by Terry Hillig (STLToday.com) The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center has added $3.5 million in advanced corn fractionation technology, provided by Cereal Process Technologies LLC of Overland Park, Kan., with support from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Located on
corn ethanol
Back TO HOMECropping Between the Lines
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
November 02, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Firm’s Next Bet: Algae
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
October 31, 2011 Read Full Article
USDA Finds Distillers Grains Offer Greater Feed Value than Corn
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
October 27, 2011 Read Full Article
USDA Scientists Use Commercial Enzyme to Improve Grain Ethanol Production
by Ann Perry (US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service) A commercial enzyme could reduce overall costs linked with producing ethanol from grain, and also reduce associated emissions of greenhouse gases, according to a study by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
September 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Remains a Sensible Alternative to Oil
by Stephanie Dreyer (Growth Energy/Baltimore Sun) Letter to Editor: Karen Hosler's recent opinion piece calling for an end to ethanol subsidies ("End the ethanol charade," Aug. 30) uses sweeping generalizations that distort the truth about grain ethanol's role in fostering
September 07, 2011 Read Full Article
End the Ethanol Charade
by Karen Hosler (The Baltimore Sun) Karen Hosler writes that the great environmental hope has been exposed as a hoax; conservation is a better bet than magic elixirs ...At best, ethanol enthusiasm has always been muted in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
August 30, 2011 Read Full Article
Valero: ‘Ethanol Has Been Successful for Us’
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
August 27, 2011 Read Full Article
Improvements in Ethanol Process Result in Lower GHG Emissions
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) America is home to the most innovative, productive and efficient ethanol and grain producers in the world. ...(T)he trend line for both industries is toward greater productivity utilizing fewer resources. When viewed as a
August 27, 2011 Read Full Article
A Decade of Ethanol
by John Maday (Drovers CattleNetwork) This probably doesn’t surprise you, but growth in ethanol production since the year 2000 contributed to dramatic shifts in U.S. agricultural production, according to a new report from USDA’s Economic Research Service. The report, titled “The ethanol
August 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Sweet Sorghum Boosts the Efficiency of Ethanol
by Benjamin Burroughs (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol has some distinct advantages as a fuel, and sweet sorghum promises even better input/output ratios ...In addition to having a higher ratio, the cost of production for sweet sorghum is lower than for corn. For
August 23, 2011 Read Full Article
A Constant in Changing Times: One Plant’s Success Story in an Ever-evolving Industry
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
August 23, 2011 Read Full Article
POTUS Puts Focus on Agriculture and Biofuels
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
August 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Increase in Demand from India, China to Drive up Food Prices: Obama
(The Economic Times of India) US President Barack Obama today highlighted the need to develop biofuels out of things that do not involve fuel chain, arguing that increase in demand from India and China would drive up the food prices. "As
August 18, 2011 Read Full Article
US Corn-Belt Farmers: 'The Country Has Turned on Us'
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
August 16, 2011 Read Full Article
Cargill Blames Government Hoarding for Global Food Price Surge
by John Lippert (The Washington Post/Bloomberg Markets) Cargill chief Greg Page, who runs the largest U.S. agricultural company, has a good idea whom to blame for the global surge in food prices at the end of 2010: governments. ...He said government
August 15, 2011 Read Full Article
More Ethanol, Fewer Inputs, Increasing Benefits: More Corn on Fewer Acres, Less Water
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) Over the past 30 years, and in particular in the past decade, ethanol production has quietly become increasingly efficient. From improvements in corn production to greater efficiencies at ethanol biorefineries, America’s leading renewable fuel
August 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Coal and Ethanol Are Not Alternative Energy Policy
by Andrew Smolski (OilPrice.com) ...(E)nergy policy is as defunct as ever and on most fronts the US is lagging far behind. ... (T)he US will need this Energy policy to spur growth, create jobs, and remain competitive going forward. Yet,
August 10, 2011 Read Full Article
3 Things You Need to Know about Biofuels
by Maggie Koerth-Baker (BoingBoing) ...In a nutshell, that’s why liquid fuel is so valuable. So far, it’s the clear winner when we need energy for transportation—especially air transportation and heavy, long-distance shipping—because it allows you to stuff a lot of
August 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Technique Measures Ethanol Isotopes from Vehicle, Plant Emissions
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers at the University of Miami Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science recently developed a technique to measure ethanol isotopes and discovered that the ethanol found in urban air and vehicle exhaust has
August 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Debate over Corn Use Estimates Shows Need for Solid Ethanol Data
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The latest USDA World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates marked a milestone of sorts for the ethanol industry. For the first time, the USDA predicts that more corn will be used for ethanol production
July 15, 2011 Read Full Article
At the Capitol: Alternative Energy Can Be Found Right Here in Illinois
by Rep. Jim Sacia (Journal-Standard) ...Ethanol is another source of alternative energy that has established a foothold in America, and we can be very proud of our own Adkins Energy ethanol plant in Lena. One of the strongest lobbying groups in
July 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Remarks by President Obama in Twitter Town Hall
(CBS3Springfield.com/The White House) ...Q Our next response from southwest Ohio, Mostlymoderate: "Cut subsidies to industries which are no longer in crisis or are unsuccessful, cotton, oil, corn subsidies from ethanol." THE PRESIDENT: Well, there's been a interesting debate taking place
July 06, 2011 Read Full Article
GreenShift Licenses Its Patented Corn Oil Extraction Process to Sunoco
(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
June 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Analysis: U.S. Ethanol Plants Toy with Wheat, Committed to Corn
by Carey Gillam (Reuters) A rare inversion in prices of corn and wheat is prompting some ethanol plants to consider a previously unthinkable measure -- using wheat as their feedstock for producing the popular biofuel. With the price of Chicago corn surging 5
June 20, 2011 Read Full Article
US Official: Biofuels 'Scapegoat' for High Food Prices
by Steve Baragona (Voice of America) ...(Agriculture) Secretary (Tom)Vilsack told a luncheon gathering in Washington not to believe everything one hears about ethanol's role in today's high and volatile food prices. "The truth of the matter is that corn-based
June 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Continues to Drive Indiana Economy
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) ...The facts show that ethanol continues to be a major economic driver in Indiana. The 13 ethanol plants in the state produce over 1 billion gallons annually and generate $3.2 billion in sales and
June 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Algae Included in Fuel Feedstock Freedom Act Introduced to Senate
(Algae Industry Magazine) ...The Fuel Feedstock Freedom Act (S. 1085), gives individual states the option not to participate in the corn ethanol portion of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). It also expands the cellulosic biofuel carve-out to include algae and
May 31, 2011 Read Full Article
Hoover Institution Press Today Releases Book Highlighting the Implications of Federal Corn Ethanol Policy Corn Ethanol: Who Pays? Who Wins? By Ken G. Glozer
(BusinessWire) Hoover Institution Press today released Corn Ethanol: Who Pays? Who Wins? by Ken G. Glozer. In Corn Ethanol, Ken Glozer presents the history, the promises, and the truth about federal corn ethanol policy. The book is based on an in-depth, fact-based
May 17, 2011 Read Full Article
New Extraction Aid from Ashland Inc. Increases Corn Oil Yield from Ethanol Production
(Yahoo!News/PRWEB) Ashland Hercules Water Technologies is launching a new corn oil extraction aid that can triple corn oil production at ethanol manufacturing facilities. PTV M-5309 corn oil extraction aid, is easily introduced into the process, requires no additional capital expenditure
May 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Great Plains Renewable Energy Outlines Algae Plans on Q1 Call
(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
May 09, 2011 Read Full Article
California Committee Drops Bill to Eliminate Corn Ethanol Funding
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The California State Assembly Committee on Transportation voted 6-3 on May 2 to defeat a bill that would have repealed the state’s ethanol producer incentive program (CEPIP) and made corn ethanol projects ineligible for
May 05, 2011 Read Full Article
GasHole: Dirty Oil and the Biofuel Myth
by Allison Kilkenny (Huffington Post) This week marked the world premiere of GasHole, a new documentary film (narrated by Peter Gallagher) about the history of oil prices and the future of alternative fuels. Biofuel gossip has been everywhere in the news
May 02, 2011 Read Full Article
The Impact of Ethanol and Ethanol Subsidies on Corn Prices: Revisiting History
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
April 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Franken Tours Poet Ethanol Plant
(AlbertLeaTribune.com) Get ethanol at the pumps. That’s what the farmer owners of the Poet Glenville ethanol plant told Sen. Al Franken they would like to see. The comments came during a meeting Wednesday at the plant. “We want consumers to have a
April 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Super Corn Sought to Limit Nitrogen Use, Pollution
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
April 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Lack of Input for EPA Biofuels Report Could Impact Future Policy
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The first triennial report on biofuels being drafted for Congress by the U.S. EPA lacks input from industry experts, which could result in negative information being falsely presented as fact to policymakers later this
April 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol's Overlooked Source of Food Supply
by Gavin Maguire (Commodities Now/Reuters) Ethanol producers often get much of the blame for driving the price of corn to its current multi-year high levels due to that industry's strong usage of corn to make fuel. But critics overlook the
April 12, 2011 Read Full Article
New Hampshire House Bans Ethanol
(KRVN) The New Hampshire House has passed a bill that would ban the sale of corn-based ethanol in the state. Earlier the House Science Technology and Energy Committee voted down the piece of legislation, however, Representative David Campbell spoke up
March 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Gets Boost from Rising Oil Prices
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,
March 09, 2011 Read Full Article
70,000 Americans Directly Involved in Ethanol Production, Distribution
(Renewable Fuels Association) While the rest of the economy slowly recovers, American ethanol production has been an economic success story. With ethanol plants operating and being built in 29 states, the economic benefits of domestic ethanol production are having an
February 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol is 'Good, Good, Good,' Grassley Says
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
February 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Government Hands May Be Tied on Ethanol: USDA Official
by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters) ..."The fact is the industry has pretty much been built," USDA Chief Economist Joe Glauber told reporters on the sidelines of a Commodity Markets Council conference. "This isn't a question of just saying 'cut it off.'
February 22, 2011 Read Full Article
E15 for NASCAR: Cellulosic Ethanol is on the Table
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Part I: An Interview with Mike Lynch, Managing Director of NASCAR’s Green Initiative When millions of people watch the NASCAR Daytona 500 this Sunday they will see all 43 cars running on E15
February 19, 2011 Read Full Article
The Corn Ethanol War: Wall Street Journal, Gingrich Get out the Slingblades
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
February 01, 2011 Read Full Article
Corn Profitable for Farmers, Less So for Ethanol
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) The surge in corn prices since mid-2010 has bolstered the profits of corn farmers but has eaten away at the profitability of ethanol producers. ...Ethanol producers meanwhile saw a dramatic drop in their margins from
January 24, 2011 Read Full Article
CARB to Review Ethanol Carbon Intensity Amendments
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The California Air Resources Board will hold a public hearing Feb. 24 to consider 25 amendments proposed by various ethanol producers, representing 1.6 billion gallons of annual domestic production, to reduce the carbon intensity
January 22, 2011 Read Full Article
The Economics of Biofuels
(Pacific Rim BioEnergy) Note: This is an update from an earlier post. The earlier post outlined the concepts but did not have any specific details. This post utilizes current figures and displays the economic principals based on those current figures. The
January 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Faces High Corn Prices
by Todd Neeley (The Progressive Farmer) ...(P)ressure from rising corn prices at the start of 2011 is expected to test ethanol producers' ability to manage risk. ...Rabobank said ethanol would remain profitable with corn prices above $7 a bushel.
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Vilsack Pushes to Turn Waste into Ethanol
by David DeWitte (Sioux City Journal) USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack expects a forthcoming round of federal grants to help start non-corn-based advanced biofuel plants outside the nation's traditional ethanol heartland boosting support for ethanol. The government plans to announce measures in early
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol from Sugar Beets: A Process and Economic Analysis
by Emily Bowen, Sean C. Kennedy, Kelsey Miranda (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) The aim of this project was to design a process for producing bioethanol from sugar beets as a possible feedstock replacement for corn. Currently eighty-five percent of the energy used by the United
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
Strong Ethanol Industry an Important Step
by Bill Jones (San Francisco Chronicle) ...Separating fact from fiction in the ethanol debate is not easy. "Food versus fuel" is a nice catch phrase, but worldwide, biofuel production accounts for less than 1 percent of total agricultural acreage. Corn ethanol
December 23, 2010 Read Full Article
Fuel Vs. Food: Ethanol Helps Boost Meat Prices
by Kathleen Masterson (NPR / WOI / Harvest Public Media) ...And according to USDA data, meat now costs as much as 12 percent more than last year. ...But let's get out of the kitchen for a minute — this is
December 23, 2010 Read Full Article
Ethanol Gets A Boost; Will It Return The Favor?
by Frank Morris (NPR / KCUR) ... Factoring in dramatic technical advances in both fields, most researchers figure that corn ethanol now delivers an energy gain — of about 40 percent. "But that's not really good enough," says Kovarik. "What we need is
December 22, 2010 Read Full Article
NASCAR, Ethanol Industry to Push E15
(Argus Leader) 'Rather than an outlet for our product, this is more of a showcase' NASCAR has announced a marketing partnership with the ethanol industry to highlight its switch to a 15 percent ethanol blend next season. The announcement was made Thursday morning
December 06, 2010 Read Full Article
Corn Crops for Biofuels Production Have Unintended Consequences on Water Quality and Quantity in Northwest Mississippi
(US Geological Survey) Growing corn for biofuels production is having unintended effects on water quality and quantity in northwestern Mississippi. More water is required to produce corn than to produce cotton in the Mississippi Delta requiring increased withdrawals of groundwater from the
December 02, 2010 Read Full Article
Letters: Stoking the Ethanol Debate
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Houston Chronicle) Letter to Editor ...The Chronicle says natural gas from shale deserves federal subsidies for production, but says ethanol doesn't because it requires too much water to produce. The water needs of fracking and
November 21, 2010 Read Full Article
Ethanol Production Nears A Million Barrels Per Day
(New Energy and Fuel) ...The U.S. is closing in on the million barrel per day milestone. Cheers in some sections, groans in others, but for America, slashing off the equivalent of 750,000 b/d of imported oil is a good thing. Most
November 21, 2010 Read Full Article
GreenShift’s Patented Corn Oil Extraction Process Demonstrates Record Yield: 4 Gallons of Corn Oil for Every 100 Gallons of Ethanol Produced
(BusinessWire) GreenShift Corporation announced that its patented corn oil extraction processes have consistently demonstrated record levels of performance. David Winsness, GreenShift’s Chief Technology Officer, said: “We are proud to announce that one of our licensees, the first to have installed our full patented
November 11, 2010 Read Full Article
Inclusion of Maize in Biofuels Strategy Condemned
(The Bioenergy Site) The African Center for Biosafety (ACB) has issued a statement to express concerns over the possibility of the inclusion of maize in a revision of South Africa’s biofuels policy. ACB was prompted into action by an announcement made by
November 01, 2010 Read Full Article
Cane Ethanol Leader Brazil Considers Using Corn
by Peter Murphy (Reuters) Sugar cane ethanol pioneer Brazil, which touts the efficiency and environmental qualities of its biofuel, could soon begin making it from less-efficient corn to soak up excess grains in remote areas. The combined industry and governmental steering committee
October 28, 2010 Read Full Article
Ethanol Summit Highlights Frustration Over Regulations
(Nebraska.TV) ...(Duane) Kristensen, General Manager for Chief said, "Most leaves the state and a lot goes west, so California's a big market for us." ...Bill Roddy of ethanol firm ICM of Wichita said, "The downside is when you add that number and
October 08, 2010 Read Full Article
USDA: US Ethanol Production More Efficient than Ever
John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) ...In an interview with USDA radio, Harry Baumes, Director of USDA’s Office of Energy Policy and New Uses says a new study shows that we’re getting more energy out of corn than what it takes to raise the
September 28, 2010 Read Full Article
Sekab Trials Corn Waste Ethanol Production
(Argus Media) Swedish ethanol producer Sekab and Swedish technology specialist Taurus Energy will next month begin trialling the production of ethanol from corn waste. The trials will take place at Sekab's ethanol demonstration plant in Ornskoldsvik, northern Sweden, and involve the development
September 28, 2010 Read Full Article
USDA Report Shows Improving Corn-Ethanol Energy Efficiency
(US Department of Agriculture) Harry Baumes, Acting Director of USDA’s Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, says a report that surveyed corn growers in 2005 and ethanol plants in 2008 indicates the net energy gain from converting corn to ethanol
September 22, 2010 Read Full Article
The Biorefinery Project of the Future: A 10-Part Series
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
September 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Wide Use of Corn-Based Ethanol Fuel Not Choice for China: Experts
(People's Daily Online) Agricultural experts said Saturday it was too early for China to adopt corn-based ethanol fuel to feed automobiles, given the expensive production costs and the country's large population. Li Xinhua, a professor at Shenyang Agricultural University, said at
August 24, 2010 Read Full Article
Journal of Industrial Ecology Gathers Corn Ethanol Debate Articles
edited by Reid Lifset (Journal of Industrial Ecology) Includes Corn Ethanol Articles Related to Debate over Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Corn-Ethanol The Journal of Industrial Ecology is pleased to make the following articles on the greenhouse gas emissions from corn-ethanol freely available
August 20, 2010 Read Full Article
Air Resources Board Is Clinging to Old Science
by Joe Irvin (Capitol Weekly) This week, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) convened a group of experts to discuss issues related to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) that was approved last year. The Expert Working Group has been
August 19, 2010 Read Full Article
New York County Welcomes Sunoco's Foray into Biofuels
by Andrew Maykuth (Philadelphia Inquirer) Sunoco Inc. is producing a new brew at a former Miller Brewing Co. plant. Last month, the Philadelphia refiner began distilling corn ethanol at a massive converted brewery just outside the Fulton city limits in central New
August 16, 2010 Read Full Article
APOV: A Strong Case for Ethanol
by John M. Sawyer and Michael C. Sawyer (The Daily News) ...Corn ethanol is not responsible for destruction of forest land. Total U.S. crop acres are actually declining, total U.S. land devoted to crops will be 346 million acres in
August 13, 2010 Read Full Article
Chinese Experts Urge Government to Halt Corn-Based Ethanol Production on Price, Food Security Concerns
(People's Daily) China's industrial experts are advising the government to halt projects making ethanol bio-fuel with corn, as the projects are pushing up corn prices and sparking food security concerns. Zhao Youshan, director of the Commercial Petroleum Flow Committee (CPFC) under
August 12, 2010 Read Full Article
Ethanol: Now is the Time — for Truth
by Darrin Ihnen (The Hill/National Corn Growers Association) ...Unfortunately, many of the articles we’re seeing don’t get the facts quite right. The New York Times, for example, asserts that the Renewable Fuel Standard mandates the U.S. production of up to