Just five stops remain for the National Clean Air Green Tour. Covering over 50,000 miles in five months, the tour has been promoting green practices and has participated in the United Nations Billion Tree Campaign and the Adopt-a-Highway Programs along the way.
The last five stops will be made in Evans, GA on October 30th; Lexington, SC on October 31st; Mount Pleasant, SC on November 2nd; Savannah, GA on November 3rd and Jacksonville, FL on November 4th.
The first-ever International Distillers Grains Conference in Illinois earlier this week attracted nearly 600 participants, including 144 international importers and leaders in agriculture.
The conference, sponsored by theU.S. Grains Council, offered participants the opportunity to acquire information pertaining to U.S. distiller’s dried grains (DDG), including inclusion rates, quality assurance, transportation issues and an introduction to U.S. DDG exporters. At the same time, U.S. DDG exporters and interested parties heard from global DDG buyers regarding personal experiences with the ethanol co-products as well concerns.
“This unique conference was an outstanding opportunity for sellers and buyers to talk face-to-face about feeding and purchasing U.S. distiller’s grains,” said Ken Hobbie, USGC president and CEO. “Questions were answered, concerns were addressed, and export potential was strengthened. The ‘rock star’ sponsors of this event were the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council and with additional support from the Nebraska Corn Board. These top ethanol producing states reinforced to farmers there commitment to increasing demand for U.S. feed grains, both domestically and across our borders.”
Alternative energy enthusiasts looking to see some renewable fuels in action can now access a vast array of demonstrations online. GreenEnergyTV.com describes itself as an Online Television Channel that allows millions of viewers worldwide to get plugged in to what’s going on with alternative energy.
Though having been launched only in January 2007, Green Energy TV now has viewers from 104 countries and 6 continents going to www.greenenergytv.com (Source: Google Analytics as of 10/07).
We know that people can and want to make a difference by showing and sharing with the world what they are doing to be green. We welcome companies, individuals, families, schools, kids, teachers and organizations to Upload & Watch videos on the site. It’s free to Upload & Watch videos. Our viewers can search and view the solutions that address their specific need. Videos are also sought from companies, inventors, colleges and universities with existing or breakthrough green energy technology that is waiting to be discovered and marketed to the world. We are a community and a network that is changing the world through Green Media coverage.
Videos we air include: Solar Energy, Wind Power, Hydro Power, Hydrogen, Fuels, Geothermal, Wave/Tidal Energy, Energy Conservation, Recycling, Hybrid vehicles, Organic, Green Building, Recycling, and more.
When it finally opens, Alliant Energy’s first owned-and-operated wind farm should be quite a sight to see as 41 turbines generate green power on 12-square-mile area of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin.
According to a company press release, it will produce enough energy to power at least 17,000 homes:
“This is an important day for Alliant Energy and our customers as we continue to strive to meet the increasing demand for “green” energy,” said Bill Harvey, President and Chief Executive Officer for Alliant Energy.
“Today’s groundbreaking is a step forward in Governor Doyle’s efforts to move Wisconsin into a position to be a leader in alternative energy and to get a handle on global climate change,” said Matt Frank, secretary of Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2008.
Ford’s new Clean Diesel engine… the first time a clean diesel engine has been offered in a full-sized pickup… could be quite a catch for those wanting to be green but needing the power and size of a big truck.
This story in Autospectator.com says the Ford-exclusive 6.4-liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel is quieter, powerful and more capable, while meeting stringent new emissions regulations:
Highlights:
* New 6.4-liter Power Stroke® diesel with Ford Clean Diesel Technology™ provides an increase in performance with a sharp decrease in particulates and emissions
* Sequential turbochargers improve off-the-line performance with smooth acceleration through the power band
* High-pressure, common rail fuel system with Piezo-electric injectors delivers quiet operation without compromising performance
A larger fuel filter better separates water from the fuel, an important asset with the increasing availability of biodiesel.
Ford officials say no diesel engine has ever delivered this much power with such clean emissions.
Twenty-two buses from the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District in the San Francisco Bay area have begun running on biodiesel as a test of the viability of the green fuel.
This story from CBS 5 web site says the Cleaner Fuels Test pilot program is checking the energy efficiency of 20 percent biodiesel:
The six-month study was coordinated with the help of the Chevron Products Company and Cummins Inc., which will provide biodiesel fuel and periodic engine assessments.
The program will study the effectiveness of B20, a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent ultra low sulfur diesel, according to program organizers. The biodiesel used in the blend is produced from “biological sources” and can be used in unmodified diesel engines.
The study hopes to examine the long-term use of B20 in unmodified engines, as manufacturers usually only insure vehicles using fuel blends with 5 percent biodiesel, according to AC Transit.
AC Transit has made efforts to address carbon emissions and their environmental impact for several years, and this pilot program is part of a larger effort.
The 22 buses in the survey are expected to serve 1.5 million passengers and travel more than 400,000 miles in the six-month period.
Take a trip back to a 1960’s science class and learn how ethanol is made, courtesy of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.
This short, informative and amusing little video simplifies the process of ethanol production into a fun step-by-step series of cartoon images. The link to the video can be found on EPIC’s home page.
The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) is the only game in town when it comes to ethanol futures.
According to Reuters, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange recently delisted its ethanol futures contract traded on the Globex electronic trading platform.
CME’s corn-based ethanol contract was delisted, along with its fertilizer contracts for Urea, Urea Ammonium Nitrate and Diammonium Phosphate. There is a sugar-based ethanol contract on New York’s Intercontinentalexchange (ICE).
Reuters reports that CBOT ethanol futures remain thinly traded despite the rapid growth of the ethanol industry in the United States.
Michigan-based Metro Cars is converting the majority of it’s fleet to operate on propane fuel as part of its new Propane Initiative. The self-described leader of transportation in Michigan has also received an award for its propane conversion.
Because of their innovative use of propane to fuel their vehicles, Metro Cars has received the prestigious 2007 PROPANE Exceptional Energy Fleet Award; one of only THREE companies in the country to receive this award. Dan Ret, Chief Operating Officer stated that Metro Cars started the Propane Initiative not to win awards, but because it’s the right thing to do.
“As the largest and one of the most prestigious transportation companies in Michigan and North America, Metro Cars has always been on the cutting-edge of technology,” said Ret.
Metro Cars is committed to the preservation of Michigan’s environment. That’s why they are converting their fleet of luxury sedans and airport shuttles to clean propane technology.
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Kansas State University a three-year grant to study the impact of alternative fuels. K-State researchers are receiving nearly $700,000 to study the social, cultural and economic impacts of the “biofuels revolution” on rural communities in Kansas and Iowa.
The $696,827 grant comes from the department’s Ethical, Legal and Societal Implications of Research on Alternative Bioenergy Technologies, Synthetic Genomes or Nanotechnologies program. The researchers from K-State’s department of sociology, anthropology and social work are: Theresa Selfa, assistant professor; Laszlo Kulcsar, assistant professor; Gerad Middendorf, associate professor; and Richard Goe, professor. They are joined by Carmen Bain, assistant professor of sociology at Iowa State University.
“There has been very little research into the social dimensions of the bioeconomy,” said Selfa, who is the grant’s principal investigator. “We are among a small number of social science researchers examining this topic, which is why this grant is very important.”
As the United States works to reduce its dependence on foreign oil and expand the development of alternative fuels, ethanol plants are springing up in rural communities across the Midwest, including those in Kansas and Iowa. Although such plants often are touted as economic and population drivers, Selfa said that the social and economic costs and benefits haven’t been assessed with in-depth case study research. The project will examine four Kansas communities and two Iowa communities to see whether claims that ethanol plants will revitalize the towns hold true.
