Louisiana Governor Signs Ethanol Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

Blanco Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco has signed into law a bill requiring refineries to mix ethanol with some of the gasoline they produce.

The governor issued a statement about the bill, saying she was “proud to join President Bush, the federal government and dozens of other states in promoting a biofuels market. As the President has said on many occasions, America is addicted to oil and the best way to break through this addiction is through technology. Louisiana has a long history of helping to meet this nation’s energy needs through its exploration and production of oil and natural gas and will continue to do so. It is only fitting that we position ourselves to be a leader in the rapidly developing biofuels industry as well. By promoting the use of homegrown, environmentally friendly energy, we have a real opportunity to help the nation through its energy crisis and greatly assist Louisiana farmers.”

Ethanol, Government

Granite Falls Grand Opening

Cindy Zimmerman

Granite Falls Granite Falls Energy, LLC is opening it’s state-of-the-art biorefinery in Minnesota today. Granite Falls will produce more than 45 million gallons of ethanol and 130,000 tons of distillers grains annually from more than 17 billion bushels of Minnesota corn. “Minnesota has long been a leader in expanding the production and use of ethanol and today’s grand opening celebration is continued evidence of that commitment,” said Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen.

Ethanol, Facilities

MI Lawmakers Call for More Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

MI LevinMI Stabenow Sixteen members of Michigan’s congressional delegation, including Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, are calling on President Bush to pressure oil companies into setting a target for installing more ethanol filling stations by 2010. According to the Detroit Free Press, the Michigan lawmakers say the domestic auto industry has already done its part to increase ethanol use by committing to build up to 1 million E85-capable vehicles a year by 2008 and that the onus should now be on oil companies.

Ethanol, Government

Ethanol Power Wins Challenge X

Cindy Zimmerman

Challenge X Engineering students from Virginia Tech University, utilizing E85/hybrid technology, beat out teams from 16 other universities in the U.S. and Canada to win the second annual Challenge X: Crossover to Sustainable Mobility competition, sponsored by the Department of Energy and General Motors last week in Mesa, Arizona. The Virginia Tech team redesigned a 2005 Chevy Equinox to utilize a split parallel hybrid that runs on E85 to edge out second-place Mississippi State University.

Ethanol

Panda Climbing

Cindy Zimmerman

Panda Development GroupTexas-based Panda Energy has announced a merger and private placement to build it’s portfolio of ethanol refineries. The company release says the merger is expected to become effective this summer, subject to the satisfaction of certain requirements, and the combined entity will operate under the name of Panda Ethanol Inc. The private placement was approximately 14.9 million shares of common stock for $90 million. The proceeds from the offering will be used to help finance the ongoing construction and operation of Panda’s 100 million gallon, manure-fueled ethanol project in Hereford, Texas.

Ethanol

Fuel Station of the Future

Cindy Zimmerman

Pearsons Pearson Ford Fuel Depot, the site of a Willie Nelson biodiesel promotion earlier this year during the National Biodiesel Board annual meeting in San Diego, is in the news. An AP article features Pearson as the “fuel station of the future” with its many fuel choices, including biodiesel and E85. The station also offers “compressed natural gas” along with recharging stations for people with electric cars. It is the only one in the U.S. that sells such a wide range of fuels. And it’s the only facility on the West Coast where private citizens can buy E85

Biodiesel, Ethanol

New Millennium for ADM

Cindy Zimmerman

ADM Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Millennium Ethanol LLC have formed an ethanol marketing agreement, under which ADM will market all ethanol produced by Millennium Ethanol at its planned 100-million-gallon Marion, South Dakota facility, according to an ADM company release. Millennium Ethanol is owned by 914 South Dakota investors, including farmers and business people from across the state. ADM is the number one ethanol producer in the nation.

Ethanol

Biodiesel Helps Green Government

Cindy Zimmerman

NBB Three winners of this year’s White House Closing the Circle Awards use a 20 percent biodiesel blend (B20) to help them achieve outstanding environmental track records. They are the Department of Defense, Naval Station Great Lakes; the Department of Energy Green Fleet Team and the U.S. Postal Service. According to a National Biodiesel Board release, 16 winners and 11 honorable mentions were selected from nearly 200 nominations in the areas of environmental management systems; pollution prevention; recycling; green product purchasing; alternative fuels; sustainable building and electronics stewardship.

Biodiesel

Ethanol Fuels Learjet 500

Cindy Zimmerman

Learjet 500 Jeff Simmons and the Ethanol Indy car started 15th finished 15th in the Learjet Bombadier 500 Saturday night in Fort Worth, TX – a nice clean race with only two cars out and no accidents. See the full race results at WhoWon.com. It was just nice to see the Ethanol car cross the finish line. Prior to the event, the Corn Producers Association of Texas and National Corn Growers Association joined the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council and Indy Racing League to help introduce ethanol to the Dallas area. According to an NCGA release, the groups held an ethanol promotion at a 7-Eleven station, which sold 10 percent ethanol blends (E-10) for $2.20 per gallon, 60 cents off the regular price. IRL drivers Tony Kanaan and Jeff Simmons and other volunteers pumped more than 2,200 gallons of the ethanol-blended fuel in two hours.

EPIC, Ethanol, Indy Racing, Racing

Ethanol Distribution Solution

Cindy Zimmerman

BNSFMusket A new turn-key solution to deliver enough ethanol to supply the daily needs of the Dallas/Fort Worth market was announced recently by BNSF Railway Company and Musket Corporation, a privately owned petroleum and petroleum products wholesaler. According to a release, Beginning June 23, ethanol will be transported by rail from the Midwest and other production areas to a BNSF terminal at the Mark IV industrial area in north Fort Worth where Musket will transload the ethanol directly into trucks for delivery by Musket’s sister company, Gemini Motor Transport, to Dallas/Fort Worth ethanol storage and blending facilities.

Ethanol