A CNN Money report this week offered some sobering statistics on the true cost of our addiction to oil. According to the report, about 3,000 of the Army casualties reported in Iraq between 2003 and 2007 were protecting fuel convoys. That is one out of eight killed or wounded during that time period. The report notes, “Among the many incentives …
Electric Cadillac
General Motors has brought luxury and electricity together in an electric Cadillac ELR. According to GM, the “Cadillac Converj Concept, a dramatic luxury coupe with extended-range electric vehicle technology, is moving forward as a production car that will be called the Cadillac ELR.” Development of the ELR is just underway, so details on performance, price and timing will be announced …
USDA Guarantees Loan for Florida Biofuels Plant
The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today announced a $75 million loan guarantee for a Florida bioprocessing facility to create fuel from citrus and yard waste. The guarantee will support construction of the INEOS New Planet BioEnergy facility in Vero Beach, Florida that will produce up to 8 million gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol from citrus fruit, vegetable …
President Talks Ethanol in Illinois
The 11-year-old grandson of a corn farmer and ethanol plant investor got to ask President Obama a question during a town hall meeting at the Wyffels Hybrids corn seed production plant in Atkinson, Illinois on Wednesday. “My grandpa is a farmer, and he owns part of the local ethanol plant,” young Alex McAvoy said to the POTUS. “I was wondering, …
Ethanol and Motorcycles Mix it Up
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) proved once again this year that ethanol and motorcycles do mix well together. This edition of “The Ethanol Report” features the 71st Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally held August 8-14 in Sturgis, SD. RFA Director of Market Development Robert White and his father Jere White, Executive Director of the Kansas Corn Growers, talk about the importance …
Gator Fat Could Make Biodiesel
Once upon a time, an oil company used the slogan “Put a Tiger in Your Tank.” Someday, it could be “Put a Gator in Your Tank.” Scientists have identified a new and unlikely raw material for biodiesel in alligator fat, according to a research published in the American Chemical Society’s Journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. Researchers at the University …
Farm Broadcast Content Favorites
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What do you like best about farm radio?” You know that biofuels are certainly part of farm broadcast programming! You see farm broadcasters at many biofuel industry events. So here’s what the results are in order of most responses. 39% said All of the Above, 18% said Markets, 16% said None of the Above, …
Navy, Energy and USDA Partner for Advanced Biofuels
The Obama Administration today announced a partnership between the private sector and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Energy and Navy to produce advanced drop-in aviation and marine biofuels to power military and commercial transportation. President Obama made the announcement during a stop in Iowa, at the same time the three department secretaries held a telephone conference call with the press. …
President Visiting Three of Top Four Ethanol States
During his Midwest bus tour this week, President Barack Obama is visiting three of the nation’s top four ethanol producing states, accounting for more than 42 percent of the country’s ethanol production. The president’s first audience question today in Minnesota, the number four ethanol state, was “How are you going to use renewable energy to create jobs in the future?” …
Fagen Joins Growth Energy
Growth Energy has added green energy design-builder Fagen, Inc. of Minnesota as an associate member. “Fagen has worked on construction and design projects for a number of our plant members, so adding them to the team makes perfect sense,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. Fagen has been a pioneer in the ethanol industry and is also heavily involved in …