Seed Companies Promote Ethanol Varieties

Cindy Zimmerman

GarstAs farmers start to make planting decisions for the coming year, many with an eye towards increased corn acreage to meet the demand for ethanol, seed companies are promoting varieties that have traits best suited for ethanol production.

Garst Seed Company has announced that 18 of their corn hybrids fall under the company’s ExtraEdgeTM designation, meaning they “exhibit grain characteristics especially suitable for dry grind ethanol production,” according to a company release.

Specific to ethanol production, ExtraEdge DGE hybrids have been tested and characterized using methodology established by the University of Illinois, which many in the industry consider the most accurate test since it mimics the dry grind ethanol process and measures actual ethanol creation.

Garst’s parent company, Syngenta, continues to research ways to increase the production efficiency of the dry grind ethanol process. This includes the development of a unique proprietary corn amylase output trait that expresses higher levels of the enzyme amylase, which can increase the efficiency of ethanol production.

Ethanol, News

NBB Chief Likes Bush’s Speech

John Davis

JoeJobe.jpgThe head of the National Biodiesel Board liked what he heard from last week’s State of the Union speech. CEO Joe Jobe says he was pleased that alternative fuels… in particular, biodiesel… took such a prominent position in President Bush’s annual address to Congress.

“Obviously, we were very excited to hear him lay out his 20 in 10 plan [reducing U.S. gasoline consumption by 20 percent in the next 10 years]. It’s a very bold initiative for renewable energy… alternative energy,” Jobe says.

NBB Jobe went on to say that he was encouraged that in the Democrat response, the new leaders indicated they wanted to work with Bush on energy issues. He added that this plan differed than those in the past in that it was more of a comprehensive energy plan implementing alternative fuels with conservation measures. “There really is no single, silver bullet. It’s going to take more of a silver buckshot approach to resolve our energy issues.”

Finally, Jobe says while speeches are one thing, it will take some working together by government and industry to bring the plan to fruition. “We’re hopeful that for the sake of the country… for the sake of the future of this country… we’re hopeful that our leaders in Washington can come together and do what’s right for the nation.”

Jobe expects Bush’s speech and “20 in 10” proposal will be a hot topic of conversation at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in San Antonio, TX, Feb. 4-7th.

Listen to the interview with Jobe here: Listen To MP3 Joe Jobe (8 min MP3)

Biodiesel, Government, Legislation

Fayetteville, AR Switching to Biodiesel

John Davis

Fayetteville is switching its 300-vehicle fleet… from garbage trucks to city maintenance pickups… to biodiesel. This article from the Northwest Arkansas Times explains the city will get a two-fold benefit… more freedom from foreign oil and a cleaner burning diesel:

“We’ve always been a very environmentally conscious and responsible community,” said David Bragg, fleet manager for the city.

The plan is to convert all diesel use to a 20-percent blend of biodiesel and 80-percent petroleum diesel, which is the highest ratio approved by most engine manufacturers, Bragg said.

“It is renewable, ” he said. “ It is produced within the continental United States in its entirety. It burns cleaner. It does not have the noxious smoke commonly associated with diesel engines.”

The city plans to start using the biodiesel when it starts pumping from a new fuel station expected to be finished in April.

Biodiesel

NBB Conference to Feature One Bad Motor Scooter

John Davis

Think biodiesel is just for slow-moving tractors? Check out this picture of a motorcycle Greenline Industries will be showcasing at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in San Antonio, TX later this week.Die Moto
Built by Oakland, California-based The Crucible, a non-profit educational collaboration of arts, industry and community, this thing will attempt to break the land-speed record for a diesel-powered motorcycle at the famed Bonneville Salt Flats this coming fall. The record is 105 mph. This thing has already been clocked at 130 mph! This is from a Greenline press release:

“We believe in proving the simple point that diesel fuels are exceptionally efficient in smaller engines, and that biodiesel is the
ultimate form of diesel,” said Ted Lavoie, Greenline’s CEO. “That is why we have sponsored the Earthrace circumnavigation world record attempt, and that is why we are sponsoring The Crucible’s land speed record attempt.”

“We hope to show the world the performance potential of bio-fuels by breaking the existing diesel record and establish records for both biodiesel and SVO at the home of high performance, the Bonneville Salt Flats,” said Michael Sturtz, Die Moto’s rider and The Crucible’s Executive Director.

See it for yourself at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo February 4th-7th in San Antonio, TX.

Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

Hedging Risks with Asian Biodiesel

John Davis

The makers of biodiesel in Asia are taking steps to make sure they aren’t burned by the drop in oil prices. Biodiesel production has been pretty profitable for them when oil has pushed above $70 a barrel, but this Reuters story in the Hong Kong-based The Standard gives some advice on how the operations can stay profitable now that oil has dropped… sometimes below $50 a barrel.

“They should hedge the feedstock components on one side, then as crude prices go up, the margin and cost effectiveness of biodiesel tends to look more attractive,” said Tom James, chair professor at the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies in India.

“They then want to hedge against a sudden and sustained drop in crude prices, probably through some derivatives options on crude oil or gas oil or gasoline prices.”

It looks like biodiesel makers in Asia are facing some of the same issues farmers and biodiesel producers in the U.S. are facing… feedstocks prices rising with rising demand. The Asians have had to get away from some of the palm oil usually used for biodiesel. In this earlier post, we talked about how China had developed a rapeseed (canola) that produced a record 54.7% oil output… producing a feedstock hedge for that country.

Biodiesel, International

Biodiesel Conference Overview

Chuck Zimmerman

Once again this year I’ll be the biodiesel blogger at the National Biodiesel Conference which kicks off this weekend in San Antonio. I’ll be posting pictures, interviews and video clips during the conference. To get us started I interviewed National Biodiesel Board CEO, Joe Jobe. Joe gives us an overview of what we can expect.

You can listen to my interview with Joe here: Listen To MP3 Joe Jobe Conference Overview Interview (7 min MP3)

Remember that all my interviews will be podcast so you can subscribe to them in your favorite podcatching software (I recommend iTunes). You can find out more about how to subscribe here. This will be episode 22 since all the original 21 interviews from last year are still available to you.

We also have a conference blog sponsor this year and want to welcome and thank John Deere. This means you’ll be seeing the following tagline in all my posts:

Domestic Fuel coverage of the National Biodiesel Conference
sponsored by John Deere.

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

All Boys Love Big Toys

Cindy Zimmerman

Big Boy ToysEthanol power was on display at the recent Big Boy Toy Show in Sioux Fall, SD. From planes to big trucks to race cars, it was all there for both big and little boys (and girls!) to enjoy.

A special attraction for all was Team Ethanol IndyCar® Series driver Jeff Simmons and the show car simulator.
Big Boy Toys and JeffKids of all shapes and sizes enjoyed playing in the car, as well as getting to meet Jeff who posed for pictures and signed autographs.

Broin Companies and the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council sponsored the Sioux Falls show which was held January 19-21 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

EPIC, Ethanol, News

Global Warming Expedition Kickoff

Cindy Zimmerman

GW 101Legendary explorer Will Steger kicked off his Global Warming 101 Expedition this past weekend at the St. Paul Winter Carnival.

Jeff and DogTeam Ethanol IndyCar® Series driver Jeff Simmons was among those on hand to see the expedition off, since the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is a major Global Warming 101 sponsor. He got a chance to make friends with one of the huskies who will be leading the four month, 1200 mile dogsled expedition across the Canadian Arctic’s Baffin Island.

Dogsled TeamSteger also introduced his team members, Abby Fenton, Elizabeth Andre, and John Stetson, as well as documentary filmmaker Jerry Stenger and photographer and webmaster Jim Paulson who will accompany him on the expedition. The team is pictured here with two of the expedition dogs, and the banner is being hoisted by EPIC Communications Director Joanna Schroeder and Simmons. Steger is the one in the middle.

This weekend, the expedition will be in Steger’s hometown of Ely, Minnesota for another send-off event at the Mukluk Ball.

EPIC, Ethanol, global warming, News

Consumers Can Help Reduce Dependence on Foreign Oil

Cindy Zimmerman

e-podcastDuring the 2007 State of the Union address, President Bush made it very clear that ethanol has a vital role to play in our nation’s long term energy independence goals and public education will play a key role in the continued adoption of renewable fuels. This edition of “Fill Up, Feel Good” discusses what consumers can do to help the country be more energy independent. Audio is with President George W. Bush and Aventine Renewable Energy CEO Ron Miller.

The “Fill up, Feel Good” podcast is available to download by subscription (see our sidebar link) or you can listen to it by clicking here. (5:30 MP3 File)

The Fill Up, Feel Good theme music is “Tribute to Joe Satriani” by Alan Renkl, thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.

“Fill up, Feel Good” is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, Fill Up Feel Good, Government

Groups Urge Congress to Fund Cellulosic Development

Cindy Zimmerman

AFBFThe American Farm Bureau Federation and several other ag and industry organization are urging Congress to include adequate funding for two programs that will move cellulosic ethanol closer to reality – the biorefinery grant program and the cellulosic loan guarantee.

According to a release,The two programs were created under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The biorefinery grant program has been announced at $150 million and applications for new cellulosic facilities have already been received by DOE. The cellulosic ethanol loan guarantee program is administered by the DOE, but funds to run the loan guarantee office have yet to be appropriated. The department estimates $7 million is required to support this program.

Other groups lobbying Congress for appropriate funding or the two programs are the American Coalition for Ethanol, Environmental and Energy Study Institute, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union and the Renewable Fuels Association.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, Government, News