The American Coalition for Ethanol is proposing a solution to gasoline disruptions and higher prices caused by recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico – a 15 percent solution of ethanol.
In a posting on the ACE blog this week, they note that Hurricanes Gustav and Ike have caused nearly a quarter of U.S. fuel production to be shut down, and about 20% of U.S. refining capacity could be lost for months.
In response, states are seeking and the government is granting temporary waivers for certain requirements for gasoline, essentially providing more flexibility to blenders in an attempt to help supply keep up with demand.While officials wring their hands trying to tinker around the edges to free up more gasoline, a largely overlooked source of meaningful relief comes in the form of ethanol – more of it, to be exact.
State and federal officials should look at increasing the percentage of ethanol allowed in gasoline from 10% up to 15% or even 20%. Even if it’s a temporary measure, this would be an immediate solution to increase the availability of fuel.
ACE is encouraging people to ask their state and federal lawmakers to consider E15 an option to deal with the fuel shortages caused by the hurricanes.
The forum will feature both agricultural and food business leaders, including representatives from the National Corn Growers Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, the American Bakers Association, and the Food and Agricultural Organization.
Five Midwestern states have joined together to develop an electric transmission system that should help promote wind energy in the region.
Officials in Parkersburg, Iowa recently received a check for $10,520 to help them rebuild their town destroyed by an F5 tornado back on May 25, 2008.
The money will go toward buying biodiesel that runs the equipment that continues to cleanup and rebuild the town. If you remember the photo on the left from right after the storm happened at the end of May, the town doesn’t look like that anymore. But there’s still plenty of work to do. It’s nice to know that biodiesel will be part of that effort.
Following the route of the famous Cannonball Run of the 1970s (made even more famous by the movie in 1981), a pair of advertising copywriters will attempt to go from the East Coast to the West Coast… entirely non-stop and entirely on biodiesel.
The latest investments bring the company’s total funding to substantially more than $100 million, and Sapphire is now financed to scale up its production facilities to full commercial feasibility. 
“Our discovery is one potential avenue for research to facilitate turning inedible cellulosic biomass, including wood, grass, and various waste materials, into ethanol,” said Dartmouth engineering professor Lee Lynd. “In the near term, the thermophilic bacterium we have developed is advantageous, because costly cellulase enzymes typically used for ethanol production can be augmented with the less expensive, genetically engineered new organism.”
The Biomass Program works with industry, academia and national laboratory partners on a portfolio of research in biomass feedstocks and conversion technologies. Through research, development, and demonstration efforts geared at the development of integrated biorefineries, the Biomass Program helps transform the nation’s renewable and abundant biomass resources into cost competitive, high performance biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. Among its goals is focusing research and development efforts to ensure that cellulosic ethanol is cost competitive by 2012.
Corn grower associations in South Dakota and Kansas have joined with the 
A $14.7 million grant from the state of Iowa was welcome news last week to the company working on a commercial cellulosic ethanol project in the state.
In addition to the $14.7 million that was approved Wednesday, the State of Iowa has awarded another $5.2 million in Economic Development funds. The total amount of funds from the State of Iowa is $20 million. Iowa Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge said the funding insures that Iowa will continue to be a leader in renewable fuels innovation. “The new POET facility in Emmetsburg will be one of the first in the nation to produce cellulosic ethanol.” Judge said. “This represents the next generation in biofuels, and another step towards energy independence.”