Illinois Corn to Hold E85 Challenge

The Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA), Gateway International Raceway and Mustang 5.0 Magazine will sponsor an E85 Challenge at Gateway International Raceway, in Madison, Illinois on October 15. According to ICGA, this is the first national event of its kind will showcase street legal, production line built and custom made performance cars running on America’s fuel.

ICGA“The Challenge will show how flexible E85 is in today’s cars and shine a spotlight on how ethanol, known primarily for its environmental and economic contributions, is also a high octane product,” said Art Bunting, Illinois Corn Growers Association president.

“We are proud to host this event right here in Madison, IL and we are equally proud of all the American farmers for their significant contribution to renewable fuels for this event and for our country’s future.” said Lenny Batycki, of Gateway International Raceway.

The quarter mile track E85 Challenge will begin at 2:00 p.m. and plans to conclude by 4 p.m.

corn, E85, Ethanol, News

Missouri to Offer New Ethanol Blends at the Pump

According to a press release from the Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri will soon be offering additional blends of ethanol at fueling pumps. A pilot program was announced allowing the sale of 10 – 85 percent ethanol fuel.

MCGA“This is an important step towards providing Missouri consumers with new energy options that can offer both economic savings and improved fuel mileage,” said Gary Clark, Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA) senior director of marketing. “Our goal is to work with MDA and fuel retailers across the state to make sure proper and workable measurement standards are established while helping install locations where consumers can benefit from these mid-range ethanol blends.”

A partnership between MCGA, Missouri Renewable Partners, Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) and the Missouri Department of Agriculture Weights and Measures Division are working together to implement this new program. LifeLine Foods-Ethanol Division in St. Joseph, Mo., has served as a representative from Missouri’s farmer-owned ethanol industry in this pilot. The program has been awarded a one-year permit and will then be reviewed by MDA for statewide implementation. All pilot locations must be approved through the MDA Weights and Measures Division and MCGA.

Currently, ethanol blends higher than 10 percent are only approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for FFVs.

corn, E85, EPIC, Ethanol, News

Pacific Ethanol to Open New California Plant

Cindy Zimmerman

Pacific Ethanol has announced the start-up of its Stockton, California facility. The Company will hold a grand opening ceremony for its second California ethanol plant on October 10.

Pacific Ethanol“The start-up of our Stockton plant marks the achievement of our goal of 220 million gallons of annual production capacity and dramatically increases the availability of renewable fuels produced in the state of California. As the largest fuel market in the United States, California will benefit from locally produced ethanol and its feed co-products,” said Neil Koehler, Pacific Ethanol’s President and CEO.

The 60 million gallon per year Stockton facility is located at the Port of Stockton, with access to water, rail and road transportation. This San Joaquin Valley area is also home to over one million dairy cows, providing a ready local market for wet distiller’s grains and other ethanol co-products produced by the plant.

Pacific Ethanol is the largest West Coast-based marketer and producer of ethanol with plants in Madera and Stockton, Calif.; Boardman, Ore.; and Burley, Idaho.

Ethanol, Facilities, News

USDA: Corn, Soybean Stockpiles Up

John Davis

Rains and flooding kept farmers in the Midwest corn and soybean belts out of their fields for a long time this spring. But according to a new report from the USDA, the actual stockpiles of the main feedstocks for ethanol and biodiesel are higher than expected.

This story in Forbes says the U.S. has a 30-day stockpile of soybeans… a relief for biodiesel producers who have been worried what a tight supply could do to their industry:

A survey of farmers and warehouses pegged the stockpile at 205 million bushels on Sept. 1, compared with the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Sept. 12 forecast of 140 million bushels or a three-week supply.

Soybeans are widely used by food makers and livestock feeders, besides being exported. Some 3.1 billion lbs, or 13 percent, of soybean oil will be used to make biodiesel in the coming 12 months, USDA said.

USDA revised its estimate of the 2007 soybean crop to 2.676 billion bushels, up 3.5 percent, based on the stockpile figure, reports on exports and processing, and farm program data.

In a pair of reports, USDA said the corn and wheat stockpiles were larger than a year ago. This year’s wheat crop totaled 2.5 billion bushels, up 2 percent from its previous report and the largest wheat crop in a decade.

Corn and soybean prices on the Chicago Board of Trade fell on the news… once again, good news for the ethanol and biodiesel industries… with November beans down 25 cents at $10.69 a bushel and Decemmber corn off six-and-a-half cents at $5.06-3/4.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, News

Wind, Biodiesel Tax Credits Could Be in Trouble

John Davis

As lawmakers wrestle over a bailout for Wall Street, some renewable energy producers on Main Street are wondering if they’ll at least get an extension of some valuable tax credits.

This story from Agriculture Online quotes Senator Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, as saying that if Congress adjourns without passing a tax relief bill, it would be a catastrophe because of how reliant wind and biodiesl are on their tax breaks:

The tax bill, which also would prevent more Americans from being caught by the Alternative Minimum Tax when they file next April, contained several alternative energy tax breaks championed by Grassley. It extended a tax credit for wind energy through 2009, as well as a $1-per-gallon tax credit for biodiesel.

The House on Monday refused to take up the legislation, partly because conservative Blue Dog Democrats refused to support it unless more of the tax breaks were offset by spending cuts.

Grassley said he wasn’t certain what the effect of not extending alternative energy tax credits beyond the end of this year would be. In 2004, a similar delay in extending the tax credits for wind shut down that industry for six months, he said, adding that he believes the industry is stronger today.

Grassley says he doesn’t think Congressmen will want to go home and face constituents who would now have to pay the Alternative Minimum Tax. About 23 million people would have to pay the AMT… as much as an extra $2,000 in the tax bills for those who make less than $200,000.

Biodiesel, Legislation, Wind

September Big Month for Ethanol in Iowa

According to the American Lung Association of Iowa, September has proven to be THE month for ethanol blended fuels! The state held several successful events promoting the domestically grown fuel.

“We would like to welcome our first three blender pumps to the state of Iowa: Galva Holstein in Galva, Unity Biofuels in Olds, and Popkes in Rock Rapids,” noted Jessica Zopf of the Iowa Clean Air Choice Team. “Collectively these pumps offer E10, E15, E20, E30, and E85. A big thanks goes to the Department of Agriculture for attending and showing their support for cleaner-burning fuels! A special thanks also goes to Kum & Go for their commitment to offering renewable fuels with their 17th E85 location in Iowa.”

Following is a run down of the events the past month:

Sept. 3rd: Kum & Go Ground Breaking, Johnston, IA for E85 site
Sept. 5th: Unity Biofuels, Olds, IA pumped 600 gallons of ethanol-blended fuel
Sept. 6th: Green Fair, Urbandale, IA with Bob Brown Chevrolet
Sept. 8-9th: Biobased Industry Outlook Conference Display, Ames, IA
Sept. 10th: Kum & Go, Urbandale, IA pumped 1150 gallons of E85
Sept. 12th: Popkes, Rock Rapids, IA pumped approximately 600 gallons of ethanol-blended fuel
Sept. 15th: Farmer’s Coop, Forest City, IA pumped 1000 gallons of E85
Sept. 17th: Galva Holstein, Galva, IA pumped 1335 gallons of ethanol-blended fuel

October also looks to be a busy month in the state of Iowa.

blends, E85, Ethanol, Facilities, News

US to Become Biodiesel Leader by 2012

John Davis

A research service for the chemical industry say that the U.S. is poised to be the world leader in biodiesel consumption by 2012.

According to a press release posted on MarketWatch.com, SRI Consulting has published its Global 2008 Biodiesel Report, which says Americans will consume nearly one-fifth of all the world’s biodiesel by 2012… a dramatic turnaround from being a distant second to Europe just a few years ago:

A slower pace of growth is projected for the global biodiesel industry due to market uncertainties: ongoing fuels versus food debate, rising raw material costs, changing regulatory environment, a slowing global economy and the current financial crisis.

An important development over the last several years has been the shift in global biodiesel patterns. Only five years ago Europe was a dominant player, with 83% of capacity. By 2007 the European share had declined to about 46% as North America and Asia grew to 23% and 19% respectively.

The release goes on to say that the future success of the biodiesel industry will rely on political support and incentives.

blends, corn, Indy Racing, National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition

Improvements in Ethanol Efficiency

Cindy Zimmerman

A recent report clearly illustrates the energy improvements being made at ethanol biorefineries across country.

Christianson and AssocAccording to the report by John Christianson, CPA of the independent accounting firm Christianson & Associates, the average amount of energy as measured by British Thermal Units (BTUs) required to produce ethanol and a livestock feed co-product across all ethanol production technologies was reduced by 13.5 percent between 2004 and 2007.

The most efficient biorefineries demonstrated an even more dramatic reduction 19 percent reduction in BTU energy requirements, today using fewer than 21,000 BTUs per gallon of ethanol produced. In addition, electricity usage at ethanol biorefineries also declined. The Christianson report shows a 13% reduction in electricity consumption at the average ethanol facility.

Read the entire report here.

Ethanol, News

Nebraska Ethanol Forum

Cindy Zimmerman

The Nebraska Ethanol Board, in cooperation with the University of Nebraska Center for Energy Science Research, is hosting a policy forum in October to discuss issues of rising energy and food prices.

NE EthanolThe forum will provide an opportunity for Nebraska policymakers and consumers to better understand how ethanol policy plays a role in economic development, energy security, agriculture and the environment.

The Nebraska Ethanol Board is inviting presentations from a diverse group of people, including corn growers, restaurant owners and livestock feeders. Confirmed presenters include Dr. Ken Cassman of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Dr. Terry Klopfenstein of UN-L, Michael Kelsey of the Nebraska Cattlemen, Jon Holzfaster of the Nebraska Corn Board, and Jim Jenkins, rancher, restaurateur and chairman of the Nebraska Ethanol Board.

The forum is scheduled for Friday, October 24 at 9 a.m. at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

Ethanol, food and fuel, Food prices

Algae Biodiesel From Catfish Farms

Cindy Zimmerman

Algae on catfish pondsAlgae has traditionally been a nuisance to catfish farmers, but it could end up being a new source of income for them and a new source of energy for the southeast.

Ron PuttRon Putt, an associate research professor at Auburn University, has been studying the feasibility of using algae from catfish farms for biodiesel production. “Currently I have a small project that is going to demonstrate the ability to harvest algae from the catfish ponds in the western part of Alabama,” Putt says. “I see them as the core of the algae farming industry throughout the southeast. My goal is to turn the southeast conference into the new OPEC.”

He says catfish farmers have embraced the idea that believes could help the catfish industry which has been struggling with lower priced imports and high feed costs.

Randall Weiseman of Southeast Agnet interviewed Ron Putt at the recent Northwest Florida Bioenergy Conference and Expo. Listen to that interview here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/biodiesel/john-harper.mp3]

algae, Biodiesel