The Minnesota Agri-Growth Council is hosting a celebration of America’s food, agriculture and energy industries during the second night of the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities. AgNite is a non-partisan event independent from the RNC being coordinated by the council with the help of numerous sponsors, including the ethanol industry under the auspices of the Renewable Fuels Association. …
A Destiny of Sustainable Energy
Destiny, Florida, the first eco-sustainable city in the country, is creating Florida’s first sustainable energy farm. This press release from the green city just south of Disney World in Central Florida says the Destiny Sustainable Energy Farm will be a learning center, applying and showcasing 21st century farming technologies and practices to produce alternative fuels: “Destiny’s Energy Farm will be …
Colorado Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Confirmed
A cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant is planned for Grand Junction, Colorado. Lignol Energy Corporation has received approval from the U.S. Department of Energy to locate the facility on the western slope of Colorado. The approved location is a change from the originally proposed site adjacent to Suncor Energy refinery in Commerce City, Colorado. According to the company, the Grand Junction …
Lab to Test Ethanol Feedstock Powders
Gulf Ethanol Corporation has contracted a commercial testing laboratory to perform analysis on its preprocessed feedstock powders. Microbac Laboratories has over fifteen years’ experience in analyzing a wide range of biomass products. They work directly with national Renewable Energy Laboratories and various private entities to characterize and analyze biomass materials. According to a company release, Gulf Ethanol CEO Bill Carmichael …
Ag Secretary Defends Ethanol in WSJ
The Wall Street Journal published a letter to the editor this week from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer that defends ethanol and the nation’s biofuels policies. Schafer wrote the letter mainly in response to an op-ed by Texas Governor Rick Perry that appeared in the paper after EPA’s recent decision to deny his request to waive the Renewable Fuels …
Transition to Bioeconomy Conference
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer will be the keynote speaker at the Oct. 15-16 conference, Transition to a Bioeconomy: Environmental and Rural Development Impacts. Secretary Schafer will address public policy challenges for the bioeconomy. Also featured on the program will be Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas Dorr. The conference is is a collaboration of Farm Foundation, and USDA’s …
Enterprise Taps Sayre to Head Biofuel Efforts
St. Louis-based Enterprise Rent-A-Car has named Dr. Richard Sayre, a leading biofuels researcher, to head its Institute for Renewable Fuels at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis. This press release says the company created the Institute in 2007 with a $25 million gift from the company’s founding family, the Taylors… who own Enterprise, National Car Rental and …
Agribusinesses Join Forces for Cellulosic Ethanol
Three global agribusiness giants have teamed up to explore technologies and processes to turn crop residues into feed and bioenergy products. Archer Daniels Midland Company, Deere & Company and Monsanto Company will work together to identify environmentally and economically sustainable methods for the harvest, storage and transport of corn stover that can be used as feed for animals, as biomass …
US and China to Study Sorghum for Ethanol
As athletes were racing for the gold in Beijing last week, representatives from the United States and China were in Texas teaming up in the race to develop new feedstocks for ethanol. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China signed an agreement to collaborate on biofuels research during the …