Guardian Lima, LLC of Ohio is officially back in full operation, producing 54 million gallons of ethanol a year, as well as 165,000 tons of dried distillers grains and jobs for the local economy. Guardian Lima employs 33 full time Ohioans in positions from chemists to engineers to accountants and administrative support staff. Prior to the opening, there were 120 …
Tapioca Pearls Can Dry Ethanol
Purdue University researchers have found proof in the pudding of a new way to dry ethanol. The current industry practice for absorbing the water that is part of the ethanol production process after fermentation is to use corn grits. But the Purdue study found that the shape and structure of tapioca pearls make them more ideal for the job, not …
Tips For Methanol Safe Handling
Chemicals are an everyday part of operating a biorefinery facility as we learned in Part 1 of Biorefinery Safety Series. Chemicals are also an integral part of biodiesel production. Therefore, it is vitally important that all employees at a biodiesel facility, whether a large operation on a small backyard operation, learn, practice and live safe methanol handling techniques. So today, …
White Paper Answers Questions About Ethanol
A new white paper released by Gold Eagle Co aims to answer questions about ethanol blended gasoline. Gold Eagle sells aftermarket fluids and additives such as STA-BIL Ethanol Performance Improver. “Petroleum Production, Distribution and Discussion of the use of Ethanol Blended Gasoline” answers such questions as, How is gasoline produced? What is ethanol’s impact on gasoline? What is phase separation? …
Renewable Fuels Month Proclaimed in Nebraska
September is officially Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska now after a proclamation signing by the governor today at Husker Harvest Days. Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman joined state soybean board chair Lisa Lunz, NASCAR Nationwide driver Kenny Wallace and Alan Tiemann, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board, in making the declaration. “Nebraska’s renewable fuels sector contributes to local communities by providing …
Ethanol Industry Responds to Feed Availability Concerns
Representatives of the U.S. livestock and poultry industries testified before a House agriculture subcommittee today that changes in ethanol policy are necessary to ensure the availability of corn for animal feed, but the ethanol industry disagrees. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, America’s ethanol producers are on pace to produce nearly 40 million metric tons of livestock feed in 2011 …
How to Properly Handle Chemicals in a Biorefinery
I’ve spent the last few weeks speaking with people in the biorefining industry in an effort to learn more about safety issues and best practices. The result is a series on Biorefinery Plant Safety and part one focuses on chemical safety. Chemicals are a necessary component of producing ethanol or biodiesel. On the ethanol side, some plants use chlorine dioxide …
Committee Urged to Consider Ethanol Feed Production
With the latest USDA forecast showing tighter grain supplies, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry is holding a hearing Wednesday on the concerns of livestock and poultry producers about feed availability and ethanol is likely to be a target for blame. In advance of the hearing, officials with Growth Energy have sent a letter to the committee …
USDA Cuts Corn and Ethanol Forecasts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has lowered its estimate of both corn production and ethanol usage of corn for this year. The latest crop forecast for corn was cut three percent in the August report, due to excessive summer heat that lowered average yields by almost five bushels an acre. The estimate for corn production this year is now 12.5 …
MAPCO Puts Another E85 Pump on the Map in Alabama
Flex-fuel vehicle owners in Madison, Alabama now have more choices in filling up with E85, thanks to MAPCO Express and Protec Fuel. This is the first location for the multi-state MAPCO Express to offer 85 percent ethanol blended fuel. The company partnered with florida-based Protec Fuel to convert the station and equipment and provide the E85 fuel for the company’s …