And the Winner Is…

John Davis

200 Corvette Giveaway ContestantsWell winners, really. And no, they’re not the two cute girls to the right. They were so cute though that I had to use their picture. It was Darron Stewart and his two sons that had brought the magic touch from Carmel, IN to a certain red buzzer. The troupe won a 2-year lease to a 2008 Indy pace car corvette at this morning’s special giveaway. The giveaway was the final event in a month-long promotion to raise awareness of ethanol. Hank FM, The Indiana Corn Marketing Council and the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council have been hosting pump promotions and corvette qualifying opportunities throughout the month of May. Qualifying contestants drew numbers and lined up accordingly to try their shot at pressing the buzzer. Darron and his boys were the lucky ones and walked away with the keys to a 2008 vette.

Check out video of the winning contestants below:

EPIC’s Joanna Schroeder manned the video. Thanks Joanna.


2008 Indy 500 Photo Album

Audio, Car Makers, corn, Energy, EPIC, Ethanol, Government, Indy Racing, News, Promotion, Racing

Scaling Back Ethanol Use Not a Solution to World Hunger for Indiana Corn

John Davis

Joanna Schroeder There’s no question for the Indiana Corn Marketing Council‘s Mark Walters that the three May pump promotions have all been a huge success. Mark (pictured fourth from left) is the Director of the Biofuels Program for Indiana Corn. He says pump promotions help consumers learn about both sides of the ethanol debate. Some of the ethanol positives he points out are things like the creation of new, permanent jobs, a fuel that circulates cash within the U.S., improved air quality and more. One thing he says it does NOT impact in any significant way is global food shortages. “Doing away with the ethanol industry it not going to solve world hunger,” Mark said.

You can listen to more of what Mark has to say in my interview with him here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/epic/walters-mark-pump.mp3]


2008 Indy 500 Photo Album

Audio, Cellulosic, corn, Energy, Environment, EPIC, Ethanol, Government, News

One-third of U.S. Production Meets Quality Program

John Davis

Two more biodiesel producers and a marketer have joined the ranks of those that are meeting a strict fuel quality assurance. BQ-9000 is a voluntary fuel quality assurance program, overseen by the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission (NBAC) and adopted by the National Biodiesel Board and the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association.

This press release from the National Biodiesel Board says an 85 million gallon ADM biodiesel plant in Velva, N.D. and Freedom Fuels of Mason City, Iowa have joined as the latest BQ-9000 producers, while Phoenix, Arizona-based Caljet of America joins as a BQ-9000 Marketer. That brings the total number of companies to meet the standard to 40… or about 33 percent of U.S. biodiesel production:

“Quality is our ultimate goal,” said Freedom Fuels laboratory manager Stacy Staudt. “Everyone works toward that goal from ensuring we receive quality raw materials to performing truck inspections before loading operations begin. Our reputation is based on the quality product we produce and on our commitment to meeting and exceeding the BQ-9000 requirements.”

“We are extremely proud of our BQ-9000 certification,” said Caljet Business Development and Quality Control Manager Mark Ellery. “We take ensuring the quality of our fuels very seriously, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Achieving the ASTM standard on every batch of biodiesel is critical to protect consumers and maintain the reputation of biodiesel as a high quality, high performance fuel,” said Leland Tong, NBAC Chair.

Biodiesel

Crystal Flash Rep Says Ethanol a Fuel for the Future

John Davis

Joanna Schroeder The Crystal Flash at Rangeline in Carmel, IN was the first gas station in the Indianapolis metro area to offer E85 fuel, and that was several years ago. Andy Batt, the Vice President of Merchandising for Crystal Flash fuel retailer, says E85 sales make up about four to five percent of all gallons of fuel sold at the Rangeline location. He says ethanol pump promotions like the one the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council sponsored at his station offer great opportunities to pass savings along to consumers. He says it also helps educate them on what he says has become a very confusing topic. Andy (pictured third from left) says most consumers don’t realize the cost savings that E10 fuel brings to consumers at the pump. Couple that with the fact that the fuel also decreases foreign dependence on oil and, he says, consumers have a sound reason to opt for ethanol fuel blends.

I caught up with Andy at today’s pump promotion. You can listen to why Andy thinks ethanol is a big part of fueling the future here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/epic/bat-andy-pump.mp3]


2008 Indy 500 Photo Album

Audio, Cellulosic, corn, E85, Energy, EPIC, Ethanol, Government, News

Oilman Makes Major Wind Investment

John Davis

A man entrenched in the oil business is looking to the wind for the future.

This story from Engadget.com says billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens is investing $2 billion in a 667 turbine wind farm in Texas:

That would translate to roughly 1,000 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power about 300,000 homes, but Pickens says that is only the start of what he has in mind. As he tells CNN, Pickens says he plans to expand the wind farm to a full 4,000 megawatts by 2015, which would likely make it the biggest wind farm in the world. What’s more, in addition to pumping out electricity, the wind turbines would give a boost to the pocketbooks of anyone willing to put ’em on their property, with Pickens estimating that each turbine will generate about $20,000 a year in royalty income, although they apparently won’t get electricity straight from the turbine in their backyard.

Wind

Challenge X Approaches D.C.

John Davis

Teams participating in Challenge X, a multi-year engineering competition with 17 university teams from across North America developing GM vehicles, is getting ready to pull into the nation’s capital.

They’ll be finishing up a 400-mile road rally from New Jersey to Washington, D.C. with the finish line at U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters tomorrow (Wednesday, May 21st).

This YouTube video has some more information:

To see a little bit more about what Challenge X is all about, check out this from the competition’s web site:

Since 1987, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has sponsored more than two dozen competitions challenging thousands of engineering students to achieve better fuel economy and lower emissions while maintaining the safety, performance, utility, and consumer appeal of a variety of vehicles.

Now, General Motors Corporation (GM), DOE, and other government and industry leaders have developed a new competition called Challenge X: Crossover to Sustainable Mobility. This ground-breaking, three-year competition will give engineering schools an opportunity to participate in hands-on research and development with leading-edge automotive propulsion, fuels, materials, and emissions-control technologies.

Car Makers, Miscellaneous

Driver Justin Wilson Says Ethanol Makes IndyCars Go Fast

John Davis

Joanna Schroeder Newbie IndyCar Driver Justin Wilson (pictured 2nd from left) says race car drivers want to go as fast as technology will let them. He says ethanol helps IndyCars do just that. Justin is referring to the smaller tank size and the improved torque when burning 100 percent ethanol fuel. When the IndyCars operated on methanol just a few years ago, the gas tanks held 34 gallons. But now, drivers see the same kind of mileage while burning just 22 gallons of ethanol. Justin says that amounts to extra performance and higher speeds.

Justin began driving in the Indy Racing League this year when Indy and the Champ Car World Series merged in February. He pilots the No. 2 McDonald’s car for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing.

I spoke with Justin at today’s pump promotion sponsored by EPIC and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council. You can listen to Graham talk about his experience with driving on ethanol here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/epic/wilson-justin-pump.mp3]


2008 Indy 500 Photo Album

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, News, Promotion, Racing

National Wind Building Major Nebraska Project

John Davis

Wind power builder National Wind Assessments is putting up a major project in Nebraska.

This company press release says National Wind will put in 10, 60-meter meteorological (met) towers for Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), which serves about one million customers in the state:

Nebraska ranks sixth in the country in wind power potential, but currently ranks 19th in installed capacity, with just 73 MW of existing projects. As the primary owner and developer of a 60 MW wind energy facility in Ainsworth, NPPD has led the charge for wind power development in Nebraska.

Meteorological towers are becoming a crucial component of every wind development project. Typically a minimum of one year, on-site wind data is needed to effectively site a wind farm.

“We are pleased to provide our wind assessment services to Nebraska’s leading utility company,” says Kevin Romuld, President of National Wind Assessments. “We are excited NPPD chose us to help capture Nebraska’s wind resources and we look forward to working with them on this project,” says Romuld. “I think being chosen as part of the RFP process, validates National Wind Assessment’s expertise and efficiency in met tower installation and wind resource analysis.”

The towers will be installed in two phases with the first one to begin this month.

Wind

Hythane Gains in Popularity

John Davis

,A new fuel made by mixing natural gas and hydrogen is gaining in popularity. Eden Energy owns the technology to “Hythane” purported to reduce greenhouse gases and particulates that affect air quality.

In a company press release, Eden Energy says Hythane® was developed to help make a practical and affordable transition from petroleum-based fuel to hydrogen:

“Like Xerox, Hythane has entered the language to describe both our original product and all the others following in its footsteps,” said Greg Solomon, CEO, Eden Energy Ltd. “What remains unique about Hythane® is our optimized blend hits a ‘sweet spot’ with hydrogen that results in a 95% reduction in emissions compared to petroleum diesel. Even compared to cleaner natural-gas powered vehicles, Hythane reduces harmful nitrogen oxides by half.”

New projects using Hythane® and Hythane derivatives in truck and bus fleets are being reviewed for funding in many U.S .cities such as New York, Syracuse, Albany, Niagara Falls, Las Vegas, Barstow, Santa Monica, and Sacramento. National programs are also underway in India and China.

Eden Energy officials add that their company has been tapped to put in the first public hydrogen fueling station in New Delhi, India. That country wants 20 percent of all the vehicles in the country to run on hydrogen by 2020.

Hydrogen, Miscellaneous

Graham Rahal Says Ethanol is Sweet…

John Davis

Hank FM interviews Dallara No. 06 IndyCar driver Graham Rahal…sweet-smelling that is. Graham Rahal, driver of the No. 06 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Dallara was one of three IndyCar drivers at the Crystal Flash pump promotion in Carmel, IN this afternoon. The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council sponsored the event.

This is Graham’s first season racing with an engine that runs on 100 percent ethanol fuel. The switch to an ethanol-fueled car also proved to be rather sweet for the 19-year-old Indy competitor. Graham won his first ever Indy race in St. Petersburg, becoming the youngest driver to win a major motorsports victory. Graham snagged the 13th pole position for his biggest race to date, the Indy 500.

I managed to snag some face time with Graham in between radio spots and autograph requests during today’s pump promotion. You can listen to Graham talk about his experience with driving on ethanol here: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/epic/rahal-graham-pump.mp3]


2008 Indy 500 Photo Album

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, News, Promotion, Racing