Gulf Ethanol Corporation is pursuing a dual biofuel development strategy focused on processing feedstocks for ethanol in the U.S. and manufacturing biodiesel in Central America. Company officials say they will mainly focus on using its technology to develop non-food feedstocks for ethanol manufacturers in the United States. In Central America, Gulf will utilize feedstocks, such as palm oil, for the …
Demo Cellulosic Plant Enters Start-up Phase
Verenium Corporation has announced that its demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Jennings, Louisiana has entered the “startup” phase. According to officials, the site has been electronically energized and the turnover of individual systems to start-up and operating teams has begun so that the functional capabilities of each system can be tested. In total, more than forty separate systems will be …
Roller Coaster Ride for Team Ethanol
It was a roller coaster ride on a wet track for Team Ethanol at the IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix in St Petersburg, Florida on Sunday. Spirits were high for driver Ryan Hunter-Reay at the start of the race where he had qualified for sixth pole position. After ten laps behind the pace car in the rain, the field opened …
Cellulosic Ethanol Fueled Vette Makes History
Corvette Racing made motorsports history Saturday, scoring the first victory on 85 percent cellulosic ethanol racing fuel (E85R) in American Le Mans Series competition. Drivers Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta won their second consecutive class victory on the waterfront street circuit in St. Petersburg, Florida. “This was our first race running cellulosic E85 ethanol, and we had great performance and …
Green Racing Showcases Ethanol
St. Petersburg, Florida will be the site of the greenest racing event in history this weekend when both the IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series will compete on the streets in the Honda Grand Prix and Acura Sports Car Challenge. This is the second year that the IndyCar Series is racing on 100 percent ethanol and the first …
Former Imperium VP Joins Harris Group
International engineering firm Harris Group, which has a stake in the alternative energy game, has named former Imperium Renewables Vice President Mark Warner as the company’s director of the program management services. A company press release says Warner’s experience with Imperium will serve him well at Seattle-based Harris Group: Mr. Warner led the effort to build the largest biodiesel production …
Government Dispels Biofuels Myths
A new paper from the U.S. Department of Energy tries to put to rest some of the myths that still swirl around biofuels. The document, posted on the DOE web site, takes on some of the most-often repeated arguments against renewable energy with solid facts: MYTH: In terms of emissions, biofuels emit the same amount as gasoline or more. FACT: …
Report: World Biofuel Demand Will Continue to Skyrocket
A study by the Freedonia Group Inc. says that demand for biofuels throughout the world will grow by 20 percent a year to 92 million metric tons in 2011. This article from the International Business Times says the Cleveland-based industry research firm says the demand will increase despite the current food-versus-fuel and environmental debates: Market expansion will come from a …
Farm Foundation to Host Carbon Footprint Forum
Farm Foundation, a non-profit group that works as a catalyst for farm policy discussion, is holding a forum on the lifecycle carbon footprint analysis of biofuels, this coming Tuesday, April 8 from 9 am to 11 am in the First Amendment Lounge of the National Press Club in Washington D.C. Speakers providing opening comments will be: * Bruce McCarl of …
New Iowa Plant Gets Approval
Ethanol start-up, Red Rock Renewables LLC, is moving into the next phase of development on a new fuel ethanol plant to be located in Pleasantville, Iowa. Last week, the company received approval on a final development agreement with the city of Pleasantville and the plant will now move into the next and most critical phase for ethanol plant construction, funding. …