by Bryan Sims (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Working closely with the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Nevada Economic Development Council, Mentor, Iowa-based Thesis Chemistry has selected a 40-acre site within the West Industrial Park of Nevada, Iowa, for a proposed
(Iowa State University) Research at Iowa State University has led to discovery of a genetic method that can increase biomass in algae by 50 to 80 percent. The breakthrough comes from expressing certain genes in algae that increase the amount of
(Argus) The days of snapping up undervalued ethanol plants for expansion are over, Green Plains Renewable Energy's chief executive told investors on its most recent conference call. Plants with the right equipment and good locations could no longer be bought up
(POET) Goals part of Ingreenuity, the company's initiative to enhance the environmental performance of ethanol At the NASCAR Green Summit today (November 17, 2011), POET announced plans to decrease the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of ethanol production 10 percent this decade
by Carrin Hall (Energy Digital) As the natural gas industry targets vehicles, what will happen to biofuels development? Clean Energy Fuels, a leading natural gas provider in Seal Beach, has teamed up with Quarles Petroleum Inc. to bring customers alternative fuel,
by Melody Bomgardne (Central Science/Cleantech Chemistry) DuPont has been digesting its acquisition of Danisco for a while now, and has sent out an update about what used to be called DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol – now shortened, as you might
(Nebraska Farmer) USDA grant intended to make drivers more aware of flex fuel vehicles and ethanol's benefits involves Nebraska and five other states. A grant awarded by USDA will be used to promote flex fuel vehicles, flex fuel pumps, and driver
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As POET lands a record biomass harvest in prep for a 2013 cellulosic ethanol launch, the Digest looks at stover, jatropha, miscanthus, switchgrass, MSW, wood and animal residue. Are costs going down, and capacity going
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The bull’s-eye on corn ethanol could fade if the industry steps up and makes corn production and stover harvesting more environmentally friendly ...Today, no-till or strip-till farming is gaining ground, and researchers are examining systems
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Three years ago, ag giants John Deere & Co., Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Monsanto Co. pooled their respective areas of expertise and embarked on an experiment. Each company had its own specific reasons
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) A new public education project to reach drivers of FlexFuel Vehicles (FFVs) by working with state Motor Vehicle Administrations (MVA) was announced today by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Clean Fuels Foundation. As a part
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) An emerging green industry aims to develop a new source of fuel to replace oil, but the quick money could be elsewhere. Green slime is growing in ponds next to an ethanol plant here, and Todd
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Development authority to weigh help for feed additive firm's Fort Dodge plan Iowa’s new public-private economic development authority begins with a bang today, considering incentives for a $324 million project in Fort Dodge from a South
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Overall, there remain more than 100 companies chasing the prize of developing an algae biomaterials project, profitable and at commercial scale. Yesterday (October 24, 2011), on the eve of the annual Algal Biomass Summit, two of
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Cellulosic ethanol output may surge starting in 2013, when the first commercial-scale plants “open the floodgates” for the fuel, according to the largest U.S. corn-based biofuel producer. Poet LLC plans to start production in 2013 at a
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An algae strain grown by BioProcess Algae LLC at Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc.’s 65 MMgy ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa, is one step closer to entering the poultry feed market. First-round feed trials recently
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Iowa algae and corn ethanol project points the way towards optimizing delivery of feed, fuel, carbon reduction. The most complete realizations of that vision at scale, to date, are the POET Liberty Project in Emmetsburg, Iowa;
by Jim Nussle (Growth Energy/Waterloo Courier) op ed: As the thousands of Iowans whose livelihoods depend on farming and renewable fuels know, an argument against ethanol is really an argument for America's status quo addiction to foreign oil. It is
by Jim Sturdevant (POET) POET indicates that bioenergy provides a boost to rural economies and creates/saves jobs today. It mitigates costs of imported oil; consequently, the majority of jobs would not be outsourced. Bioenergy reduces environmental impacts of continued use
(Iowa State University) Iowa State University's Robert C. Brown keeps a small vial of brown, sweet-smelling liquid on his office table. "It looks like something you could pour on your pancakes," he said. "In many respects, it is similar to molasses." Brown,
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced five major agricultural research projects today aimed at developing regional, renewable energy markets, generating rural jobs, and decreasing America's dependence on foreign oil. Altogether, the five-year program will deliver more than
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today (September 27, 2011) announced that USDA will make payments to more than 160 energy producers in 41 states to support and ensure the production and expansion of advanced biofuels. "Renewable energy production
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) But it's unclear where money will come from to install them around U.S. ...(Dave) Hicks, who’s getting a $28,000 federal grant and additional money from the state of Iowa to replace his two existing fuel
(POET) POET closes on loan to keep construction on pace for 2013 plant start-up POET today (September 23, 2011) received final approval for a $105 million loan guarantee issued through the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan programs Office. The loan guarantee
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Thirty-three projects in 22 states have been approved for blender pump grants in the latest round of funding to be dispersed through the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program. A total of $27 million
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Iowa’s research community has been awarded $20 million through the National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research with the goal of establishing the state as a leader in renewable energy technology and
by Mark Victoria (KTIV.com) ...Now after seeing profits, an expansion is in the works. "Each of the plants has seven fermenters which help in the ethanol making process. We're going to build an 8th, which will help again increase some of
by Bill Shea (The Messenger) Company leaders visit Webster County plant Trucks loaded with corn line up every day at the front gate of the Valero Renewables ethanol plant west of Fort Dodge, while at the opposite end of the facility
by Daniel Looker (Agriculture.com) Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) told the American Coalition for Ethanol Wednesday that he’ll continue to work for passage of a bill that would expand ethanol’s access to markets. It won’t be easy. Harkin acknowledged growing ethanol opposition
by Gouri Shankar Mishra and Sonia Yeh (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Study recalculates water consumption with expanded system boundaries and coproduct credit Recent studies have estimated the “consumptive water use,” “water embodied,” and “water footprint” of corn-based ethanol in the U.S, with
by Cindy (Corn Commentary) President Obama’s Midwest bus tour this week really put a spotlight on agriculture and biofuels. The POTUS visited three of the nation’s top four ethanol producing states,accounting for more than 42 percent of the country’s ethanol
by Suzanne Goldenberg (The Guardian) As Congress reviews 30 years of corn ethanol subsidies, the global food crisis has shone a negative light on biofuel production There were times when Arlyn Schipper could almost feel heroic on his family farm in
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory is looking for the best biofuels crops to grow in the northeast Illinois Indian Creek Watershed. During a recent field tour of the watershed sponsored by theConservation Technology Information Center, Argonne
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) When Eric Woodford began harvesting biomass 15 years ago, he realized that existing farm equipment wasn't up to the job. So he invented something better, and now sells it. It began more than 15 years ago
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) Ethanol supporters, on the defensive since the last Iowa caucus cycle, have decided to do some educational outreach this year to the estimated 600-plus media that will come to Iowa for the Aug. 13
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In June, the U.S EPA issued its proposal to reduce the coming year’s cellulosic biofuels volume target for the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The RFS goals set by Congress in 2007 call for increasing
by Jennifer Jacobs (Des Moines Register) An air-conditioned “igloo” paid for by the Iowa Energy Forum will rise up from the straw poll campus in Ames next month, an attraction meant to woo Iowans’ affection with free treats, kids’
(Ethanol Producer Magazine) The second year of DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC’s corn stover collection program is under way in Iowa as the company prepares to construct Project Blackhawk - a 25 MMgy stover-to-ethanol plant which will be located adjacent
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Wind energy and biofuels are part of the campaign for Congress launched this week by former Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack. ...Vilsack officially announced her bid to represent Iowa’s newly formed 4th district yesterday (July 19,
by Jonathan Silver (Department of Energy/Biofuels Digest) ...the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) has been extremely busy, committing or closing 19 additional financings of clean energy projects – including one of the country’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) (Biodiesel Magazine) Q. Why do you support the production of biodiesel? A. Too much of America’s energy comes from fossil fuels imported from countries that don’t like us. We can reduce dependence on foreign oil, and be
by Chuck (DomesticFuel.com) ...I asked her for a comment on having Iowa corn growers supporting this race again and what she thinks about racing with ethanol. She said, “I think that we’re in definitely in an age where everybody is
(American Agriculturalist) New York and Maryland fairs are first-comers to USB's Green Ribbon Fairs program. This summer, the United Soybean Board and state soybean boards in nine states are kicking off the Green Ribbon Fairs project by using and promoting soybean-based
(POET) POET has received an offer for a conditional commitment for a $105 million U.S. Department of Energy loan guarantee to construct a cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa that will produce 25 million-gallon-per-year from corn cobs, leaves, husks and
(Wisconsin BioIndustry Alliance) A report by the University of Wisconsin and Iowa State University found that ethanol production helped reduce gas prices at the pump by an average of $0.89 per gallon across the country in 2010. The report, which updated the findings
(KCAUTV.com) The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today announced that Iowans choosing E10 blends have saved over $50 million during the first five months of 2011. Iowa Department of Revenue fuel sales figures released this week showed ethanol sales steady
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Iowa could become the first state in the nation with fuel pumps sporting the new15% ethanol (E15) labels approved this week by the Environmental Protection Agency along with final rules allowing E15 to be used in
by Lynn Hicks (Des Moines Register) Nevada will be the site of one of the few next-generation ethanol plants in the world, DuPont announced today. The biorefinery will use corncobs, leaves and stalks as feedstock rather than corn. It will join
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A plan to produce more lysine and threonine, both amino acids, at Archer Daniels Midland Co.’s plant in Decatur, Ill., won’t mean changes on the ethanol side. “This expansion will not impact ethanol production
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Quad County Corn Processors, which operates a 30 MMgy ethanol facility in Galva, Iowa, was recently awarded a $1.45 million grant from the Iowa Power Fund to assist in constructing a bolt-on cellulosic
by William Petroski (Des Moines Register) ...Santorum, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, said he advocates phasing-out the existing tax incentive for ethanol production, commonly known as the blenders’ credit, by reducing the credit 9 cents annually over each
(AP/Bloomberg/The Washington Post) If a $5 billion-a-year federal subsidy that helped build the ethanol industry comes to an end, it will likely mean two things, experts who have followed its development say. First, it doesn’t guarantee an end to the high
by Gene Lucht (Iowa Farmer Today) ...On the biodiesel front, there are three basic components, says Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board: =Extension and change of the retailer tax credit. The current credit is for 3 cents per
(Iowa State University) Laura Jarboe pointed to a collection of test tubes in her Iowa State University laboratory. Some of the tubes looked like they were holding very weak coffee. That meant microorganisms - in this case, Shewanella bacteria - were
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Congressman Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) this week introduced legislation that would require all gasoline sold in the U.S. to carry country-of-origin labeling (COOL). ...Growth Energy president Jim Nussle says the law would create more market transparency for American consumers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Iowa, Honeywell has been selected to help SynGest design a proposed first-of-its-kind processing facility that will produce ammonia from biomass. The southwest-Iowa plant will process as much as 400 tons of biomass each day to produce
(Virent) Biofuels Pioneer Converts Corn Stover and Loblolly Pine Into BioFormate™ Gasoline with Molecular Composition Similar to Gasoline Derived from Fossil Fuels Virent announced it has successfully produced biogasoline from corn stover and pine harvest forest residuals, as a recipient of the U.S.
By Jonathan Weisman (Wall Street Journal) It was an odd setting for a policy pronouncement, but on the sidewalk outside the Historical Building here, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney embraced ethanol subsidies. It came just days after and blocks from where
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad is expected to sign a bill today, May 26, which will provide a boost to the state’s renewable fuels producers and distributors. The bill, S.F. 531, was passed by the state
by Jason Clayworth (Des Moines Register/Juice) What once would have been considered a bold, even politically suicidal, call to do away with ethanol subsidies has become the position of some key industry trade groups, paving the way for candidates like
(WOWT.com) Iowa State University's Hans van Leeuwen has moved his research team's award-winning idea for improving ethanol production from a laboratory to a pilot plant. Now he knows the idea, which produces a new animal feed and cleans water that can be
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The Iowa Legislature today (May 4, 2011) approved comprehensive renewable fuels legislation intended to increase E15 sales and biodiesel production. ...(T)the bill includes a new 3 cent per gallon retailer tax credit for E15 sales, allowing
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) The time could come when farmers aren't getting on their tractors every spring to plant their crops, or even plowing their fields, exposing them to erosion. At least that's the vision of a few scientists
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) Cars, trucks and SUVs lined up at an Ankeny Kum & Go on Friday for a taste of what's to come: lower gas prices. ...Demand was no problem at the Ankeny store, where flex-fuel vehicle
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Imagine filling up the car on a fuel that isn't made from oil but doesn't have the drawbacks of corn ethanol, including its lower energy content and ability to damage older cars or gas
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) Prototypes of the biofuels refinery of the future sit in a 19,000-square-foot complex on the Iowa State Research Farm west of Ames. Two experimental plants, whose network of pipes and containers looks to the lay
by Daniel Looker (Agriculture.com) ...But when Senator Tom Harkin was asked about his sense of support for the Grassley-Conrad Bill on Thursday, he said that it has some risks. Harkin supports Grassley’s bill, and is one of the original co-sponsors. But
by O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) A bill on its way to Governor Branstad’s desk extends a variety of tax breaks and incentives for so-called “biofuels”. For example, the legislation creates new tax incentives for retailers who sell E-15, the slightly
(Senator Chuck Grassley) Senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Kent Conrad of North Dakota today introduced bipartisan legislation to update ethanol tax policies in an effort to boost domestic energy production and increase America’s energy independence and security. The bill also has
by Xiaodong Du, Dermot J. Hayes (Iowa State University/Center for Agricultural and Rural Development) This report updates the findings in Du and Hayes 2009 by extending the data to December 2010 and concludes that over the sample period from January
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) GROWMARK is providing more homegrown fuels for members and area businesses around central Illinois. The regional agricultural supply company bought the Menard Terminal from Magellan Midstream Partners in 2008 and today it handles gasoline, diesel, ethanol and
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Renewable Energy Group (REG) executives hosted USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson as well as leaders from the ethanol industry at their REG Newton biorefinery to discuss the role of advanced biofuels in
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) On Friday April 15, BioProcess Algae, dedicated its Grower Harvester bioreactorssignaling the final phase of construction for its commercial scale algae biorefinery. On hand for the event in Shenandoah, Iowa, were USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack along
(EurekAlert!) David Grewell flipped on the augers that carry corn from a truck to a biorefinery. Then, with a few more clicks of his computer mouse, he turned on the pumps that send grain all the way through an ethanol plant,
by Bruce A. Babcock, Jacinto F. Fabiosa (Iowa State University) The rapid rise in corn prices that began in the fall of 2006 coincided with exponential growth in U.S. corn ethanol production. At about the same time, new ethanol consumption
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Although natural gas is king of power generation at ethanol plants, there’s increasing interest in renewable energy technologies that could help ethanol plants someday produce a domestically grown fuel without using fossil fuels.
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The synergies between the biodiesel, ethanol and advanced biofuels industries are growing. One of the things that’s been happening over the past few years is the ethanol industry creating a new feedstock for the biodiesel industry
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) ...“The single most important thing that Congress can do for advanced biofuels is to provide a stable policy environment,” Jan Koninckx, DuPont’s global biofuels business director, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
by Jon Birger (Bloomberg) ...Other than water and sunlight, there’s nothing more important to growing corn -- the most-valuable U.S. crop, worth $66.7 billion in 2010 -- than nitrogen. Generous applications of nitrogen fertilizer are essential to the 180-to-200-bushel-an- acre
by Jean Caspers-Simmet (AgriNews.com) Dave Sovereign tries to help people see the benefits ethanol brings to the economy. ...It frustrates Sovereign when people bash ethanol. "After 9/11 the president and Congress asked all Americans to do what they could to eliminate our dependence
by Maynard Herron and Bob Matousek (Kansas Alliance for Biorefining and Bioenergy) AGCO (Hesston, KS) received an award for biomass feedstock supply demonstration as a partial match of a $5 million renewable energy R & D grant
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) During Thursday's Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Shane Karr, Vice President of Federal Governmental Affairs for the Auto Alliance, stated automakers would commit to a dialog with Congress and the appropriate federal
by POET (Renewable Energy World) "Voilà™" corn oil separated using POET centrifuge technology Planned expansion of corn oil production to all of POET's ethanol plants will produce enough raw material for up to 60 million gallons of biodiesel. POET is now selling Voilà™
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Will these biofuels projects make the expected steps towards commercialization? There was a strong response to yesterday’s Top Story about technologies that were approaching make-or-break milestones in 2012. But what about 2011, asked some? What
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) A new ethanol blender pump opened last week in York, Nebraska thanks to the efforts of the Nebraska Ethanol Board and the Nebraska Corn Board. ...The York E85 / blender pump is the 61st in Nebraska to offer
by Stu Ellis (FarmGateBlog.com) ...(E)thanol producers who have a pipeline into the export market may find added demand from a variety of nations that need to buy it. At a time when ethanol imports are controversial along with the
by David Beattie (Renewable Energy World Magazine) ...Importantly, and what sets these latest fuels apart from their first-generation predecessors, is the fact that they are produced using feedstock that would normally be classed as waste or non-food. These include parts
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) During a U.S. Senate committee hearing on March 30, Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said that focusing on advanced biofuels for homegrown energy is in the best interest of the United States. “I think that
by Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Waterloo) (GlobeGazette) ...For too long, we’ve depended on foreign countries for our oil — and we’ve sacrificed our independence and our national security in the process. But there’s no one, easy solution to the problem. We need
(Algal Biomass Organization February 25 Newsletter) ...We are designing, manufacturing and operating systems that enable controlled, economical cultivation of algal biomass using attached growth technology. We are currently beginning the second phase of a project that utilizes waste products - including
by Caleb Denison (IBTimes.com) ...(David) Correll, (a Ph.D. student at Iowa State University’s College of Business) ... is the co-founder and president of “ISU BioBus” – a program created to convert spent cooking oil from one of the university’s
by Richard Johnson (Globe Gazette) ...And, he (Walt Wendland) said, his industry can adapt to technological changes, such as cellulosic ethanol, a biofuel derived from cellulose plant fiber. “We think there’s great synergy between cellulosic production and what we’re doing now,” Wendland
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) E85 sales in Iowa have broken all records reaching an all-time high for the state. According to the Iowa Department of Revenue, sales of E85 by Iowa retailers reached 9,311,908 gallons last year representing a 43%
(IowaPolitics.com) Floor Speech of Sen. Chuck Grassley Ethanol and Energy Independence Delivered Monday, March 07, 2011 ...We must look to alternative and renewable resources so we can improve our energy and national security. This includes supporting energy from wind, biomass, hydroelectric, solar,
(Wallaces Farmer) ...NCGA (National Corn Growers Association) delegates attending the meeting in Tampa, Fla., adopted ethanol policy that states "NCGA supports reforming existing ethanol tax policy. Ideas to replace existing tax law, in the following priority order, should be a variable
by Luke Geiver (Biodiesel Magazine) Drivers in the Ft. Madison, Iowa, area will now have access to biodiesel after Sinclair Oil Corp. officially announced the company will offer REG-9000 dyed and clear biodiesel blends at its Ft. Madison blending
by Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa) At a political event in central Iowa last night, former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer promised to end ethanol subsidies if he’s elected president. Roemer’s comment didn’t wow the crowd in the heart of the nation’s
by Erin Golden (Omaha.com) ...Headlines about higher gas prices are putting a big-picture focus on the country’s dependence on oil, said Todd Becker, the CEO of Omaha-based ethanol producer Green Plains Renewable Energy. And on a smaller scale, he said,
by Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa) ...Monte Shaw with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association wants a brand new protocol for labeling at the pump. “We’ve done a lot of research all over the country and labels are inherently viewed negatively. If
by Thomas Saidak (Biofuels Digest) In New York, DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig F. Binetti, speaking at the Jeffries 11th Annual Clean Technology Conference, talked about Dupont’s intentions regarding biotechnology and biofuels. Dupont currently estimates the biofuels industry worldwide will
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig Binetti told attendees of a recent clean technology conference that DuPont expects the biofuels industry worldwide to grow by $25 billion in the next five years and it plans
by Phil Brasher (Des Moines Register) Cutting the deficit is more important than protecting the ethanol industry if it comes to that, says Sen. Chuck Grassley, long the biofuel industry's most powerful ally in Congress. Grassley said Tuesday that he would
by Courtney Blanchard (Telegraph Herald) Senator rejects new criticism of U.S. ethanol policy that comes after reports of low corn reserves. Near record-high corn prices and the lowest reserves in 15 years have reinvigorated the debate over ethanol. U.S. Sen. Chuck
by Bill Brandon (Advanced Biofuels USA) On February 10 & 11, about 120 participants gathered in chilly Chicago for the first Municipal Solid Waste to Biofuels Summit presented by the British firm, Eye for Energy. The conference drew participants from
(USDA) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of 16 projects in 10 states for funding to create jobs and provide new economic opportunities. The projects are being funded through the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program (REDLG), which
by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby (Farm News) ..."I'm very excited that we're going to be racing on ethanol in the Cup Series, the truck series and the Nationwide series," said NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace, who was in Des Moines on Tuesday
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Students were challenged to create the best video highlighting the importance and benefits of renewable fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, to local communities, Iowa and the nation and the four winning videos were featured at
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) BioProcess Algae LLC has begun operating commercial-scale algae bioreactors at Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc.’s 65 MMgy ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa. The project is a joint venture among GPRE, BioProcessH20 LLC, a division
(Novozymes/Bradenton.com) The road to commercialization of cellulosic biofuels may be bumpy and less traveled, but it’s actually an easier road than many might think. This week at the DC Auto Show, Novozymes and POET will celebrate being one mile closer to their destination --
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania was never a believer in ethanol, biodiesel and other forms of renewable energy until one devastating day in American history. “I looked at this issue differently, until 9/11,” ...Santorum believes that domestic production
(POET) First farmers completed BCAP applications Monday Farmers are now delivering biomass bales to POET's 22-acre storage site in Emmetsburg, Iowa, the future home of the 25 million-gallon-per-year cellulosic ethanol plant dubbed "Project LIBERTY." Area farmers harvested 56,000 tons of corn cobs, leaves,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, the Wall Street Journal launched a bitter counterattack this week on former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, after Gingrich remarked, at a meeting of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association that “Obviously big urban
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ...At the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit in Des Moines on Tuesday, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) released a new study detailing the positive benefits that provides for Iowa. According to the report, the renewable fuels industry, both
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...The company will deploy multiple feedstock technology as rising costs of feedstocks are a common source of financial hardship for biofuel plants. It has recently been reported that rising corn prices are currently squeezing ethanol margins. This
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) ...The potential for some green jobs, especially in biofuels, is dependent on technologies and processes that haven't proved economical. Ethanol giant Poet LLC wants to produce fuel from corncobs, a form of cellulose, as
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced a new piece of legislation today, called the “Biofuels Market Expansion Act of 2011.” The bill, if passed, would ensure an increasing number of automobiles in the U.S. be flexible
(USDA) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced new investments in 33 states to support the production and usage of advanced biofuels. Vilsack highlighted these projects as ways the Obama Administration is working to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil
(Iowa Office of Energy Independence) Project Would Produce Jobs and New Energy Technology for Iowa The Iowa Power Fund Board (Board) approved terms January 12, 2011, to start contract negotiations on a grant award for one of the first in the nation,
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Boom times are ahead for a biodiesel industry that struggled just to stay alive in 2010. The industry could produce as much as a billion gallons in 2011, nearly triple this year's production, said Gary
By Don Hofstrand (Iowa State University Extension/JoplinStockyards.com) U.S. energy policy has recently moved into the background due to concerns about the current economic downturn. However, the importance of the two major drivers of energy policy - the need to wean
by Dave Dreeszen (Sioux City Journal) The South Sioux City Council on Monday agreed to issue $25 million in revenue bonds to help finance the proposed Nature’s BioReserves plant at the Roth Industrial Park... The 60-million-gallon-per-year plant would make clean-burning biodiesel
(POET) New analysis outlines jobs, economic output of Project LIBERTY work POET's Project LIBERTY will generate as much as $37.8 billion in economic activity over 20 years and could employ more than 2,800 people, an independent analysis claims. A report done by Impact
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) The ethanol industry needs to stop its infighting to preserve its government support beyond next year, says Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Ia. "We can't stand any more division within biofuels," said Grassley, who led a successful fight
(SynGest/BusinessWire) Mini plant will make 150 TPD of nitrogen fertilizer from biomass San Francisco, CA - (Business Wire) December 13, 2010 - SynGest Inc. announced that the Iowa Power Fund and Iowa Office of Energy Independence have approved an award contract in
by Brian Hansen (Platts) Republican leaders in the US Congress said Tuesday after a private meeting with President Barack Obama that they plan to focus on tax issues before legislators adjourn for the year, but did not mention plans for
(EurekAlert!/American Society of Agronomy) Iowa State researchers examine the efficiencies and environmental impacts of growing sorghum for ethanol Conversion of sorghum grass to ethanol has increased with the interest in renewable fuel sources. Researchers at Iowa State University examined 12 varieties of
by Dan Pillar (Gannett/Des Moines Register) The Iowa Power Fund Board voted Wednesday to enter into negotiations with a joint venture of DuPont and Danisco, for an $19.8 million grant for the joint venture to build an ethanol plant in Story
Dean Taylor (Des Moines Register/Iowa Corn Growers Association) ...Iowa farmers have made measurable progress in conservation and water quality. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, farmers' use of nitrogen and phosphorus per bushel has been drastically reduced over the
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) If the cobs, stalks and leaves left behind after corn harvest become the next big source for ethanol, the technology to pick up the stover is decidedly old-school. "A farmer who bales hay can do this,"
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producers Magazine) Recent activities in the cellulosic ethanol industry have shown that while financing continues to be a major hurdle, technological advancements continue to be made and companies are beginning to construct their first commercial-scale facilities. BlueFire
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...We have spoken to farmers, local business owners, environmentalists, community development officials, engine developers, scientists, policy makers, producers, investors, lenders, blenders, wholesalers, retailers, and end users. We have visited development projects on four continents. We have
by Michelle Kautz (DomesticFuel) Students at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) are studying the flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) conversion process. As first reported on KMIT.com, by using FlexFuel U.S.’s system, the students are excited to learn how to lessen
by Shanta Barley (The Guardian) TMO Renewables wins contract with US firm Fiberight using its 'turbo-charged' GM bacteria that convert rubbish into biofuels. A British company that uses a genetically modified compost-heap bug to produce biofuel from rubbish has signed a
by George Ford (SourceMedia Group News/Eastern Iowa Business) The Iowa Power Fund Board awarded a $2.9 million grant to a cellulosic ethanol plant in Blairstown. Fiberight-Blairstown Operating LLC received the grant to demonstrate how municipal solid waste can be converted into cellulosic
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) Fiberight-Blairstown Operating LLC has received a $2.9 million grant to help build a cellulosic ethanol plant in Blairstown, Iowa. The award was given by the Iowa Power Board Fund yesterday. Fiberight is developing technology to convert
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) Did you know that 60 cents of each gallon of E85 purchased stays in the state of Iowa? I didn’t know that until I participated in the Iowa Corn Fed Game Day pump rally at Riverside,
(Piper Jaffray) ...Energy crops are designed to use marginal land, or in the case of Brazil, extend the growing season. Sugarcane-ethanol facilities in Brazil typically run for 6-8 months due to the relatively long growing season of cane. Energy crops
by Dean Close (Vinton Today) ...In layman’s terms, what Fiberight does is take waste from a paper mill in Cedar Rapids, and uses rare bacteria – Stewart Paul refers to that bacteria as “the bugs” – to convert the sugar
by Jane Whitmore (Emmetsburg Reporter Democrat) ...The fact that the business is not officially open hasn’t stopped customers from dropping in. Eric is already working with farmers interested in cob harvesting. “We have been following biomass and renewable energy for quite
(POET) Construction underway on storage area for biomass bales in Emmetsburg, Iowa Farmers and POET today celebrated the upcoming collection and delivery of 56,000 tons of baled corn cobs and light stover in the first commercial harvest for Project LIBERTY. POET CEO Jeff
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) Francis Thicke of Fairfield, the Democratic candidate for Iowa agriculture secretary, used his State Fair Soapbox speech Wednesday to call for a "new vision" for Iowa agriculture based on renewable fuels, ecologically sustainable production
(PR Newswire) Community college is first to earn BQ-9000 designation, driving business to the state. Don Heck has heard a lot of talk about making Iowa the "renewable energy capital of the world," and he thinks he's found a way to
by Dale Hildebrant (Minnesota Farm Guide) ...Delegates to the Biomass '10 conference in Grand Forks heard reports on all three cellulosic ethanol plant projects, which are in various stages of development. All have a projected start-up date in 2013 or
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. is moving to Phase II with its algae project at one plant and planning to install corn oil extraction technology at all six of its ethanol plants. On July 20,
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...“Iowa is rapidly becoming the development capital of the nation for the replacement of petroleum-based chemicals with bio-based chemicals,” according to a press release from the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Currently, the state has
(ISU) A new green, bio-based method for producing a much-used fuel additive and industrial chemical that is currently made from petroleum products has been developed by an Iowa State University researcher. Thomas Bobik, professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, invented a
(Iowa Corn) Iowa corn grower leaders and membership witnessed the fourth running of the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer at the Iowa Speedway in Newton as a victory for corn-based ethanol and for Iowa agriculture. It was also a victory
(ICM) “Reunited and it feels so good.” Those may be the lyrics to a classic song by Peaches and Herb, but one may suspect they’re whistling the tune in Ryan Hunter-Reay’s Ethanol USA-Team IZOD® pit at the Iowa Corn Indy 250. At
by Larry and Judy Kay (Des Moines Register) Letter to the Editor Bloomberg ran a story about the rising price of meat on April 26, suggesting that the demand for ethanol was to blame. This is ridiculous. We are cattle feeders,
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) An Iowa corn ethanol plant has been converted to produce commercial cellulosic biofuels from fiber and municipal waste. Clean technology company Fiberight announced today that it has started “commenced production at the nation’s first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant
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