Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty was among the dignitaries who attended the groundbreaking for a new ethanol plant at Janesville, Minnesota last Friday.
The 100-million-gallon-a-year plant is being built by US Bioenergy, one of the leading ethanol producers in the country. From a company press release:
“The start of construction on our Janesville plant marks another important milestone in the growth of US BioEnergy. Our team continues to execute our business plan with great success, keeping the company on track to reach its stated goal of 700 million gallons of production by the end of 2008,” stated Gordon Ommen, US BioEnergy’s CEO. “This plant, which will be our first in Minnesota, also further contributes to the geographic diversity of our facilities. We are particularly proud to have Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, a national leader on the issue of renewable energy, join us for the occasion and to help create new economic opportunities for the greater-Janesville community.”
“In many ways, Minnesota has been the birthplace of the renewable energy movement and this plant marks another important step along the way,” Governor Pawlenty said. “Utilizing homegrown renewable fuels is good for our farmers, it’s good for rural economic development, it’s good for national security, and it’s good for the environment. We are very fortunate to have resources here in Minnesota and across the Midwest to support this need and visionary companies helping lead the way.”
Aptly named Freedom Fuels, LLC has opened a new biodiesel plant near Mason City, Iowa (see picture from the 
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries… better known as OPEC… is starting to feel the heat of the increased use of biofuels. And the 
But one group that is pleased is the Renewable Fuels Association. In a statement e-mailed to energy.agwired.com, the group’s President Bob Dinneen praises the legislation, especially the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels, the majority of which must be the next generation such as cellulosic ethanol:
“Low carbon renewable fuels like ethanol are providing our nation a way forward to decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating new jobs and real economic opportunity. The bill Majority Leader Reid has brought to the floor of the Senate strikes the right balance between building on the progress the U.S. ethanol industry has achieved and providing the incentives necessary to realize the full potential of the industry in the future.
The CEO of the 
The slogan for the Indy Racing League is “I am Indy,” and that’s especially true for ethanol producers who are proud to be a part of this great sport.
“Energy costs have a much greater impact on consumer food costs as they impact every single food product on the shelf,” said Urbanchuk. “Energy is required to produce, process, package and ship each food item. Conversely, corn prices impact just a small segment of the food market as not all products rely on corn for production. While it may be more sensational to lay the blame for rising food costs on corn prices, the facts don’t support that conclusion. By a factor of two-to-one, energy prices are the chief factor determining what American families pay at the grocery store.”
The 
Much of the debate has been centered on the notion that the U.S. will not be able to produce enough corn to satisfy all markets, creating shortages and intensifying competition that will continuously drive the price of corn higher. However, industry officials say advancements in seed, farming and ethanol technologies are allowing American farmers to continue feeding the world while helping to fuel our nation. 
The Senate Finance Committee intends to discuss the tax plan on Tuesday, according to the committee chairman, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. The proposal would extend dozens of tax breaks, such the one for building wind turbines. It also would create incentives such as tax credits for technology to capture carbon dioxide – the leading greenhouse gas – from power plants.
“I’m not impressed with wind being the national energy source for America,” said Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., who led the opposition to the renewable fuels standard.
Blue Earth Biofuels, which is building a 40-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel refinery with capabilities to go to 120 million gallons, has gotten the green light from the Hawaiian legislature to move forward with the project. But,