by Nicholas Gergin (Lincoln Journal Star) ... The ancient grain, also known as milo, is enjoying some time in the limelight thanks to strong demand from China and low corn prices. ... Milo takes less water to grow than corn, input costs
by Paul Kenney (North Platte Bulletin) Recent reports from the University of Nebraska clearly document the impressive economic benefits that occur when the corn, cattle and ethanol industries are efficiently integrated. Economists describe the economic “bounce” we realize in the
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Construction on Abengoa’s self-powered cellulosic ethanol facility is complete. But that doesn’t mean efforts to innovate are over. Javier Garoz Neira, CEO of Abengoa Bioenergy, told attendees at the company’s grand opening celebration they were
(Green Car Congress) A study published earlier this year in the journal Nature Climate Change that cast doubt on whether biofuels produced from corn residue could meet federal mandates for cellulosic biofuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% compared
by Russell Hubbard (Omaha World-Herald) Green Plains Inc., whose shares have climbed 80 percent this year, told investors Wednesday that higher blends of ethanol are making it into the nation’s gas supply but that congested rail networks make it hard to
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the US, Fuels America has launched a six-figure TV and radio campaign in Minnesota, Michigan, and Nebraska thanking American renewable fuels champions Sen. Al Franken, Rep. Collin Peterson, Rep. Lee Terry and Rep. Gary
by John Hansen (Nebraska Farmers Union/Omaha.com) ... When Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development examined the impact the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has on a family of four, it found an average in fuel savings of $863 per
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The idea of wet biomass storage has yet to catch on in the cellulosic industry, despite long-term use in the pulp and paper industry. Jim Hettenhaus is a passionate advocate of wet biomass storage. ...
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Pelletizing corn stover offers some tantalizing prospects. Where it is virtually impossible to load a truck to maximum weight with bales, one could with pellets. The densification process improves bulk density by a
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Researchers working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have developed a variety of switchgrass that produces bigger yields and more biofuel. Rob Mitchell with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Nebraska gives credit to retired
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) POET-DSM’s 20 million gallon cellulosic ethanol plant opens with hoopla, and heartfelt messages about the spirit of innovation, and a time for technology change and policy firmness. “Once, we all lived off the land, sun, wind
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... NatureWorks manufactures Ingeo, a bio-plastic (PLA) made from plants, in a large plant in Nebraska. We sell Ingeo worldwide in a large variety of applications based on the 3P-value principle: Performance + Price competitive +
by Russell Hubbard (Omaha World-Herald) It starts out as freeze-dried fungus or bacteria from Denmark and ends up being one of the key ingredients in what some are calling Nebraska’s and Iowa’s shot at the big time when it comes
by Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) An ethanol plant in Nebraska corn country is pumping out fuel made from sugar beets, and corn farmers are suing to stop it - a small-town dispute that offers an unusual take on the debate over
(Union of Concerned Scientists) Sustainable practices can turn crop residues and manure into bioenergy without competing with food supplies U.S. agriculture could provide up to 155 million tons of crop residues and 60 million tons of manure to produce clean fuels
(Nebraska Ethanol Board) Over the last decade, wages earned in Nebraska’s ethanol production sector outpaced all other manufacturing groups in state, according to the Nebraska Department of Labor’s Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Program. In 2013, the average annual
(US Department of Agriculture) Farm Bill Implementation Continues at Brisk Pace with Universities and State Cooperative Extension Programs Now Set to Help Educate Farmers Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $6 million
by Cole Epley (Omaha.com) The Michigan-based parent company of a southwestern Nebraska ethanol plant has opened a new travel center in Cambridge, Neb., adding to the state’s short list of retail locations where consumers can purchase biodiesel blends at the pump. ... Anew
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Guardian Energy intends to keep local ownership a viable part of the ethanol industry, building on the success of the Renewable Products Marketing Group, another collaborative effort of a group of ethanol companies. ... Some Guardian
by Brendan Jordan (Midwest Energy News) A new academic paper on biofuels was released this week, and some media outlets have reached sweeping conclusions. “Fuels from corn waste not better than gas,” claimed the Associated Press. The Daily Caller one-upped
(Nebraska Corn Board/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A group of Nebraska, Iowa, and Ohio corn farmers have returned from a multi-state trade mission to Brazil excited about the potential relationships and similarities of ethanol fuel. The objective of this joint mission was to gain
by Kelly Baumgarten (KHAS TV) ...On Wednesday, Attorney General Jon Bruning toured a facility that seems to be thriving. Bruning was at Chief Ethanol in Hastings. He talked about the importance of ethanol to Nebraska's economy, but also the role ethanol could play
(Omaha World-Herald) ... The first commercial production of cellulosic ethanol began in 2013, and this year biomass plants in Iowa will be taking the lead in expanding capacity. The facilities will take crop waste and non-edible plants and convert them into
(Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Anew Travel Center in Cambridge, Neb., now offers E15 to consumers for use in 2001 and newer vehicles. The expanded offering of E15 will create savings at the pump for consumers. Currently, E15 is available in 14
by Jerry Oster (WNAX, Yankton/Nebraska Radio) ... Todd Becker, president of the Omaha-based Green Plains Renewable Energy, says corn-based ethanol is continuing to have an enormous impact on the state’s economy. Becker says the value-added by-products are of great value, too,
by Jordan Onwiler (Nebraska.tv) Three Nebraska companies, including one located in Hastings and another in Lexington, have received federal funds to support production of advanced biofuels. Chief Ethanol Fuel, Inc received total payments of more than $4,000. The company operates an ethanol
by Diana Yates (University of Illinois) A multi-institutional team reports that it can increase sugarcane’s geographic range, boost its photosynthetic rate by 30 percent and turn it into an oil-producing crop for biodiesel production. These are only the first steps in
by John Lppert and Mario Parker (The Washington Post/Bloomberg) ... Political challenges are piling up, too. Big Oil lists minimum ethanol requirements as its top policy concern for 2014 and wants to eliminate them. Government officials are already backtracking. A week
by Nicholas Bergin (Lincoln Journal Star) ... Biofuel producers reported strong earnings for last year’s final quarter, thanks to lower corn prices, healthy ethanol exports and robust demand for byproducts like corn oil and livestock feed meal. It’s a drastic turnaround from
by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) Crop farmers in the northern corn belt who have benefited from ethanol targets are putting on a push to save the current renewable fuel standard (RFS) from proposed cuts by the Environmental Protection Agency. The proposal would cut the
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) As federal biodiesel policy uncertainty rises, low-cost biodiesel production with new technologies to allow processing of cheaper, lower quality feedstocks, is paramount. Biodiesel Magazine provides a cross-section of new technologies being deployed. ... If the final (EPA
by Cezary Podkul (Reuters) * 16 farm-state Senators urge agency not to cut biofuel blending quotas; * Despite EPA administrator's assurances, major changes unlikely - expert; * EPA seeks to put biofuel blending program on "manageable trajectory" The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Six Midwestern governors sent a letter to President Barack Obama expressing their support for the Renewable Fuel Standard, which his administration has proposed scaling back in 2014. In a letter to the president, Environmental Protection
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works held a hearing Dec. 11 on the U.S. EPA’s proposed rule to set 2014 volume requirements under the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The hearing, titled
(Sioux City Journal/Associated Press) A New Zealand company plans to move its headquarters to Kearney and set up a production plant for its biomass resin product. The plant will use distillers grains to produce a functional filler for the plastics industry. Marge
(Journal Star) ... There’s little doubt the industry is under attack by a misguided and misinformed alliance of tea party Republicans and erstwhile environmentalists. Better for ethanol supporters to save their energy for the renewed attacks that are sure to come
(Iowa Biodiesel Board) Program helps ensure long-term integration of biodiesel into American fuel supply Some instructors from throughout the Midwest who will train the diesel mechanics of tomorrow now have a thorough knowledge base on biodiesel. It’s thanks to recent training
By Dina Cappiello (Associated Press/StarTribune) The hills of southern Iowa bear the scars of America's push for green energy: The brown gashes where rain has washed away the soil. The polluted streams that dump fertilizer into the water supply. Even the
(Ag Professional/USDA Agricultural Research Service) Farmers in the semiarid central Great Plains have traditionally used a two-year, no-till, dryland, winter wheat/fallow cropping system, which stretches scarce soil water supplies and minimizes crop failure from water stress. Now they are interested
by Emily Roehler (Nebraska TV) If you own a car, chances are fuel costs take a big hit on your wallet. Nebraskans who own a flex fuel vehicle (FFV) have options at the pump that can save some money and
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...The company developed Bio-Res, a trademarked product made from distillers grains, that can be used in place of traditional petroleum-based resins. It can be included in the manufacturing process of various plastics at rates
by F. John Hay (Lincoln Journal Star) The Local View article (Issues with ethanol, LJS, 9/27) addressed an individual’s opinion on the demerits of use of ethanol as a transportation fuel and the merits of alternatives. Unfortunately, the information given
by Todd Brodersen (Lincoln Journal Star) In a response to Todd Sneller's letter, "Ethanol the choice for many reasons," Steven McManus responded negatively and seemed to substitute fiction for fact to make his points ("Ethanol costly, inefficient," Sept. 10). McManus took exception
by Anna Simet (Ethanol Producer Magazine) As a precursor to the National Advanced Biofuel Conference and Expo in Omaha, Neb., Sept. 10-12, the Corn Stover Harvest & Transport Seminar hashed over the technological, logistical and environmental issues of using corn
by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) Sorghum Field Days are being held at six locations in Nebraska this week. One of the stops will be the John Dvoracek farm near Farwell, where there are more than 50 sorghum varieties planted
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) E15 is again available after summer volatility restrictions ended Sept. 15. ... E15 is approved for use with vehicles model year 2001 and newer. However, because the U.S. EPA has awarded E10 a waiver to
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making payments to support the production of advanced biofuel. USDA is making nearly $15.5 million in payments to 188 producers through the
by Todd Sneller (Lincoln Journal Star/Nebraska Ethanol Board) The well-written article “Cost of gas could soar” (Aug. 25) explains that oil companies have made a business decision that will further increase their profits by reducing the octane rating of gasoline
by Richard Piersol (Lincoln Journal-Star) Demand for renewable credits helps change market Prices of premium and regular grades of gasoline without ethanol are likely to rise in Nebraska and Iowa, and those fuels may become harder to find as oil refiners
by Erik Tyger (KTIV.com) ...Ethanol plants tend to offer farmers a better price for their corn and use more of the plant, putting corn at a constant state of high demand. Once the alcohol has been removed from the corn
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that purchase invitations have been extended to solicit bids to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) through the Feedstock Flexibility Program (FFP). Congress created FFP
(PR NewsWire/Digital Journal/Domestic Fuel Solutions Group) From Day One the Domestic Fuel Solutions Group (DFSG) has been advocating for reasonable RFS reform. Congress is taking notice. At the end of two days of recent House Energy & Commerce Committee hearings on
bySam Doerr (KCAU TV) ...You see all that garbage produces methane, a flammable gas that Siouxland Ethanol can use just a mile down the road. "Currently the methane we are capturing and sending to the ethanol plant is supplying them with
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Despite negative press from Bloomberg, biobased investing is surging, both direct and via strategics. The Digest has the data and the scoop. After we profiled, last April, 17 biobased ventures who raised $434 million in new
by Joseph Morton (World-Herald bureau/Omaha.com) The ethanol industry is again under fire from critics who want to eliminate the federal mandate that oil companies blend biofuels into the gasoline supply. ... The American Petroleum Institute recently gathered refining executives in Washington, D.C.,
(Associated Press) The Supreme Court has rejected challenges to Environmental Protection Agency decisions allowing an increase in ethanol content in gasoline. READ MORE and MORE (The Washington Post) and MORE (Renewable Fuels Association) and MORE (The Hill E2Wire) and MORE (Wisconsin State
by David Glass (D Glass Associates) In the final breakout session of the BIO World Congress on June 19, there was a second panel on scale-up and commercialization of cellulosic ethanol. As with the session on the conference’s first day,
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Renewable Fuels Association has spoken out to criticize a study published by Rice University and the University of California-Davis that claims climate change will increase irrigation costs for corn while reducing yields. In
by Paul Kenney (KAAPA Ethanol/Kearney Hub) Opinion: ...Ethanol blends are becoming a staple at pumps across the nation, and ethanol accounts for more than 10 percent of the country’s motor fuel supply. It’s a higher-octane alternative to gasoline and costs less. In
Produced by BBI International, this national event will feature the world of advanced biofuels and biobased chemicals—technology scale-up, project finance, policy, national markets and more—with a core focus on the industrial, petroleum and agribusiness alliances defining the national advanced biofuels
by Michael Thede (Kearney Hub) Letter to Editor: Recent efforts by several members of Congress to dismantle the federal Renewable Fuel Standard are a direct attack on a domestic biofuels program that generates enormous benefits to our economy, energy security,
by Tim Scheer (JournalStar.com) Once again, the Renewable Fuel Standard is the subject of debate and attack in Washington, DC. In truth, the RFS is one of the most successful pieces of legislation in recent years, because it has done exactly
(ENP Newswire/Cogeneration and On-Site Power Production) Abengoa (MCE: ABG.B), the international company that applies innovative technology solutions for sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, has started operations at the demonstration plant that uses waste-to-biofuels technology. The plant has a
by Diana Johnsen (KCAUTV.com) ...The Jackson Express Gas station in Jackson, Nebraska has what are called ethanol "blender pumps", which allows drivers to customize how much ethanol goes into their fuel. And the more ethanol, the less you pay. "The gas is
by Ken Anderson (Browfield Ag News) A combination of dry weather and increased demand from the ethanol sector could have grain sorghum poised for a comeback in Nebraska. Grain sorghum plantings in the state plummeted from 550-thousand acres in 2000 to just
(25 x '25) The ethanol industry has some good news to share. And it comes in an arena where the domestically produced biofuel has often been challenged – carbon sequestration and the life-cycle assessment of ethanol made from corn. A study
by Grant Gerlock (KBIA) Ethanol is an up and down industry, and right now it’s down. Ethanol plants in at least 13 states have stopped running over recent months because of higher corn prices and lower demand for the biofuel.
(U.S. Energy Information Administration/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Beginning in summer 2012, the prices of ethanol and corn reached levels where production costs at relatively simple ethanol plants exceeded revenue. These simple plants, which are not able to recover corn oil, make
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Star Journal) ...On a much brighter note, the managers of ethanol plants in Trenton and Ravenna are pushing hard to make a crop also known as milo the main ingredient in their renewable fuels recipes. ...Drought hardiness
(1011Now.com) ...Nebraska ethanol and ag leaders believe E15 is key in getting idle ethanol plants back to producing. Robert White, the director of market development for the Renewable Fuels Association, tells fuel retailers that gasoline demand dropped 6 percent last year as more
by Christopher K. Wright and Michael C. Wimberly (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) In the US Corn Belt, a recent doubling in commodity prices has created incentives for landowners to convert grassland to corn and soybean cropping. Here,
by Ann Perry (US Department of Agriculture Agriculture Research Service/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Corn crop residues are often left on harvested fields to protect soil quality, but they could become an important raw material in cellulosic ethanol production. USDA research indicates
(UPI) Corn crop residue often left behind on harvested fields to protect soil quality could become an important raw material for biofuels, U.S. researchers say. A study by scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated soil quality would not decline
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) ... Managers of Nebraska’s two dozen ethanol plants are finding livestock and poultry customers in other states and more buyers as far away as Canada, Mexico and China for the dried portions of corn
by Robert Pore (The Independent) ...According to another speaker at the Agriculture Outlook Conference 2013, David Hightower, president of Hightower Report, ethanol has increased corn demand and added value to corn that wasn't there prior to the Renewable Fuels Standard, when
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to a new study performed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, corn grown using no-till methods may sequester larger amounts of carbon than previously believed. The study was published in BioEnergy Research and showed that
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Scott Zaremba, owner of Zarco 66 convenience stores, didn’t just open the first E15 retail pump in the nation. Not long after offering 15 percent ethanol at the first station in Lawrence, Kan., he expanded
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Nebraska now has about 80 flex-fuel pumps with the addition of two new ones at the Stop N Go in Hartington, Neb., and in California, Pearson Fuels just received a grant to install
by Janice Podsada (Omaha.com) Two new flex fuel pumps offering E85 and E30 flex fuels — blends of 85 percent or 30 percent ethanol with gasoline — are now open at the Hartington Stop N Go. The additions bring the
by Owen Fletcher (The Wall Street Journal) ...U.S. ethanol producers are finding creative ways to earn more money as demand for their flagship product stagnates. These companies are using corn not only to make ethanol but also ingredients for products
by Scott Koperski (Beatrice Daily Sun) ... One key to E Energy Adams’ success has been finding uses for byproducts in ethanol production. (Carl) Sitzmann (CEO of E Energy Adams) said the starch from corn is the only portion of the grain
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Advanced Ethanol Council this morning released a report giving a snapshot of cellulosic ethanol producers in the U.S. and around the world. A look at facilities owned by companies such as Abengoa Bioenergy, Enerkem, INEOS Bio
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) While the roll-out of E15 has been a bit slow out of the gate, the ethanol blend is now being legally sold in four states: Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. ...(Robert) White (director of market development for
(ACORE) The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) released the 2012 edition of its report, Renewable Energy in the 50 States, as an interactive, online resource. Compiling updated financial data, resource potentials, market and policy information in one easily-accessed, online
by Staci DaSilva (KCAUtv.com) ...Along with a refurbished convenience store, it's Taylor Nelson and the new gas pumps that are the story here. "I wanted to take advantage of our locally grown and locally produced fuel source," said Taylor Nelson. Using only
by Susanne Retka Schill (Biodiesel Magazine) If Republican candidate Mitt Romney wins the election, there’s a good chance Nebraska will once again send a native son to Washington to serve in the president’s cabinet. Last time, it was Mike Johanns, who
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) The economic bounce that comes from the combination of corn and cattle in Nebraska "is unmatched any other place in the country," agricultural economist Bruce Johnson told the Nebraska Ethanol Board on Tuesday. And the
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A total of $16 million in investment for 244 projects received funding from the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program, including several blender pumps and a few biomass-related projects. The program offers funding to
(National Corn Growers Association) State corn associations across the country are working diligently to make the increased use of higher ethanol blends a reality through programs to put the necessary infrastructure in place. Laying the groundwork for a shift toward
(Renewable Fuels Association) Uncle Neal’s Phillips 66 at 2705 S. Plum Creek Parkway in Lexington, Nebraska is the first retailer in Nebraska to offer E15. A grand opening promotion will be announced soon. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved of E15
by Emily Roehler (NebraskaTV) It's being billed as "8 Seconds of Corn-fed Madness." Street-legal muscle cars doing 180 mph on a quarter-mile track, powered by ethanol, the renewable fuel made from corn, will race down the track at Kearney Raceway Park. Their performance
by Robert Pore (The Independent) During the last 25 years, Nebraska has seen its ethanol industry develop into the nation’s second-biggest producer at 2 billion gallons a year from 24 ethanol plants. Gov. Dave Heineman declared September as Renewable Fuels Month
by Colleen Lerro (BIO) Wednesday at the National Press Club, several advanced biofuels companies joined BIO to showcase the progress the industry has made in recent years. U.S. companies have worked to rapidly scale up advanced biofuel technology – through pilot
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Nebraska corn growers are on a mission to get more blender pumps installed in their state, especially in the larger cities. Kim Clark, director of biofuels development for the Nebraska Corn Board, gave an update at the American Coalition
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Recently, with the boom in drilling operations in Wyoming and Colorado in the Niobrara shale – and some tentative exploration of the Kleinholz field – there have been renewed hopes for a return to the
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) University racing teams participating in the Formula SAE Collegiate design and performance racing series have the opportunity to develop race cars with alternative fuels. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln team has chosen to compete in the 2013 series using E85 racing fuel.
by Todd Sneller (Journal Star) The petroleum mandate forced on U.S. motorists prevents consumers from choosing less costly fuel options at the pump. Artificial impediments imposed on the fuel market restrict the use of less expensive, cleaner burning options like
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Nebraska ethanol producers are responding to a tough market. With excessive drought conditions and nearly record high corn prices, ethanol producers have decreased their consumption in recent weeks. Latest estimates show the state’s ethanol plants operating
(Biotechnology Industry Organization) BIO recently introduced a picture book of biorefineries across the United States,“Visible Progress in Commercialization of Advanced Biofuels, Biobased Products and Renewable Chemicals”, which showcases commercial, demonstration and even new pilot facilities. Some of these facilities have been in
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced payments for 125 advanced Biofuel producers across the country to support the production and expansion of advanced biofuels from a wide variety of non-food sources, including waste products. "Advanced biofuels are
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Retailers in Nebraska will get some help putting in pumps that give more choices when it comes to ethanol. The Nebraska Corn Board will give grants of $30,000 for acquisition and installation of the first blender pump at
(Nebraska Corn Board) The Nebraska Corn Board recently allocated funds in its 2012-13 fiscal year budget to further develop the renewable fuel infrastructure in Nebraska. Through a grant program, Nebraska Corn Board will award qualifying retailers $30,000 for the first blender
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Yet, even in an era where venture capital has been harder to come by (Why? See these 42 article links under the rubric, “The VC Model is Broken” ) — some great technologies have been getting out
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) Four more ethanol plants are considering retrofits to produce the new biofuel, bringing planned conversions to seven. A third Minnesota ethanol plant is considering a shift in production to a new biofuel called isobutanol. Butamax Advanced Biofuels,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A major plant opening by Novozymes in Nebraska and a project announcement from ExxonMobil in Texas, highlight the opportunities and challenges for industrial biotechnology ...In Blair, Cargill’s corn-based, wet mill ethanol plant provides a base load
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Novozymes, a global biotech company, first considered building its newly built enzyme production plant in China but eventually zeroed in on the U.S. One big deciding factor was the $28.4 million tax credit from
by Kelly Madsen (IowaStateDaily.com) The Iowa State University-led Cenusa Bioenergy project works to develop a biofuel with both a Midwestern and environmental focus. Through a five-year, $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture,
(University of Illinois) With the support of a $3.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, researchers will take the first steps toward engineering two new oil-rich crops. They aim to boost the natural, oil-producing capabilities of sugarcane and
by Justin Doom (Bloomberg) Novozymes A/S (NZYMB), the world’s biggest maker of enzymes for biofuels, is focusing its expansion efforts in Europe, China and Brazil and isn’t pursuing new projects in the U.S. because of the lack of political support. “The policy signals sent to
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Can a Nebraska company process wet distillers grains into a biobased resin to replace conventional petroleum-based resins? Laurel BioComposite LLC says yes. ...The pilot plant started up the end of November and the trademarked BioRes
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Corn stover has been used in small amounts as cattle feed for more than 100 years. Separately, distillers grains has grown in popularity as a cattle feed over the past few decades as ethanol
by Ann Marie Edwards (DomesticFuel.com) A new blender pump is now available at Trotter Service in Arcadia, Neb. This E85 blender pump is one of approximately 60 in Nebraska to offer the renewable fuel, ethanol. This station will offer unleaded, E10 and other mid-level ethanol
(Iowa State University) Now, an Iowa State University-based study over the next five years will examine whether a single, coordinated production system can address all of these concerns while making profits for producers. A multi-state, interdisciplinary team led by Ken Moore,
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA announced the final round of fiscal year 2011 Renewable Energy for America Program awards on Dec. 14. The awards included grants for 12 blender pump projects in eight states, bringing the
by Dave Dreeszen (Sioux City Journal) A northeast Nebraska start-up company has produced its first batches of an ag-based material that holds great promise for the global plastics industry. Laurel BioComposite LLC recently opened a pilot plant that makes so-called "Bio-Res"
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today (December 14, 2011) announced loans and grants for agricultural producers and rural small businesses across the country to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in their operations. The funding is
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) Spectrum Business Ventures of Kansas City aims to bring a closed ethanol plant near Mead out of mothball status in the next few months. The former E3 Biofuels plant attracted widespread attention in 2006 as
by Kim Clark (Nebraska Corn Board) ...Although you have increased horsepower when using ethanol blended fuel, fuel mileage may decrease as the amount of ethanol in your fuel increases. However, studies have shown the optimal ethanol blend to use before you begin
by Dave Dreeszen (Sioux City Journal) A northeast Nebraska start-up company has produced its first batches of an ag-based material that holds great promise for the global plastics industry. Laurel BioComposite LLC recently opened a pilot plant that makes so-called "Bio-Res"
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The president of biofuel enzyme producer Novozymes last week called on a House subcommittee to explore alternatives to drilling for oil to meet the country’s energy needs. In a written statement prepared for the House Committee on Natural Resources’
by Josh Funk (Yahoo!News/AP) The leading maker of the enzymes used to produce biofuels says the declining political support for ethanol hasn't diminished the long-term prospects for the industry making fuel from plants. Novozymes plans to open a major new enzyme plant in eastern
by Larry Dreiling (High Plains MidWest Ag Journal) Construction has begun in Hugoton, Kan., on the nation's first commercial scale biomass fuel refinery. Abengoa Bioenergy's new, 23 million-gallon annual throughput refinery will take biomass, mainly switchgrass, and turn it into ethanol. One
(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 Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) A three-year initiative by Nebraska corn growers to fund research into feeding the ethanol co-product distillers grains to cattle has resulted in some new breakthroughs. The initiative created a beef cattle advisory committee to work with University
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 Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) Movers and shakers in York County, one of the most prolific places for corn production in Nebraska and the United States, have spun off plenty of other profitable corn undertakings in recent years, including
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A newly released report from the USDA appears to confirm what the ethanol industry has been claiming for years—distillers grains is a valuable feed source and can significantly reduce any impact of increased corn
by Mike Konz (Kearney Hub) ...As cars thunder down the quarter mile at Kearney Raceway Park, racing fans will notice the aroma of baking bread amid the scents of burned fuel and rubber wafting across the grounds. The source of the bakery
(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 Lori Potter (KearneyHub.com) More than 200 cars will roar down the Kearney Raceway Park track Oct. 1-2 during the 2011 National Hot Rod Association Division 5 National Open, with events for dragsters, super stocks and street legal cars. However, Grady
by Ross Boettcher (World-Herald/Omaha.com) A La Vista-based biofuels company Thursday proposed a $100 million project to build a biorenewable fuel refinery in Bellevue that could create at least 50 local jobs. The company, BioSyn Resources, wants to build a three-tiered refinery
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...For those flex-fuel vehicle drivers, you have a new E85 station that just may be on your travel route. Aurora Cooperative at 614 2nd Street in St. Paul, Nebraska is the home of the state’s newest
(The Independent) The Nebraska Corn Board and Nebraska Ethanol Board are partnering at the 142nd Nebraska State Fair to promote ethanol and flex fuel vehicles. Vendor booths from each agency will be set up in the Exhibition Building to focus on
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Near Hastings, a community of about 25,000 people nestled amid the seemingly endless corn fields of south-central Nebraska, Chief Ethanol Fuels Inc. has been steadily churning out ethanol since late 1984. The oldest dry-mill
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 Don Comis (US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers have developed an inexpensive way to grade the ethanol potential of perennial grasses at the biorefinery's loading dock. That future has been made possible by
by Joseph Morton (World Herald Bureau/Omaha.com) The ethanol industry is preparing itself for life after federal subsidies. Key tax credits that pay blenders for using the renewable fuel are set to expire at the end of 2011. At a cost to
by Luke Geiver (Biodiesel Magazine) ...Biodiesel co-ops are doing their part in the continued growth of the industry one 5-gallon jug of waste vegetable oil (WVO) biodiesel at a time. If the 5 MMgy producers are working to provide an
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 Lori Potter (Kearney Hub) The ethanol industry is willing to immediately give up $1.3 billion in tax breaks for federal debt reduction. However, that probably can’t happen unless authorizing legislation is attached to a successful debt ceiling-budget reduction bill, said
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The Nebraska Ethanol Board reports that wage growth in that state’s ethanol sector outpaced all industry wage growth in the past decade, increasing by more than 58%. According to the Nebraska Department of Labor, average pay in the
by Senator Mike Johanns (York News-Times) ...Ethanol helped keep $34 billion of our money at home last year instead of going to other countries for foreign oil. ...Though these benefits are significant, today's fiscal realities require us to rethink our approach
(BusinessWire/GreenShift) Technology Produces Feedstock for Biodiesel, Second Renewable Fuel from Sunoco's Green E15 Manufacturing Facility in Fulton, New York GreenShift Corporation announced today (June 24, 2011) that it has licensed its patented technology to Sunoco for extraction of corn oil from
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Cattlemen in the U.S. and Canada demonstrate feedlots and ethanol production are ideal companion enterprises In every case, the cattle came first. In an effort to find inexpensive and efficient ways to feed cattle—and in
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Nebraska-based Pellet Technology LLC is teaming up with CPM to offer second-generation biofuels producers a solution to the logistical issues surrounding the use of bulky biomass as feedstocks. Pellet Technology, which became commercially active
by Matt Luebbe (The Fence Post) University of Nebraska researchers plan to conduct a study this summer at the Panhandle Research Feedlot to determine the effects of including a common ethanol plant byproduct, condensed distillers soluble, in beef feedlot diets. What
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Distillers grains as a component in plastics? You bet, if two Nebraska companies achieve their goals. It will start by building a manufacturing facility, Laurel BioComposite LLC, in Laurel, Neb. Major investors include Kearney Area
by Art Hovey (Lincoln Journal Star) Nebraska ethanol advocates lined up their flex-fuel vehicles Friday to fill up with 85 percent ethanol blends at the Aurora Co-op's new 24-hour fueling site. That was their most visible way of emphasizing President Barack
(Algae Industry Magazine) ...Highlights of the discussion included updates on GPRE’s recently announced BioProcess Algae joint venture. Following are some comments by Mr. Becker and his answers to some shareholder questions regarding their algae ventures: ...The technology represents a true intersection
(Bobby Likis/YouTube) Bobby Likis: You've got Ethanol Questions? Here are some Answers from industry leaders in the know, including NORRIS MARSHALL [president and owner of Marshall Engines], FRED BOSSELMAN [president and owner of Bosselman Energy], SCOTT MERRITT [executive director of
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