(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 provided through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program
North Dakota
by Kevin Skunes (InForum) In response to Ross Nelson’s “Ethanol? I’ll supply the shovels” column on Nov. 27, we should take a look at these issues using current and correct information. …Corn-based ethanol is a viable energy source and can replace a significant portion of the 16 percent crude oil
(Metso) Metso will supply the world’s first commercial installation of LignoBoost technology to Domtar in North America. The equipment will be intergrated with the Plymouth North Carolina pulp mill. The LignoBoost process separates and collects lignin from pulping liquor. This order is an important breakthrough for Metso’s patented LignoBoost technology
by Sue Roesler (Farm & Ranch Guide) Cole Gustafson, department chair of the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University, said while there’s more concerns about corn ethanol at the Congressional level with the “food versus fuel debate,” advanced biofuels are still going forward. “There’s
(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced a new pilot program of insurance for camelina beginning with the 2012 crop year. Camelina is an oilseed crop with the potential to create new renewable energy markets in the United States, generate rural
by Russ Newman (Grand Forks Herald) …Ethanol — made right here in America — is already creating jobs that cannot be outsourced and displacing foreign oil with a clean, renewable and uniquely American fuel. But we can do more. Today, there are economic studies proving that the ethanol industry supports more
(Chron.com) A state Commerce Department official says many North Dakotans who drive so-called “flex-fuel” vehicles don’t even know it. They’re among the people who are the intended targets of a proposed marketing campaign to increase ethanol sales. North Dakota’s Industrial Commission has approved a $200,000 grant for the project. Renewable energy program manager Andrea Pfennig says the
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) A growing number of restaurants and other industrial facilities that use cooking oil will be frying green as Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions opened three new franchise locations in the U.S.—North Dakota, Florida and Virginia—to offer its leading cooking oil filtration and mobile fryer management service
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 in grants and loan guarantees for various energy-related projects were announced
(PR Web/Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions Franchise) One of the truly unique services being introduced to the Fargo market is Filta’s FiltaBio service, which is essentially waste oil collection and recycling without the traditional collection bin. Once the cooking oil has come to the end of its life, Filta will collect the
by Sarah Gustin (KXMB TV Bismark) …(Jeff Zueger / Blue Flint Ethanol) “We really need blender pump infastructure, we need flex fuel vehicle infastructure, so we can get to those higher level blends so consumers can choose if they want to choose e-30 or E-85 and that incrementally allows more gallons
by Alan Van Ormer (Prairie Business Magazine) Many industry leaders support a biofuels policy, but also believe that more things can be done to help address any deficiencies in a national policy. Hunter Roberts, State Energy Policy Director for South Dakota, believes that Congress should rethink the biofuels policy. “There
by Cole Gustafson, Thein Maung and David Ripplinger (Ethanol Producer Magazine/North Dakota State University) If cellulosic biofuel development remains on track, several commercial firms will be contracting for corn stover in 2012. How will farmers balance the field workload of harvesting both feed grains and corn stover in a year like
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA’s Aug. 17 announcement of 900 Rural Energy for America Program grants included just 21 awards for blender pumps. USDA officials promise, however, that more funding is on the way. The announcement highlighted state-approved projects for which grant amounts do not exceed $20,000.
(North Dakota State University) Several crops produced in North Dakota could play a significant role in biobased resins and coatings recently developed by researchers at North Dakota State University. Scientists at NDSU have developed biobased resins that may prove to be a “game changer” in coatings and resin technology. The
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) …Inbicon conducted an extensive crop study and biomass research project to show just how much biomass is available in the Midwest. “Our findings confirm that North America’s great abundance of corn stover and wheat straw is sufficiently concentrated in the prime grain-growing regions to
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Add-on technology developed for corn ethanol plants Rather than retrofitting a corn-ethanol plant to produce i-butanol, n-butanol or use other novel fermentation technologies, three companies are collaborating to turn a traditional ethanol plant into a true biorefinery producing multiple fuels and coproducts. Luca Zullo,
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 agronomist Cristina Negri said they are looking at alternative
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Hankinson Renewable Energy LLC, a 120 MMgy ethanol plant in Hankinson, N.D., is in the process of starting up an anaerobic digester to produce 54 MMBtu of biogas a year, according to David Rein, a process engineer with Rein & Associates of Moorhead, Minn.
by Holly Jessen (DomesticFuel.com) Although the U.S. corn ethanol industry is frequently misunderstood and misrepresented, it’s the only domestic renewable fuel industry to reach significant scale and make a measurable impact on the U.S. fuel supply, said Luca Zullo, principal of VerdeNero LLC. Zullo was one of many presenters at

(US Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Biomass Program will be conducting detailed biennial peer review meetings of its activities throughout the first half of 2011. The process will begin with platform reviews of the Program’s six technology areas between February
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA’s June 15 application deadline for blender pump funding via the Rural Energy for America Program is fast approaching and state energy coordinators say they have been busy fielding calls and assisting with applications. REAP is a well-known rural development program, but this
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) North Dakota is poised to continue its impressive expansion of biofuels infrastructure with the continuation of a program to encourage the installation of retail ethanol and biodiesel fuel pumps. Originally established in 2009, the state’s Biofuels Blender Pump Program offers rebates to retailers who

Biomass, such as agricultural residues, straws, grasses, wood residues, animal wastes, and algae, is increasing as a marketable renewable resource for production of electricity, heat, and transportation fuels. This will be the ninth conference dealing with the real potential of biomass as a renewable resource. It has many near-term uses
by Cole Gustafson (Ethanol Producer Magazine/North Dakota State University) …Why beets? The Northern Plains is the nation’s lowest-cost producer of sugar due to a favorable growing climate and cold winters that extend feedstock storage and processing. The energy beet industry is well established in Europe, where biofuel yields per acre
(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 the original co-sponsorship of Senators Mike Johanns of Nebraska,
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In order for ag residues and energy crops to be profitably converted to biofuels, it is expected that biorefineries will need to acquire all of their feedstocks from within close proximities to the plants. Another method of acquisition could be via regional biomass processing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) …For hot technology companies such as Amyris, Solazyme, LS9, Cobalt and Virent, it all comes down to low-cost sugars. Which brings us to the case of that other sugar source: your friend, the sugar beet. The humble, often overlooked sugar-producing plant that is the mainstay
(Dakota Spirit AgEnergy) Dakota Spirit AgEnergy, a proposed cellulosic biorefinery near Spiritwood, N.D., has evolved from a 20 million gallon per year (MGY) cellulosic ethanol plant into a 58 MGY “hybrid” ethanol plant comprised of a 50 MGY dry mill ethanol plant (Phase I) and an 8 MGY cellulosic ethanol addition
by Jeff Zueger (Inforum.com) To read Ross Nelson’s column on ethanol (“Ethanol’s promise is empty, “ March 14, Forum), one could come away with the impression that ethanol production is an inefficient and outdated technology. The truth is, ethanol is more energy efficient to produce than conventional gasoline; for every
(The Republic) …Doug Goehring earlier this month led a North Dakota delegation on a trip to Denmark to learn about that country’s efforts to develop a cellulosic ethanol industry. …Goehring tells Prairie Public Radio that there’s going to be more of a demand for cellulosic ethanol in the United States.
by Sue Roesler (Farm & Ranch Guide) …The biomass refinery would be a part of Dakota Spirit AgEnergy LLC and would be located next to the Cargill barley malting plant and the Great River Energy CHP power plant, according to Broekema. The first part of the project uses a small
by Cole Gustafson (Western Farm Press/North Dakota State University Extension Service) A USDA-funded study is developing new pricing and trading standards for cellulosic biomass feedstocks. A first step in the study is to identify the most promising feedstocks and the technologies employed to produce cellulosic biofuels. The top five feedstocks
(The Bismark Tribune) Sales of E85 fuel in North Dakota last year more than doubled. State officials credit a grant program for retailers who install so-called blender pumps. Gov. Jack Dalrymple said between January and November last year, about 582,000 gallons of the fuel mix that is 85 percent ethanol
(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 by creating alternative energy sources and promoting economic development and
by KXMBTV Bismarck (KXNet.com) Producing a new fuel mix…right at the station, ethanol blender pumps are helping push the demand for ethanol. At Wilton Cenex they’re blending their own mix of gasoline and ethanol right at the pump. Consumers now have the choice of using E-30, rather than being forced to fill with
(The Forum of Fargo-Morehead) The use of a specialized sugar beet to produce ethanol could be a breakthrough in weaning the industry off corn. An announcement a few days ago of plans to build a small-scale beets-to-ethanol plant in North Dakota is more than promising. It’s intriguing. …Investors are betting
by Dave Kolpack (AP/The Daily Republic) A North Dakota group said Monday it plans to open a test plant that would turn dry land sugar beets into ethanol, with hopes of building a dozen processing facilities throughout the state. Officials with Fargo-based Green Vision Group said the demonstration facility would produce
by Alan Anderson (Energy Boom) A few brave farmers up in North Dakota have taken on the fight of a lifetime. The brave folks at Green Vision Group have been working with a high potential new advanced biofuel feedstock, sugar beets. …There are significant soil and nutrient benefits from energy beets
(BBI International) BBI International, a leader in globally recognized bioenergy events and trade magazines, has launched a new magazine and international conference. Biorefining magazine and the aligned International Biorefining Conference & Trade Show will provide a new communications avenue for the emergent global industry of advanced biofuel and biobased chemical
(Dakota Farmer) New biofuel crop looks good in 2010 trials. An organization called Green Vision Group is investigating whether biofuel can made from beets. It and the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center, Syngenta and Beta Seed recently held tour of energy beet plots in Oakes, Hannaford, Carrington and Turtle Lake,
(The Bioenergy Site) For the past two years, North Dakota State University Biofuels Economist, Cole Gufstafson, has been working in partnership with Green Vision Group and Heartland Renewable Energy (HRE) to create an energy beet for the biofuel industry in North Dakota. Last year, an economic feasibility study of the project
by Cole Gustafson (North Dakota State University Extension Service) Farmers observing the trials were quite excited to see a new crop being developed Last week, I participated in North Dakota’s first energy beet field days. Energy beet research plots were viewed at Oakes, Hannaford, Carrington and Turtle Lake. NDSU’s Carrington
by Michelle Kautz (DomesticFuel) Grand Forks, North Dakota is now offering flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) owners the choice at the pump. The Valley Dairy station at 2401 S. Columbia Road is offering the ethanol blends of E20, E30, and E85. …Currently, the state of ND has 67 E85 outlets including
(Newswire) Scientists at the University of Arkansas and their colleagues have found populations of wild plants with genes from genetically modified canola in the United States. Globally, canola can interbreed with 40 different weed species, and 25 percent of those weeds can be found in the United States. These findings raise
by Linsey Davis(North Dakota State University) Two NDSU professors received $309,357 from the National Science Foundation for research to improve conversion and reduce costs of making ethanol from cellulosic biomass. Andriy Voronov, assistant professor in the Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials, and Scott Pryor, assistant professor in the Department of
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 2014, and the race is on to see which will
by James R. Johnson (Grand Forks Herald) Officials dedicate GF’s first blender pumps. The first blender pumps in Grand Forks were formally dedicated Tuesday afternoon before more than a dozen supporters at the Valley Dairy store at 24th Avenue South and South Columbia Road. Along with ethanol-free gas for smaller engines
(Biofuels International) A biomass plant is currently under construction in Spiritwood, North Dakota, US. Owned by electricity provider Great River Energy, the plant will be constructed in two phases. …During phase two of the project a cellulosic ethanol refinery will be built at the Spiritwood site by Dakota Spirit AgEnergy,
Accelergy Corporation, a global leader in high-grade domestically sourced liquid fuels, today announced that it has begun production of their highly efficient fuel from coal and biomass, to be evaluated by the United States Air Force (USAF) as the industry benchmark for 100 percent synthetic jet fuel. To date, synthetic

Biomass is no longer a long-range option for U.S. energy needs—it is a significant player. It has many near-term uses now, as seen in the ethanol and biodiesel industry, and holds hope as the largest global sustainable and renewable energy resource. By attending the Biomass ’10: Renewable Power, Fuels, and
by Mikkel Pates (AgWeek) Need some help in deciding what to make into biofuels and what the government should be spending on it? If you’re a North Dakotan, you’ve hired Cole Gustafson to do some of this thinking for you. Gustafson is North Dakota’s biofuel economist — a position expressly