There is plenty of corn in the latest reports out from USDA this week, which is good news for the ethanol industry. In the first official estimate of the 2010/11 crop, USDA is projecting corn production to beat last year by 260 million bushels and total 13.4 billion. “Based on the rapid pace of 2010 planting as reported in Crop …
Ethanol Pioneer Responds to Recent Article
The president of a company responsible for designing half the corn ethanol plants in the country is responding to comments attributed to him in the on-line publication of the Minnesota 2020, which describes itself as a “progressive, non-partisan think tank.” The opinion article was written by a college student from an interview done with Ron Fagen, president and CEO of …
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute Awards
The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute (AFVi) recognized outstanding leadership in the alternative fuels and vehicles industry as part of the 16th Alternative Fuels & Vehicles Conference + Expo 2010 today in Las Vegas. Among this year’s honorees is Robert White, Director of Market Development for the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), who was awarded the 24/7 Blend Award for “his leadership …
Verenium Happy With First Quarter
Despite the fact that total revenues of $13.0 million were down $1.4 million compared to last year, Verenium Corporation executives were happy with the 2010 first quarter financial report released yesterday. “I’m very pleased with the successful first quarter and start to 2010 Verenium had with both its biofuels and specialty enzymes business units,” said Carlos A. Riva, President and …
Ethanol Co-Product Has Human Nutrition Benefits
The ethanol co-product known as DDGs or dried distillers grain is mostly used as livestock feed, but a food grade version could help improve human nutrition. South Dakota State University research shows a traditional Asian flatbread called chapathi (or chapati) gets a big boost in protein and fiber when fortified with food-grade distillers grains. SDSU food scientist Padu Krishnan said …
Brazil and US Ethanol Spar Over California Standard
In a court brief filed last week, the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA), Brazil’s ethanol trade association, defended California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) against lawsuits filed by the petroleum, trucking and ethanol industries of the United States. “With about one in every ten U.S. cars driven in California, the largest state in the country with one of the highest …
Ethanol Terminal Opens in Shreveport
A terminal to provide the ethanol needs of northwest Louisiana and the surrounding area has opened in Shreveport. Eco-Energy, Inc. of Franklin, Tennessee recently started operations at the ethanol distribution terminal, which is a joint project with Red River Terminals and is expected to serve the bulk ethanol needs of the Shreveport area as ethanol blending increases over the next …
Biofuels Digest Names Top Twitterati
Biofuels Digest has named the top 20 “biofuels observers who are shaping opinion via Twitter.” Some of the top names in the industry are on this list that Biofuels Digest calls “the leading practitioners of the art – the Twitterati that are shaping the biofuels landscape with their bursts of 140-character or less messages – sometimes as many as 50 …
Plant Makes Fuel from Waste and Fiber
An Iowa corn ethanol plant has been converted to produce commercial cellulosic biofuels from fiber and municipal waste. Clean technology company Fiberight announced today that it has started “commenced production at the nation’s first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant using enzymatic conversion technology and industrial / municipal solid waste (MSW) as feedstock.” According to a company release, Fiberight converted a former …
Ethanol Demand a Topic at Clean Energy Forum
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and other administration officials joined rural stakeholders for a clean energy economy forum at the White House on Wednesday, which was the one year anniversary of President Obama’s Biofuels Directive. “Renewable energy production is a key to sustainable economic development in rural America,” Vilsack said. “We must rapidly escalate the production of biofuels to meet the …