Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) this week introduced bi-partisan legislation designed to increase the availability of alternative fuels at the pump. According to Sen. Thune’s press office, the Alternative Energy Refueling Systems Act would provide for increased energy security for Americans by providing incentives for gas station owners across the country to install alternative fuel tanks, …
Reuters Global Biofuels Summit
Reuters News Service held a Global Biofuels Summit this week featuring industry leaders addressing a number of topics. Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla told Reuters that he predicts “a rapid rise in cellulosic ethanol production and utility-grade solar power.” Khosla says cellulosic technology is getting closer and closer to the market. “Remember, last year (cellulosic ethanol) was six to 10 years …
Ethanol Should Drive Farm Machinery Sales
When farmers are making money, they tend to spend it on better farm equipment. With grain prices higher and the biofuels business booming, the outlook is bright for farm machinery sales in 2007. According to a Reuters report, sales of farm equipment were disappointing last year despite the higher corn prices, but one industry analyst expects that to turn around …
Pacific Ethanol Announces Idaho Groundbreaking
Pacific Ethanol will soon begin construction on a 50 million gallon per year ethanol facility in Burley, Idaho according to a company announcement. The plant would be located mid-way between Boise and Salt Lake City, Utah and is expected to begin construction within the next thirty days. The Burley Idaho plant site is located on a parcel of 177 acres, …
Ethanol and Hydrogen Working Together
The Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota is leading a project to demonstrate the production of hydrogen at existing and future ethanol facilities in a unique, economical way, providing a near-term path toward a hydrogen economy. According to a center press release, the hydrogen produced could be used on-site in fuel cells to provide additional …
State of the Union Speculation
The anticipation is mounting for President Bush’s 2007 State of the Union address to be made on January 23. The media is already busy speculating about what the president will talk about, with stories out this week that global warming will be on the teleprompter, although the White House is denying reports that Bush will advocate mandatory emissions caps in …
Research to Work on Ethanol from Beet Pulp and Wheat Bran
Biotech firm Dyadic International, Inc. has joined with a consortium in Europe to work on producing ethanol from sugar beet pulp and wheat bran. According to a company release, the Florida-based company will be working on the research and development project with one of Europe’s leading producers of bioethanol, Royal Nedalco, and other partners funded by the Netherlands government. Jan …
First New Fuel Ships for Indy
The first tanker truck loaded with 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol to power this year’s IndyCar® Series left the Renova Energy plant in Torrington, Wyoming this week bound for Indianapolis. According to a release from the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council, the plant was contracted to supply approximately 120,000 gallons of the fuel to the IndyCar Series in 2007. Renova Energy …
Sorghum Growers Sweet on Ethanol
Other crop producers are reaping the benefits of higher corn prices driven by ethanol. Among them are the sorghum farmers, who are meeting this week in New Mexico. Brownfield Network’s Peter Shinn reports that ethanol was the focus of Monday’s general session at the National Sorghum Producers (NSP) annual meeting. NSP President Greg Shelor, a Kansas sorghum grower, told Brownfield …
BIO Supports Governors
The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) supports the incentives outlined in the Governors’ Ethanol Coalition report, Ethanol from Biomass: How to Get to a Biofuels Future. According to a BIO release, “The technology for commercial production of ethanol from cellulosic biomass is ready today, but no modern biorefineries are currently operating to make use of the technology,” said BIO President and …