Another Cellulosic Partner for Broin

Cindy Zimmerman

Broin CompaniesIn its quest to make cellulosic ethanol an affordable reality in the near future, Broin Companies has formed a partnership with biotech industry leader Novazymes.

According to a press release, the partnership will “take the next steps needed to bring cost-effective ethanol derived from corn stover to market.”Novezymes
The collaboration is an extension of the close partnership between the two companies and is a great opportunity for Novozymes to put its unique biotechnology platform at work and for Broin to aim at a fast commercialization.

Earlier this month, Broin announced a partnership with DuPont for the same purpose.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, News

Ethanol Injection Engine Could Help Boost Fuel Efficiency

Cindy Zimmerman

MIT MIT researchers are working on a smaller gasoline engine that could get better fuel economy by injecting ethanol when a performance boost is needed.

According to MIT, these small engines could be on the market within five years, and consumers should find them appealing: By spending about an extra $1,000 and adding a couple of gallons of ethanol every few months, they will have an engine that can go as much as 30 percent farther on a gallon of fuel than an ordinary engine. Moreover, the little engine provides high performance without the use of high-octane gasoline.

Basically, the researchers say this technology would be similar to a hybrid, but less expensive, and would help reduce the amount of gasoline used. The ethanol injection system with the turbocharger would give a driver more power than a conventional engine of the same size.

Reuters did a good story on this development, so did CNET news.

Ethanol, News

Alternative Fuel Project Funding

Cindy Zimmerman

DOE The U.S. Department of Energy is providing $8.6 million for 16 projects to expand the use of alternative transportation fuels.

According to a DOE release, combined with funding from the participants, more than $25 million will be invested in the nation’s alternative fuel infrastructure. The grants are part of the Clean Cities program and were selected under three topic areas including Refueling Infrastructure for E85 and Alternative Fuels; Incremental Cost for Alternative Fuel Vehicles; and Idle Reduction Training and Awareness for School Districts.

The funding includes projects all over the country, and includes both ethanol and biodiesel. Under the Refueling Infrastructure topic area alone, the 13 projects selected include the installation of alternative fuel blending and refueling infrastructure at over 180 locations in 25 states and the District of Columbia.

Read full press release.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, News

Secretaries Stump for Cellulosic

Cindy Zimmerman

Mike Johanns energy secretaryThe US Secretaries of Energy and Agriculture each talked about the need for cellulosic ethanol in two different venues this week.

Energy Secretary Sam Bodman speaking at the Chicagoland Innovation Summit on Tuesday said ethanol is America’s best alternative energy source for the future, but researchers must develop a material other than corn to make it from. According to a Dow Jones report, “Eventually, we’re going to run out of the ability to make ethanol from corn,” Bodman told Dow Jones Newswires after the speech.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns was in Minnesota meeting “with state and local leaders Tuesday to talk up the emerging technology of cellulosic ethanol production – making ethanol from wood chips, corn stalks, alfalfa and other biomass types,” according to this Associated Press report. Johanns also said corn-based ethanol can’t meet the nation’s demand.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, Government, News

HyVee Gas Pump in Iowa

Chuck Zimmerman

HyVee Gas Pump in IowaHello from Iowa. I’m not up here for anything related to renewable fuels but when you’re a blogger you see things of interest everywhere.

I gassed up at a HyVee gas station and their higher octane gas containing ethanol was a lower price than regular. All the pumps have ethanol labels that promote the fuel additives benefits for cleaner air.

Ethanol

AgriTalking about Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

AgriTalk Ethanol is pretty much a daily topic of discussion on the “AgriTalk” radio show that airs on about 70 mostly Corn-belt area radio stations, as well it should be considering major sponsors of the program include ADM, Monsanto, VeraSun, and National Corn Growers. Here are a couple of recent programs:

Ethanol design company Fagen Inc. was a major sponsor of this year’s national cornhusking contest in Columbus, Neb. where Agri-Talk did a live broadcast on October 20, 2006.

Robert White, Director of Operations for the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council was a guest on Agri-Talk October 23 to discuss the new E85 equipment rulings.

Ethanol, News

McCooking With Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA Rural Development The state of Nebraska is receiving $38 million from the USDA Rural Development agency for renewable energy and conservation, with most of the money to be used for an ethanol plant in McCook.

According to the McCook Daily Gazatte, the funding incudes a “$10 million Renewable Energy Systems Guaranteed loan and a $25 million Business and Industry Guaranteed loan to S.W. Energy, LLC.”

Additionally, $2.4 million in 9006 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Improvements grants and a $300,000 Value-Added Producer grant were awarded to153 rural small businesses and agricultural producers to assist in areas of renewable energy resource development and energy efficiency improvements of existing systems.

Ethanol, News

Mid-Am Dream Becomes Reality

Cindy Zimmerman

Mid Am Bond Exactly one year from the day they broke ground, Mid-America Biofuels held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of their 30 million gallon a year plant in Mexico, Missouri. Lots of good friends, like Senator Kit Bond pictured, were there to congratulate the nearly 400 agricultural producers who purchased shares in Biofuels, LLC and then formed a joint venture with Archer Daniels Midland Company; Ray-Carroll County Grain Growers, Inc.; MFA Oil Company; and Growmark, Inc.

Mid America Biodiesel Representatives of the Missouri Soybean Association were on hand to celebrate the grand opening of the plant that will use soybean oil to make diesel fuel.

“A year ago today, we came together to break ground for this facility. With the dedication and support of U.S. Senators Kit Bond and Jim Talent, Governor Matt Blunt and U.S. Congressman Kenny Hulshof, we’ve brought biodiesel in Missouri to the forefront of the nation’s industry,” said Dale R. Ludwig, executive director/CEO of MSA. “Missouri has a wonderful group of legislators who recognize the importance of renewable fuels. They’ve helped make the Mid-Am dream become reality.”

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Biodiesel

Heartland Energy Sells Dogwood Stills

Cindy Zimmerman

HeartlandHeartland Energy Group Inc. of Louisiana is setting up the backyard still.

Dogwood A press release from Heartland announces the receipt of ethanol production equipment from Dogwood Energy, LLC (see previous post).

Heartland Energy will exclusively sell and market Dogwood’s full line of ethanol stills and related ethanol products in the Louisiana territory. In addition, the agreement grants Heartland Energy, first option rights to the territories of Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma.

According to Heartland Energy Group under the agreement Flex Fuel America, Heartland Energy’s product sales and marketing subsidiary, will represent Dogwood’s full line of products including the home- and farm-based ethanol still, Bio-Diesel Production kit, and several ancillary alternative energy related products. Ethanol can be produced through a home-based distilling process utilizing ethanol stills. These stills enable the annual production of ten thousand gallons of ethanol for home-based stills and ten million gallons for larger commercial based stills.
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Biodiesel, Ethanol

Breast cancer symptoms

Cindy Zimmerman

Symptoms of breast cancer

How can a person tell if they are suffering from breast cancer men symptoms? This is not a very heard of or spoken about disease. Most breast cancer awareness is focused on women but men suffer from this disease as well. The reason for the discussion of breast cancer in men not being talked about as much is because male breast cancer only makes up about 1% of all the different types of breast cancers. Men are typically diagnosed between the ages of 60 and 70.

The type of breast cancer that men typically have is called Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma. This cancer has moved from the cells that are lining the ducts in the breast. There are other types of breast cancers found in men, but this is the most common one. Now, you may be wondering why the word breast keeps coming up because men do not have breasts. Actually, men have a small amount of breast tissue that is actually similar to the chest of a pre-pubescent girl. There are ducts that are surrounded by tissue and the breasts. The reason why men do not develop breasts like women do is because women develop the tissue when they hit puberty. At puberty, females hormones are contributing to the way women’s breasts grow and men do not have the same amount of these hormones so they do not develop the tissue. Due to men still having the breast tissue, they can have breast cancer. Knowing this, it is important to be able to identify breast cancer men symptoms.

The main problem with male breast cancer is that it is not identified early enough so breast cancer men symptoms tend to be more severe by the time they seek medical attention. The amount of breast tissue in men is much smaller so it is harder to feel the lumps. Due to the lumps not being able to be felt, it gives the tumors a chance to spread across the surrounding tissue. Most are diagnosed after a lump is found in the chest, there is bleeding from the nipple or the skin above the cancer has changed in an abnormal way. If the symptoms are more severe, chances are the cancer has advanced and spread into the lymph nodes. At this point, techniques will be used in order to diagnose and treat the disease. Physical exams, biopsies and mammograms will be administered to confirm the diagnosis and consider the best treatment. symptoms of breast cancer in women

Now that you know that waiting for breast cancer men symptoms to appear is not the best idea, steps can be taken to catch the disease early. Look into your family history and see if there is a close female family member that had/has breast cancer. This is one risk factor. Another is if your chest has been exposed to radiation. If you have had an abnormal enlargement of the breasts from drugs, hormones, poisons or infections; your chances are increased drastically. The abnormal enlargement of the breasts in men is called gynecomastia. Also, men with lower levels of testosterone and higher levels of estrogen from diseases such as severe liver disease have a higher risk for breast cancer. Lastly, any abnormalities with the testicles can increase your chances as well. For example, having a testicular injury, disease of a testicle or an undescended testicle are all risk factors.

So you found a lump. What happens next? Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormones will be used to treat the breast cancer. Men respond significantly better than women do to the hormonal treatment. The cancer cells have hormone receptors that estrogen can act on and because men are more likely to have these receptors, hormonal treatment has a much more effective response. Women already have a high amount of estrogen so hormonal treatment with estrogen will not produce the same results breast cancer symptoms and signs. Men have to start screening themselves at an earlier age in order to have a better chance at survival against breast cancer.

Biodiesel