Approximately 1,800 people attended Prairie Ethanol’s grand opening celebration for the 60 million gallone per year ethanol production facility Saturday near Mitchell, SD. According to a news release, the event included a Vanguard Squadron fly-over and a program featuring political dignitaries, industry representatives and company officials. U.S. Senator John Thune expressed his excitement about being part of the ongoing effort …
Democrats to Focus on Domestic Fuels
The House will be forming a new agricultural energy subcommittee in response to the role farming will play in reducing America’s dependence on imported oil, according to Representative John Salazar, a Democrat from Colorado. The (CO) Summit Daily News reports that Salazar addressed a renewable energy symposium Saturday and said that in the new Democrat-controlled Congress there will be a …
The Year in Ethanol
The December edition of “Ethanol Today” is a celebration of the biggest year yet for the ethanol industry. The American Coalition for Ethanol publication provides a snapshot of the year in ethanol with some nice graphs and charts to show the industry’s growth. Ethanol’s expansion in 2006 is an extension of a several-year growth trend. It took 20 years for …
Alabama Alternative Fuels
The state of Alabama is focusing on alternative fuels. Alabama Agriculture Industries Commissioner Ron Sparks has announced the formation of the Center for Alternative Fuels. “Hardly a week goes by that we don’t get calls to provide guidance to interested parties on how to build biodiesel or ethanol plants, or where to purchase alternative fuels. They want to know about …
Roller Coaster Ride
For corn growers, ethanol means markets as usual. In other words, up and down. That was the word from the senior agricultural economist for Wells Fargo Michael Swanson, who spoke at the Farm News Ag Show at Iowa Central Community College, according to this story by Bill Shea from the Ft. Dodge Messenger. The economist said he’s ‘‘bullish’’ about the …
Biodiesel Milk Trucks
Oakhurst Dairy, based in Maine, has announced the conversion of their delivery trucks to a biodiesel blend. Oakhurst credited tax incentives for driving the decision to convert 90 percent of its vehicles, making it the largest private biodiesel fleet in New England. Biodiesel is produced in Maine from waste vegetable oil. Except in the coldest weather, the delivery trucks will …
Another Record Set
Every month there’s a new record set for ethanol production and the bar has now been raised to 333,000 barrels a day. That’s a 55,000 barrel per day increase since the beginning of the year, according to the latest figures released by the Renewable Fuels Association. RFA says demand for ethanol remained strong in September at 380,000 b/d.
Extreme Green
General Motors won the Green Car design contest at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week with the “Hummer O2.” According to CNN, this fuel-cell powered Hummer would produce oxygen. Agae-filled body panels could break down C02, a greenhouse gas, releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. When parked, body panels would fan out to catch more light, speeding the process. The …
Ethanol Generates Discussion
This article from the Lincoln (NE) Journal Star and accompanying comments illustrates the myriad of opinions about ethanol that stem from partial truths and speculation. The article is basically a tirade against ethanol by commodity broker Douglas Carper, with the headline “Ethanol Skeptic Sees Painful Realities Ahead.” As far as Carper is concerned, there is no constructive purpose to putting …
Mangrove Palm Could Make Ethanol
Here’s a story out of Malaysia on using sap from “nipah,” or mangrove palm, to make an ethanol-like biofuel. The substance is similar to ethanol from Brazil’s sugar cane or Europe’s sugar beet but nipah would have higher yield per hectare. The state government, after studying a proposal from a KL-based company on Wednesday, agreed to allow the company to …