Next week, Purdue University and U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar will host an energy summit to discuss industry and policy perspectives on how our nation can significantly reduce its dependence on foreign oil. Richard G. Lugar-Purdue Summit on Energy Security will bring more than 600 leaders to the Purdue campus in West Lafayette, Ind. to discuss national energy issues and policy. …
Absolutely Ethanol
Absolute Energy and its farmer-owners broke ground on a new facility near St. Ansgar, Iowa today. That’s Absolute, with an “e” on the end, for ethanol. These guys are planning on making alcohol for energy, not to be confused with Absolut, the vodka. When complete, this state-of-the-art biorefinery will produce 100 million gallons of ethanol and 320,000 tons of distillers …
Blue + Yellow = Green
Garst Seed Company is showing its true colors. The company recently launched its Blue + Yellow = Green (BYG) initiative. Blue signifies Garst’s leadership in the seed corn industry, while yellow represents kernels of corn bred to enhance ethanol production. Added together, they create green — the color representing the environmental and earth-friendly renewable fuels such as ethanol, as well …
Johanns on Food vs. Fuel
I had the opportunity for a 15 minute interview with Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns today in Kansas City. I was wearing many hats, so I had to ask him questions on several topics, but I did get in a question about food versus fuel when it comes to ethanol. Basically, the short answer is – use all you want, …
US BioEnergy Groundbreaking
A ground-breaking event will be held Friday in Hankinson, N.D. on August 25 for US Bio Hankinson, the biggest ethanol plant in North Dakota. (see previous post). The 100 million gallon per year ethanol plant, being constructed by US BioEnergy Corporation, will consume approximately 36 million bushels of corn and will produce 320,000 tons of distillers grain annually.
Ethanol Ok in OK
Oklahoma Sustainable Energy LLC is well on its way to building a 55 million gallon a year plant in Enid, OK. The Alva (OK) Review Telegram reports that a Monday meeting for potential investors drew “scores of area residents” interested in hearing about the plan. The group hopes to obtain 449 investors for the project which needs a minimum of …
Another One?
Alternative Energy Sources, Inc. of Kansas City, which just announced last week that it is in the process of building the “first cellulosic plant” in the country, (a claim disputed by SunOpta) today announced plans to build a 110-million-gallon ethanol plant 65 miles south of Chicago in Kankakee, Ill. According to a company release, AENS has optioned the entire 248-acre …
Second GPRE Plant Plans
Green Plains Renewable Energy has announced that Agra Industries will be the builder for its second 50 million gallon ethanol plant in Iowa. The company is currently building a 50 million gallon facility in Shenandoah, Iowa. The second plant will be located near Superior. With the two plants, GPRE expects to have the capacity to produce at least 110 million …
Ethanol in the Family
Father and son ethanol racing team Dan and Jamie Schwartzkopf were at the American Coalition for Ethanol meeting last week in Kansas City and I got a chance to chat with them about Schwartzkopf Racing and Wyoming Ethanol. Dan is the general manager of the ethanol plant, which has Renova Energy as its parent company. They also talk about the …
Ethanol Plant For PA
The governor of Pennsylvania has announced the first ethanol plant to be built in the state, as well as a cellulosic pilot plant. Governor Edward Rendell made the announcement Thursday with representatives from BioEnergy International, LLC and Lukoil Americas, two important partners in the project. According to a news release from the governor’s office, the state is providing $17.4 million …