Bay-o Fuel

Cindy Zimmerman

Bay Area Biofuel is striking oil in the San Francisco bay area “fueled by a new partnership with 150 of San Francisco’s oil-rich restaurateurs.” MSNBC gave them a nice write-up about the operation which “pumps close to 12,000 gallons of biodiesel automobile fuel each month, up from virtually none six months ago.”

Biodiesel

RFA Rings the Bell

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association today opened trading on the NASDAQ stock exchange at its Marketsite in Times Square. RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen (pictured with William O’Brien, NASDAQ senior VP) says he was honored to represent the U.S. ethanol industry during the opening bell ceremony. “Ethanol’s growing importance is being felt on Main Streets and more increasingly on Wall …

Ethanol

Gas Prices Fuel Web Searches

Cindy Zimmerman

People who keep track of such things say that higher gas prices are causing a major increase in web searches for domestic fuel terms such as ethanol and biodiesel. According to Hitwise, the share of U.S. internet searches for the term ‘ethanol’ was up 212 percent for the four weeks ending May 13, 2006 versus the four weeks ending April …

Biodiesel, Ethanol

Geographic Growth

Cindy Zimmerman

From the deep South to the wild, wild West – ethanol is expanding it’s horizons. Ethanol is a hot topic in Louisiana “where sugar cane, soybeans. sorghum and corn could be tapped for fuel production,” according to this article from the Advocate. According to the story, at least three commercial domestic fuels plants are planned for the state and another …

Ethanol

Hornish Wins 4th Indy Fast Lap

Cindy Zimmerman

For the fourth time in two weeks, Sam Hornish, Jr. recorded the “Ethanol Fast Lap” and $2,500 with a speed of 224.951 miles per hour. The Marlboro Team Penske driver has been the fastest driver for all four Ethanol Fast Laps days in Indy 500 practice, collecting $10,000 from the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. The final Indy Fast Lap …

EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing

Two More Ethanol Plants for Iowa

Cindy Zimmerman

According to the Des Moines Register, Iowa is getting two more ethanol plants – one in Superior and one in Buffalo. Green Plains Renewable Energy plans to build a 50 million-gallon-a-year plant near Superior that will be similar to a plant Green Plains is building in Shenandoah. The Superior plant will open in spring 2007. River/Gulf Energy is a Quad-City …

Ethanol, Facilities

Ethanol Myths and Realities

Cindy Zimmerman

Business Week Online tries to take a somewhat balanced look at ethanol here that falls a bit short. The article has a decidedly cynical tone about ethanol but does present some positive information regarding the energy issue, presenting the findings of Michael Wang with the Argonne National Laboratory for Transportation Research – some very good research. Whenever anyone starts talking …

Ethanol, Research

Golden Gate Biodiesel

Cindy Zimmerman

Biodiesel’s heart is in San Francisco now that it has become the largest U.S. city to institute citywide use of B20. According to a release from the National Biodiesel Board, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Directive designed to increase the pace of municipal use of biodiesel in the city which uses about 8 million gallons of diesel …

Biodiesel

Auto Makers Back 25x’25

Cindy Zimmerman

According to Paddock Talk, the CEOs of General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler are supporting efforts that seek to provide 25 percent of America’s energy needs from renewable sources by 2025, known as 25X’25. In meetings with Congressional leaders today, Chrysler Group President and CEO Tom LaSorda, Ford Motor Company Chairman and CEO Bill Ford and General Motors Chairman and CEO …

Car Makers, Government

100 Illinois Ethanol Pumps

Cindy Zimmerman

Illinois Corn Growers are proud to announced the grand opening of the state’s 100th E85 fuel station Wednesday in Litchfield. According to ICGA, Gov. Blagojevich contributed $40,000 in state funding to establish the new E-85 facilities in Litchfield, and he is also investing $25 million to support research, production and consumption of ethanol in Illinois as part of the state …

Ethanol