Researchers at North Carolina State University are re-engineering the traditional sweet potato to make it better suited for producing ethanol. According to a NCSU release, this industrial sweet potato doesn’t look, or taste, much like the Southern classic, but can produce twice the starch content of corn – the leading source of ethanol. More starch means more sugars that can …
Major Ethanol Merger
The merger of two major ethanol producers is being seen as “a sign that ethanol-industry consolidation is gaining velocity.” VeraSun Energy and US BioEnergy will merge into one entity under an agreement announced this week where VeraSun will pay $700 million in stock and the new company will retain the name of VeraSun. VeraSun Chairman, CEO and President Donald L. …
Working on an Ethanol Pipeline
Seminole Energy Services of Tulsa, Okla. is talking with Nebraska ethanol plants about a $150 million project that could move a billion gallons of ethanol a year from plants to a terminal between Grand Island and Hastings. Company representative say the pipeline could stretch 175 miles and the hub would be built ideally at an intersection of Union Pacific and …
Illinois Corn Growers Honor Ethanol Promoters
Tom Slunecka, former executive director of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) is the recipient of the Illinois Corn Growers Association’s 2007 Ethanol Innovation Award. “It is no secret ethanol production is growing at a record pace, but equally important is the significant increase in public use and acceptance of e10 and e85. Part of what is driving this …
Ethanol Statistics Interviews RFA President
Ethanol Statistics, a Netherlands-based market research and business information publisher, recently went to the expert on ethanol to do a feature about the future of the industry. Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, is much more positive about ethanol in the United States because he knows why consumption has been lagging behind, because he knows what are and …
Focus on the Three Es
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus is hosting an energy, economic and environmental – or E3 – conference this week. E3 2007 will focus on the intersection between innovative technologies, visionary policies, environmental benefits, and emerging market opportunities as they relate to developments in the renewable energy sector. One of the speakers for the Tuesday event is Dr. Mark …
New Holland Backs Biodiesel 100 Percent
As we reported a couple of weeks ago, New Holland has approved the use of 100 percent biodiesel in all equipment with New Holland-manufactured diesel engines. New Holland representatives Gene Hemphill and Michael Long were at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual meeting last week talking with farm broadcasters about that announcement and other news from New Holland. In …
Give Thanks for Ethanol
With oil just pennies away from $100 a barrel, Americans are looking at higher costs for both their Thanksgiving travel and the turkey on the table. But, the good news is that ethanol is saving drivers about 15 cents a gallon this holiday season. According to an analysis by John Urbanchuk, a director at the economic consulting firm LECG, LLC, …
New Technology to Increase Ethanol Production
Ethanol plants have a new tool to enable them to increase the amount of ethanol they produce per bushel of grain. DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred has introduced QualiTrak(SM), a new measurement and reporting system that facilitates the flow of predicted ethanol yield information to both plant personnel and corn growers. According to a company release, QualiTrak is the only system …
Spotlight on VeraSun
VeraSun Energy Corporation, a major producer of ethanol and a leader in the establishment of public E85 fueling stations, will be featured on Modern Marvels on The History Channel, Monday at 7:00 p.m. CST. According to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, Modern Marvels spent a full day at VeraSun’s Charles City, Iowa production facility filming and documenting the ethanol production …