Corny Idea Could Catch Fire

Cindy Zimmerman

The University of Missouri-Columbia is testing a mixture of corn cobs and coal in the University’s Power Plant, which could reduce emissions, lower fuel costs and create additional income for farmers. The power plant, which burns up to 170,000 tons of coal each year, is conducting the first of several tests of a blended fuel in which up to 10 …

Energy, Research

More Ethanol For OK

Cindy Zimmerman

South Dakota-based US BioEnergy US BioEnergy Corporation is considering Guymon, Oklahoma as the location for a 100 million gallon per year ethanol plant. According to a company release, US BioEnergy’s site location criteria include access to an abundant supply of corn, access to multiple modes of transportation for corn, ethanol and distillers grains, availability of a sufficient amount of water …

Ethanol

Husky Makes Ethanol From Wheat

Cindy Zimmerman

Most ethanol in the US is made from corn while in Brazil its sugar cane – but wheat is the feedstock of choice for our neighbors to the north. Husky Energy’s Lloydminster ethanol plant opened recently in Saskatchewan and is now in the process of churning out 130 million litres of ethanol a year – about 34 million gallons American …

Ethanol

Testing Ethanol in the Engines at Indy

Cindy Zimmerman

Here’s a screen shot from the home page of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway heralding the ethanol fuel test drive Monday on the track. According to an Indy release, drivers Jeff Simmons of Rahal Letterman Racing and Tony Kanaan of Andretti Green Racing drove Dallara/Honda/Firestone cars powered by ethanol and the 3.5-liter engine, the first time that package was tested at …

EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, Racing

Ethanol on the Cob

Cindy Zimmerman

Archer Daniels Midland Company will participate in the Citigroup “Ethanol on the Cob” Biofuels Conference on October 3. ADM Executive Vice President, John Rice, and Group Vice President and Controller, Steven Mills, will be presenting. The ADM presentation will be Web cast live. The link to the Web cast: http://www.admworld.com/webcast will be made available at 2:25 p.m. Central Daylight Time …

Ethanol

Emperor of Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Here’s a nice column from Pioneer Press on Ron Fagen, founder of Fagen, Inc, one of the largest ethanol design/build firms in the country. According to the piece, Brian Jennings, executive director of the American Coalition for Ethanol in Sioux Falls, S.D., says Fagen’s company is building seven of every 10 ethanol plants in the country. “Ron and his company …

Ethanol

Taking the Gas Out of Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Iowa State University researchers are working to cut the use of natural gas from the production of ethanol, which would make it less expensive to make since natural gas is the second largest expense in the ethanol process behind the corn. ISU Mechanical Engineering professor Ted Heindel, says they’re working with Frontline BioEnergy of Ames, Iowa to develop “fluidized bed …

Ethanol, Production, Research

Putting Ethanol in the Pipeline

Cindy Zimmerman

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, pictured here squeezing into an ethanol-powered funny car, is calling for a study into distributing ethanol by pipeline. Harkin and Senator Dick Lugar (R-IN) introduced legislation on Friday to direct the U.S. Department of Energy to study “the feasibility of transporting ethanol by pipeline from the Midwest to the East and West coasts, where demand is …

Distribution, Ethanol, Government, Racing

MO Money For Biodiesel

Cindy Zimmerman

Equity drives for biodiesel plants in Missouri are going well, according to the Missouri Soybean Association. Paseo Biofuels is getting close to half of the $24 million it is raising for a biodiesel plant in Kansas City, Mo., to be owned by Missouri farmers and Cargill. (see previous post) So far, more than $10 million in shares has been committed. …

Biodiesel

Peachy Deal for Georgia Biofuels Plants

Cindy Zimmerman

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue this week proposed a sales tax exemption for materials and equipment used in the construction of biofuel facilities in Georgia. According to a press release from the governor’s office, the four percent tax incentive, an annual savings of $2 to 4 million, will be available to facilities producing and processing certain biofuels (ethanol, biodiesel and butanol) …

Biodiesel, Ethanol