A conference on land use and carbon impacts of corn ethanol held this week in St. Louis offered a broad view of a significant topic as Washington braces to continue debates on climate change legislation and the future of ethanol. Geoff Cooper with the Renewable Fuels Association moderated the first panel at the conference sponsored by the National Corn Growers …
Ethanol Producers Win IRS Victory
Struggling ethanol producers won an important decision by the Internal Revenue Service this week that allows them to retain the current five year depreciation for assets. Following over a year of intense work by the Renewable Fuels Association with the IRS, the agency has issued a Notice of Proposed Revenue Ruling clarifying that it will not seek to impose a …
Ethanol Co-Product Could Make Fertilizer
The leftovers from an ethanol co-product could be used as a fertilizer, according to research being done at South Dakota State University. When the ethanol by-product known as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) is heated at high temperatures under limited oxygen to make synthesis gas, or syngas, the remains are a fine, dust-like ash. SDSU Soil Testing Laboratory manager …
More Green Collar Jobs for Iowa
Iowa Governor Chet Culver is taking action to create more green jobs in Iowa. Culver signed an executive order last week which creates the Iowa Green Jobs Task Force. “In recent years, thanks to our efforts in biofuels and wind energy, we have created thousands of green-collar jobs for Iowans,” said Governor Culver. “However, if we are to expand these …
Green Fuels from Grass and Leaves
A newly proposed collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and the City of Naperville, Illinois would convert “landscape waste”—essentially, grass and leaf trimmings—into one of several different environmentally friendly fuels, including ethanol, bioelectricity and hydrogen. This new partnership, known as the “Green Fuels Depot,” provides “a golden opportunity for Argonne to be associated with one of …
USDA Highlights Missouri Biomass Plant
The Obama administration’s Rural Tour last week highlighted the Show Me Energy Cooperative in Missouri as an example of how crop residue can be used to create energy. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the biomass facility is taking wood, corn stalks and other crop residue and converting it into pellets that can be used to produce energy or a substitute …
Mascoma Team Moves Toward Cellulosic Ethanol Commercialization
As the company moves closer to the commercial development phase for cellulosic ethanol, Mascoma Corporation is making some management “reconfigurations.” Bruce Jamerson will transition from his role as Mascoma’s CEO to the position of Chairman of Mascoma and of Frontier Renewable Resources, Mascoma’s Michigan-based operating subsidiary. The company is in the process of recruiting a new CEO with experience in …
Advanced Biofuels Group Tax Exempt
Advanced Biofuels USA is now officially recognized as exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue code making the organization qualified to receive tax deductible donations. The purpose of the organizations is to promote public understanding, acceptance, and use of advanced biofuels; to promote research, development and improvement of production, marketing and delivery of advanced biofuels; …
Barley Ethanol Business Building
Osage Bio Energy has a barley business partner and a winning bin builder. The Virginia-based company just announced an agreement with Perdue AgriBusiness to source barley to operate its first barley-to-ethanol bioprocessing facility. Perdue, a leading grain supplier in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, is committed to working with local farmers to supply Osage Bio Energy with its barley needs for …
Greener Tires
Reducing our dependence on foreign oil means looking at alternatives for all kinds of products that use oil as an ingredient – like tires, for example. Wood science researchers at Oregon State University have found that microcrystalline cellulose, which can be made easily from almost any type of plant fibers, could replace silica as a reinforcing filler in the manufacture …