Ethanol Plant Breaks Ground in Washington State

Cindy Zimmerman December 6, 2006

Washington state is on track for it’s first ethanol plant.

US Ethanol of Vancouver has announced that subsidiary Northwest Renewable broke ground Wednesday on a 55 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in Longview, Wash. When completed, the plant will be the first large-scale facility in the state of Washington to produce ethanol, an alternative fuel typically made from corn.

According to US Ethanol, the plant is expected to begin producation in June 2008.

“We are excited to break ground on this facility, as this is a major step forward in bringing an alternative fuel source to the Pacific Northwest and lessening our country’s dependence on foreign oil,” said Elie Makad, chairman of US Ethanol and Makad Corp., the Longview site’s developer. “Our integrated approach to ethanol production and distribution will ultimately bring locally produced US Ethanol™ branded products, including E85 fuel, direct to consumers along the Interstate 5 corridor.”

Ethanol, Facilities, News

Surveys and Studies on Value of Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman December 6, 2006

Several recent surveys and studies relating to ethanol provide some insight into what consumers think about ethanol, how biotechnology can help fill the demand for both food and fuel, and how domestic sources of energy like ethanol can help revitalize the rural economy. This “Fill Up Feel Good” podcast discusses the results of these studies.

The “Fill up, Feel Good” podcast is available to download by subscription (see our sidebar link) or you can listen to it by clicking here. (5:30 MP3 File)

The Fill Up, Feel Good theme music is “Tribute to Joe Satriani” by Alan Renkl, thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.

“Fill up, Feel Good” is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, Fill Up Feel Good

Pacific Biodiesel Opens Plant #10

Cindy Zimmerman December 5, 2006

Maui-based Pacific Biodiesel opened its 10th biodiesel plant this week in the northern California town of Gonzales.

According to a news release, Pacific Biodiesel built the 10,000-square foot plant for California-based Energy Alternative Solutions Inc., which is planning at least six more plants in California within the next five years.

The Gonzales plant will eventually be able to pump about 3 million gallons of biodiesel per year. The fuel will be made from a combination of virgin vegetable oils and used cooking grease taken from local resources such as crops and restaurants.

According to the Pacific Biodiesel website, the company has built plants in Oahu and Maui, Oregon, California, Nevada, Texas, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Japan.

Wind Powers Ethanol Plant

Cindy Zimmerman December 5, 2006

John Deere Wind Energy is helping to power up a farmer-owned ethanol plant in Winnebago, Minnesota.

According to Agriculture Online, Corn Plus Cooperative is entering into a co-development relationship with John Deere to harness wind energy to help power their plant. When the wind farm is up and running at capacity, approximately 45% of the electric energy demand for the plant will be supplied by wind energy.

Cattlemen Urge Free Market For Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman December 5, 2006

The Nebraska Cattlemen are all for ethanol, but not so much for mandates.

The organization adopted resolutions addressing ethanol markets and mandates at it’s recent annual meeting, according to a news release.

One resolution supports a transition to a market based approach for the usage and production of ethanol and opposes any additional federal or state mandates for ethanol usage and/or production.

Nebraska Cattlemen has worked closely with corn and ethanol organizations to foster mutually beneficial programs and policies. All three industries recognize the interdependence. “We’ve participated in their meetings and visa versa,” NC President Jay Wolf said. “We have a good relationship with them and we’ve all committed to maintain that for the benefit of each of the memberships and for Nebraska in general.”

With regard to national energy policy, Nebraska Cattlemen favors the implementation of a variable import to prevent the price of oil, and its derivatives from dropping below long-term equilibrium prices.

Read more from the Nebraska Cattlemen.

Ethanol

Presidential Advisors Support Biofuels

Cindy Zimmerman December 5, 2006

The President’s Council of Advisors for Science and Technology (PCAST) has issued a report on the role of technology and emerging companies in helping to supply our nation’s energy needs.

According to a release from the Renewable Fuels Association, the report concluded that biofuels like ethanol are a vital and readily available solution to help address America’s dependence on foreign oil and that continued federal involvement is important to the sustained growth of the industry.

“Biofuels offer a clear, near-term opportunity to reduce the Nation’s dependence on oil,” the report noted. “With potential improvements in crop production and biorefineries, cellulosic biofuels could replace a significant percentage of the Nation’s gasoline use by 2030.”

Included in PCAST’s proposals for the federal government regarding increasing biofuels production and use are:
-Increase the use of E10 (10% ethanol blends) as well as encourage the use of higher percentage ethanol blends.
-Support the commercial development of cellulosic ethanol technology.
-Identify lands that would be suitable for energy crop production, i.e. cellulosic material.
-Encourage automakers to increase the percentage of flex fuel vehicles (FFV) manufactured each year.

RFA notes that PCAST also proposes a suspension of the credit offset associated with imported ethanol, which they disagree with.

Read the full report in pdf form here.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, News

Project Golden Switchgrass

Cindy Zimmerman December 4, 2006

A University of Rhode Island plant geneticist has launched “Project Golden Switchgrass” to develop “the variety of enhanced switchgrass that everyone needs” as an alternative crop to produce ethanol.

According to a URI release, Albert Kausch is a world leader in developing transgenic grasses, having spent 20 years genetically modifying turf grasses, rice and corn. He is also an expert on “gene confinement” who is working to create a switchgrass that does not flower or reproduce, thereby ensuring that the genetically modified organisms do not escape into the environment and affect wild switchgrass.

Kausch is now genetically engineering switchgrass that is both sterile and resistant to herbicides, and he has a long list of other traits he hopes to improve as well, including drought tolerance, salt tolerance and cold tolerance. He expects to have test plots of the genetically modified plants on the URI campus within two years, and he hopes the first varieties will be in commercial production by 2011.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, News

Prairie Ethanol Open For Business

Cindy Zimmerman December 4, 2006

Approximately 1,800 people attended Prairie Ethanol’s grand opening celebration for the 60 million gallone per year ethanol production facility Saturday near Mitchell, SD.

According to a news release, the event included a Vanguard Squadron fly-over and a program featuring political dignitaries, industry representatives and company officials.

U.S. Senator John Thune expressed his excitement about being part of the ongoing effort to advance renewable energy. “This plant is a new dawn for farming in South Dakota and a new dawn for our rural economy,” he stated. “The ethanol industry is transforming this state like never before.”

Prairie Ethanol, which will utilize Broin Companies‘ patent-pending BPX™ raw starch hydrolysis process, is one of the most technologically advanced and environmentally friendly ethanol production facilities in the nation.

Democrats to Focus on Domestic Fuels

Cindy Zimmerman December 3, 2006

The House will be forming a new agricultural energy subcommittee in response to the role farming will play in reducing America’s dependence on imported oil, according to Representative John Salazar, a Democrat from Colorado.

The (CO) Summit Daily News reports that Salazar addressed a renewable energy symposium Saturday and said that in the new Democrat-controlled Congress there will be a strong focus on renewable energy and increased energy independence.

“If America were energy-independent, politics in the Middle East would be totally different,” Salazar said. “The only way I can ever see peace is to devalue the only resource they have in the Middle East, which is oil. The only way we can is to develop alternative energy and we must encourage other countries like China to do so, too.”

Salazar sponsored a bill earlier this year that would ensure key provisions of the 2005 Energy Bill pertaining to renewable fuels production would apply to U.S. production only. He is a member of the House committees on Transportation and Agriculture.

Read the story.

Ethanol, News

The Year in Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman December 3, 2006

The December edition of “Ethanol Today” is a celebration of the biggest year yet for the ethanol industry.

The American Coalition for Ethanol publication provides a snapshot of the year in ethanol with some nice graphs and charts to show the industry’s growth.

Ethanol’s expansion in 2006 is an extension of a several-year growth trend. It took 20 years for the U.S. to grow its first billion gallons of ethanol capacity; since 2001, however, the industry has grown by an average 23 percent annually, adding more than three billion gallons of capacity in that time.

In terms of production, Iowa is way out front as 2006 draws to a close with over 1.5 billion gallons a year and Illinois is ranked second with about half that amount. However, that may change by this time next year as number 3 Nebraska has enough plants and expansions on the drawing board to more than double the state’s existing capacity and launch Nebraska to the position of the nation’s second largest ethanol producer.

The article also highlights the Indy Racing League switch to ethanol and pays tribute to ethanol advocate and Indy racer Paul Dana “the person who almost singlehandedly made this possible.”