Ethanol Report on CARS

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol Report PodcastSince ethanol is powering cars across the country these days, it’s about time it had a place at the premier annual event dedicated specifically to automotive service and repair professionals, which is appropriately called CARS – the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service.

This edition of “The Ethanol Report” features comments from Bobby Likis, host of the Car Clinic Network, and Renewable Fuels Association Director of Market Development Robert White on ethanol’s role in the upcoming CARS event that will be held October 11-13 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. The event will also feature auto engineering firm Ricardo and the work they are doing with ethanol and high octane engines.

Domestic Fuel will be attending that event to get feedback from the mechanics and technicians on what they learn about ethanol at the show.

Listen to or download the Ethanol Report here: Ethanol Report on CARS

Subscribe to “The Ethanol Report” with this link.

Audio, automotive, Car Makers, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report

Deadline for Ethanol Rocks Competition Nears

Joanna Schroeder

The “Ethanol Rocks” video competition, sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association, is close to calling it a wrap. But there is still time to enter before the final curtain call. High school and college students from all backgrounds and majors can enter either individually, as a group or through a student organization such as FFA or 4-H. The deadline is October 15, 2012.

“We are looking for a forward looking take on how corn ethanol impacts our lives,” said Chad Willis, Chair of NCGA’s Ethanol
Action Team. “Today’s youth will be shaping tomorrow’s world, and we want to tap their creativity to showcase the economic and environmental benefits of this domestic and renewal source of energy.”

First-place winners in each category (high school and college) will receive a $1,500 prize. For second place, $500 will be awarded. Judges are looking for two minutes or less of video that contains at least four facts about ethanol. Topics can include information on ethanol’s contribution to local economies, decreased reliance on foreign oil and environmental attributes. Winning videos will be selected based on impact, video design and editing, creativity and general appeal.

Click here more information about the “Ethanol Rocks” video contest and to enter.

Ethanol, NCGA

Report: Distillers Grains Enhance Cattle Diet

Joanna Schroeder

According to research conducted by a team from the Department of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska, cattle feed of treated corn stover mixed with distillers grains (DDGS) from ethanol plants can reduce feed costs for cattle feeders. The goal of the research is to continue to provide livestock feeders with options for optimizing feeding efficiency.

The current project included a pretreatment for corn stover, calcium hydroxide, designed to enhance digestibility. The calcium is needed by cattle in feedlot diets. When combined with DDGS, treated corn stover increases digestibility and creates a more efficient feed ration. The research shows that this feed mix offers the livestock industry another feed option.

Nebraska is one of the largest ethanol producing states in the country and a by-product of ethanol production is high-protein distillers grains. When combined with poor quality roughage, researchers say, the feed ration still provides excellent results. This is especially important in drought years, such as this year, as availability of distillers grains have provided a valuable option for livestock feeders.

The evolving University of Nebraska research suggests that the practice of using an alkaline pretreatment on corn residues may offset corn in feedlot diets. This practice is expected to receive close attention by livestock feeders who may wish to offset corn use in livestock diets with other feed ingredients that are less expensive but in some cases more efficient.

Agribusiness, corn, Distillers Grains, Ethanol

New Poll on Role of Cooperatives

Melissa Sandfort

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What grade would you give the new student lunch program? Tell us why with a comment.”

Our poll results: seventeen percent said A; six percent said B; nine percent said C; nineteen percent said D; and forty-nine percent said F. Looks like there are a lot of frustrated parents (and kids) on this issue.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What cooperatives play a role in your life/business?” October is National Cooperative Month and the rural economy benefits from local cooperatives in a number of ways, including those that have helped start community ethanol and biodiesel plants. Which ones impact your life? Let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

ZimmPoll

Vilsack Defends Ethanol at Dairy Expo

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack held a town hall meeting at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin this week and took questions from the audience, one of which concerned ethanol and the impact it has had on livestock producers.

The questioner, who was from California, said ethanol was “not a very popular word” with dairy farmers in her state. “Where I come from ethanol is not a four letter word,” Vilsack responded, noting that ethanol has not only helped increase profitability and production for farmers but also helped the economy, national security, and the environment. “Those are the benefits – jobs, higher incomes, lower gas costs, environmental benefits and reduction of our reliance on foreign oil,” said Vilsack.

The secretary also carefully explained that because ethanol returns livestock feed to the market in the form of distillers grains (DDGS). “We hear a lot of people say that 40% of the corn crop is being used for fuel production but it’s not really 40% because a third of it comes back in DDGS which is used by the livestock industry,” he said. “So, it’s less than 40%, more like 27 percent.”

In addition, Vilsack talked about how USDA is helping the industry move into the production of advanced ethanol using feedstocks beyond corn. “We have financed at USDA nine separate biorefineries that use corn stover, algae, switchgrass, woody biomass, agricultural waste, municipal waste,” he said.

Vilsack also defended the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the current request before EPA to waive that standard, noting that Congress passing a new food, farm and jobs bill would do more to help livestock producers impacted by high feed costs due to the drought than waiving the RFS would.

Listen to or download Vilsack’s comments here: Ag Secretary Vilsack on ethanol at Dairy Expo

advanced biofuels, Audio, corn, dairy, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, feedstocks, livestock, livestock feed, USDA

Blink Charges Surpasses 1 Million EV Charges

Joanna Schroeder

ECOtality has hit a first for the country: it has surpassed one million electric vehicle (EV) residential charge events on its Blink Charges. The company says it is the first in the industry to reach this milestone. At the end of June 2012, the company had 800,000 charge events.

This is not the only milestone the company recently achieved. It has also recorded 40 million miles of driver data records and analyzed that 1.70 million gallons of gas has been saved. Data collected through the EV Project, of which ECOtality is the project manager, is presented on a quarterly basis.

“Through the data recorded on Blink chargers for The EV Project, we have clearly demonstrated the viability of this marketplace and continued growth of EV’s across the nation,” said Ravi Brar, CEO of ECOtality, Inc. “Recording more than 1 million charge events is not only an iconic milestone for ECOtality, The EV Project and the industry, but is also proof that EVs are here to stay.”

Electric Vehicles

Deadline Nears for RFS Waiver Comments

Cindy Zimmerman

The deadline for providing comments to the Environmental Protection Agency on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waiver request is coming up on October 11 and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is urging stakeholders in the industry to make their voices heard.

“If the RFS is put on hold, so is the American economy. So is our country’s steady march toward renewable fuels,” said RFA Executive Vice President Christina Martin in a notice sent to supporters today. “So are billions in investments and hundreds of thousands of jobs in America’s rural communities.”

Martin urges supporters of the RFS to find out how to make comments on the issue by going to the website ChooseEthanol.com. “We’ve provided talking points and a sample letter to make it easy to make your voice heard, but your comment will have the biggest impact if you use specific examples from your state and local community to show how important the RFS is to you,” Martin says. “By speaking out, you will be helping protect a program that has played a pivotal role in reducing oil imports to the lowest levels since 1996, lowering gas prices, improving air quality, and strengthening the economic health of rural America.”

Find out more at ChooseEthanol.com.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, RFA

Renewable Energy in the Debate

Cindy Zimmerman

Increasing America’s energy independence came up quickly in the presidential debate last night and it showed some similarities and some clear differences between the candidates.

“I think it’s important for us to develop new sources of energy here in America,” President Obama said in his opening remarks. Governor Romney followed up by putting energy first in his five part plan to help the economy. “One, get us energy independent, North American energy independent. That creates about 4 million jobs,” he said.

President Obama noted that he and Romney agree on the need to boost American energy production and that domestic oil and natural gas production have increased in recent years. “But I also believe that we’ve got to look at the energy sources of the future, like wind and solar and biofuels, and make those investments,” the president said. Romney stressed the need for more oil and natural gas development on government land and support for clean coal. “I like coal,” said Romney.

When the issue of corporate taxes came up, Obama charged that the oil industry gets too many tax breaks. “The oil industry gets $4 billion a year in corporate welfare,” said Obama. “Now, does anybody think that ExxonMobil needs some extra money, when they’re making money every time you go to the pump?”

Romney countered that Obama has given “green energy” projects more tax breaks that oil. “Now, I like green energy as well,” said Romney. “You put $90 billion, like 50 years’ worth of breaks, into solar and wind, to Solyndra and Fisker and Tesla and Ener1. I had a friend who said you don’t just pick the winners and losers, you pick the losers, all right? So this is not the kind of policy you want to have if you want to get America energy secure.”

Those comments scored no points for Romney with the Truman National Security Project. “Mitt Romney’s energy plan ignores the advice of our military leaders and doubles down on oil – even as we send a billion dollars a day overseas for it,” said Truman Project spokesman David Solimini. “Thankfully, today we import less oil than we have in 20 years and we’re investing in manufacturing jobs on things like wind turbines.”

biofuels, Ethanol, Government, politics, Solar, Wind

Library Adds Solar for Cleaner Environment

Joanna Schroeder

The Port Washington Public Library has added thin film solar cells to its roof’s cap sheet layer to generate solar energy. The only building in Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York state to generate power this way, the system has the ability to generate an average of 42,000 kWh of electricity per year and but CO2 emissions by more than 2.2 million pounds each year. During a celebration ceremony, Nancy Curtin, Port Washington’s Public Library Director; Garry Schwall, Chief Operating Officer of Winthrop-University Hospital; and Paul Polizzotto, President and Founder of CBS EcoMedia gave remarks while entertainment was provided by local singer/guitarist Tom Cavanagh, known to library audiences for his Johnny Cash and George Harrison performances.

The new Energy Education Station in the Library displays the actual energy savings from the system for the public to view. In addition, the green initiatives implemented by the Port Washington Public Library also includes a Recycling Center in the Children’s Room.

“The Library is committed to green initiatives and as a center for lifelong learning wishes to lead by example promoting solar energy and a healthy environment for the Port Washington community,” said Nancy Curtin, Port Washington Public Library Director. “This technology is a sustainable solution and we thank Winthrop University Hospital and CBS EcoMedia for their support.”

As the country struggles with economic difficulties, education has been hard hit with the reduction of teachers in schools and staff at libraries. “With this project, the Library sets an important example: by adopting solar power in our homes and businesses, each one of us can cut our own energy costs and emissions,” said Paul Polizzotto, President and Founder of CBS EcoMedia Inc. “Thanks to the generous support of Winthrop-University Hospital, the Library will reduce its carbon footprint and cut its electricity bills, freeing up crucial funds for books, staffing, special programming, and equipment.”

Education, Electricity, Energy, Environment, Solar

CARS Will Feature Ethanol This Year

Cindy Zimmerman

The Congress of Automotive Repair and Service, with the clever acronym of CARS, coming up next week in New Orleans is boasting more mechanical attendees, vendors and attractions than in recent years – including a special spotlight for ethanol.

CARS is an event held during Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) dedicated specifically to mechanical service and repair professionals and among the featured exhibitors in the CARS section of the International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) this year is the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).

Radio talk show host Bobby Likis will broadcast his nationally syndicated Car Clinic show live from the show floor Saturday, Oct. 13, in addition to numerous interviews that will be conducted live from his booth during the Expo. “CARS is ‘the’ all-call for the automotive service industry, so we’re packing up the Car Clinic show trailer to shine a bright spotlight on the event,” says Likis. “And, we’re bringing with us the Renewable Fuels Association – the trade association for the U.S. ethanol industry – and Ricardo Engineering’s Extreme Boost Direct Injection (EBDI) engine, optimized for the high-octane properties of ethanol. Technology will rock and roll!”

RFA announced a partnership with Likis earlier this year, which RFA Director of Market Development Robert White says has been very beneficial for the ethanol industry. “The group that we need to educate the most is service mechanics, the auto technicians, because that’s who people trust,” said White. “The radio program with Bobby Likis aired across the country helps put a trusted name behind the efforts of the ethanol industry.”

White says RFA will have general session time and a large display in the CARS trade show for automotive technicians and service professionals on hand “to walk them through what ethanol actually does to an engine.”

The 2012 ASRW/NACE/CARS Expo will take place October 11-13 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

Audio, automotive, Car Makers, Ethanol, Ethanol News