Biofuels were put on the defensive once again as the journal Science published new studies that claim biofuels are worse for global warming than fossil fuels. Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen issued a statement which said the studies took a simplistic view of land use. “Understanding the land use changes occurring around the globe is important to developing strategies …
North Carolina Drives Toward Statewide Ethanol Fuel Blend
A newly appropriated biofuel center in North Carolina will be the state’s launch pad for its latest targeted benchmark with biofuels. Catalyzing an entire new industry for North Carolina is the long-term task of the newly established Biofuels Center of North Carolina, which moved to reality Tuesday following its first board of directors meeting. Funded with a $5 million initial …
VeraSun Production Feeds EPIC Promotion
VeraSun Energy, one of the country’s largest producers of ethanol, aims to expand its business as consumers become more educated about the fuel. Marketing Director Melissa Ullerich said VeraSun Energy supplies E85 fuel to more than 90 locations. Melissa said with plants in Aurora, SD, Fort Dodge, IA and Charles City, IA the company produces about 340 million gallons of …
Fueling Station Interview With Khosla
Our friends at “The Fueling Station” in St. Petersburg, Florida alerted us to an in-depth interview they did with biofuels venture capitalist Vinod Khosla. I did a post about this blog when they first got started in August of last year. Still love the name and the logo. The authors, St. Petersburg Times reporters David Adams and Craig Pittman, do …
World Congress to Focus on BioFuels
New research and commercial production methods to meet increased demand for biofuels will be one focus of the third annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, to be held July 11-14, 2006 at the Toronto Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, according to a press release from the Biotechnology Industry Organization, or BIO. Sessions include: An International Perspective on Biofuels and …
Enzymes Enhance Ethanol Efficiency
Dyadic International, Inc. is working to make ethanol production more efficient. That’s just one of the uses this Florida-based company has found for biological products such as proteins, enzymes, polypeptides and other such things in the agricultural, industrial, chemical and biopharmaceutical industries. For example, they actually pioneered the stone-free method used to make “stone-washed” blue jeans. Instead of tumbling them …
Biodiesel at BIO
The Illinois Soybean Association/Check Off Board was represented at last week’s BIO 2006 conference in Chicago by several board members and executive director Lyle Roberts. Chuck interviewed Lyle about the BIO in biodiesel and you can hear that conversation here: Lyle Roberts (5:00 MP3) AgWired coverage of BIO 2006 was made possible by:
Ford F150 Lease Winner
One of the many contests at the BIO 2006 trade show was a 2 year lease on a Ford F150 that’s E85 capable.
Former CIA Director Talks Renewable Fuels at BIO
The plenary breakfast speaker today, R. James Woolsey, Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton, Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, just finished speaking. He really focused on how biotechnology can play a role in our national security. Besides what most people probably think of first in terms of cures or innoculants for bio-terror induced disease he spent a while talking about energy and independence from terrorist controlled foreign oil.
International Media Get “Earful” From IL Corn Growers
Illinois farmer, banker, ethanol plant CEO and RFA board member Ray Defenbaugh was one of several people who spoke to a group of visiting agricultural journalists during a media reception sponsored by the US Grains Council and Illinois Corn Growers at the BIO 2006 conference in Chicago that concludes Thursday. Chuck interviewed Ray after his presentation and you can hear …