Iowa Agency Offers Energy Independence Plan
An Iowa agency designed to find the best ideas for energy efficiency and production in the state has released its 2008 Plan for Energy Independence. This story from the Environment News Service says the Office of Energy Independence has also issued about $6 million for half a dozen renewable energy projects across the state: Under the plan, Iowa’s Office of …
E. coli Helps Make Ethanol
Researchers in California are looking at turning a bacteria that is deadly for humans into biofuels… which are decidedly healthier for people and the planet. This story from Los Angeles’ CBS 2 says work at UCLA is looking at using E. coli to make ethanol: Scientists at UCLA have for the first time produced E. coli that can generate alcohol …
Florida Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Approved
Plans for a cellulosic ethanol plant in Highlands County, Florida were approved by county commissioners last week. The commissioners granted a special use permit for Verenium to build a cellulosic biofuels plant on 95 acres land currently owned by Lykes Brothers farms. Officials say the plant will cost about $350 million to construct and will produce 36 million gallons of …
Ethanol Use for Hydrogen Research
A research team in New Mexico is studying the possibility of putting biofuel into a fuel cell. According to director of the University of New Mexico’s Center for Emerging Energy Technologies Plamen Atanassov, they hope to “link the world of biofuels with the world of fuel cells.” A major grant from the Department of Energy’s EPSCoR program brought together research …
Missouri Ethanol Plant Expansion
A Missouri ethanol plant is undergoing a $2 million expansion that will increase the plant’s capacity and provide a larger market for locally produced corn. POET Biorefining – Laddonia was built in September 2006 with a capacity of 45 million gallons per year (MGPY), but it actually is producing almost 52 MGPY, according to General Manager Robin Venn. The expansion …
Corn Growers Updated on VeraSun
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is keeping corn growers updated about the status of pending contracts with the bankrupt ethanol producer VeraSun. Attorneys for NCGA say that VeraSun generally seems to be handling grower contracts based on the original ownership of the ethanol facilities, but growers need to check with the plants directly to determine what arrangements can be …
IRS Offers Biodiesel, Ethanol Tax Guidance
In a previous post, I told you how I felt that with all the holidays and the bowl game season how this was truly the most wonderful time of the year. Unfortunately, it leads into the most DREADED time of the year… tax time. The end of the year means that lots of folks will be getting their tax information …
Ethanol Report with RFA President
In this edition of the “Ethanol Report” podcast, Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen talks about President-elect Obama’s cabinet choices, input from the ethanol industry on “green jobs”, and why he believes the industry will meet future goals for cellulosic production under the Renewable Fuels Standard. You can listen to “The Ethanol Report” on-line here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/rfa/ethanol-report-23.mp3] Or you can subscribe …
POET Pitches in to Help Santa
Leave it to the world’s largest ethanol producer to also be in contention for one of the largest hearts as well. Our friends at the Poet Biorefining plant in Glenville, Minnesota are playing Santa this week to 27 families in their local area who just need a little help this Christmas. This story from the Albert Lea (MN) Tribune explains …