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

Virgin Music Festival Goes Green

John Davis

Virgin FestivalThe second annual Virgin Festival sponsored by Virgin Mobile will try to be as environmentally conscious as possible during the two-day concert, August 4-5th at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

Organizers of the event featuring bands such as The Police, Smashing Pumpkins, and Amy Winehouse are encouraging festival attendees to “green it like they mean it.” This press release details some of the plans, including, of course, biodiesel and solar power:

— Clean energy: Where possible, clean energy such as biodiesel and solar power is being used. All on-site power, generators and light towers will run on B99 biodiesel [B99 is 99% biodiesel, 1% diesel; the 1% diesel eliminates a tax on the fuel].

— Green power for plug-ins: Recharging stations for mobile phones and other devices will be powered by biodiesel energy.

The festival will also be featuring earth-friendly food packaging and recycling. Attendees will be able to purchase “carbon credits” to offset any unavoidable use of carbon-based fuels.

Biodiesel, Miscellaneous

Report: World Biodiesel Sales at 4.7 bil gallons by 2010

John Davis

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.A report from Global Industry Analysts, Inc. says rising crude oil prices, and much of the world’s desire to find alternatives to fossil-based fuels, will push world biodiesel sales to 4.7 billion gallons a year by 2010.

This story posted on PRWeb.com says the rise of biofuels, including biodiesel and ethanol, are being driven by the need to replace the finite oil supply and the economic benefits the fuels produce for local communities:

World Biodiesel market is forecast to reach in excess of 4.7 billion gallons by 2010 with a high CAGR of 33.79% over the 2000-2010 analysis period. Though Europe, with a share estimated at 84.16% in 2006, constitutes the largest market, and will continue to do so for the coming years, major growth is expected to emanate from the United States that is projected to maintain a CAGR of 74.53% over 2000-2010.

Automobile Applications market for biodiesel, with an estimated share of 55.73% in 2006 and a CAGR of 33.88% over 2000-2010, constitutes the largest as well as the fastest growing end use application. Other applications independently analyzed include Mining Applications market and Marine Applications market. Both these applications are also expected to register CAGRs in excess of 33% over the aforementioned period.

The report goes on to say that government incentives and mandatory standards are helping drive the increase as well.

Biodiesel

Idaho Moves Forward on Wind Power

John Davis

Idaho is one of the windiest states in America, but it’s wind power generating capabilities have been all but nil… but that could soon change.

This story in the Idaho Statesman says a couple of regulatory cases at the Idaho Public Utilities Commission are finally being settled, ending a two-year moratorium on most new wind energy development in the state. Experts believe this could open the door to a power source with more potential than all of Idaho’s current energy resources combined:

“This is huge,” said Gerald Fleischman, an engineer with the Energy Division of the Idaho Department of Water Resources. “This is not a small, side alternative energy source that it’s nice to talk about and it’s going to help us out a little bit. That is not what it is. It is a big, monster resource.”

Fleischman calculates that Idaho could produce twice as much energy from wind as it produces and uses from all sources. “That’s the potential from identified sites. The real potential is probably bigger than that,” he said.

Idaho has just three commercial wind farms right now. But with the nearly finalized change in the commission’s rules and with the spiraling cost of natural gas to fire more conventional power plants, that number could grow dramatically.

Wind