USDA’s new planted acreage report out Wednesday morning estimates corn acreage planted is two percent higher than last year, but that is down a point from the March report with more acres are going to soybeans. Corn planted area for all purposes in 2010 is estimated at 87.9 million acres, up 2 percent from last year. Acreage is up in …
25x’25 Shows Progress Toward Renewable Energy Goal
The nation is moving slowly but surely toward greater energy independence, according to a new progress report from 25x’25. Renewable energy produced in the United States between 2004 and 2009 grew by about 23 percent, according to the report, Meeting the 25x’25 Goal: A Progress Report. The 32-page analysis details advances made by the renewable energy sector since the Alliance …
DF Cast: Flying at 200 MPH on Ethanol
Indy cars recently tore up the track running on clean-burning ethanol, right next to the Iowa corn fields where the feedstock for the green fuel is grown. In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, we bring you some of the sounds and interviews from the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer, and the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Our …
World Economic Forum Sees Bright Biofuels Future
A new report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) concludes that converting biomass into fuels, energy, and chemicals has the potential to generate upwards of $230 billion to the global economy by 2020, most of that in the United States. The report, produced in collaboration with Royal DSM N.V., Novozymes, DuPont and Braskem, says that the biorefineries industry could supplement …
New Ethanol Fact Book is Out
The sixth edition of the Ethanol Fact Book highlights benefits of the U.S. ethanol program, underscoring 30 years of bipartisan support in Congress.
ZeaChem Claims Successful Ethanol Conversion
Biomass refinery developer ZeaChem today announced the successful production of ethanol at a capacity that can be scaled to commercial production. According to a news release, ZeaChem’s results have been confirmed by third party vendors and the company will now demonstrate the integration of its biorefining processes at its 250,000 gallon per year Boardman, Oregon biorefinery, announced earlier this month. …
EPAC’s 20th Annual Conference Kicks Off
Montana’s Director of Agriculture Ron De Yong presented opening remarks this morning followed by a video greeting from Senator Max Baucus, Senator Jon Tester and Representative Dennis Rehberg. The session that followed, The Journey Begins. . . “The OFEC (Old Fogie Ethanol Coalition) Perspective” included presentations from Shirley Ball, Larry Johnson of LLJ Consulting and Business Development, Dave Hallberg of …
Need For Research On Grain Quality and Ethanol Production
You may be interested to know how grain quality affects ethanol production and DDGs. If so, then you would interested in Leland McKinney’s presentation at the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference, held recently in Atlanta. I spoke with him to learn about his research on this topic. Leland is Extension State Leader in the Dept. of Grain Science at Kansas …
Corn Growers Say Now is Time for Ethanol
No time like Independence Day to renew the call for renewables to increase our energy independence. This week, with Congress preparing for an Independence Day recess prior to debate on a new energy bill, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is stepping up its campaign to ensure that corn-based ethanol is part of the formula that brings our country to …
Senators Call for Increasing Ethanol Blend Rate
Midwestern senators are calling on the Obama administration to stop delaying testing that would allow an increase in the blend rate of ethanol in gasoline to 15 percent. In a letter to President Obama, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and six other senators expressed concern that the Department of Energy (DOE) has not yet completed testing higher blends of ethanol …