High school senior Jason Girouard from Brimfield, Massachusetts has won the Ethanol Rocks video contest sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association. Girouard was awarded $1,500. Freshman Emily Yue from Gilford, Connecticut and senior Lewis Kloster of Minneapolis, Minnesota were both awarded second-place honor and $500 a piece. “The purpose of the contest was to get youth interested in learning …
More Accurate ILUC Carbon Accounting
Dr. Jesper Hedal Kløverpris and Dr. Steffen Mueller have proposed a new approach to measuring the climate impact of biofuels related land-use changes (ILUC) as opposed to other land use changes: “Baseline Time Accounting Concept” and believe it should become an integrated part of future ILUC studies. According to the researchers, this model incorporates baseline time accounting into ILUC models, leading …
Solar Jobs on the Rise
The Solar Foundation (TSF) has reported in its third annual National Solar Jobs Census that the U.S. solar industry employs 119,016 people, an increase of 13.2 percent from the previous year. The solar job census measured solar industry growth between September 2011 to September 2012. Based on 2012 data collection, TSF also revised the 2011 total jobs number from 100,237 to …
Quick Cook Method Turns Algae Into Oil
Researchers from University of Michigan have developed a way to “pressure cook” algae for as little as one minute and transform up to 65 percent of the algae into biocrude. Phil Savage, a professor of chemical engineering at U of M, said the research team is trying to mimic the process nature uses when creating crude oil, and his algae …
Solar Planet Power Helps Schools Go Solar
Solar Planet Power has helped several elementary and high schools in West Jefferson and Blacklick, Ohio go solar. The company commissioned a number of ground and rooftop solar projects during October with each project using ReneSola photovoltaic (PV) modules. Solar Planet has more than 10 megawatts of solar power projects contracts in place to install solar power systems in more …
Sapphire Energy & ISB Further Develop Algal Biofuels
Sapphire Energy and Institute for Systems Biology (ISB), have formed a strategic partnership to further the development of algae biofuels. The two companies will focus on applying systems biology solutions to algae with the goal of significantly increasing oil yield and improving resistance to crop predators and environmental factors. Nitin Baliga, director of Integrative Biology at ISB, said of the …
Ferrellgas Acquires Flores Gas
Ferrellgas Partners has acquired Flores Gas of El Paso, Texas. The deal will increase Ferrellgas’s propane network across the state. This is the company’s second acquisition since August 1, 2012. “Flores Gas is a family-owned business that has a nearly 20-year history of providing the best propane service in and around El Paso,” said President and Chief Executive Officer, Steve Wambold. …
Federal Tax Credit Success
Former Governor Mitt Romney would like to see the estate tax eliminated and he would also like to end the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind energy production. Speaking on ag issues in this Presidential election on the nationally syndicated radio program AgriTalk, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said that he appreciates Romney saying he’s for the Renewable Fuels …
Valero Idles Two Midwest Ethanol Plants
Valero Corporation has idled its ethanol plants in Linden, Indiana and Albion, Nebraska due to low margins. In addition, three of its other plants are operating at reduced capacity. Back in June, the ethanol plant in Albion was idled due to the high cost of corn, restarted the plant in mid-September after corn prices fell and now has idled the …
Calculator Gives Growers Energy Crop ROI
University of Illinois agricultural economists have been calculating the costs for farmers to produce biomass energy crops, and as a result have created a feedstock cost and profitability calculator for farmers to make their own assessments using their individual agribusiness parameters. Illinois Ag Economist Madhu Khanna says farmers can customize the costs based on their current farming operation, current returns on the …