A senior economist with the nation’s largest general farm organization says the benefits of ethanol outweigh the costs. During the Association of Equipment Manufacturers AgExecutive forum in St. Louis last week, American Farm Bureau senior economist Terry Francl said that the consumer is seeing a benefit from ethanol. “The bottom line on the ethanol side is that although it has …
Cellulosic Ethanol Company Goes Public
A South Dakota-based cellulosic ethanol company has gone public and changed its name. KL Process Design Group is now KL Energy Corp, a move that will help the company generate funding to develop its second commercial scale cellulosic ethanol production facility. Since January of 2008, the KL has been producing cellulosic ethanol using waste wood as feedstock, at a commercial …
Ethanol in Focus at AEM Ag Executive Forum
Ethanol and biofuels in general were in the spotlight at a forum for agribusiness executives held this week in St. Louis by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. About 100 executives of farm equipment companies and other agribusinesses attended the one day event, which featured a number of presentations that focused on biofuels. Even those speakers who were addressing other topics …
Ethanol Supports Oil for Music Tour
Bartering musical talent will result in more than just entertainment for more than 3.2 million Americans; it will turn into free fuel. On Saturday, October 11 at 11 am eastern time, the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC), along with 2020 Vision, 3 Kingdoms Entertainment, Exxon, Lehigh Gas, International Reciprocal Trade Association, Pennsylvania Gasoline Retailers and Allied Trades, will stand …
USDA Studies Ethanol From Farm Waste
Leftovers from fields, orchards, and vineyards could be combined with other household garbage to make ethanol and other kinds of bioenergy. USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists are investigating the possibilities at the agency’s Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif. Agricultural wastes like rice straw, almond hulls, and the oversize outer leaves of iceberg lettuce – as well as municipal …
Extreme Makeover: Ethanol Edition
The Dirk Devries family of Albert Lea, Minnesota are not only the recipients of a new home, courtesy of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. They are also the proud owners of a new F150 crew cab flexible-fuel vehicle, courtesy of the ethanol industry. Five Minnesota-based POET Biorefining facilities, in conjunction with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) and Dave …
Government Releases Biofuels Action Plan
The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy today released the National Biofuels Action Plan (NBAP), an interagency plan detailing the collaborative efforts of Federal agencies to accelerate the development of a sustainable biofuels industry. The departments jointly chair the Biomass Research and Development Board. The plan was developed in response to President Bush’s call to change the way America fuels …
Mascoma Announces Funding for Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
Mascoma Corporation will receive a total of $26.0 million in funding from the Department of Energy and an overall contribution of $23.5 million from the State of Michigan for the development of a cellulosic fuel production facility that uses non-food biomass to convert woodchips into fuel. Mascoma executives made the announcement Tuesday with officials from the DOE, Michigan Governor Jennifer …
DOE Finalizes Funding for Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
The U.S. Department of Energy will award more than $76 million to POET for the commercialization of cellulosic ethanol production technology. In February 2007, POET was selected by the DOE for a total award of up to $80 million in federal funding for the construction of a commercial cellulosic ethanol production facility. The first phase of the agreement was signed …
New President for Missouri Ethanol Group
The Missouri Renewable Fuels Association, an organization comprised of Missouri’s six farmer-owned ethanol plants and the Missouri Corn Growers Association, have elected Gene Millard of St. Joseph, as the organization’s 2008-09 president. Millard, chairman of Golden Triangle Energy in Craig, Mo., assumed the new leadership responsibilities October 1. He succeeds John Eggleston, president of POET Biorefining-Macon and founding MoRFA president. …