One question everyone always wants to know is how much does ethanol cost? While some people in the industry can provide lengthy explanations about spot market prices and long term contracts and so forth, the short answer is – it varies from day to day and location to location. Unlike the oil industry, which is largely controlled by OPEC, there …
East Coast Ethanol
Ethanol might soon become more available on the east coast. Agri-Ethanol Products of Raleigh, NC has announced that it now has financing to build as many as 20 renewable energy facilities from the Gulf states to New York. AEP is already building the first 100 million gallon ethanol plant located on the East Coast near Aurora, NC. According to a …
It’s a Wrap
The National Biodiesel Board is showcasing colorfully wrapped bean-powered vehicles. This photo is the “Bean Bus” at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland. NBB has a number of other photos of vehicle wraps on their website and they want more. If you have a creative way you’ve shown your support of biodiesel, send them a …
Great Race for Team Ethanol
Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway Danica Patrick equaled her best IndyCar® Series finish of fourth and rookie Jeff Simmons posted his top IndyCar Series finish of seventh as Rahal Letterman Racing posted one of its strongest outings of the 2006 IndyCar Series season. According to a news release from EPIC, Patrick overcame a whirlwind week of media scrutiny with a …
Minnesota Study
Don’t think I have been ignoring the University of Minnesota study out this week that has given ethanol some bad press. I have just been playing catch up after being out of the office for a couple of days. Fact is, the study is actually positive in many ways. For one thing, the report finds that ethanol from corn produces …
Biodiesel Rebate
California-based CaseStack, Inc. is offering truckers a rebate to use biodiesel. According to the National Biodiesel Board, the Green Rebate Program began July 1 and will end two months later on September 1, 2006. CaseStack will give a rebate of 10 cents per gallon on any blend of biodiesel – up to $50.00 for the entirety of the program – …
Another NE Ethanol Plant
Renewable Agricultural Energy, Inc. of Boulder, Colorado and Gothenburg Improvement Company of Nebraska are planning to construct an ethanol plant in Gothenburg. According to a release, they have purchased 275 acres of land in Dawson County, which “has excellent direct rail and highway infrastructure and is an ideal location for serving western ethanol markets.” With new plants being announced everyday …
US BioEnergy News
US BioEnergy Corporation of Brookings, SD has announced plans for a 100 million gallon per year ethanol facility adjacent to the CN Railway in Dyersville, IA. According to a company release, the plant will be a gas fired, dry-grind ethanol facility similar to one the company is building in Albert City, Iowa.
Media Training
I have been on the road for the past two days, up in Sioux Falls, SD at the Broin Companies to help with media training for some of the industry’s ethanol ambassadors. It was a very interesting group of people who are proving the performance value of ethanol in different types of vehicles. In the photo, I am doing a …
More on Sugar-Ethanol Study
Here is a link to the power point presentation used by USDA economist Keith Collins during the press conference Monday unveiling the sugar to ethanol study. Have not yet gotten the actual report from USDA, but this might help answer some questions – or generate more.