The July 8 Energy Information Administration (EIA) “This Week in Petroleum” report takes a look at the fast approaching ethanol blend wall, predicting ethanol’s share of the gasoline market will reach the 10% saturation point by the beginning of 2011. During April 2010 an estimated 834,000 bbl/d (12.8 billion gallons per year [BGY]) of fuel ethanol was blended into gasoline, …
EPA Proposes 2011 Renewable Fuel Standard
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released a proposal for comment that sets the 2011 percentage standards under the agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard program, known as RFS2. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) established the annual renewable fuel volume targets, reaching an overall level of 36 billion gallons in 2022. To achieve these volumes, EPA calculates …
MO Ethanol Plant Helps Feed Hungry
With the help of corn growers and FFA members, a northwest Missouri ethanol plant helped provide 2,600 meals for hungry families in the Kansas City area last week. Mid-Missouri Energy, a farmer-owned ethanol plant near Malta Bend, Mo., donated a plot of land to grow sweet corn for the hungry. Members of the Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA) and Malta …
Kansas City Clean Cities Holds Ethanol Workshop
“Three years ago, I began putting together green gas stations. . . We were the first in Kansas to put in a blender dispenser,” noted Zarco 66, Inc. owner (shown right). “Being able to get out and explain what I do is the key to moving this forward.” Others speakers included Rich Cregar of Wake Technical Community College, Robert White …
Brazil Ethanol Pipeline Gets Environmental License
Brazil’s ethanol pipeline is getting closer to reality as a preliminary environmental license for the project was issued this week. The $1.1 billion project, which is a partnership between Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras), Mitsui & Co. and Camargo Correa SA, is designed to transport ethanol in a 337 mile pipeline from the producing regions in the Mid-West, Minas Gerais and …
REX Company Invests in Another Ethanol Plant
REX American Resources Corporation has agreed acquire 48% equity ownership interest in NuGen Energy of South Dakota. REX has agreed to acquire its ownership interest for $9.2 million with a commitment of up to an additional $6.5 million based upon the future profitability of NuGen. NuGen Energy, a subsidiary of Central Farmers Cooperative, operates a nameplate 100 million gallon ethanol …
Danish Company Claims World’s Largest Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
A new cellulosic ethanol plant in Denmark is claiming to be the largest producer of “New Ethanol” in the world, turning wheat straw into 1.4 million gallons per year. According to Inbicon CEO Niels Henriksen, the biorefinery in Kalundborg is producing both cellulosic ethanol and a clean lignin biofuel to replace coal. “But our renewable energy process is as important …
Ethanol Report on Motorcycle Rally Partnership
This edition of the “Ethanol Report” with Renewable Fuels Association Director of Market Development Robert White talks about their sponsorship at the 70th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, August 6-14 in Sturgis, SD. Robert, who is an avid motorcyclist himself, says this is the second year they have elected to have a presence at this event, partnering with the Legendary Buffalo …
RFA Disputes Dead Zone Tie to Ethanol
An article in the San Francisco Chronicle this week blames ethanol production for the so-called “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico, which it compares to the oil disaster currently facing that body of water. The article prompted a response from Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen, who starts off a letter to the editor by saying, “it is clear …
The Biofuels Investor Migration to Brazil
A colleague of mine, Will Thurmond, who is the CEO of markets research firm Emerging Markets Online, sent me this great article about why companies are spending billions of dollars investing in advanced biofuels in Brazil while companies are hesitant to invest in any biofuels projects here in the states. I thought that it was so insightful that I wanted …