In a very well-written opinion piece for the Omaha World-Herald, a Nebraska ethanol producer defends his product, the industry and American agriculture. Chuck Woodside, chief executive officer of KAAPA Ethanol in Minden, NE and secretary of the Renewable Fuels Association, says attacks upon corn ethanol are becoming more frequent and fanciful – but “there’s scarcely a kernel of truth in …
Corn Growers Establish Climate Task Force
The National Corn Growers Association Ethanol Committee has established a task force of corn farmers to focus on climate issues, such as land use change, greenhouse gas emissions, cap-and-trade policies, carbon sequestration and low carbon fuel standards. The team includes farmers from Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio. “There is a wealth of information and research on climate change that …
New Partnership for Cellulosic Ethanol Technology
California-based AE Biofuels is partnering with Merrick & Company to commercially implement its enzyme-based technology for the production of cellulosic ethanol. Merrick provides engineering and architectural design-build, procurement, construction management, and geospatial services. According to a press release, the companies will work together “to rapidly deploy AE Biofuels’ next-generation biofuels technology to address the significant demand for cellulosic ethanol created …
More Criticism of CA Low Carbon Fuel Standard
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger received at least two more letters this week protesting the state’s proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Over 65 retired members of the U.S. armed forces and intelligence community wrote to the governor about their concerns that applying the LCFS in its current state would penalize renewable fuels to the benefit of petroleum and other fossil …
Senators Caution EPA Over Indirect Land Use Calculations
Senators from ethanol producing states are asking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not to propose regulations assuming that greater U.S. biofuels use would increase carbon dioxide emissions. Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) spoke on the Senate floor about the issue on Monday, following a letter sent by 12 senators to EPA administrator Lisa Jackson last week. Grassley expressed fears that EPA …
World Congress Focuses on Biofuels Progress
Progress toward next generation biofuels will be a focus of the 2009 World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, to be held July 19-22, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Now in its sixth year, the conference will move to its largest venue to date, the Palais des congrès de Montréal (the Montreal Convention Centre). The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has …
North Carolina Funds Biofuels Projects
The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is giving the emerging biofuels sector in the state a $2.77 million jolt. The Center has approved a total of 18 grants to accelerate the technologies and feedstocks needed to develop the state’s biofuels sector. “The Midwest has corn and Brazil has sugarcane. North Carolina needs to develop conversion technologies for the types of …
Canadian Cellulosic Ethanol Company Gets Grant
Canadian company Lignol Energy Corporation has received additional funding for the completion of an industrial scale cellulosic ethanol facility in British Columbia. Lignol Energy Corporation announced that the project led by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lignol Innovations was awarded up to $1.82 million in additional funding contributions from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). This award is in addition to the $4.42 …
Canadian Firm Plans Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in Mississippi
A Canadian biofuels and green technology company has announced plans to build a second-generation ethanol production facility in Mississippi using wood residue and municipal waste as feedstocks. Enerkem Inc. of Montreal plans to build the plan in Pontotoc, Mississippi and has contracted with Three Rivers Solid Waste Management Authority to supply approximately 189,000 tons of unsorted municipal solid waste (MSW) …
Senate Bill Would Change Biomass Definition
Senators John Thune (R-SD), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) have reintroduced legislation that would fix the flawed definition of renewable biomass in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.