Energy crop company Ceres will begin test trials of improved switchgrass cultivars and high-biomass sorghum hybrids at the site of Range Fuels‘ commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, now under construction in Georgia. According to a news release, while wood residues will be the primary feedstock for the biorefinery, Range Fuels is also interested in better understanding the economic, environmental and logistical …
Everglades May Get Ethanol Plant
Florida Governor Charlie Crist says an ethanol plant may be built on land that the state is buying from U.S. Sugar to use for Everglades restoration. According to an interview with the St. Petersburg Times, reported on TampaBay.com, the governor said he’s concerned about U.S. Sugar’s 1,800 employees, so using some of its property for ethanol production is one of …
Obama Tells Farmers He Supports Ethanol
Ethanol was a major topic of discussion for members of the National Farmers Union meeting this week in Washington DC. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke to the NFU members by phone and pledged his support for new investments in renewable fuels and other policies that would benefit rural America. Obama also reiterated his support of the Renewable Fuels Standard. …
Ag Secretary on Ethanol Incentives
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer says that ethanol is an important part of the nation’s plan for energy security, but he expects that ethanol incentives such as the blenders tax credit will eventually be phased out. During an appearance this week in Kansas City, Schafer said ethanol producers need to prepare for an eventual end to these kinds of incentives. …
New Ethanol Plant Openings
The world’s largest ethanol producer is opening two new 65 million gallon per year ethanol production plants this month. POET will host a grand opening event for POET Biorefining – North Manchester, Indiana on Thursday, September 11. The $105 million ethanol production facility will be the 24th POET production facility. On September 30, POET will host a grand opening event …
Nebraska to Celebrate Ethanol
To celebrate ethanol and all renewable fuels, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman will declare September Renewable Fuels Month at Husker Harvest Days on Wednesday, September 10. Todd Sneller, administrator of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, says the economic impact of ethanol on rural communities in Nebraska and many other areas of the nation has been significant. “Ethanol has brought thousands of jobs …
Alliance Targets Lawmakers for Education Efforts
The Alliance for Abundant Food and Energy is out to inform the nation’s policy makers that American agriculture is fully capable of producing both food and fuel with no trade off. The alliance was formed in July and includes Archer Daniels Midland, DuPont, John Deere, Monsanto, and the Renewable Fuels Association. ADM Vice President for Government Relations Greg Webb says …
Farm Bill Renewable Energy Provisions Open for Comment
Consumers, farmers and agribusiness people are all offering up suggestions on ways to create renewable energy as part of the 2008 Farm Bill. USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas Dorr, who held a public meeting last week to work on implementing renewable energy programs authorized under the farm bill, says the rapid commercialization of renewable energy is a high …
VeraSun Opens 14th Ethanol Plant
VeraSun Energy has announced the start up of its 110 million gallon per year ethanol biorefinery located near Dyersville, Iowa. The Dyersville production facility marks the 14th VeraSun biorefinery in operation and the fifth in Iowa, increasing the company’s annual production capacity to more than 1.4 billion gallons. “We are pleased to bring another large-scale, environmentally friendly ethanol production facility …
Ethanol Tailgate Party
Edgar the E-Man will be partying with Albert and Sebastian this weekend in Gainesville, Florida when the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council kicks off its sponsorship with the Fox Tailgate Tour at the Florida vs. Miami football game. Visitors at the tailgate tour will have the chance to compete in the Ultimate Ethanol Challenge, where competitors face off to test …