Mary Beth Stanek, GM’s director for Environment and Energy, has been making the midwest rounds recently talking about ethanol and the auto industry. This week she was in Des Moines at a biofuels forum sponsored by Successful Farming magazine. Last month she hit the Jackpot – Jackpot Junction, that is – in Morton, Minnesota where she attended the Minnesota Ag …
Michigan Gov Calls for $100 M for Alt Fuels
As predicted in the Detroit Free Press and reported here yesterday, Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has called for $100 million dollars in public and private money to be put into alternative energy investments. From the speech posted on her website: This new industry, so critical to our economy, our national security, and our environment is already setting up shop …
Missouri’s Half Billion Dollar Biofuels Industry
Missouri’s State Department of Economic Development says Missouri will see $542 million each year for the next several years from the biofuels industry in the state. From a press release on Governor Matt Blunt’s web site: “The production of renewable fuels is one of Missouri agriculture’s greatest success stories,” Blunt said. “In the same way that Missouri’s family farmers rose …
BP Funds Energy Biosciences Institute
BP has chosen the University of California Berkeley, the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to join in a $500 million research program that will explore how bioscience can be used to increase energy production and reduce the impact of energy consumption on the environment. According to a news release, the Energy Biosciences Institute will perform …
Grand Opening Brings Wall Street to the Heartland
US BioEnergy Corporation (NASDAQ: USBE) is celebrating the grand opening Wednesday of the company’s newest ethanol production facility by ringing the closing bell on the NASDAQ from the plant in Albert City, Iowa. The feat will be accomplished remotely via satellite from the 100 mgy plant which actually started operations in December. “Most companies go to New York in order …
Ag Outlook Forum Focuses on Energy
The theme for USDA’s 83rd annual Agricultural Outlook Forum next month is “Agriculture at the Crossroads: Energy, Farm and Rural Policy.” “USDA’s 2007 Agricultural Outlook Forum explores renewable energy’s future in biofuels, cellulosic, methane, and wind,” said Johanns. “The Forum’s national conversation about agriculture centers on the fascinating opportunities and challenges of renewable energy in the next farm bill and …
Michigan Gov to Call for Massive Alt Fuels Initiative
The Detroit Free Press is reporting today that in tonight’s State of the State address Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm will call for $100 million in state spending over the next three years on alternative energy in Michigan. Here’s some of the anticipated highlights: • Investing about $50 million over three years in public and private sector money to pay …
Explorer, Environmentalist, Educator and Ethanol Evangelist
The dogs may be pulling the sled when world-renowned arctic explorer Will Steger departs on his latest expedition February 14, but the trip will be powered by ethanol. When Steger was looking for sponsors to support his Global Warming 101 expedition, he decided that the ethanol industry would be a natural choice. “I’ve been talking up the benefits of ethanol …
Download Freedom Fuels for Free
The documentary “Freedom Fuels” is now available for free download. “Freedom Fuels” takes an in-depth look at renewable fuel sources, such as bio-diesel, ethanol and vegetable oil. It explores the interaction of the petroleum industry and alternative fuels over the last 150 years, and examines the global impact that bio-fuels can have on our future. Visit www.mofilms.org to download the …
Saudi Alabama?
This story in the e-zine Tuscaloosanews.com (a weekly on-line publication produced by the students and faculty of the University of Alabama’s College of Communications) says that the raw products in Alabama have the state poised to be the next Saudi Arabia… at least in the alternative fuels world. Using a combination of fuels produced from chicken poop, cellulose from the …