Registration is now open for the Renewable Fuels Association 17th Annual National Ethanol Conference – Accelerating Industry Innovation. The conference will be held February 22-24 in Orlando, Florida at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. The program will highlight how the industry has and continues to evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing marketplace. With federal policy …
REG Albert Lea Biodiesel Plant Officially Opens
The Renewable Energy Group (REG) celebrated the official opening of the REG Albert Lea biodiesel plant in Minnesota on Monday, with representatives of the state and local community and agriculture industry. REG President and COO Dan Oh says they were involved in the construction and operations of the plant when it originally was built and opened by SoyMor. “We have …
Ohio Ethanol Plant Celebrates Grand Opening
Guardian Lima, LLC of Ohio is officially back in full operation, producing 54 million gallons of ethanol a year, as well as 165,000 tons of dried distillers grains and jobs for the local economy. Guardian Lima employs 33 full time Ohioans in positions from chemists to engineers to accountants and administrative support staff. Prior to the opening, there were 120 …
Minnesota Biodiesel Plant Will Celebrate Re-Opening
The Renewable Energy Group (REG) will be celebrating the grand re-opening Monday of a Minnesota biodiesel plant that was shut down for three years. REG acquired the former SoyMor production facility earlier this year, which is now known as REG Albert Lea, LLC. The company will be celebrating the grand re-opening of the plant with members of the Minnesota Soybean …
Tapioca Pearls Can Dry Ethanol
Purdue University researchers have found proof in the pudding of a new way to dry ethanol. The current industry practice for absorbing the water that is part of the ethanol production process after fermentation is to use corn grits. But the Purdue study found that the shape and structure of tapioca pearls make them more ideal for the job, not …
Renewable Fuels Month Proclaimed in Nebraska
September is officially Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska now after a proclamation signing by the governor today at Husker Harvest Days. Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman joined state soybean board chair Lisa Lunz, NASCAR Nationwide driver Kenny Wallace and Alan Tiemann, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board, in making the declaration. “Nebraska’s renewable fuels sector contributes to local communities by providing …
Ethanol Industry Responds to Feed Availability Concerns
Representatives of the U.S. livestock and poultry industries testified before a House agriculture subcommittee today that changes in ethanol policy are necessary to ensure the availability of corn for animal feed, but the ethanol industry disagrees. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, America’s ethanol producers are on pace to produce nearly 40 million metric tons of livestock feed in 2011 …
Committee Urged to Consider Ethanol Feed Production
With the latest USDA forecast showing tighter grain supplies, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry is holding a hearing Wednesday on the concerns of livestock and poultry producers about feed availability and ethanol is likely to be a target for blame. In advance of the hearing, officials with Growth Energy have sent a letter to the committee …
Day in the Life of Biofuels Photo Contest
Biofuels Digest editor Jim Lane is looking for photos depicting “A Day in the Life of Biofuels” for an upcoming photo essay and he’s paying $1000 for the best photo he gets. “It has to relate to biofuels in some way – as a consumer, researcher, policymaker, producer, journalist, feedstock grower, industry supplier, student, enthusiast, carmaker, mechanic, and so on,” …
USDA Cuts Corn and Ethanol Forecasts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has lowered its estimate of both corn production and ethanol usage of corn for this year. The latest crop forecast for corn was cut three percent in the August report, due to excessive summer heat that lowered average yields by almost five bushels an acre. The estimate for corn production this year is now 12.5 …