With ethanol continuing to be such a political issue, it was especially important this election year for the ethanol industry to have a clear presence at both recent political conventions. In this Ethanol Report podcast, Matt Hartwig with the Renewable Fuels Association and Randy Doyle with Al-Corn Clean Fuels in Claremont, MN discuss how and why the ethanol industry was …
USDA Announces Renewable Energy Grants
USDA announced Wednesday that 639 individuals and businesses in 43 states and the Virgin Islands have been selected to receive $35 million in grants and loan guarantees for renewable energy systems or to improve energy efficiency in farm and business operations. USDA Undersecretary for Rural Development Tom Dorr announced the funding at the 2008 Farm Progress Show in Iowa on …
Cellulosic Ethanol Close to Commercial
Doubts about commercial opportunities for cellulosic ethanol are evaporating: “It is no longer a question of if we are able to produce cellulosic ethanol, but when,” POET CEO Jeff Broin said. Jeff announced POET’s commitment to develop a commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Elmersville, Iowa at the Ethanol Conference and Trade Show in Omaha, Nebraska earlier this month. Construction on …
Ethanol Conversion Kit Market Grows
The business for flex-fuel conversion kits is booming, according to a company selling low-cost units worldwide. Fuel Flex International (FFI) provides technology to allow any fuel-injected vehicle to run on ethanol or gasoline “without pushing a button or flipping a switch,” says FFI president for marketing and distribution Curtis Lacy, who was talking up his product with everyone at the …
Georgia Ethanol Plant Progress
Construction on what is expected to be the nation’s first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in southeast Georgia is making good progress, according to plant officials. Range Fuels senior vice president of business development Bill Schafer gave an update on the project at last week’s Ethanol Conference and Trade Show in Omaha. “We expect to be producing ethanol next year,” Schafer …
Continuation of RFS Good for Consumers
The decision by the Environmental Protection Agency earlier this month to deny a request that would have cut the Renewable Fuels Standard in half was obviously good news for corn growers and ethanol producers. But it was also good news for consumers, according to the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. In this edition of “Fill Up, Feel Good,” EPIC executive …
Ethanol Industry Continues to Move Forward
It’s been a rough year for ethanol but the industry continues to move forward. The hundreds of ethanol industry representatives at the 21st Ethanol Conference and Trade Show this week were “cautiously positive” about the future, according to American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) executive vice president Brian Jennings. “They recognize some of the volatility we are facing, they recognize that …
Ag Secretary Addresses Florida Farm to Fuel Summit
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer traveled to Florida to address the third annual Florida Farm to Fuel Summit in Orlando. “This is the theme park capitol of the world, it is a city of dreams and the power of imagination,” Schafer told the group. “As we sit here in the land of imagination and dreams, it’s up to all …
Florida Governor Promotes Alternative Fuels
Florida Governor Charlie Crist spoke to a group of over 450 gathered for the third annual Florida Farm to Fuel summit in Orlando Thursday, following an address by US Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer. “You know that Florida is a top agricultural state already,” Crist told the group. “The development of ethanol and other biofuels is incredibly important to Florida’s …
Farm Foundation Report Finds Three Reasons for High Food Prices
There seems to be no end to the rhetoric bouncing around between agricultural experts, critics and media about what’s driving food costs. Biofuels are still one of the most common scapegoats for why we’re paying more for our food than ever before. But the Farm Foundation wants to get to the root of it all. That’s why it sought out …