Here’s an addition to the editorials pages about ethanol. The Jefferson City (MO) News Tribune two very long dueling editorial about the pros and cons of the ten percent ethanol mandate being considered by the state legislature. The pro side was written by Missouri Corn Growers Association CEO Gary Marshall. The opposing viewpoint was written by Ron Leone, executive director of the Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association.
Both arguments are pretty predictable considering the lobbies they represent, but interesting reading just the same.
Ethanol Editorials
Ethanol is fueling editorial fodder nationwide. Here are links to just a handful of today’s editorials about ethanol around the country – both positive and negative.
From the Washington Post – Ponying Up for Alternative-Fuel Research
From the Denver Post – Be careful what you wish for
From the Joplin (MO) Globe – Why don’t we grow energy?
From the Daily Press (VA) – Cornstalks are essential, not ‘waste’
From the Detroit News – E85 fuel has big appeal, but do numbers add up?
From the Sacramento (CA) Bee – The Carbohydrate Economy
Washington Farm Report on Ethanol
Here is a link to today’s Washington Farm Report in the Des Moines Register which discusses the research into how much energy it takes to make ethanol from corn, as well as the benefits of switching to cellulosic ethanol in the long term. Makes some very good points. Philip Braser writes about agriculture policy
and issues for the Register.
Marine Methanol Question
I got a comment to a post that I would like to draw attention to because I can’t find the answer to his question myself. If anyone can help, please comment. Thanks.
John Williams says:
I hope one of your readers can fill me in on a paticular aspect of fuel attributes. I operate a marine fuel dock in RI and I’ve recently learned we will be changing from MTBE to methanol in the next few months. I’m having difficulty finding an unambigious procedure to advise my customers on what precautions to use in order to avoid having phase seperation ( water )occure in their fuel storage tanks. They range from 6 gal to 250 gal. If ethanol is used, a simple water separator would be effective however the rumor around the docks is that if a supplier provides methanol as the additive the chemistry becomes more challenging to separate. My customers travel to offshore sites to fish and if problems develope out there it’s tough to stop in the breakdown lane. This saefty issue in marine fuels is the focus of my inquiry and I would appreciate any insight or remarks your readers would offer. Thank you for your time.
Cutting Fertilizer Use Goal of New Energy Estimator
USDA has released it’s new Energy Estimator for Nitrogen to help farmers and ranchers identify potential nitrogen cost savings associated with major crops and commercial nitrogen fertilizer applications. According to the USDA news release, nitrogen fertilizer is one of the largest indirect uses of energy on an agricultural operation. Fertilizer accounts for 29 percent of agriculture’s energy use, according to USDA research data. Proper management of nitrogen fertilizer, including the use of organic sources of nitrogen such as animal manure and cover crops, can save producers energy and money.
So, the government is encouraging farmers to find alternatives to nitrogen fertilizer, or at least to use less of it. That will also help make us more energy independent in the long term.
The new Energy Estimator can be found here.
I will probably have an interview on this topic with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Bruce Knight next week. Any questions you would like me to ask him?
(Note from Cindy: My interview with Bruce Knight was cancelled last week because of scheduling and the fact that he had laryngitis. I have interviewed “the chief” three times since the first of this year so at this point we are probably not going to do this particular interview after all. Maybe at a later date.)
Loan Guarantee to Fund Biodiesel Plant
A Clinton, Iowa biodiesel plant is getting a $3.2 million loan guarentee from USDA’s Rural Development Agency, according to a release from USDA today. The Rural Development Renewable Energy Systems loan guarantee will be used to partially fund construction and operation of a biodiesel production plant with a yearly capacity of 10 million gallons. The plant will use over 7 million bushels of Midwestern grown soybeans a year. Additionally, the plant will use its own by-products to provide much of its energy supply. It is owned by Clinton County Bio Energy, LLC, which includes local farmers and business operators. When completed, the plant will provide at least nine new jobs. It is the first production facility to be located in a new 233 acre industrial park in Clinton. USDA also announced the awarding of 14 energy-related grants today – most for various power project in Alabama, Alaska and Arizona. Must be going in alphabetical order…
Record Production in ’05
It should be no surprise to anyone that ethanol production set a record in 2005. The Renewable Fuels Association released the official figures today from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The total for the year came in at just under 4 billion gallons (3.904 billion gallons) and averaging nearly 255,000 barrels of ethanol production daily (b/d). The month of December also set production and demand records. Ethanol production in December rose 5,000 b/d from the previous month to 280,000 b/d. Demand skyrocketed to 310,000 b/d, breaking the old record of 297,000 b/d. And if I was a betting person, I would say that 2006 will be another record breaking year for ethanol production.
Biodiesel Interview From the Barn
John Deere has been making efforts to encourage the use of biodiesel in it’s tractors and combines, at least on a small scale. ZimmComm contributing blogger Andy Vance of Ohio interviewed John Deere’s Barry Nelson about those efforts at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, KY. Listen to the interview here. Andy has become a regular contributor for us on World Dairy Diary recently. He and his wife Lindsay Hill operate the Buckeye Ag Radio Network – the BARN – in Ohio. Kind of like me and my spouse – only we have no barn and we’ve already done the farm network thing, but we are still basically in the same business.
New Techno-Algae For Biofuels
Apparently this was Veridium’s week to send out press releases – here is the third in the series, this one announcing its new patent-pending technology for the conversion of exhaust carbon dioxide from the fermentation stage of ethanol production facilities back into new ethanol and biodiesel. This is high-technology using algae – yep, that nasty slimy stuff that grows in stagnant water. Apparently, according to the release, they discovered a new strain of iron-loving blue-green algae thriving in a hot stream at Yellowstone National Park. The algae use the available carbon dioxide and water to grow new algae, giving off pure oxygen and water vapor in the process. David Winsness, chief executive officer of Veridium’s industrial design division explains, “The algae convert exhaust carbon dioxide and sunlight into biomass. This biomass is a very efficient feedstock for ethanol production and is itself a concentrated source of the primary ingredient of ethanol.”
Way cool.
Tori Fully Loaded – with Biodiesel
A biodiesel-powered Volkswagen Golf TDI named “Tori” paid a visit to the offices of the National Biodiesel Board in Jefferson City, MO this week. Tori also brought engineer Oliver Wegener and driver Jon Hamilton (pictured) along for the ride, as well as crew member Daniel Sycks (not pictured). They will constitute the only diesel vehicle entry in Friday and Saturday’s 100 Acre Wood Rally race in Salem, Mo. According to information from the NBB, RallyVW is based out of Ohio and has received international press coverage for racing not only a diesel car, but a diesel car on B20 biodiesel. RallyVW’s record-setting car has garnered the honors of current Pike’s Peak international holder for diesel powered auto and the 2002 production class national champion. The crew told the NBB staff they strive to promote biodiesel every step of the way. All of RallyVW’s crew drive biodiesel powered personal vehicles.