In the home, on the farm, for businesses or for school buses, the Energy Division of GROWMARK is seeing the use of propane growing as a domestically produced, environmentally friendly fuel. Marion Ertmer, GROWMARK Propane Marketing Manager, says some people may still think of propane as an import from the Middle East, but that’s no longer true. “Today, with the …
PSM Most Cited Ethanol Plant Hazard
In 2010, process safety management (PSM) was the most common cited hazard at ethanol plants by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). The data was published by Albert Patin with South Dakota State University. This year PSM citations are appearing to be on the same course as OSHA has been arriving unexpectedly at ethanol plants across the country assessing fines. …
Re-Opened Biodiesel Plant is a “Jewel”
The Renewable Energy Group (REG) just hated to see the 30 million gallon capacity biodiesel plant standing idle near Albert Lea, Minnesota for the past three years, so the company decided to do something about it. “It’s a great plant that needed to run,” Brad Albin, REG Vice President of Manufacturing, said at the plant’s re-opening on Monday. “It had …
Consumer Fuel Choice Campaign Launched
Ethanol, biodiesel, propane, natural gas, electricity – even regular gasoline – consumers should have choices at the pump and a new campaign is urging lawmakers in Washington to make that happen. More than 20 worldwide leaders in the effort to commercialize next-generation transportation fuels today announced the new campaign, called FuelChoiceNow. Among the companies that have joined the effort are …
Biodiesel Adds Value to Minnesota Soybeans
Fields of soybeans surround the newly re-opened Renewable Energy Group REG Albert Lea biodiesel plant in southern Minnesota, serving as a reminder of where the renewable fuel is rooted. Chris Hill, a soybean farmer who serves on the board of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and the Minnesota Biodiesel Council, is pleased to see the plant re-open because it really …
Canadian Co-op Happy With Corn Demand
Last week I attended the 2011 IFAJ Congress in Canada. This is the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. One of our stops was the Hensall District Co-operative. We were welcomed by CEO, Earl Wagner, who gave us an overview of the various business units of the co-operative. HDC is a diversified farmer-owned Ontario Agricultural Co-operative. Established in 1937, HDC is …
How to Engage Your Employees in Safety
To have a profitable business you need to operate safely while producing a high quality product. You can produce a high quality product but if your employees are getting hurt while you’re doing this, you’re not going to be in business long. So it’s important that you engage your employees into your safety program from top to bottom. And that’s …
REG Albert Lea Biodiesel Plant Officially Opens
The Renewable Energy Group (REG) celebrated the official opening of the REG Albert Lea biodiesel plant in Minnesota on Monday, with representatives of the state and local community and agriculture industry. REG President and COO Dan Oh says they were involved in the construction and operations of the plant when it originally was built and opened by SoyMor. “We have …
Tips For Methanol Safe Handling
Chemicals are an everyday part of operating a biorefinery facility as we learned in Part 1 of Biorefinery Safety Series. Chemicals are also an integral part of biodiesel production. Therefore, it is vitally important that all employees at a biodiesel facility, whether a large operation on a small backyard operation, learn, practice and live safe methanol handling techniques. So today, …
Ethanol Industry Responds to Feed Availability Concerns
Representatives of the U.S. livestock and poultry industries testified before a House agriculture subcommittee today that changes in ethanol policy are necessary to ensure the availability of corn for animal feed, but the ethanol industry disagrees. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, America’s ethanol producers are on pace to produce nearly 40 million metric tons of livestock feed in 2011 …