The 20th annual American Coalition for Ethanol conference and trade show is underway in St. Paul, MN. The event officially kicked off Tuesday after the golf tournament with a presentation by the CityHome O2 Diesel progran on how the ethanol industry can make positive headlines in our nation’s third largest city – Chicago. After proven success in several communities, CityHome™ …
California to Blend More Ethanol
In an effort to cut down on global warming, California regulators have stepped up the amount of ethanol to be blended in the state’s fuel supply. Currently, the state puts ethanol in gasoline at a six percent rate. That goes up to 10 percent in 2010. This article from the San Francisco Chronicle points out the problem with that: not …
E85 Days of Summer
Expect some long lines at the pump Wednesday morning at the Kroger Store in Irving, Texas. Kroger and General Motors have teamed up to sell E85 at that site for just 85 cents per gallon between 7:30 am and 9:30 am on August 8 as part of a promotion to spotlight GM’s flex fuel vehicles. The price is nearly 70 …
Kansas Cellulosic Plant Coming
Abengoa Bioenergy will formally announce the site of its cellulosic ethanol plant later this month, but word is already out that it will be located in the southwest Kansas town of Hogoton. The $300 million project, which will be partly funded by a $72 million Department of Energy grant awarded earlier this year, which will also include a traditional corn-to-ethanol …
Johanns Meets the Press Club
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 …