In response to the major ad campaign funded by Big Oil in an effort to block higher blends of ethanol into the marketplace (such as E15), ethanol advocacy group Growth Energy has launched an advertising campaign called “You’re no Dummy“. The goal of the campaign is to help Americans better understand that the oil industry is trying to stop the …
Plug Power Awarded $650,000 DOE Grant
Plug Power Inc. has been awarded a $650,000 contract from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate the use of hydrogen-based fuel cells to power the refrigeration units in semi-trailer trucks that transport perishable and frozen foods. The company was selected by the Fuel Cell Technologies Office within the DOE’s Office of Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) to showcase …
REG, Franken Mark Expansion of MN Biodiesel Plant
Renewable Energy Group (REG) officials were joined by federal, state and local leaders, including U.S. Senator Al Franken, for a ribbon-cutting of a southern Minnesota biodiesel plant. This REG news release says the upgrades to the 30-million gallon refinery in Albert Lea was a $21 million project started last October and will allow the plant to use multiple raw materials …
GPRE Cuts Ribbon on Atkinson Ethanol Plant
Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) held a ribbon cutting for their newly acquired ethanol plant in Atkinson, Nebraska. GPRE bought the idled plant in June 2013 after being offline for nearly a year. The plant employs 42 people, a third of which were employed at the plant prior to its shutdown, and is now in full operation. With the acquisition …
Darling Int’l Buying Canadian Rendering for Biodiesel
Texas-based rendering leader Darling International Inc. is buying all the assets of Canadian company Rothsay, a division of Maple Leaf Foods Inc. for approximately CAD $645 million in cash. This Darling news release says the deal includes machines to turn fats and proteins into biodiesel feedstocks, as well as an actual biodiesel operation itself. Rothsay has a network of five …
BioEnergy Bytes
POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels is now hiring full-time, quality team members to operate its 20 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant, which is set to open in early 2014. Project LIBERTY is a cellulosic biorefinery under construction today in Emmetsburg, Iowa that will use crop residue (corn cobs, leaves, husk, some stalk) to produce 20 million gallons of ethanol per year, later ramping …
Farm Bureau: RFS Bendable, Just Don’t Break It
Farm Bureau officials are making the case that the Renewable Fuels Standard has some flexibility… but just don’t break it. In this story on its newsline, American Farm Bureau energy economist Matt Erickson makes the case that the RFS is working, but Americans are using 10 billion fewer gallons of gasoline this year than in 2007 when the law was …
Senator Michael Bennet Visits Gevo
Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) recently toured and met with Colorado-based Gevo to discuss renewable fuels and chemicals for Colorado and the U.S. economy. Senator Bennet met with Gevo executives including chief executive officer Patrick Gruber, Ph.D. to discuss energy policy and see first-hand the research and development Gevo has done on creating isobutanol to be converted to biochemicals and renewable …
Happy 5th Anniversary Patriot Renewable Fuels
Patriot Renewable Fuels celebrated their five year anniversary today and dozens of community members, legislators, employees and those from the ethanol industry were on hand for the celebration. With fierce attacks from ethanol detractors on the corn-based ethanol industry, the celebration was proof that the ethanol industry is standing firm. Bob Dinneen, RFA president and CEO attended the celebration touting …
Chevrolet Funds Plug-In EV Chargers
Two of the most popular State Parks in Southern California – Leo Carrillo State Beach and Malibu Creek State Park – now have free electric vehicle (EV) charging for plug-in electric vehicle owners. The EV charging stations were made possible through Chevrolet’s EcoAd advertising with CBS EcoMedia Inc. The two, 240 volt, chargers can accommodate up to four plug-in electric …