New Energy Secretary Involved in Ethanol Research
President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Dr. Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist and director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to be his Secretary of Energy. Dr. Chu has been heavily involved in biofuels research to find alternative and more efficient feedstocks for ethanol and biodiesel production. At a 25x’25 Renewable Energy Summit earlier this year in Omaha, Chu said, …
USDA Lowers Corn Usage for Ethanol
The latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) from USDA projects less corn being used for ethanol this year. According to the report released this morning, ethanol use for corn was lowered by 300 million bushels lower “as prospects for blending above federally mandated levels decline.” Financial problems for ethanol producers are reducing plant capacity utilization for existing plants …
Positive Ethanol Plant News
Despite the tough economic climate for all industries, including ethanol, there are still some plants moving toward production. BioFuel Energy Corp. of Denver has reached a debt repayment plan with Cargill and two other debt holders to help the company get two plants on-line in Nebraska and Minnesota. According to a release from BioFuel Energy, “Despite the significant hedging losses …
Automakers Submit Loan Plans-Reaffirm Commitment to FFVs
Reported from the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, the Detroit 3 automakers (Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors) submitted plans to the Congress which seek bridge loan funds in order to sustain business operations during a period of unprecedented decline in demand for new motor vehicles. As part of each of their business plans, the Detroit 3 restated their previous commitments to …
Iogen Provides Cellulosic Ethanol for Race
For the second year in a row, Iogen Corporation of Canada fueled Green Alternative Motorsports’ (GAM) high performance race vehicle with cellulosic ethanol for the 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race in Willows, California. Iogen manufactured and provided 300 gallons of cellulosic ethanol for the GAM LeMans Prototype (LMP3) car #87 for the 25 hour race in which the car …
ACORE Forum Urges New Ethanol Policies
The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) held a two day forum on Capitol Hill last week with hundreds of renewable energy executives, financial experts, and policy makers who remain optimistic about the industry’s future. The 2008 Phase II of Renewable Energy in America National Policy Forum featured Policy recommendations on renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable development, the environment and …
Crumbling Infrastructure Hurting Rural Ethanol & Biodiesel Industries
Rural America’s infrastructure challenges cut to the heart of the six challenges outlined during this morning’s session of the Farm Foundation’s Food and Agriculture Policy Summit being held in Washington, D.C. As you might have read on my earlier post over on AgWired.com, this morning, Farm Foundation Pres. Neil Conklin outlined the six major areas of challenges facing agriculture over …