A new ethanol plant in Merrill, Iowa celebrated its grand opening last week. The Plymouth Energy plant has been operating at full capacity since last month and will produce 55 million gallons of ethanol a year using 18 million bushels of locally-grown corn. The plant is located north of Sioux City in the northwest corner of Iowa and the company …
Mini Ethanol Brewer Gets Governor’s Blessing
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled the final production model of the world’s first home ethanol system last week at the California State Capitol. The E‐Fuel MicroFueler™, which we first reported on here at Domestic Fuel in May 2008, looks like a washing machine and creates ethanol fuel from organic waste or leftover alcoholic beverages. “Ethanol holds a promise of reducing …
More Time to Trade Ethanol Contracts
Early risers will now have a little more time to electronically trade futures contracts for ethanol on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). Electronic trading hours for CBOT grains, oilseeds and ethanol contracts will be expanded in the morning by one hour and fifteen minutes, until 7:15 a.m., starting July 1. The new electronic trading hours will run from 6:00 …
Study Examines Ethanol Policy Options
A new study done by the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) looked at the impact of eleven different policy scenarios for ethanol on the market, food and ethanol prices, and overall farm income. Among the options considered was increasing the allowable blend of ethanol in gasoline to 15 percent, which the study found would result …
Ethanol Bob in Brazil
Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen is in Brazil for the Ethanol Summit 2009 in Sao Paulo and is providing an up-to-the-minute account of his visit via Twitter. Among Dinneen’s comments so far since he arrived in Brazil early this morning: “Just passed a fuel station. Alcohol (ethanol) was 1.09, gasoline was 2.29. Units are litres and Rials, …
Toledo to Test Cellulosic Ethanol
The city of Toledo, Ohio is testing cellulosic ethanol in city vehicles this summer. In partnership with Virginia-based SuGanit Systems, the city will test the company’s formula for ethanol from biomass feedstock on three city fleet vehicles. The tests will measure emissions, miles per gallon and cost differentials, among other factors, according to city officials. The Toledo Free Press reports …
Planting Switchgrass for Cellulosic Ethanol
Some farmers in Tennessee are testing out the first switchgrass seed varieties specifically developed for biofuels production. Their goal is to learn first-hand how to manage this new crop, and then use that knowledge to facilitate the development of the bioenergy industry in Tennessee. Tennessee growers Tony and Tim Brannon – pictured here getting some planting done last week – …
Ethanol Report on Miami E85
South Florida motorists who drive flex fuel vehicles now have at least 12 stations where they can fill up with E85 fuel. The Renewable Fuels Association joined Urbieta Oil in celebrating the grand opening of the nation’s 2000th E85 fueling station this week in Davie, Florida. This edition of “The Ethanol Report” includes comments from RFA Director of Market Development …
South Florida Ethanol Availability Increases
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) celebrated the grand opening of the nation’s 2000th E85 fueling station Thursday in south Florida. RFA Director of Market Development Robert White says this is a milestone in E85 history. “Being in the Miami metro area promoting E85 shows that this is not a Midwest niche fuel any longer,” White said. “This is a product …
Obama Stresses Support for Corn Ethanol
President Barack Obama sent a letter this week to the Governor’s Biofuels Coalition supporting corn-based ethanol as the foundation for the next generation of biofuels. “My administration is committed to moving as quickly as possible to commercialize an array of emerging cellulosic technologies so that tomorrow’s biofuels will be produced from sustainable biomass feedstocks and waste materials rather than corn,” …