VeraSun Energy will hold a grand opening ceremony for its 110 million-gallon-a-year ethanol plant at Charles City, Iowa on August 17th, 2007. A company press release says Democratic Presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama will be the keynote speaker at the event… which still has its exact time to be determined. The grand opening actually comes several months after the plant …
Michigan in the Cellulosic Race
Mascoma Corporation of Cambridge, Mass. is planning to build a cellulosic ethanol facility somewhere in Michigan by the end of 2009, putting that state in the race to be the first in the nation to produce ethanol from wood on a commercial scale. Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm joined Mascoma Corporation CEO Bruce Jamerson in making the announcement. “Mascoma’s decision …
New Team Ethanol Driver Debut
Ryan Hunter-Reay said he would be happy if his first IndyCar Series race ended with a “top 6 or 7” finish and he got his wish. He finished seventh, overcoming some mechanical problems in practice. “It felt great. The first time out in these cars with no testing and to finish in the top seven feels like a win for …
Cellulosic Ethanol Toast
There was reason for a cellulosic ethanol celebration at the second annual Farm to Fuel Summit held in St. Petersburg last week. In this photo released from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, UF Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources Jimmy Cheek (left), UF Distinguished Professor of Microbiology Lonnie Ingram (center) and Verenium Vice …
Simmons’ Statement
Now former Team Ethanol car driver Jeff Simmons released a statement this week after being replaced on the Rahal-Letterman team. “I want to thank everyone involved in the Team Ethanol program for all of their support and friendship. I was honored to be a part of the program and to have the opportunity to carry on Paul Dana’s vision. I …
Florida Getting Ethanol
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) both had a presence at the Florida Farm to Fuel Summit this week in St. Petersburg. Matt Hartwig with RFA (pictured at the podium) drove home the growth of the ethanol industry, the economic importance and what RFA has been doing in Washington to help the industry …
Giuliani Promotes Ethanol During Iowa Campaign Stop
Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani says he can lead America to energy independence, and of course, tells Iowans during a campaign stop in the Hawkeye State that ethanol is one of the keys. This story in Forbes points out that Iowa leads the nation in ethanol production. And right now, it leads in presidential campaign promises: Presidents going back to …
Florida Farm to Fuel
Government and industry leaders addressed a sold-out crowd at the second annual Farm to Fuel Summit in St. Petersburg on Thursday. Florida governor Charlie Crist told the group that fuels made from agricultural commodities have reached the tipping point in terms of public acceptance. “It’s finally registered with everybody that this is something that is not only good for the …
Ryan Hunter-Reay New Team Ethanol Indy Car Driver
Rahal Letterman Racing announced today that Ryan Hunter-Reay will be taking over driving duties with the team’s #17 Team Ethanol car effective immediately. I look forward to meeting him soon and I’m sad to see Jeff Simmons replaced. As Bobby Rahal explains in the announcement which I’ve posted below, Jeff stepped into a difficult situation last season. I think Jeff …
USDA: Half of Livestock Producers Feeding Ethanol Co-products
A new USDA report says that about half of the cattle and hog operations in a 12-state Midwest region either fed ethanol co-products or considered feeding them to their livestock last year. This story from Cattle Network.com says about 9,400 livestock operations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin were surveyed. …