The University of Missouri-Columbia is testing a mixture of corn cobs and coal in the University’s Power Plant, which could reduce emissions, lower fuel costs and create additional income for farmers. The power plant, which burns up to 170,000 tons of coal each year, is conducting the first of several tests of a blended fuel in which up to 10 …
Energy Critical for Farm Policy
Three former Secretaries of Agricutlure testified before the House Agriculture Committee Thursday on what the most important priorities should be for the 2007 Farm Bill. All three mentioned energy and the role of agriculture in meeting the nation’s demand for it. Finally, one of President Clinton’s agriculture secretaries, Dan Glickman of Kansas, noted that energy offers “great opportunities” for agriculture …
Growing OK Biofuels
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry is holding a conference on biofuels next month in Norman, Okla. The Oklahoma Governor’s Conference on Biofuels features an impressive array of experts in the area of domestic fuels including state and federal government officials, oil and renewable industry representatives, university researchers and stakeholders from areas such as the military, transportation, agriculture and marketing. The event …
Pipeline Quality Manure Methane
Intrepid Technology and Resources, Inc., an Idaho-based renewable alternate energy company, is turning dairy cow manure into natural gas. (see previous post) Thanks to a partnership with Utah State University, ITR is the first company to produce pipeline-quality methane from cow manure. ITR is expanding its operations, and will now produce natural gas from 100 percent of the manure from …
American Agriculture on the Move
The American Agriculture Movement is organizing a “Drive for American Bio-Energy for Jobs, Family Farms, and National Security.” According to the AAM, a “small group of patriotic family farm advocates, business people, and concerned citizens” will travel east from Kansas City to Washington, D.C. in antique tractors and cars “in an effort to raise public awareness about the contribution agriculture …
New Blog on the Block
St. Petersburg Times reporters David Adams and Craig Pittman have started a new Florida-based biofuels blog called The Fueling Station. They promise to “provide regular updates with news about your favorite energy source from renewables to nuclear.” On the site now are interviews with Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Dr. Jose Sifontes in Gainesville talking about “his waste transformation bioreactor …
Shifting Power
HTH PowerSHIFT Group Holdings, Inc. is the new name of HTH Wind Energy, a privately held company previously dedicated solely to the production and operation of small and large-scale wind projects. The company changed its name and created a new logo and website to more accurately reflect its involvement in a variety of renewable energy businesses. HTH PowerSHIFT is a …
USDA Energy Paper Released
During a visit to Sioux City, Iowa on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns released the latest farm bill forum theme paper – this one on USDA’s role in renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. “During the Farm Bill Forums, we heard real enthusiasm from producers about the potential for agriculture to unleash new sources of energy and income,” said Johanns. …
Happy Anniversary Energy Bill!
It was one year ago today that President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 at the Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the signing ceremony, the president said the bill had three main objectives – energy conservation; making more productive use of domestic energy resources, including coal, and nuclear power, and oil and natural …
Rural Renaissance Registration
Registration is now open for Advancing Renewable Energy: An American Rural Renaissance, a national renewable energy conference that will be hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Energy October 10-12 at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The conference will focus on achieving goals outlined in President Bush’s Advanced Energy Initiative, which seeks to change the …