Racing Legend Bobby Rahal and Tony George, the CEO and Founder of the Indy Racing League, will be the featured guests at the National Press Club’s distinguished luncheon speaker series on May 5. The topic will be “The Greening of Racing: Ethanol Powers the Indianapolis 500.” Special guests also include Ethanol Promotion and Information Council’s Board President Tom Branhan and …
Ethanol on Tap
Officials in Monroe County, New York are working with High Falls Brewery on a plan to turn beer waste into ethanol and produce enough of it to power much of the county’s fleet of vehicles. If all goes well, the county hopes to have extra available to offer ethanol-based fuel to the public. According to a Gannett News Service story …
USDA Ethanol Enzyme Research
USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists at the Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pa., are investigating ways to avoid overburdening the corn market as ethanol production expands. Researchers David Johnston and Kevin Hicks are investigating new processes using protease enzymes from microbial and fungal sources to make ethanol more efficiently. Working with Vijay Singh, an agricultural engineer at the University …
Sorghum Growers Cellulosic Forum
This week, the National Sorghum Producers hosted a forum with representatives from Abengoa Bioenergy and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory, as well as sorghum researchers to discuss how the sweet crop fits in the ethanol industry. Participants shared research plans and findings in regard to sorghum biomass-to-ethanol and sweet sorghum-to-ethanol production. Researchers from Kansas State, Texas A&M, …
Granite Falls Sticks With Aventine
Ethanol company Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings Inc., will continue to market ethanol for Granite Falls Energy LLC, of Minnesota. According to a press release, Granite Falls has been member of Aventine’s marketing alliance since 2005. In November 2006, Granite Falls notified Aventine that it would not automatically renew its agreement with Aventine in order to evaluate other alternative ethanol marketers. …
Ethanol and Food Prices
Ethanol has been blamed for both higher egg prices and higher milk prices recently due to higher costs for livestock feed. Overall, the American Farm Bureau Federation reports that for the first quarter of this year, food prices are about four percent higher than the previous quarter. Farm Bureau’s regular market basket survey shows 12 of 16 basic grocery items …
Thune Hosts Ethanol Hearing
Senator John Thune this week hosted a hearing in his state on the growing need for ethanol research and availability. The Senate Agriculture Committee’s energy subcommittee field hearing on “The Next Frontier of Biofuels Production: Cellulosic Ethanol and the 2007 Farm Bill” included testimony from representatives of VeraSun Energy, Poet (the company formally known as Broin), South Dakota Corn Growers, …
E85 Viper Tries for Speed Record
A Dodge Viper fueled with 85 percent ethanol will attempt to break a world speed record this week. According to a media advisory, car enthusiast and entrepreneur Karl Jacob will attempt to break the world speed record for the standing mile in his street-legal, biofuel powered 1100hp E85 Dodge Viper. The attempt will be made on April 11 at the …
Ethanol on the Campaign Trail
At least three GOP presidential candidates were talking about biofuels on Wednesday. In his campaign kickoff address, Republican Tommy Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin, noted that his state “saw the promise of ethanol and renewable energy far before it was fashionable.” On the environment and energy, America must become independent in its energy needs and break reliance on foreign oil. …
Fuel From Fiber
A reader alerted us to the impending opening of VALCO Bio Energy in Harlingen, Texas – the first plant to use cottonseed oil as a base stock for manufacturing biodiesel. Valley Coop Oil Mill announced the project last fall and is expected to open the plant this spring. Southeast Farm Press did a story earlier this year with Valco CEO …