In a very well-written opinion piece for the Omaha World-Herald, a Nebraska ethanol producer defends his product, the industry and American agriculture.
Chuck Woodside, chief executive officer of KAAPA Ethanol in Minden, NE and secretary of the Renewable Fuels Association, says attacks upon corn ethanol are becoming more frequent and fanciful – but “there’s scarcely a kernel of truth in any of them.”
“Their fundamental flaw is underestimating the ingenuity of the American ethanol industry — and American agriculture as well. Both are becoming more technologically advanced and more efficient in every way, including their use of energy, water and land,” writes Woodside.
Because of efficiency improvements at American ethanol plants, there have been dramatic reductions in the use of water and energy. While production increased at ethanol facilities in the United States from 2001 to 2006, their water consumption decreased by 27 percent, electricity usage declined by 16 percent and total energy use went down by 22 percent.
Not only is ethanol a clean-burning energy source, but its production is also increasingly efficient in its use of resources.
Similarly, producing increased amounts of grain ethanol requires remarkably little land in this country and exerts a negligible impact on land use throughout the world. The total amount of cropland dedicated to American ethanol production in 2007 was only 0.6 percent of the worldwide total.
Moreover, the total amount of agricultural land required to produce 15 billion gallons of grain ethanol in the United States by 2015, as required by the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, would most likely be less than 1 percent of world cropland.
Read the entire op-ed here.
“There is a wealth of information and research on climate change that we need to gather and communicate to our members and policymakers,” said Steve Ruh, chairman of the task force and a farmer in Sugar Grove, Ill. “We also know there is a need for more research to fill the gaps for policy and legislative initiatives that will help us maintain economic and environmental sustainability.”
California-based 
Merrick provides engineering and architectural design-build, procurement, construction management, and geospatial services. 
A new biodiesel plant is set to open in the Myrtle Beach area of South Carolina.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources tested the area where the fuel was dumped and found high levels of explosive vapors. Although ethanol burns cleaner than the hydrocarbons found in gasoline, its vapor can burn with explosive speed when mixed with air in the correct fuel/air mixture. 
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger received at least two more letters this week protesting the state’s proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).
Airmen and soldiers in Alaska could one day be using alternative fuels for their operations.
An American biodiesel maker has headed north of the border, but its product will come back to the U.S.
Massachusetts-based Verenium Corporation, a developer of next-generation cellulosic ethanol, has signed a deal with Swedish provider of heat transfer, separation and fluid handling technologies Alfa Laval to market processes that degums vegetable oils, making them better for biodiesel production.
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) will be awarding $5,000 worth of scholarships to employees and dependents of employees of ACE Voting and Associate member companies and organizations in good standing. The application is now available but 2009 membership dues must be paid for applicants to be eligible.