As gasoline prices edge toward $4 a gallon, ethanol production is declining. According to the latest report from the Energy Information Administration, ethanol production averaged 856,000 barrels per day last week, down almost five percent from the previous week to the lowest level in six months. Production has been steadily declining for the past four weeks due to a number …
Iowa State Develops Biodiesel, Ethanol Plant Simulator
Researchers at Iowa State University have developed a simulator that allows them to replicate all the functions of biodiesel and ethanol plants. According to this article from the school, the I-BOS (the Interactive Biorefinery Operations Simulator) will help students in Iowa State’s biorenewable resources and technology program learn about biofuel production, as well as helping the biofuel industry train employees: …
Ethanol Production, Ethanol & DDG Exports Remain Steady
Ethanol production for April remains fairly steady with the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reporting daily ethanol production falling slightly to 898,000 barrels per day (b/d) or 37.7 million gallons per day for the week ending April 8, 2011. The four-week average for ethanol production at the time of the report was 904,000 b/d, with the annualized rate equating to 13.85 …
USDA Tours ICM Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
USDA Administrator for Rural Business Cooperative Services Judith Canales is on a tour of Kansas and Missouri to promote the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) along with the development of renewable energy technologies. She was joined by several USDA state directors, and along the tour they stopped in St. Joseph, Missouri to tour ICM’s cellulosic ethanol pilot plant Lifeline …
Don’t Miss Out On The Process Optimization Seminar
You only have two days left to attend the Process Optimization Seminar at the early bird rate. This year’s event is being held on April 27-29th in Houston, Texas and marks the first year where the seminar will couple classroom style learning with hands on activities executed in a refinery and lab. To learn more about the event, I caught …
Propel Tells Senate to Fund Ethanol, Biodiesel Pumps
The man in charge of a company that sells biodiesel and E85 ethanol to the public has told Congress that it needs to keep funding programs to help offset the costs of infrastructure that make the green fuels available to the public. This post from Biodiesel Magazine says Matt Horton, CEO of Propel Fuels, told the Senate Committee on Energy …
Ethanol Report on Boat Racing
A new partnership between the ethanol industry and boat racers is hoping to dunk the image of ethanol as a bad fuel for boat engines. Through the alliance between the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the National Boat Racing Association (NBRA), the 2011 National Boat Racing Association Race Series will be “fueled with pride” and ten percent ethanol. This edition …
Ethanol Leaders on the Hill
Members of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) are in Washington, DC this week for a board meeting and some face time with Congressional leaders to discuss key issues in the ethanol industry. RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen (L), together with RFA chairman Chuck Woodside (center) of KAAPA Ethanol in Nebraska, were among those who met with Senator Ben Nelson …
USDA Awards Grants for Sustainable Biodiesel, Ethanol
The U.S. Department of Agriulture has announced nearly $37 million in research grants to promote the production sustainable biodiesel and ethanol production. This USDA press release says the money is designed to help the country meet the goal of 36 billion gallons of biofuels per year by 2022 and focuses on three areas: crop protection for sustainable feedstock production systems, …
Racing Boats to Run on 10% Ethanol
Just like their counterparts on land, some racing boats will now be making the move to ethanol blended fuel. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the National Boat Racing Association (NBRA) have announced that Hydroplane and Runabout racing boats will soon be speeding across the lakes of the Midwest on a blend of ten percent ethanol fuel (E10). The newly-formed …