recent report pegs the movie industry as the second-biggest polluter in California. GPG’s new line of generators burn cleaner and are quiet enough to use on a movie set.

Biodiesel

Iowa Forms Biodiesel Board; Sponsors Soy Biodiesel 225

John Davis

Iowa Soybean AssociationThe Iowa Soybean Association will be using some of its checkoff dolars to form the Iowa Biodiesel Board… with the obvious mission of promoting Iowa’s biodiesel industry.

This story in the Des Moines (IA) Register quotes Randy Olson, executive director of the organization as saying the board was created by demand from “the entire biodiesel chain”:

Issues facing the biodiesel industry include the high price for soy oil, the primary feedstock for biodiesel plants in Iowa, because of fewer acres planted to soybeans this year. Farmers are growing more corn to supply the demand for ethanol.

Like its relative, the ethanol industry, the biodiesel industry is dependent on government subsidies to remain economically viable and faces an uncertain future for potential investors.

But there could be some rivalry ahead from another group that says it already represents Iowa’s biodiesel producers:

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association also has biodiesel producers as members, including those on the biodiesel board.

“We can coexist with the Renewable Fuels Association, but there are times our policies could differ,” Olson said.

Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, said the association would continue to represent biodiesel members.

“We’re going to continue to represent biodiesel and ethanol producers,” Shaw said. “I have no idea what (the Iowa Biodiesel Board) has in mind.”

Renewable Energy GroupDaniel Oh, the CEO of Renewable Energy Group, will chair the new board.

By the way, The Iowa Soybean Association and the Renewable Energy Group have just announced they will jointly sponsor the Soy Biodiesel 225 race on September 22nd at the Iowa Speedway in Newton.

Biodiesel

Florida Farm to Fuel

Cindy Zimmerman

Gov Crist Government and industry leaders addressed a sold-out crowd at the second annual Farm to Fuel Summit in St. Petersburg on Thursday. Florida governor Charlie Crist told the group that fuels made from agricultural commodities have reached the tipping point in terms of public acceptance.

“It’s finally registered with everybody that this is something that is not only good for the environment, its good for our country, it gets us off of foreign oil, it is simply the right thing to do for America,” said Crist. “And as governor of Florida, I think we have a wonderful opportunity to lead in this regard, more than anybody else.”

“I love corn, it’s great,” Crist added. “But we have sugar cane here, and citrus waste, and one of the most amazing agricultural industries in America – in the world, really.”

Crist admitted that it is hard to find ethanol in Florida right now, but he hopes that will change soon. “The promise in this area is just limitless,” he says.

Crist also announced that he would be going to Brazil in November on a trade mission that will include discussions about how Florida can work with Brazil in biofuels production.

Listen to the governor’s remarks here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/audio/f2f-crist-speech.mp3]

Cellulosic, conferences, EPIC, Ethanol, News, RFA

Ryan Hunter-Reay New Team Ethanol Indy Car Driver

Chuck Zimmerman

Rahal-Letterman RacingRahal Letterman Racing announced today that Ryan Hunter-Reay will be taking over driving duties with the team’s #17 Team Ethanol car effective immediately. I look forward to meeting him soon and I’m sad to see Jeff Simmons replaced. As Bobby Rahal explains in the announcement which I’ve posted below, Jeff stepped into a difficult situation last season. I think Jeff is a class act and was doing a great job as a spokesperson for the team and Team Ethanol. We’ll miss him and wish him and his fiance, Stephanie, all the best.

So let’s all welcome new Team Ethanol car driver Ryan and hope he has an awesome start at the upcoming Honda Mid-Ohio 200 in Lexington, Ohio.

Rahal Letterman Racing today announces that American open-wheel and sports car race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay will take over as the driver of the team’s #17 Ethanol-sponsored car in the IndyCar Series, effective immediately.

“We have made important strides in our IndyCar program this year and we feel like this is something that we needed to do to maintain that pattern of improvement and growth,” said RLR co-owner Bobby Rahal. “Jeff stepped into a difficult situation last season and did a lot for our team and our sponsors, but we feel at this time, that this is the right move for the long-term future of Rahal Letterman Racing.”

Hunter-Reay worked his way up the American open-wheel ladder, having great success at every level. He began his career by winning six national karting championships before moving onto the Skip Barber program, where he was rookie-of-the-year in the Barber Dodge Pro Series in 2000. He moved to Toyota Atlantic competition in 2002, and led the series with three race wins and three poles, while also pacing the championship in laps led. The performance caught the attention of road-racing ace Stefan Johansson, who hired Ryan to drive for his first-year Champ Car World Series squad in 2003.Read More

Ethanol, Indy Racing, News, Racing

USDA: Half of Livestock Producers Feeding Ethanol Co-products

John Davis

USDA logoA new USDA report says that about half of the cattle and hog operations in a 12-state Midwest region either fed ethanol co-products or considered feeding them to their livestock last year.

This story from Cattle Network.com says about 9,400 livestock operations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin were surveyed.

Among dairy operations, 38 percent indicated that they fed co-products during 2006 and another 22 percent considered doing so. Among cattle on feed operations, 36 percent fed co-products and 34 percent more considered it. Among beef cattle operations, 13 percent reported that they fed co-products and 30 percent considered it. For hog operations, 12 percent fed co-products and 35 percent considered it.

Of the various types of co-products available to operations for feeding, corn gluten feed was used by 46 percent of beef cow operations and 38 percent of cattle on feed operations, while distillers dried grains were used by 45 percent of dairy cattle operations and 44 percent of hog operations Other co-products that the survey looked at included distillers dried grains with solubles, condensed distillers solubles, brewers grains and distillers wet grains.

The report goes on to say that for those who don’t use the ethanol co-products, the main reason is a lack of availability.

Ethanol, News