As summer officially begins, events in Iowa to promote and expand the use of E85 are shifting into high gear. The American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest reports that Iowa Governor Chet Culver and Lt. Governor Patty Judge will address a workshop at Wallace Auditorium in Des Moines for 100 managers and directors of state-owned vehicle fleets on Thursday, …
Ethanol Weathers Tariff Repeal Attempt
An attempt to end the 54-cent-a-gallon tariff on foreign ethanol has been turned away in the U.S. Senate. This story in the Des Moines Register says that Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire had made the argument that it was costing motorists on the East Coast: “I would rather buy ethanol from Brazil than oil from Venezuela. It just makes …
Ethanol Education Bill Pending
A bill pending in Congress would provide grants to community colleges to implement renewable energy education and training programs. This press release from the Renewable Fuels Association says the New Era Act, introduced by Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley, is before a congressional committee and would promote an educated and skilled workforce to meet the demands of an expanding renewable fuels …
Pioneer Revs Up for Iowa Indy
Team Ethanol partner Pioneer Hi-Bred International sponsored an appearance of ‘Discover Ethanol,’ complete with the Team Ethanol IndyCar simulator, at the Downtown Farmers’ Market in Des Moines this past weekend to promote the upcoming Iowa Corn Indy 250, the inaugural IndyCar Series race in Iowa. Iowa-based Pioneer, a subsidiary of DuPont, teamed up with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council …
Thune Warns of Ethanol Fight
South Dakota Senator John Thune says Senate leaders want to pass an energy bill by the Fourth of July… but warned a group of about 100 people this week at the Ethanol Public Policy Summit in Sioux Falls that conflict looms on the horizon. This story in the Argus (SD) Leader says some powerful opponents are against some key provisions …
Electronics Retailer to Make Ethanol Investment
REX Stores, usually known for selling televisions, stereos, and appliances is buying into ethanol. According to this story posted on BizJournals.com, REX will invest between $35 million and $62 million in ethanol-producer One Earth Energy, which plans to start to build a 100-million-gallon-a-year plant this year in Gibson City, Illinois: This purchase will allow Rex to secure a majority ownership …
Doyle Calls for Biofuels Backing
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle is calling on Republicans in his state’s legislature to back his plan to spend $30 million on renewable energy. TV station WKBT in La Crosse posted this AP story on its web site and said Doyle made the call in front of a biodiesel plant in De Forest: Doyle is still smarting from Republicans on the …
Gearing Up For Iowa Corn Indy 250
It’s time for the Iowa corn growers to really showcase their stuff this week as we lead up to the Iowa Corn Indy 250. Here’s a little promo you can listen to (mp3). The race is being sponsored by the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and is being “presented” by Ethanol. This new race on …
Groundbreaking at Janesville Ethanol Plant
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty was among the dignitaries who attended the groundbreaking for a new ethanol plant at Janesville, Minnesota last Friday. The 100-million-gallon-a-year plant is being built by US Bioenergy, one of the leading ethanol producers in the country. From a company press release: “The start of construction on our Janesville plant marks another important milestone in the growth …
Ethanol Plants Could Make Biodiesel
Ethanol refiners are looking at ways of getting more products out of the raw ingredients they are using, and one of those new products could be biodiesel. Normally, corn is used to make ethanol and soybeans are used in biodiesel. But this article on the Truth About Trade & Technology web site says many ethanol plants are looking at changing …