Rains and flooding kept farmers in the Midwest corn and soybean belts out of their fields for a long time this spring. But according to a new report from the USDA, the actual stockpiles of the main feedstocks for ethanol and biodiesel are higher than expected. This story in Forbes says the U.S. has a 30-day stockpile of soybeans… a …
Wind, Biodiesel Tax Credits Could Be in Trouble
As lawmakers wrestle over a bailout for Wall Street, some renewable energy producers on Main Street are wondering if they’ll at least get an extension of some valuable tax credits. This story from Agriculture Online quotes Senator Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, as saying that if Congress adjourns without passing a tax relief bill, it …
US to Become Biodiesel Leader by 2012
A research service for the chemical industry say that the U.S. is poised to be the world leader in biodiesel consumption by 2012. According to a press release posted on MarketWatch.com, SRI Consulting has published its Global 2008 Biodiesel Report, which says Americans will consume nearly one-fifth of all the world’s biodiesel by 2012… a dramatic turnaround from being a …
Improvements in Ethanol Efficiency
A recent report clearly illustrates the energy improvements being made at ethanol biorefineries across country. According to the report by John Christianson, CPA of the independent accounting firm Christianson & Associates, the average amount of energy as measured by British Thermal Units (BTUs) required to produce ethanol and a livestock feed co-product across all ethanol production technologies was reduced by …
Nebraska Ethanol Forum
The Nebraska Ethanol Board, in cooperation with the University of Nebraska Center for Energy Science Research, is hosting a policy forum in October to discuss issues of rising energy and food prices. The forum will provide an opportunity for Nebraska policymakers and consumers to better understand how ethanol policy plays a role in economic development, energy security, agriculture and the …
Algae Biodiesel From Catfish Farms
Algae has traditionally been a nuisance to catfish farmers, but it could end up being a new source of income for them and a new source of energy for the southeast. Ron Putt, an associate research professor at Auburn University, has been studying the feasibility of using algae from catfish farms for biodiesel production. “Currently I have a small project …
On-Farm Biodiesel
Farmers on the panhandle of Florida can now make their own biodiesel on the farm with the help of the Three Rivers Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D) in Milton through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The council recently invested in a portable biodiesel extruder that can be taken out to local farms to make biodiesel from plants and used …
Terminator Says Hasta La Vista to Biodiesel Fees
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is reducing the fees his state slaps on people who collect some of the raw materials to make biodiesel for their own personal use. This story on the Best Syndication web site says The Gubernator signed a bill by Assemblyman Anthony Adams (R-Hesperia) to cut those fees: “By reducing fees to use biodiesel fuels, more Californians …
During Gas Shortage, Some Discover Biodiesel
A gas crisis is striking the area of Georgia around Atlanta. With the recent spate of hurricanes and storms knocking out the Gulf Coast’s and Southeast U.S.’s refining of non-renewable petroleum, drivers are finding a shortage of fuel in the region. But this story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says some enterprising Atlantans and other people from across the country are …