Here’s a story that ought to rile up the people who can’t seem to understand the need to provide businesses in America with incentives to develop and use alternative fuels. These folks like to use the word subsidy as if it’s a bad word. I think incentive is a much better word and in the case of this story, it’s more accurate. This is from Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm’s website last Friday:
More on Sugar-Ethanol Study
Here is a link to the power point presentation used by USDA economist Keith Collins during the press conference Monday unveiling the sugar to ethanol study. Have not yet gotten the actual report from USDA, but this might help answer some questions – or generate more.
Riding the Ethanol Express
Truck pulling is another racing event that is being fueled by ethanol. This is Scott Jensen with the Ethanol Express Pulling Team and here is an interview Chuck did recently with Scott explaining what he does and how ethanol plays a role: Jensen Interview (3 min MP3)
Sugar Not So Sweet For Ethanol
Producing ethanol from sugar cane or sugar beets in the U.S. would cost about 2 1/2 times more than it costs to produce it from corn. That is according to a long-awaited USDA study on the economics of producing ethanol from sugar authored by the agriculture department’s top economist Keith Collins. The detailed report compares production scenerios for sugar cane, …
Mixed Marriage
We will probably be seeing more of these types of business unions take place in the near future. Houston-based Marathon Oil Corporation and The Andersons, Inc. of Ohio have signed a letter of intent which “could lead to the formation of a 50/50 joint venture that would construct and operate a number of ethanol plants.” According to a press release, …
MO Governor Says E-10 Bill is a Win-Win
Here’s another picture of Missouri Governor Matt Blunt at one of the several signing ceremonies for the state’s new 10 percent ethanol standard. Here he puts pen to paper as FFA students look on at Missouri Ethanol, LLC located in Laddonia, Mo. The governor also wrote a personal opinion piece in the Kansas City InfoZine about the legislation that will …
Don’t Drink the Fuel
Here is a story from the Des Moines Register about a recovering alcoholic who tried to get unemployment benefits from the ethanol plant he worked for because he drank some 190-proof alcohol that spilled into a holding pond. At the hearing, the judge asked, “Why would you drink fuel?” “I don’t have a good explanation for that,” he replied. “Curiosity?” …
Cellulosic Roadmap
The U.S. Department of Energy has released an ambitious new research agenda for the development of cellulosic ethanol as an alternative to gasoline. According to a DOE release, the 200-page scientific “roadmap” cites recent advances in biotechnology that have made cost-effective production of ethanol from cellulose, or inedible plant fiber, an attainable goal. The report outlines a detailed research plan …
Show Me the Ethanol
Missouri Governor Matt Blunt is signing the state’s new ethanol bill several times over this week. The governor is visiting with corn growers from the southeast to the northwest part of the state for ceremonial bill signings, mostly in areas where ethanol plants are planned or in operation. The legislation requires gasoline sold in Missouri to contain 10 percent ethanol …
New Company To Produce Environmentally-Friendly Corn Ethanol
California-based Western Milling, and venture capital firm Khosla Ventures have announced the formation of Cilion, a company that will operate modular, standardized 55 million gallons per year ethanol plants. According to a release, the new company would use a variety of innovations to make plants that are cheaper and greener than standard corn-to-ethanol plants, substantially reducing the need for fossil …