The largest ethanol facility in Canada is becoming even larger. Suncor Energy has announced plans for a $120 million expansion of its St. Clair Ethanol Plant. The expansion is expected to double the plant’s ethanol production of 200 million litres per year to 400 million litres annually. Expanding ethanol production is part of Suncor’s plan to invest $750 million in …
Algae-ethanol Coming Soon
Well, just as soon as I posted the previous story about Solazyme making the world’s first algae-based biodiesel to meet American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-975 specifications, I found a story about a producer that plans to make ethanol out of algae. This story from Reuters says Algenol Biofuels has big plans for making the green fuel south …
Ag and Energy Chiefs Say Ethanol is Moderating Gas Prices
The U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy sent a letter to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) answering questions about biofuels production and food prices. In the joint letter, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer noted the complexity of the food and fuel pricing issues and cautioned the senator “against hasty judgments driven …
Corn Growers Confident Despite Lowered Forecast
Officials with the National Corn Growers Association say while they are concerned about the potential impact of weather on this year’s corn crop, growers are confident they can meet the demand. “Thanks to a very successful 2007, we started this year off with a significant level of beginning stocks that can help see us through a season of reduced production,” …
Cellulosic Focus at Ethanol Workshop
Moving to second generation ethanol production is obviously a priority for the nation’s ethanol producers. A significant number of the workshops scheduled for the 2008 Fuel Ethanol Workshop next week in Nashville focus on different aspects of cellulosic ethanol production development. Workshops titles include “Cellulose Technology Update,” “Alternative Feedstocks,” “Cellulose Technology Components,” “Enzyme Technology: Cellulose,” and “Cellulose Biorefining.” This is …
High Fuel Prices Drive Support for Ethanol
American motorists are rethinking their driving habits. That is, according to a new survey commissioned by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. The survey shows that consumers think skyrocketing gas prices means the nation should start moving away from oil. The EPIC survey found 47 percent of those polled stated that a fuel price below $5 a gallon should be …
Ethanol Buzz at the 2008 Iowa Corn Indy 250
The 8th race of the 2008 IndyCar racing season is less than two weeks away. IndyCar Drivers hit the track for the 2008 Iowa Corn Indy 250 Sunday June 22nd. The track buzz isn’t just about racing though. The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council has a handful of activities set up for race weekend. On Thursday, June 19th, EPIC and …
Ethanol and Biodiesel Groups React to Anti-Biofuels Coalition
The leaders from the two biggest biofuels groups in the country are countering what they term as a smear campaign against the benefits of biodiesel and ethanol by the nation’s grocers. The National Biodiesel Board and the Renewable Fuels Association (which represents ethanol production in the U.S.) both issued statements today to counter the anti-biofuels campaign launched by the Grocery …