A South Dakota congressional representative supports increasing the Renewable Fuels Standard in the energy bill and fires back at critics of ethanol. According to an article in the Daily Republic, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin says opponents of the biofuel industry are using “misguided and inaccurate” claims in an attempt to derail the growth of renewable fuels. While discussing her …
Distillers Grains Conference Success
The first-ever International Distillers Grains Conference in Illinois earlier this week attracted nearly 600 participants, including 144 international importers and leaders in agriculture. The conference, sponsored by theU.S. Grains Council, offered participants the opportunity to acquire information pertaining to U.S. distiller’s dried grains (DDG), including inclusion rates, quality assurance, transportation issues and an introduction to U.S. DDG exporters. At the …
How Ethanol is Made
Take a trip back to a 1960’s science class and learn how ethanol is made, courtesy of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. This short, informative and amusing little video simplifies the process of ethanol production into a fun step-by-step series of cartoon images. The link to the video can be found on EPIC’s home page.
Only CBOT Has Corn Ethanol Futures
The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) is the only game in town when it comes to ethanol futures. According to Reuters, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange recently delisted its ethanol futures contract traded on the Globex electronic trading platform. CME’s corn-based ethanol contract was delisted, along with its fertilizer contracts for Urea, Urea Ammonium Nitrate and Diammonium Phosphate. There is a …
Energy and Farm Bill Updates
Ethanol interests are hoping that Congress might finally get the energy bill into conference committee this week. Brian Jennings with the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) says, “It sounds like Democrats and Republicans are beginning to work out some of the political differences and procedural differences they had in moving forward,” Jennings says. “I would predict that hopefully this week …
Florida Alternative Fuel Locator
Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson has announced a new website that provides locations in the state where E85, E10, biodiesel and biodiesel-blended fuels can be purchased. “This tool will enable motorists to locate renewable, cleaner burning fuels around the state,” Bronson said. “I am very pleased that a number of facilities are now making these fuels available …
Sugarcane for the Midwest
Tropical maize could prove to be a very attractive dedicated energy crop with some very desirable characteristics, according to research being done at the University of Illinois. When University of Illinois crop scientist Fred Below began growing tropical maize, the form of corn grown in the tropics, he was looking for novel genes for the utilization of nitrogen fertilizer and …
Morgan Stanley Finds Alternatives Attractive
Despite falling ethanol prices and some plant cutbacks, Morgan Stanley thinks ethanol makers, as well as solar energy companies, have a lot of long-term potential. According to an AP report, analyst David Edwards initiated coverage of the clean energy industry with an “Attractive” view. “The global risks posed by climate change are driving spending and investment in clean energy solutions, …
Technology Key to Food and Fuel
The 2007 Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium held in Des Moines this week focused on “Biofuels and Biofoods: The Global Implications of Emerging Technologies.” At the event, more than 700 leading policymakers, industry executives, and agricultural and food science experts from over 65 countries, gathered to explore the international impact that biorenewable energy will have in the coming decades. One …
Blue Fire Gets Biomass Funding
BlueFire Ethanol Fuels of California has been approved to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy loan guarantee program for clean energy projects.. According to a company release, BlueFire Ethanol was recognized for its proposed project to build a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in California using an array of low-cost feedstocks including landfill waste. “The Department of Energy’s continued encouragement …