The 2007 Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium held in Des Moines this week focused on “Biofuels and Biofoods: The Global Implications of Emerging Technologies.” At the event, more than 700 leading policymakers, industry executives, and agricultural and food science experts from over 65 countries, gathered to explore the international impact that biorenewable energy will have in the coming decades. One …
Green Energy Could Hit $1 trillion by 2030
A report from a major financial institution says the economic future of wind, solar, geothermal power, and biofuels looks very bright. This story from the GroovyGreen.com web site has more details: U.S. Bank Morgan Stanley has estimated that global sales from clean energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal power and biofuels could grow to as much as $1 …
Blue Fire Gets Biomass Funding
BlueFire Ethanol Fuels of California has been approved to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy loan guarantee program for clean energy projects.. According to a company release, BlueFire Ethanol was recognized for its proposed project to build a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in California using an array of low-cost feedstocks including landfill waste. “The Department of Energy’s continued encouragement …
Old Classic, Renewable Fuel
The biggest news for the “Great Race” organizers so far is the prospect of powering a ’67 Aston Martin with E-85 for the entire 2008 trek from New York to Paris. The Great Race Web site reports: 2008 Great Race entrant, Rich McKone of Peoria, Illinois is converting his 1967 Aston Martin DB6 to run on Ethanol E-85 for the …
KL Process Design Group First Cellulosic Plant
While we’ve been listening to people talking about when someone will build a commercially viable cellulosic ethanol production plant one company has actually gone ahead and done it. That’s what KL Process Design Group claims. I met with their leadership team at the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit. Pictured are (L-R) Dave Litzen, Tom Slunecka, Randy Kramer and Steve Healey. I sat …
EPIC Executive Director Going Cellulosic
One of the sponsors for the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit and Domestic Fuel coverage of it is the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. EPIC Executive Director, Tom Slunecka was on hand and we sat down for a chat. I’ve been waiting to do this since he announced that he’s heading on to a new opportunity with KL Process Design Group (more …
Bob Dinneen Chairing Cellulosic Ethanol Summit
The Chairman of this year’s Cellulosic Ethanol Summit is the “Reverend of Renewable Fuels” and RFA’s own Bob Dinneen. Bob got us started and has been sort of emceeing the activities here. I sat down with him for a chat to get his perspective on cellulosic production and energy legislation. Bob says that RFA is sponsoring this event because the …
The Birth of Buckeye Renewable Fuels Association
There will soon be a number of ethanol plants in operation in Ohio. To help them and the biodiesel industry as well, a new group has been formed called Buckeye Renewable Fuels Association. BRFA is headed up by long time corn grower leader Mike Wagner. In fact, he says the Ohio Corn Growers are playing a key role in the …
A Sorghum Producer Perspective
One of the people I met with here at the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit is Tim Lust, CEO of the National Sorghum Producers. Tim provided me with a historical perspective on how sorghum has been involved in ethanol production. For example, he says that the first ethanol plant to use sorghum in the production of ethanol was in New Mexico 20 …
Cellulosic Ethanol Summit Day Two
The Cellulosic Ethanol Summit is wrapping up this morning in Washington, DC. I haven’t been able to post much from it due to a complete lack of internet access in the venue (Almas Temple Club). So I’m playing a little catch up. The program has been pretty much back to back panels and speakers on a variety of topics related …