ACE Conference 2026

Discounted E85 in Jackson and Danube, MN

E85 will sell for a discounted rate at two fueling sites in the state of Minnesota on September 18. These are two of 357 facilities in the state.

Cenex-212 1-Stop at 101 East Highway 212 in Danube, Minnesota will offer E85 for 85 cents off per gallon from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Other in-store specials will also be offered during this time. Supporters for this event include: Renville County Corn & Soybean Growers, MN Corn Growers Assoc., General Motors Corp., National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, US Dept of Energy Clean Cities, American Lung Assoc. of MN and The Minnesota Clean Air Choice Team.

To celebrate the FCA 100th anniversary, E85 and B2 will be offered at a special rate at FCA Co-op Cenex at 113 County Road 23 in Jackson. E85 will sell for 85 cents off per gallon and B2 will be offered for 20 cents off per gallon from 3 to 6 p.m. Supporters for this biofuels promotion are: Jackson County Corn & Soybean Growers, Chamberlain Oil Co., MN Corn Growers Assoc., General Motors Corp., National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, US Dept of Energy Clean Cities, American Lung Assoc. of MN and The Minnesota Clean Air Choice Team.

Biodiesel, corn, E85, Ethanol

USDA Crop Forecast and Ethanol Demand

Cindy Zimmerman

USDAThe latest crop production forecast out Friday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture slightly lowered the production estimate of the 2008 corn crop from 12.288 billion to 12.072 billion bushels, which would still be the second highest on record.

“We were expecting to see the numbers decrease a little, but we remain optimistic about this year’s crop,” said National Corn Growers Association President Ron Litterer of Greene, Iowa. “After such a bumper crop in 2007, we were faced with a number of challenges as the 2008 season began. Our nation’s corn growers have done a terrific job dealing with colder spring temperatures and Midwest flooding, and we salute them for their hard work.”

RFARenewable Fuels Association (RFA) President Bob Dinneen agrees that farmers are delivering an excellent crop despite unprecedented challenges. “All indications continue to point toward a remarkable harvest this fall and further evidence of American farmers’ capacity to continue feeding the world and helping to fuel this nation,” Dinneen said.

In the new World Supply and Demand forecast, feed and residual use for corn was lowered by 100 million bushels compared to the August report, to 5.1 billion bushels. Ending stocks were also be lowered, by 115 million bushels, to 1.018 billion bushels. However, the estimate for ethanol use of corn is unchanged at 4.1 billion bushels.

RFA believes that USDA may be overstating gross demand for corn for 2008/2009. According to RFA, Based on USDA’s calculations, American ethanol biorefineries will produce approximately 11.3 billion gallons of ethanol between September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009 (the corn crop marketing year). Given current ethanol market dynamics and the requirements of the Renewable Fuels Standard (which calls for 10.5 billion gallons of starch-based “conventional” ethanol use in calendar year 2009), it is unlikely that ethanol production will reach the levels estimated by USDA in that time frame.

RFA also points out that the USDA estimate of gross usage of corn for ethanol does not take into account the fact that one third of every bushel processed returns to the feed market in the form of distillers grains.

corn, Ethanol, Government, News, RFA

POET Opens Third Indiana Ethanol Plant

Cindy Zimmerman

POET opening VanguardEthanol-powered planes flew in formation in the blue Hoosier sky Thursday to mark the opening of Indiana’s newest ethanol plant in North Manchester.

POET hosted a grand opening event for POET Biorefining – North Manchester, the company’s 24th production facility and the third in Indiana.

POET opening Mitch Daniels“With its third Indiana facility, POET is quickly becoming a household name in our small towns,” said Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. “This new North Manchester facility means more good jobs and an important market for our Hoosier farmers.”

Jeff Broin, CEO of POET, said. “The ethanol that will be produced in this facility will displace over 60 million gallons of fossil fuels annually – decreasing our dependence on foreign oil and saving consumers money at the pump.”

POET Biorefining – North Manchester will utilize 22 million bushels of corn from the area to produce 65 million gallons of ethanol and 178,000 tons of Dakota Gold Enhanced Nutrition Distillers Products™ per year.

Ethanol, Facilities, News

Austrian Views on Food Versus Fuel

Cindy Zimmerman

The issue of food versus fuel was a topic of discussion among international agricultural journalists visiting Austria this past week.

Franz FischlerThe group of 250 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists members representing nearly 20 countries was led by former commissioner of agriculture for the European Union Franz Fischler, a native Austrian. Fischler called the food versus fuel controversy “unfair.”

“They don’t differentiate between food price and agriculture price and the agriculture price is usually only a small component of the final food product,” Franz Fischler said during an interview about biofuels production in Austria.

Fischler says second generation biofuels will be key in meeting long term renewable fuels goals for all countries, but it has to start with first generation ethanol from corn. “That’s why we have to start now,” he added.

Austria has ten biodiesel plants but so far only one ethanol plant.

Listen to Fischler’s interview on biofuels in Austria here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/ifaj/ifaj-08-fischler-ethanol.mp3]

Gerhard WlodkowskiThe president of the Austrian Chamber of Forestry and Agriculture Gerhard Wlodkowski commented on the issue during his welcome address to the journalists. He noted that consumers in Austria are complaining about the increase in food prices, but they “don’t consider that in the year 1970 in Austria everybody spent 33 percent of their income for food and today they spend only 13 percent of their income.”

Wlodkowski said the production of crops for energy is not the reason for higher food prices and, like farmers here in the United States, he says Austrian farmers are quite capable of producing both food and fuel. “The main task of agriculture in Austria will continue to be food but we can still grow the energy crops and that is our motto here,” he concluded.

Listen to Wlodkowski’s translated comments on the topic here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/ifaj/ifaj-08-food-fuel.mp3]

Biodiesel, Cellulosic, Ethanol, International

Biodiesel Board Makes Case for Tax Break

John Davis

Members of the National Biodiesel Board were on Capitol Hill this week, trying to convince lawmakers to renew the biodiesel tax incentive set to expire at the end of this year.

This NBB press release says Manning Feraci, the Vice President of Federal Affairs for the board made the case before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business:

“We have clearly seen a positive impact since the biodiesel tax incentive was enacted as part of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004,” Feraci stated. “Not only has there been an increase in jobs, biodiesel has proven to be a viable energy alternative which is environmentally friendly. Continuing this incentive will take the nation one large step closer to energy independence,” Feraci continued.

In 2007 alone, the U.S. biodiesel industry contributed over $4.1 billion to America’s GDP and provided for 21,803 jobs. The biodiesel tax incentive will foster greater growth within the industry and continue to create and promote new, “green,” jobs. By investing American money in America, this tax incentive also helps break our nation’s addiction to foreign oil.

Earlier this week at the new, green NBB building grand opening ceremony in Jefferson City, Mo., Missouri Congressman Kenny Hulshof made the case why the biodiesel industries needs the incentives. He explained that it’s the only way to level the playing field with the petroleum industry that has been the benefactor of tax breaks for decades… even as it enjoyed record profits.

You can hear Hulshof’s comments here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/Hulshofceremony1.mp3]

Biodiesel

Wazzu Biodiesel Club Gets Start

John Davis

A handful of students at Washington State University are trying to take their energy future into their own hands. While the WSU Biodiesel Club only got about 10 members at their first meeting this week, organizers hope that the student-run operation soon will be producing 200 gallons of the green fuel a day.

This story from the student paper, The Daily Evergreen, says once they start making a profit, the club’s first order of business is to pay back benefactor Bob Richards, who has put $4,000 of his own money into the idea:

So far, all members of the club are engineering majors currently attending WSU.

“There’s really no qualifications necessary to be a part of this club,” [Nate Storrs, a sophomore mechanical engineeering major and a member of the Biodiesel Club] said. “It was just by chance that we are all of the same major. Really we’re just looking for people who would be willing to devote time and energy into a process that they believe to be worthy.” However, not just anyone can hop onto a machine and make biodiesel. Before production can start, members will need to take a hazardous materials course as well as read up on materials that are on the material safety datasheet, to prevent problems down the line. Once preparation is done, the actual production of biodiesel is simple, Smith said. “All it really takes is cleaning out the oils and grease and then mixing it with methanol and potassium hydroxide, and after a heating process you create usable biodiesel,” Smith said.

If you’re on the campus in Pullman, check out the Biodiesel Club at 5:30 p.m. at the Sloan Hall second-floor lounge.

Biodiesel

NBB Ceremony: Biodiesel Part of Solution

John Davis

During this week’s ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new National Biodiesel Board building in Jefferson City, those in attendance included local and state officials and nine members of the Board from around the country.

Ed Hegland, chairman of the NBB, told the crowd that as a family farmer from Appleton, Minnesota he has felt the pain at the pump as fuel prices have skyrocketed.

“However, prices would be about 15 percent higher if biofuel producers were not increasing their output, according to a US Department of Energy estimate,” said Hegland.

And Hegland said that with increased efficiencies, America’s farmers are able to produce the energy AND the food the world needs.

“With biodiesel, we can have both food and fuel.”

Listen to Hegland’s remarks here: NBB chair Ed Hegland [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/EdHeglandceremony1.mp3] Read More

Biodiesel, NBB

E85 Hummer H2 Standard Option in October

Starting in October 2008, General Motors (GM) will begin making the model year 2009 Hummer H2 E85 compatible. The H2 will be the only model of its kind that has the standard engine as flexible fuel.

“A Hummer’s off-road capability and care for the environment are in no way mutually exclusive,” Hummer General Manager Martin Walsh said in a statement. “This is simply one more step in our effort to promote responsible adventure.”

“Using biofuels, specifically E85, is the most significant thing we can do in the near-term to offset rising future energy demands” says Beth Lowery, GM vice president of Environment, Energy and Safety Policy. ““We believe ethanol used as a fuel, not just as a gasoline additive, is the best near-term alternative to the surging global demand for oil because ethanol is renewable and it significantly reduces CO2 emissions compared to gasoline. Best of all, it is available today.”

GM plans on debuting the Hummer H3 as E85 compatible later in 2009. Nearly 3.5 out of the 7 million flexible fuel vehicles on American roads are manufactured by GM.

Car Makers, E85, Environment, Flex Fuel Vehicles, News

Oklahoma Going 100% Wind by 2013

John Davis

Oklahoma might be famously known for its “winds that come sweepin’ down the plains,” and one of the leading universities in the state is going to put that to work.

The Oklahoma City Oklahoman reports officials with the University of Oklahoma in Norman have inked a deal with Oklahoma Gas and Electric to buy nothing but wind power for the campus by the year 2013… a significant increase over the 10 percent wind power the school uses now:

[OU President David] Boren said the switch will cost about $60,000 in initial surcharges, but the university could end up breaking even or making a profit by selling carbon credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange and participating in investment funds with OG&E.

“It is our patriotic duty as Americans to help our country achieve energy independence,” Boren said at a news conference at OU. “We should become a national role model for the environment.”

Boren said OU would be the nation’s largest public college to convert to renewable energy.

The deal is dependent on a new wind farm going up near Woodward, OK and about 140 miles worth of transmission lines to carry the power to Oklahoma City… both of which still to be approved by the state’s Corporation Commission.

Wind

Wind and Biofuels Keep Iowa’s Economy Going

John Davis

While much of the nation’s economy is on shaky ground right now, places in the Midwest, such as Iowa, seem to be doing all right… thanks to wind energy and biofuels, such as biodiesel and ethanol.

This story from the Burlington (IA) Hawk Eye says Mike Tramontina, director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development, recently told a group in Fort Madison that the state is fortunate to be on the cutting edge of the alternative energy market:

While some industries such as housing and auto have taken nosedives, that has been offset by industries dealing with infrastructure, energy and bio-technology, he said.

Tramontina touted the Siemens windmill blade manufacturing plant in Fort Madison.

“If we could actually be lucky enough to keep our economy going and diversify moving into new industries like the new wind industry, into the new bio-fuels industry, into the new bio-economy and sciences industry … maybe we have a chance to absorb some of the workers we see coming out of some of the companies we are seeing out of housing, financial services automobiles and their supply chains,” he said.

Tramontina said the nation’s economy is shifting from an oil-based to a greener bio-based economy, that Iowa is primed to capitalize on.

Iowa now exports more ethanol than it uses, he added.

Tramontina admits that the high price of corn and soybeans has taken a bit of the wind out of the ethanol and biodiesel industries’ sails. But he expects they will come up with new innovations and increased efficiency to help keep them viable.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News, Wind