According to the Des Moines Register, Australia’s Global Ethanol announced plans this week to build a plant in Belmont, IA. This is the same group that recently bought controlling interest in Midwest Grain Processors operation at Lakota, IA. In addition, British agribusiness giant Tate & Lyle announced plans last week to build a plant in Fort Dodge, IA. Global Ethanol …
Mold Could Increase Ethanol Production
According to a release, researchers at Iowa State University have found a way to use mold to convert corn fiber into ethanol. And that could boost ethanol production by about 4 percent or 160 million gallons a year, said Hans van Leeuwen, an Iowa State professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering. “I believe this is a breakthrough,” said van …
Ethanol-Mart
Watch out for falling ethanol prices if Wal-Mart decides to start selling E85. Officials with the world’s largest retailer met recently with ethanol industry representatives to discuss the possibility of offering ethanol at its 383 U.S. gas stations.
Corn Farmers on Ethanol High as Sugar Interests Mull Fuel Future
Corn farmers are “giddy” with the rising use and price of their commodity, according to this article in Business Week from St. Louis. Meanwhile, Florida sugar cane farmers are still hesitant to jump on the ethanol bandwagon, according to this Sun-Sentinel story, saying “As sexy as ethanol sounds, we’ve got to be able to make a profit.” That would be …
Chevron Goes Bio
Chevron Corporation has formed a biofuels business unit to advance technology and pursue commercial opportunities related to the production and distribution of ethanol and biodiesel in the United States, according to a company release. Chevron officially announced the business unit at a groundbreaking ceremony in Galveston, Texas to inaugurate construction of one of the first large-scale biodiesel plants in the …
100th Ethanol Plant Celebration
Approximately 1,200 people attended the grand opening celebration May 26 for the new $80 million Frontier Ethanol – the 100th ethanol plant to begin operations in the United States. The plant, which will produce 60 million gallons of ethanol annually from 21 million bushels of corn, is the 23rd ethanol plant built by Broin Companies. CEO Jeff Broin is pictured …
Saab BioPower
Ethanol can be even more efficient than gasoline with the right engine, and Saab has the engine. According to Mobile Magazine, the 9-5 2.3t BioPower engine runs better on E85 than it does on regular gasoline – 210 bhp compared to 185 bhp. Earlier stories about the BioPower engine, such as this one in Popular Science, say it’s 184 horsepower …
Hawkeye IPO
Hawkeye Holdings, the holding company that owns Hawkeye Renewables of Iowa Falls, IA may raise up to $350 million in an initial public offering, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The company’s prospectus says it is the third largest U.S. ethanol producer based on its 205 million gallons per year production capacity. Read the AP story.
RFA Rings the Bell
The Renewable Fuels Association today opened trading on the NASDAQ stock exchange at its Marketsite in Times Square. RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen (pictured with William O’Brien, NASDAQ senior VP) says he was honored to represent the U.S. ethanol industry during the opening bell ceremony. “Ethanol’s growing importance is being felt on Main Streets and more increasingly on Wall …
Ethanol Consumption Question
I meant to post this yesterday but just forgot in all the excitement. A question came to mind after seeing the massive alcohol consumption going on Friday:
On race day which consumes more ethanol, the fans or the cars?