Toyota “Considering” FFVs

Cindy Zimmerman

Toyota While all of the “Big Three” U.S. car makers are pushing their lines of flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) capable of running on up to 85 percent ethanol, Toyota continues to mull it over.

A press release this week quoted Toyota Motor North America president Jim Press saying, Toyota is strongly considering introducing a flex-fuel vehicle program in the U.S. “We’re already developing vehicles that can operate in ethanol-rich Brazil and we’re optimistic that we can offer similar vehicles to American consumers.”
He said Toyota is also pursuing a plug-in hybrid vehicle that would be capable of traveling greater distances without using its gas engine, with the ultimate goal of conserving more oil, reducing smog and greenhouse gases to near zero emissions levels.

Press made his comments in a talk at the National Press Club (no relation to him), and numerous media outlets picked up the story out of DC from their own perspectives. The Chicago Sun-Times headlined that Toyota was “charging ahead with plans for plug-in hybrid.” Detroit Free Press noted that Press ” stopped well short of committing Toyota to bringing either technology to the U.S. market.” Associated Press headlined with Press’ denial that Toyota was thinking of hooking up with GM and buried the ethanol/plug-in angle about mid-article. Bloomberg focused on the plug-ins.

Car Makers, Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles

Bush Praises IRL Ethanol Use

Cindy Zimmerman

IRL at the White House The Indy Racing League made a White House call Tuesday to meet with President Bush and talk about racing and ethanol.

Indy 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr. presented the president with an autographed racing helmet and IRL CEO Tony George “shared a brief exchange” with Bush about ethanol, according to an IRL news release. The IndyCar Series is using a 10 percent ethanol blend this season and will convert to 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol for all races in 2007.

“You’re leading edge, leading edge,” said Bush, who has touted exploration and support of alternative fuel sources in his State of the Union address for the past two years.

Tom Slunecka, executive director of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council, was pleased with the president’s recognition of the IRL’s ethanol use. “We appreciate the sentiments of the Bush administration, which has been a long-time supporter of ethanol, and together with its efforts to bring more ethanol to the consumer, we believe ethanol can take our country a long, long way.”

EPIC, Ethanol, Government, Indy Racing, Racing

Pretty BioWoman

Cindy Zimmerman

Julia Earth Biofuels The stars just keep coming out for biofuels. The latest to lend a name to the domestic fuel movement is none other than Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts, according to a release from Earth Biofuels.

Ms. Roberts joins fellow Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman and country music legend Willie Nelson in promoting the use of renewable fuels such as Earth Biofuels’ biodiesel and ethanol.

“It’s very important that we expand our use of clean energy and make a long-term commitment to it,” Roberts said. “Biodiesel and ethanol are better for the environment and for the air we breathe.”

The Advisory Board will provide guidance to senior management on key issues and will serve to broaden biofuels awareness on a national scale. Earth Biofuels and Ms. Roberts will collaborate on a program to encourage the use of clean-burning biodiesel fuel in the more than 500,000 diesel school buses currently in service across the United States.

Biodiesel, Ethanol

Texas Groundbreaking

Cindy Zimmerman

White Energy Dallas-based White Energy Holding Company broke ground Tuesday on a new state-of-the-art ethanol facility in Hereford, Texas. According to a Business Newswire release, the $117 million project is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2007 and will have a nameplate production capacity of 100 million gallons per year (MGPY), placing White Energy among the top ten ethanol producers nationwide and the first operator in Texas. The company currently operates a 45 MGPY nameplate ethanol plant in Russell, Kansas that was recently acquired from U.S. Energy Partners, LLC.

Ethanol

The E-Squadron

Cindy Zimmerman

Vanguard Squadron Ethanol-fueled airplanes are on the program for an air show at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport this weekend.

The Vanguard Squadron of Sioux Falls is a four-plane formation group that flies in air shows across the country. I had a chance to meet the entire squadron last week in Sioux Falls at the Broin Companies for media training. Here is a short interview I did with one of the pilots, Steve Thompson, who talks about why they have been using 100 percent ethanol in their planes since 1993. Listen to MP3 Thompson Interview (1 min MP3)

The Vanguard Squadron, which is sponsored by the Broin Companies, will also be appearing at the 2006 EAA AirVenture next week in Oshkosh, WI.

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol

Michigan Ethanol Promo

Cindy Zimmerman

Dave Camp Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI) hosted a promotion of E-85-fueled passenger cars and trucks Monday at the Dixie Motor Speedway. According to a story in the Saginaw News, representatives from DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. attended to demonstrate their new flex-fuel vehicles, while the Michigan Corn Growers Association and Michigan Farm Bureau also participated to share perspectives on the future of ethanol and its impact on Michigan families, farmers and workers.

Ethanol, Government

Cool Blue Fire

Cindy Zimmerman

Blue Fire The logo is very cool and the company is “established to deploy the commercially ready, patented, and proven Arkenol Technology Process for the profitable conversion of cellulosic (“Green Waste”) waste materials to ethanol,” according to the Blue Fire website. The Irvine, CA-based corporation announced its management team this week, “led by Arnold R. Klann the founder of Arkenol and its cellulose conversion technology that has now been licensed on an exclusive and perpetual basis to BlueFire,” according to a MarketWire release.

Lots of interesting stuff on the website about this technology, as well as tribute to a Higher Power, for the inspiration and passion of the company’s founders. Amen. That’s pretty cool.

Cellulosic, Ethanol

Pacific NW Ethanol Plans

Cindy Zimmerman

The first Pacific Northwest ethanol plant is scheduled to break ground July 20 in Oregon. Cascade Grain is being constructed by JH Kelly Ethanol of Longview, Washington. According to JH Kelly, the plant will be the largest on the West Coast and one of the 10 largest in the United States. Cascade Grain has been working for more than six years on the 113 million gallon per year plant project which is expected to be complete in 2008. More on the story from the Longview (WA) Daily News.

Ethanol, Facilities

Fill Up, Feel Good on the Highway

Cindy Zimmerman

e-podcastThe latest “Fill Up, Feel Good” podcast from the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is about ethanol hitting the highway.

Ethanol was the official fuel sponsor of the Interstate Highway System 50th Anniversary convoy across America last month and this report features some of the comments that were made about ethanol during the event.

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. (4:50 MP3 File)

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

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, Fill Up Feel Good

ACE Plays Pair of Governors

Cindy Zimmerman

Kansas and Missouri may be rivals when it comes to college football and basketball, but they are on the same team when it comes to ethanol. That’s why governors of both states will share the stage at the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) 19th annual ACE Ethanol Conference & Trade Show August 8-10 in Kansas City, Missouri at the Crown Center. Missouri Governor Matt Blunt and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius will both address the conference on August 9.

Missouri will also be represented at the conference by Senator Jim Talent who will receive ACE’s Legislative Leadership Award for helping champion the 7.5 billion gallon Renewable Fuels Standard in Congress.

More information on the conference is available on-line.

Ethanol