Green Plains Renewable Energy officials say construction on both of their ethanol plants is progressing as planned. GPRE’s 50 million gallons per year ethanol production facility located in Shenandoah, Iowa is scheduled to commence its first grind in less than 60 days. Fagen, Inc. of Granite Falls, MN is building the plant and construction on the plant is progressing rapidly. …
Ethanol 2012 Study
What’s ahead on the road for ethanol? That’s what a new report will attempt to predict. Representatives from agriculture, energy, public policy and technology are working on the Ethanol 2012 study, being spearheaded by consulting firm The Hale Group, according to a news release. The Hale Group is working with Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA), which is led by global …
Food Price Inflation
Ethanol continues to get more than its fair share of blame for higher food prices, but Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns urges people to look at the whole picture. Speaking to farm broadcasters in Washington D.C. recently, Johanns said that he hates to pick out one item in the food chain and start blaming it for rising costs. “Look at how …
Plant Materials Key to Bioenergy
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is on the forefront of developing plants that could be used as future energy sources through the NRCS Plant Materials Program. National Program leader for Plant Materials Bob Escheman says that is part of their mission to solve resource concerns. “The Plant Material program began back in the middle ‘30s when the Soil Conservation Service …
Ethanol Expansion and Education
One former and two current Democratic presidential candidates are sponsors or co-sponsors of a bill introduced by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) intended to expand consumer access to 85 percent ethanol fuel, or E-85. Primary sponsors of the bill with Klobuchar include Barack Obama, (D-IL), Kit Bond (R-MO), George Voinovich (R-OH), and Dick Durbin (D-IL). Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE), Debbie Stabenow …
No New Records
Apparently no new records to report, but ethanol production still remains strong, according to the latest figures. The Renewable Fuels Association reports that production of domestically produced ethanol in March averaged 384,000 barrels per day while demand was 414,000 barrels a day, which is an increase over last year by 83,000 b/d in production and 34,000 in demand.
US BioEnergy Makes New Move Into Millennium
US BioEnergy Corporation, one of the largest producers of ethanol in the United States, just got bigger. The company has agreed to acquire Millennium Ethanol, which is constructing a 100 million gallon ethanol plant near Marion, South Dakota, expected to begin production in the first quarter of 2008. With this acquisition, US BioEnergy will have 8 plants in 6 states …
Energy Crop Incentive Bill
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) has introduced legislation aimed at helping farmers near biorefineries begin growing dedicated energy crops. According to Thune, the Biofuels Innovation Program Act would offer farmers incentives to grow crops, such as switchgrass and fast-growing trees, for use as cellulosic ethanol feedstocks. “Cellulosic ethanol, produced from homegrown sources like corn stover, wheat straw, switchgrass and wood chips, …
2007 Farm to Fuel Summit
Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson has scheduled the second annual “Farm to Fuel” summit July 18-20 at the Marriott Renaissance Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg. Hoping to build on recent developments in Florida’s efforts to establish a renewable energy industry, Bronson said the meeting will cover current initiatives relating to ethanol and bio-diesel, as well as other …
Letter from Ethanol Crusader
I received this letter yesterday from a self-proclaimed “ethanol crusader” in Florida. It was pretty long, but here is an edited version with her key points: Hi Cindy, keep up the good work. I’ve recently join the Movement “Florida Needs Ethanol”.com. Today (Memorial Day) I drove around to distribute fliers to several gas stations. Mostly the small ones like Race …