Indy Driver Likes Ethanol

Chuck Zimmerman

Danica PatrickAt last week’s Ethanol Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway I got to meet Danica Patrick, one of the drivers for Rahal-Letterman Racing. Team Ethanol is a big sponsor of the team and Jeff Simmons drives the ethanol-wrapped car. But I wanted to find out what his teammates think of this new fuel they’re putting in their cars this year.

I got to interview Danica just before they headed out onto the track to take some practice laps. She thinks putting ethanol in your car is a great thing. You can listen to my interview with Danica here: Listen To MP3 Danica Patrick Interview (2 min MP3)

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, Racing

Home Stills Selling Like Hot Cakes

Cindy Zimmerman

Dogwood We got a couple of comments about this company when I did the post about The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) warning not to make ethanol at home (see previous post). Dogwood Energy claims that it is “perfectly legal to own and operate an ethanol still on your property, provided that you are using it ONLY to make fuel and you are not reselling it.” An Associated Press article says the company is now building four or five stills a day and has sold 45 in recent weeks, more than 125 since September, to meet the demand from customers ranging from small businesses to thrifty individuals. The company website also gives directions on how to build your own still and how to make your own diesel.

Ethanol

Will NASCAR Climb Aboard the Ethanol Train?

Cindy Zimmerman

Nascar

If the IRL does it, why not NASCAR? That’s the question some are asking, some even urging NASCAR to make the switch to ethanol, according to this SI.com article. SI seems to think if Jeff Gordon used ethanol it might make even more folks sit up and take notice. General Motors is actively encouraging NASCAR to make the switch.

Ethanol, Racing

Water Power

Cindy Zimmerman

Hydro Tech A friend of mine sent me this news video about running cars on water.

Watch wmv file Water Fuel (WMV file)
It’s pretty amazing. This would be the ultimate domestic fuel. The company is Hydrogen Technology Applications and they call it the Hybrid Hydrogen Oxygen System (HHOS). Interesting.

Hydrogen, Miscellaneous

Propane Award Winner

Chuck Zimmerman

Ray CockrellThere were all kinds of winners at the Clean Cities Congress last week. One of them is Ray Cockrell, pictured on the left. Ray received an “Innovative Fleet” award from the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). He works at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC.

Ray has worked closely with his area Clean Cities coordinator to develop the use of alternative fuels like propane in their industrial mowing program. It’s a big campus and there’s lots of mowing that needs to be done, most of which is by students. In my interview with Ray he explains the program and how propane has helped in ways you might not think of.

You can hear my interview with him here: Listen To MP3 Ray Cockrell Interview (6 min MP3)

By the way, since we’re podcasters we always like to point out others who are using this new form of internet-delivered content and one of them is PERC with their PropaneCast. Check it out!

Domestic Fuel coverage of the Clean Cities Congress is made possible by the following sponsors:
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute Southern California Gas Company

Audio, Clean Cities Congress, Propane

Calls For New Farm Policy

Cindy Zimmerman

AFT Some sectors of agriculture are calling for a new direction to farm policy. At a press conference last week, the American Farmland Trust unveiled its vision of a new farm policy called Agenda 2007. AFT President Ralph Grossi says this vision includes renewable energy. “Much more can be done to unleash producer innovation and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Grossi, including expanding the production of renewable fuels, “especially in developing technologies to convert cellulose to biofuels.”

Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and former U.S. Congressman Dan Glickman, who endorses the AFT framework, is most excited about “the very significant role that farmers may have in producing big chunks of energy needed to produce electricity, but particularly liquid fuels, motor fuels, transportation fuels – in addition to providing environmental benefits.”

The AFT website details Agenda 2007 and includes a video webcast of last week’s press conference.

Government, Miscellaneous

Coast to Coast Ethanol Plant News

Cindy Zimmerman

US BioEnergy and Big River Resources of West Burlington, IA are joining forces to build a 100 million gallon per year (mgy) dry grind ethanol facility near Grinnell, Iowa, according to a company release.

A proposed Florida ethanol plant is facing opposition, according to an article on Gainesville.com. The proposed $80 million plant, a project of Gate Petroleum in Jacksonville, would use corn from the midwest.

A 40 million gallon a year plant is opening this week near Kodak, Colorado. According to this article in The Coloradoan, the plant will rely on corn delivered by rail.

Here’s an article from Fort Wayne.com about the race to build ethanol plants in Indiana. According to the story, at least nine more ethanol plants could join the two already operating and six under construction in Indiana.

Pacific Ethanol is moving ahead with plans to build its second West coast plant in Oregon. The 35 million gallon per year ethanol facility will be located on the Columbia River near Boardman, Oregon.

Ethanol, Facilities

News Briefs

Cindy Zimmerman

I have been letting Chuck do the talking this week covering Clean Cities and Ethanol Day. Now it’s time to catch up on some Domestic Fuel news:

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced a new biofuels policy in the Senate, while House Ag Democrats unveiled a comprenesive biodiesel energy package.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest price forecast for corn predicts that ethanol will contribute to higher prices this year. USDA officials expect corn prices to average $2.45 per bushel in the coming marketing year, up more than 22 percent from last year. Lots of stories out there about it, here’s a link to the Des Moines Register piece.

Missouri Corn Growers have their ethanol bill. Governor Matt Blunt is expected to sign a statewide ethanol standard that mandates gasoline sold in Missouri contain 10 percent ethanol. The bill passed overwhelmingly in both houses.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government

Best Clean Cities Congress Ever

Chuck Zimmerman

Annalloyd ThomasonTo get a perspective on how well the Clean Cities Congress went this year I interviewed AFVI Executive Director, Annalloyd Thomason again before leaving.

Annalloyd says it was the best Congress ever with over 17 hundred people participating. She had only positive comments and I would say this positions next year’s event in Los Angeles very well.

You can hear my interview with her here: Listen To MP3 Annalloyd Thomason Summary Interview (7 min MP3)

Domestic Fuel coverage of the Clean Cities Congress is made possible by the following sponsors:
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute Southern California Gas Company

Audio, Clean Cities Congress

Farmer, Racer, Ethanol Supporter

Chuck Zimmerman

Mark ThomasBeing a farmer today has its challenges. Being a farmer and a funny car driver simply magnifies those challenges. Mark Thomas is up to the challenge though. He is also one of the biggest proponents of ethanol you’re going to find anywhere.

Mark is a champion too, having one 5 national IHRA titles. He was at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Ethanol Day. I had to wait in line to interview him as the kids and adults too stopped by for an autograph.

In my interview Mark talks about what he does for a living and how important he thinks public education about ethanol is to our country. You can to my interview with Mark here: Listen To MP3 Mark Thomas Interview (5 min MP3)

Audio, EPIC, Ethanol, Racing