BP and Verenium Form Cellulosic Ethanol Venture
BP and Verenium Corporation have taken another step in a partnership announced last year by forming a joint venture to develop and commercialize cellulosic ethanol from non-food feedstocks. Both companies have agreed to commit $45 million in funding and assets to the company. The collaboration will be focused on the development of a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Highlands County, …
Record Distillers Grains Exports
Exports of the primary by-product of ethanol production are continuing to skyrocket. According to USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service, exports of distillers grains from the United States nearly doubled last year, up more than 90% from 2007 to total 4.51 million metric tons. Distillers grains are an ethanol co-product used as livestock feed. About one-third of every bushel of corn used …
Stimulus Includes Billions for Renewables
Renewable energy and biofuels are among the big winners in the $787 billion economic stimulus package signed by President Barack Obama today. “Because we know we can’t power America’s future on energy that’s controlled by foreign dictators, we are taking big steps down the road to energy independence, laying the groundwork for new green energy economies that can create countless …
Musical Activist to Headline World Biofuels Meeting
Activist and musician Bob Geldof has been announced as the keynote speaker at World Biofuels Markets 2009 (WBM09) to be held March 16-19 in Brussels, Belgium. Geldof, an Irish musician who launched his activist career by organizing Live Aid in 1985, will discuss how he believes biofuels can help developing countries become more energy independent without impacting food production. He …
Support for Increasing Ethanol Blend Levels
Increasing the approved level for ethanol that can be blended into gasoline is the number one priority for the ethanol industry this year, and recently support for that goal has been indicated by two major players in Congress and the administration. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said in a recent New York …
Ethanol Outlook Brighter
Despite bankruptcies and attacks by environmentalists, the outlook for ethanol is improving, according to the chairman of USDA’s World Agricultural Outlook Board. USDA’s February corn outlook says ethanol blender and producer margins have recently improved and weekly production of gasoline blends with ethanol is on the rise. “We’ve seen relatively lower corn prices as of late and even producers now …
Ethanol Ten Year Projections
USDA’s Economic Research Service last week released its latest long term forecasts for the food and agricultural sector. For ethanol, USDA projects increases in corn-based ethanol production to slow over the next few years, but ethanol demand is expected to remain high and affect the production, use, and prices of farm commodities throughout the sector. According to the report, “continued …
Alt Fuels & Energy Savings Get $80 Billion from Stimulus Package
Congress has passed the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus package, and alternative fuels and energy saving measures will get nearly $62 billion in spending and another $20 billion in tax credits and bond provisions from the measure that Pres. Obama has promised to sign on Monday. This article from ItsGettingHotinHere.org details how some of the money will be spent: Research, …