US BioEnergy Corporation has announced that with its Albert City and Central City ethanol plants now in commercial production the company can claim the title of “largest pure-play ethanol producer in the United States.” “This is an important milestone for our company and to the revitalization of the American heartland,” said Gordon Ommen, CEO and chairman. “It’s the spirit and …
Arkansas Ag Chief Pushes Biodiesel
The Secretary of the Arkansas Agriculture Department wants his state to focus on biodiesel, not ethanol. The Arkansas News Bureau reports Richard Bell told state lawmakers other states that produce more corn are already dominating the ethanol field. Bell told the House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee that Arkansas will have a chance to break into the ethanol market …
Busy Year Ahead for Ethanol
2006 was an incredible year of growth of the ethanol industry and 2007 promises to be just as big. As production grows, education and marketing of the farm-based fuel becomes even more important and that is why the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council has a busy year already lined up. In this “Fill Up Feel Good” podcast, EPIC Senior Director …
Stars of the Show
New vehicles capable of running on up to 85 percent ethanol are the stars of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year, according to the Detroit Free Press. For the first time, several automakers unveiled concept and production models capable of burning E85, the blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline backed by Detroit automakers as the …
Florida Legislature Urged to Support Biofuels Production
Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture is a man on a mission – to make Florida the nation’s leader in biofuels production. To that end, Commissioner Charles Bronson appeared before a joint meeting of the House Agribusiness and House Energy Committees on Wednesday urging them to consider tax incentives or some form of financial assistance that the state can provide to encourage …
Partnership to Discover Biofuels Enzymes
Agribusiness giant Syngenta has entered into a research and development partnership with San Diego-based biotech firm Diversa Corporation focused on “the discovery and development of a range of novel enzymes to convert pre-treated cellulosic biomass economically to mixed sugars – a critical step in the process of biofuel production.” The new agreement allows Diversa to independently develop and commercialize fermentation-based …
Getting to a Biofuels Future
The Governors’ Ethanol Coalition has released a new report called Ethanol from Biomass: How to Get to a Biofuels Future. The report asks the President and members of Congress to adopt four recommendations: 1. Expand the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) to include a short-term target of 12 billion gallons a year of ethanol and biodiesel utilization by 2010, and longer-term …
Wisconsin Soybean Growers Seek Biodiesel Incentives
The Wisconsin Soybean Association is urging widespread support for their biodiesel policy initiative. The association is specifically asking the state legislature this year for help in four areas: 1. Expand the distribution network for biodiesel fuel throughout the state by instituting tax incentives for wholesale and retail distributors and bulk fuel users. 2. Encourage consumption of biodiesel fuel via incentives …
Ethanol Testimony
Aventine Renewable Energy CEO and Renewable Fuels Association Chairman Ron Miller presented testimony before the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Wednesday on the impact of the ethanol industry’s dramatic growth on rural America. “Ethanol today is the single most important value-added market for farmers,” said Miller. “The increased demand for grain used in ethanol processing has increased farm income, …
Bio-Town May Get Ethanol Plant
Indiana’s “BioTown USA” might soon get it’s very own ethanol plant. VeraSun of South Dakota has plans to is build a 110-million gallon capacity ethanol plant just outside the northern Indiana town of Reynolds that is a state project aimed at using renewable sources to provide all its energy. The Biotown plan promoted by the state Department of Agriculture calls …