When Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns spoke at the National Press Club on July 27, the inevitable question about ethanol was asked. “Corn-based ethanol may help the nation reduce its dependence on foreign oil, but critics say that ethanol costs almost as much as the energy it produces. Isn’t corn-based ethanol a wasteful way to produce energy, and won’t it …
Rex Invests in Ethanol
Electronics retailer Rex Stores Corp. has invested the final $10 million in an Iowa ethanol maker. The investment completes the retailer’s $20 million investment stake in Big River Resources, LLC. This article on BizJournals.com says last October, Rex invested the first $5 million in the company: Big River Resources is a holding company for several entities including Big River Resources …
NEVC Testimony
The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC) testified this week at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing on renewable fuels infrastructure, specifically looking at how to change the existing fuel distribution system to account for the anticipated larger volumes of ethanol and other biofuels. ”The 1,251 E85 fueling stations operating today in 41 states across the nation pale in comparison …
North Dakota Gets “e” for Ethanol
A North Dakota law labeling ethanol at the fuel pump with the “e” logo officially went into effect this week. Fargo hosted the state’s official labeling kick-off event on Thursday at the Cenex Convenience Store. North Dakota Governor John Hoeven; Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) executive director Tom Slunecka; state legislators and North Dakota corn growers were all on …
Ethanol-diesel Car
Australia-based Terra Fuel Technologies has come up with what I think is truly a revolutionary device. It’s a box that you add to a diesel engine that allows it to run on ethanol as well. This story on C|NetNews.com says the box allows ethanol to be fuel-injected into the motor: Who in their right mind would want this? Adding ethanol …
Popping the Popcorn Propaganda
The The Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today held a joint press conference and photo-op to dispel claims that ethanol and higher field corn prices result in higher popcorn prices for moviegoers. The “Popping the Popcorn Propaganda” event dramatically illustrated this point by displaying what $5 will buy you at a movie theater …
Florida Ready for Ethanol
Despite a very limited availability in the Sunshine State, Florida consumers appear receptive to purchasing ethanol-enriched fuel at the pumps. A national survey released by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) found that while Florida has a slightly lower familiarity with ethanol than the national average, more than 70 percent of respondents in the state said they were likely …
Presentations and Photos From Farm to Fuel
Presentations from the 2007 Farm to Fuel Summit in Florida are now available on-line at floridafarmtofuel.com. All of the power point presentations from panels on Renewable Fuels Status Reports, Advancing the Science of Bioenergy, Business of Bioenergy, Biomass Resources/Feedstocks in Florida, and Renewable Energy Technology Grants Program are available, as well as the presentation on “25x’25 – America’s Energy Future” …
Government Incentives Key to Ethanol Expansion
Right now, 98 percent of the ethanol produced in the U.S. is made from corn. But in order to meet the 2005 federal mandate of 7.5 billion gallons of ethanol a year by 2012… and then President Bush’s lofty goal of a 20 percent reduction in gasoline usage by 2017… and possibly now the U.S. Senate’s latest proposal of 36 …
Fill Up, Feel Good in Florida
Florida stands ready to fill up and feel good as it endeavors to become a leader in both the production and consumption of biofuels, including ethanol. This edition of “Fill up, Feel Good” discusses the “Florida Needs Ethanol” campaign being conducted by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and features comments made by Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Florida Commissioner of …