A two-year study has examined the environmental impacts of feedstocks used for biofuels. Minnesota Daily reports researchers from the University of Minnesota found that there are some fundamental differences between how the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture, look at biofuel production. All three agencies differed in crop location, which Hill said is an …
Eco-Energy Inks Deal with MN, Iowa Ethanol Makers
Tennessee-based biofuel and ethanol marketer Eco-Energy has signed deals with ethanol makers in Minnesota and Iowa. The company announced the new multiyear marketing agreement with Heron Lake BioEnergy, in Minnesota, as well as agreement extensions with Granite Falls Energy, located in Granite Falls, Minn., and Central Iowa Renewable Energy, now known as Corn, LP, located in Goldfield, Iowa. “Our team …
Hong Kong Biodiesel Maker Soon to Come Online
A Hong Kong biodiesel maker looks to go online soon, and when it does, it will be the city’s biggest biodiesel refinery, turning waste oil into the green fuel. This story from the South China Morning Post says ASB Biodiesel will start up next month and turn out 100,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year. The plant will refine 600,000 tonnes …
Corn Price Drop Helps Ethanol Make Money Again
A drop in the price for the price for the primary feedstock for ethanol, corn, is helping ethanol producers make money again on the green fuel. This article from the Minneapolis (MN) Star Tribune looked at the industry tracking service Biofuels Benchmarking and how the new corn crop is helping put those margins back in the black. “We are forecasting …
Vermont Energy Company to Offer Biodiesel
A Vermont company with a history of offering bioheat – a blend of biodiesel and heating oil – will soon offer biodiesel at the pump for motor vehicles. Bourne’s Energy announced it is opening a Montpelier branch. “When a new Bourne’s Energy location opens up, it’s because we were asked to be there and the same is true for Montpelier,” …
Google Purchases More Wind Power in Texas
Search engine giant Google has increased the amount of wind energy it will use to offset power used in its operations. On the company’s green blog, Google is touting a purchase of 240 MW from the Happy Hereford wind farm outside of Amarillo, Texas. This agreement represents our fifth long-term agreement and our largest commitment yet; we’ve now contracted for …
Brazil to Import 1-1.5 Bln Liters American Ethanol
Brazil is expected to import 1-1.5 billion liters of American ethanol this winter. This story from Reuters says the imports are expected from December to April when the sugarcane-producing region is between harvests. “We are going to import corn ethanol during the center-south interharvest. Today the price is right. It’s cheaper than local anhydrous ethanol,” [ethanol analyst from Job Economy …
More Global Oil Demand Reinforces Biofuels Need
While petroleum consumption in North America might have dropped last year, the rest of the world is consuming at a record pace. And in this article in Biofuels Journal, the 25×25′ Alliance says the Energy Information Administration report on the global consumption only reinforces its claim that we need to get off fossil fuels and use more biofuels. The EIA …
Report: Lack of Biofuels Puts Economy at Risk
If the U.S. doesn’t make sufficient investments in biofuels, it could put the Nation’s economy at risk of a slowdown and could make the country face energy shortages. That’s the conclusions of a report from a professor of chemical engineering and a biofuel specialist at Michigan State University. In remarks to the Platts Biofuels and Chemicals conference in Chicago and …
More E85 Ethanol Stations, More Supportive Studies
It’s been a pretty good couple of weeks for E85 ethanol, as the green fuel made its way into 24 more stations across the country and got another study with supportive results. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) says there are now 139 stations in the Nation offering E85. Plus the group touted the results of Iowa State University’s Bruce Babcock …