Construction to Start on Southern California Ethanol Hub

Cindy Zimmerman

A Houston-based company is starting work on a new ethanol transport hub in southern California. U.S. Development Group (USDG) will begin construction on the West Colton Rail Terminal, a new ethanol hub located in the Inland Empire area of southern California. Construction of the facility will occur in two phases. The first phase, located in Rialto, Calif., will consist of …

Ethanol, Ethanol News

Ethanol Report on Corn Grower Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

This edition of “The Ethanol Report” features comments from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) “Land Use and Carbon Impacts of Corn-based Ethanol Conference” held August 25-26 in St. Louis. Comments come from National Corn Growers Association Director of Biofuels & Business Development Jamey Cline, NCGA CEO Rick Tolman, North Dakota grower Bart Schott, and Geoff Cooper with the Renewable …

Audio, conferences, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, NCGA, RFA

Energy Grants $1.6 Mil for Public Education Efforts

John Davis

The U.S. Department of Energy has handed out $1.6 million to the Alternative Fuel Trade Alliance… a group made up of the Renewable Fuels Association, the National Biodiesel Foundation, the Propane Education & Research Council, the Clean Vehicle Education Foundation and ASG Renaissance… to boost efforts for a targeted educational plan aimed at Clean Cities Coordinators and related stakeholders. This …

Biodiesel, communications, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NBB, News, RFA

Melons Could Be the Next Great Ethanol Feedstock

John Davis

Watermelons… that tasty summertime treat… could be the next feedstock for the green fuel ethanol. We’ve told you previously about how the National Watermelon Association has been pushing the idea of the fruit being used for ethanol (see our posts from May 20, 2009 and January 7, 2008). Now, it looks like there’s some research to back up that idea. …

Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

Corn Growers Spotlight Indirect Land Use Issues

Cindy Zimmerman

Corn growers want regulators to know that trying to measure unintended consequences of biofuels production could result in more unintended consequences. The National Corn Growers Association held a conference this week in St. Louis to focus on the issue of land use and carbon impacts of corn ethanol and how the future can be predicted with models to determine lifecycle …

Audio, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Indirect Land Use, NCGA

Discount E85 and B5 in Woodbury, MN

“Thank you to the event supporters: Woodbury BP Daily Express, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and the Minnesota Clean Air Choice™ Team,” said Kelly Marczak, with the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest. She noted that E85 is for flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) only. FFVs use E85 or gas interchangeably and one can check to see …

Biodiesel, corn, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, News

Indirect Land Use Concerns for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

A conference on land use and carbon impacts of corn ethanol held this week in St. Louis offered a broad view of a significant topic as Washington braces to continue debates on climate change legislation and the future of ethanol. Geoff Cooper with the Renewable Fuels Association moderated the first panel at the conference sponsored by the National Corn Growers …

Audio, conferences, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Ethanol Producers Win IRS Victory

Cindy Zimmerman

Struggling ethanol producers won an important decision by the Internal Revenue Service this week that allows them to retain the current five year depreciation for assets. Following over a year of intense work by the Renewable Fuels Association with the IRS, the agency has issued a Notice of Proposed Revenue Ruling clarifying that it will not seek to impose a …

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

$300 Mil in Stimulus Bucks Stimulates Alternative Fuels

John Davis

Nearly $300 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act… aka the “Stimulus Bill”… funds are being handed out by the U.S. Department of Energy to replace or change more than 9,000 vehicles so they will burn alternative fuels and/or make them more fuel efficient, as well as establish nearly 550 alternative refueling stations across the U.S.. Energy Secretary Steven Chu …

Biodiesel, Electric Vehicles, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Natural Gas

Ethanol Co-Product Could Make Fertilizer

Cindy Zimmerman

The leftovers from an ethanol co-product could be used as a fertilizer, according to research being done at South Dakota State University. When the ethanol by-product known as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) is heated at high temperatures under limited oxygen to make synthesis gas, or syngas, the remains are a fine, dust-like ash. SDSU Soil Testing Laboratory manager …

Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Research