Part of the Proud History of ACE

Cindy Zimmerman

Back in 1987, a man by the name of Merle Anderson saw the need for a grassroots organization to support a new use for corn that would help farmers as well as the entire country. His vision became the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and 25 years later, Merle is Chairman Emeritus of the organization he helped to found.

“When I found out about this ethanol thing, I got a religion that I was never able to shake,” Anderson said. “I could see that this was some way to balance demand for agriculture.”

Anderson is proud of what the ethanol industry has accomplished in 25 years but sorry it has taken so long. “I thought it was all going to happen a lot quicker than it actually has,” he said.

Merle, pictured here with his sweet wife Lee who has been at his side for nearly 69 years, gets frustrated by ethanol critics. “I think we’re getting a bum deal when we shouldn’t be,” he says, since it keeps us from sending more dollars overseas.

Anderson proudly notes that Lee is the only woman who has attended every single ACE meeting for the last 25 years and she’s happy to see how it has turned out. “I think they have gotten a long way, but there’s a lot of opposition and I wish them the best,” she said.

Listen to my interview with Merle and Lee here: ACE Founder Merle Anderson
2012 ACE Conference Photo Album

ACE, Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News

ACE Marks 25 Years of Grassroots Ethanol History

Cindy Zimmerman

American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) president Lars Herseth of South Dakota was pleased to welcome more than 250 ethanol industry representatives to the 25th annual meeting of the grassroots organization, with the theme of “Proud History, Bright Future.”

“We know that we have a challenging, though a bright future in front of us,” said Herseth, a livestock producer who strongly supports ethanol, noting that the current situation facing the industry due to the drought will be short-lived. “So certainly we don’t want to look at any rash decisions to solve a short term problem.”

Listen to his opening comments here: ACE president Lars Herseth

ACE Executive VP Brian Jennings says one of the characteristics that has defined the organization since 1987 is the need to “humanize” the benefits of ethanol. “The need for there to be a grassroots voice for ethanol is as critical today as it ever was,” said Jennings.

Discussing the attacks on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by critics in the face of this year’s drought, Jennings pointed out that there is no good reason to change it. “It’s the drought that’s the problem, not the RFS,” he said. “If they had the evidence that the RFS was causing severe harm to the economy, they would have convinced a governor by now to submit a valid petition to EPA and we would be well into the process.”

Jennings said the industry is very grateful for the support of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) but wonders why other ethanol supporters have been so quiet lately. “We haven’t had enough of our champions come to our defense,” he said.

Listen to Jennings’ comments here: ACE Executive VP Brian Jennings

Vilsack and a few other supporters, like Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), will be at the ACE meeting tomorrow. Check out the photo album link and watch for updates from the conference.

2012 ACE Conference Photo Album

ACE, Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Kansas Ethanol Producer Blames Drought for Shutdown

John Davis

A Kansas ethanol producer is blaming the drought for a shutdown coming this fall. Officials with East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC in Garnett, KS announced they will temporarily suspend production operations beginning October 1st, 2012:

The company cited the prolonged drought conditions as having a negative impact on availability of corn and rising feedstock prices as the main reasons for the halt of production. Additionally, the demand for gasoline is down resulting in surplus ethanol stocks. These challenges led to the Company to reduce plant production capacity by 20 percent on April 1, 2012.

Bill Pracht, Chairperson of the board said, “We have studied the situation extensively and with the challenging economic conditions the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interest of the company and its shareholders to halt production at this time.”

“We will monitor the situation with the hope to resume production of the facility as soon as market conditions allow,” Pracht added.

The 42-million-gallon-a-year plant has been producing ethanol since 2005.

Ethanol, Ethanol News

How Do You Handle Data Storage

Chuck Zimmerman

It doesn’t look like the ag world is ready to embrace the cloud to store precious data. Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Will you use the cloud to store your data?” According to the results 62% said No, too many risks. Only 20% said Yes, already do and 18% said Yes but looking for better options. So how do you handle the storage of all your data today? Stick it onto an external hard drive? Keep it on your computer’s hard drive? Are you backing up? Do you keep a copy of that data off site? Something to think about if you haven’t already. We don’t use the cloud to store data for the reason that we have lots of data and in order to upload and access it you need more massive internet access capabilities than currently available. Then there’s the whole cost of that storage on an on-going basis. We triple back up our data too. This system is working for us right now.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, Do ag journalists (broadcast/print/web) adhere to good ethical practices in reporting? This topic of ethics always comes up at meetings like the Ag Media Summit. It usually generates a lively debate. How do ag journalists handle the interaction with advertisers and maintain some kind of neutrality in their reporting? That’s a good question. Our belief is that transparency is the key. We do our best to make sure our sponsors are known and the interviews we do with them are right there for you to listen to directly. Feel free to respond or posts your thoughts here in comments.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

ZimmPoll

Consumers Choosing Carbon Offsets at Pump

Joanna Schroeder

Consumers in California have been choosing to purchase carbon offsets when they fill up at the pump. Propel Fuels has been operating a pilot program with its flagship Clean Mobility Center in Fullerton, California. When a consumer purchases carbon emissions offsets it goes through the Carbonfund.org Foundation. Since Propel launched CarbonOffset in May, nearly 1,000 customers have spent $1.00 per fill and offset more than 160,000 pounds of CO2 at one station.

“It’s encouraging that, even during a period of high fuel prices, consumers are choosing to pay a little extra to offset their emissions, one tankful at a time, to help make progress toward our nation’s clean energy goals,” said Matt Horton, CEO of Propel. “By making carbon offsets convenient and cost effective, we’re helping consumers take part in the clean energy movement, even if their vehicles don’t run on renewable fuels.”

The program is not just for consumers driving cars and trucks. Fleet drivers can also participate and keep track of their efforts through the CleanDrive program. Members receive personalized emissions reports that include CO2 reductions, barrels of oil displaced and equivalent annual impact of mature trees.

When carbon offsets are purchased, Carbonfund.org Foundation uses the money to fund projects focusing on renewable energy, methane capture, energy efficiency, reforestation and other carbon emission reduction projects. CarbonOffset participants are currently helping to fund the Truck Stop Electrification Project, an initiative that provides truck drivers the ability to access heating, cooling, internet, TV and other amenities by plugging into electricity rather than idling their diesel engines.

Due to the early success of the program, Propel plans to expand the program to more locations. “The early success of Propel’s CarbonOffset program is strong evidence that consumers are ready and willing to support clean energy, especially if the cost and benefits are clear,” added Eric Carlson, President of Carbonfund.org. “Thanks to Propel, thousands of drivers can vote with their dollars to support clean energy and domestic, renewable fuels.”

biofuels, Carbon

Biofuel Industry Responds to Big Oil’s Call to End RFS

John Davis

The American Petroleum Institute today said the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) is not working and needs to be changed. In a statement, API says the eventual goal of 36 billion gallons in 2022 would raise ethanol concentrations in gasoline to more than 20 percent… while many vehicles will be hard-pressed to deal with more than a 15 percent blend. Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis is blasting “Big Oil’s” claims and says the RFS is working:

First generation ethanol is exceeding its goals and is now 10 percent of our nation’s gasoline consumption. Next generation fuels such as advanced and cellulosic are progressing, and given time will meet the goals outlined in the most significant energy policy ever enacted by the federal government.

The gall of API to suggest biofuels do not improve our air quality and environment is laughable. Biofuels are cleaner than oil under all circumstances.

Buis was joined in his criticism by leaders at the Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA):Read More

AEC, Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Growth Energy, RFA

More Biodiesel, Ethanol Choices on I-75 Green Corridor

John Davis

Taking that cross-country, summer trip just got a little greener as four more E85 ethanol and three more biodiesel blend stations have opened up along Interstate 75 in Georgia. That particular road is part of the I-75 Green Corridor Project, running from Michigan to Miami, Florida. The stations are being made available through East Tennessee’s Clean Fuels Coalition’s (ETCleanFuels) part in the I-75 Green Corridor Project, with the folks from Protec Fuel installing their seventh alternative fuel station along the route:

ETCleanFuels’ goals for this program are to collaborate with partners to add E85 and B20 pumps all along I-75, making it the longest alternative fuels corridor in the United States. ETCleanFuels is a non-profit Clean Cities coalition based in Knoxville, Tenn. (which is along the I-75 Corridor). Clean Cities strives to introduce fleets and individuals to alternative fuels and bring more of those fuels to their respective regions throughout the country.

Out of the 25 E85 or biodiesel stations originally planned for installation through the I-75 Corridor Project, 20 have been installed so far and another 10 are in various stages of planning or installation. Although Protec is the lead for these stations, connecting Chattanooga to Atlanta, Protec is also partnering with ETCleanFuels for several other stations in Tennessee and Florida, thereby assisting in close to half of all the project’s stations by its finish.

“We are honored to be a major partner, fuel station installer and fuel provider for this important project,” said Steve Walk, an executive director of Protec Fuel. “This project can prove biofuels are accessible, and hopefully turn new users onto renewable fuels,” he said.

The new locations for the green fuels are in Rocky Face, Ringgold, Acworth, and Dalton, Georgia. Check the I-75 Green Corridor Project website to find out more specifics where to get your fuel.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Ethanol News

GRFA Refutes Biofuels Production Halt Due to Drought

John Davis

Members of the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance say calls to reduce or even halt production of biofuels in the face of the U.S. drought are “pennywise, but… pound foolish.” The group is responding in particular to International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Director General Shenggen Fan’s call to stop producing corn-based biofuels through the following statement:

“Calls to curtail biofuel production and use because of one bad growing season in the U.S. is putting the cart before the horse. We don’t yet know how extensive the damage from the drought in the U.S. will be, nor do we know how farmers in the rest of the world will respond to stronger markets for their crops.

Biofuels have proven to be an effective way to help lift rural communities worldwide out of poverty. Stronger grain prices have spurred investments in agricultural production that are yielding more crops from the same acre of land. In turn, this is helping traditionally food and energy poor nations become more self-sufficient. Eliminating the market created by biofuels would be a setback to progress made in these areas and could very well increase poverty rates.”

GRFA went on to point out that investment “in domestic biofuel production is spurring innovation and evolution in the industry” and removing biofuels from the mix would just make the world more dependent on the finite supply of non-renewable petroleum.

biofuels, International

Suntech Reaches 1 Gigawatt Milestone

Joanna Schroeder

Suntech Power has reached a major milestone: production and delivery of more than 1 gigawatt of solar panels. The company is one of the first in the world to achieve this feat. Globally, nearly 7GW of Suntech solar panels have been shipped to more than 1,000 customers in 80 countries. In total, Suntech solar panels have the ability to generate close to 9 terrawatt hours of electricity per year.

How much power is that? According to the CIA World Factbook, enough energy to cover the all the power needs of Costa Rica or Paraguay. As in yes, the entire country.

“This is a great milestone for our team and, most of all, a tribute to our customers – their success is our success. Although it’s a highly-competitive period for solar manufacturers, there’s never been a better time to be a solar customer and that’s what matters most to our industry’s longevity,” said John Lefebvre, President of Suntech America. “Utilities from Arizona to Chile are recognizing solar’s unique value proposition and ability to deliver low-risk, long-term price stability in an energy era defined by fossil fuel price instability. Solar offers a brilliant value proposition today that will only improve with time.”

Founded in 2007 in San Francisco, California, in 2010, Suntech opened a 30MW solar module production facility in Goodyear, Arizona, which has since expanded to 50MW and now runs around-the-clock. Suntech employs about 180 people throughout the Americas and is continuing to grow.

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Gevo Ships First Biobased Isobutanol from Minn. Plant

John Davis

Next-generation biofuels and renewable chemicals producer Gevo, Inc. has shipped its first batch of biobased isobutanol from its production facility in Luverne, Minnesota.

“We are laser-focused on our startup at Luverne,” said Patrick Gruber Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Gevo. “With the completion of our offerings last month, we have the funding in hand to complete the next phase of our strategy. That strategy builds on our successful startup at Luverne.”

“Our outstanding team started up the plant on schedule, and is well into the learning that startups of new technologies bring,” said Dr. Gruber. “We’ve achieved some major milestones having produced and shipped isobutanol from this plant so quickly. So far, the startup is going about as expected; it’s a lot of hard work and very rapid learning. Producing isobutanol is great, but learning to produce it day in and day out, becoming a reliable supplier, is what we have to learn next. I’m awed by the skill and dedication of our team executing this startup operation. Their experience has always been the basis for our confidence in commercializing our highly valuable technology. I’m pleased with what has been accomplished so far.”

Gevo is in the business of converting ethanol plants into its renewable energy and chemical refineries.

biobutanol, biofuels