(Targray/PR Web) Targray, a leading North American biofuels marketer and distributor, has announced the opening of its Fargo Biodiesel Terminal, a 24/7 fuel distribution center serving wholesale fuel buyers throughout the Fargo-Moorhead metro area. Centrally located in West Fargo, North Dakota, the
North Dakota
Back TO HOMECellulosic Biorefinery to Break Ground in North Dakota
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A biorefinery that will produce 16 MMgy of cellulosic ethanol and 120,000 of lignin pellets is set to break ground in Spiritwood, North Dakota, in the spring of 2019. The facility, under development by New
September 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Grand Forks Officials Seek Biofuel Connections in Poland
by Tess Williams (Grand Forks Herald) Mayor Mike Brown is heading to Poland with Keith Lund, president of the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corp., and City Administrator Todd Feland to build partnerships and talk about biofuels. The Red River Biorefinery,
September 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Red Trail President Speaks up for Ethanol Production
by Mikkel Pates (Forum News Service/Bismark Tribune) Now more than ever, farmers who believe in the future of ethanol need to speak up for it, says Gerald Bachmeier, president of the North Dakota Ethanol Producers Association. Bachmeier, who also serves as
September 03, 2018 Read Full Article
NCGA: USDA Trade Aid Won't Make Up for Lost Markets
(National Corn Growers Association) The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today said plans unveiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide aid to farmers negatively impacted by trade tariffs and ongoing trade uncertainty would be insufficient to even begin
August 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Red River Biorefinery Will Break Ground Wednesday in Grand Forks
by April Baumgarten (Grand Forks Herald) A Grand Forks biorefinery that will turn sugar beet waste into ethanol will break ground this week. City, state and economic leaders are expected to speak Wednesday at the ceremony for the Red River Biorefinery, an
August 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Andeavor to Convert Dickinson Refinery to Renewable Diesel
by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, Andeavor announced a project to convert the Dickinson Refinery to process 12,000 barrels per day of renewable feedstocks, including soybean oil and distillers corn oil, into renewable diesel fuel. The project is expected to be
August 13, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Destin Singleton
A crude oil refinery in North Dakota is working on repurposing to make renewable diesel instead of petroleum fuel. Destin Singleton, an Andeavor spokeswoman explained that the proposal builds on a pilot project at the refinery that processes vegetable oil and
August 07, 2018 Read Full Article
North Dakota Refinery Seeks to Become Renewable Diesel Plant
(My Plainview) The owner of a small crude oil refinery in North Dakota is seeking to convert the facility to process vegetable oil into renewable diesel instead of continuing to make petroleum. The Andeavor Dickinson Refinery applied for an air quality permit
August 07, 2018 Read Full Article
NPPD Part of DOE Study to Develop Integrated CO2 Collection, Transportation, and Storage Infrastructure
(Nebraska Public Power District) Nebraska Public Power District is taking another step forward in the carbon world with a second Department of Energy (DOE) study. This most recent initiative has a goal of developing an integrated carbon dioxide (CO2) collection,
July 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Operation Considering Barley for Biofuel, Fish Food
by Jessica Holdman (Bismark Tribune) ... The North Dakota Industrial Commission approved an $83,810 Renewable Energy Program grant to Midwest AgEnergy Group to research using North Dakota barley for biofuel and a high value protein concentrate byproduct to sell to
July 03, 2018 Read Full Article
West Fargo Farm Rally Will Try to Capture Part of Trump's Spotlight
by Patrick Springer (West Fargo Pioneer) ... "It's not a protest against President Trump," said Pam Musland, marketing and communication supervisor for the North Dakota Farmers Union. "Our hope is to grab some media attention with all the media in town"
June 27, 2018 Read Full Article
No Hard Feelings? President Donald Trump Will Campaign with GOP Rep. Kevin Cramer
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) President Donald Trump will campaign with GOP Rep. Kevin Cramer next week — a trip that could extinguish any lingering tensions between the White House and the Senate hopeful, after the president has treated
June 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump’s Support Wavering in Farm Country Over Ethanol, Trade Moves
by Alan Bjerga and Mario Parker (Bloomberg) EPA chief seen as betraying Trump’s promises on biofuels; Trade tensions put demand for agricultural goods at risk -- Even as Donald Trump tweets his support for U.S. agriculture, farmer loyalty for the president looks like it’s starting
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Biotechies Riding Herd on Biofuel Policy Uncertainties
by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) Ag technology promoters are pedaling hard for biofuels-friendly policies in Washington, D.C., to make life livable for cash-strapped farmers supplying markets that didn't exist 30 years ago. Erick Lutt, director of industrial and environmental policy for Biotechnology
May 21, 2018 Read Full Article
ACE Congratulates Petro Serve USA on New E15 Location
(American Coalition for Ethanol /Ethanol Producer Magazine) American Coalition for Ethanol Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty spoke at Petro Serve USA’s grand opening of its facility in Valley City, North Dakota, May 11 to congratulate the company and CEO Kent Satrang
May 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Marathon Petroleum to Acquire Andeavor for $23B
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The deal creates the largest US oil refiner (and a top-five refiner globally) at 3.1 million barrels per day of capacity — Valero is around the same size, but that includes overseas operations. ... The (Marathon Petroleum)
May 01, 2018 Read Full Article
2018 Ethanol Producer Award Winners Announced
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The winners of the first-ever Ethanol Producer Awards have been chosen. Ethanol Producer Magazine collected nominations in five categories: The Good Neighbor Award, Board of the Year, Project of the Year, Collaboration of the Year and Workplace
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Approves First Underground Injection Control Program Primacy for Carbon Sequestration Wells to North Dakota
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Today (April 10, 2018), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it has approved the State of North Dakota’s request to implement and enforce its own Class VI Underground Injection Control (UIC) program. This marks the first
April 12, 2018 Read Full Article
2018 ACE Fly-in
(AgNewsWire) American Coalition for Ethanol celebrates 10 years of taking the message of grassroots ethanol producers, retailers, farmers and consumers to Capitol Hill. This year’s theme is Ignite a Movement. This virtual ag newsroom includes links to photos and audio content available free
April 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Study Says CRP Mixes Don't Live up to Biofuel Potential
by Julie Harker (Brownfield Ag News) Mixed prairie grasses that are used in Conservation Reserve Program lands did not live up to their potential as biomass crops for cellulosic biofuel production, in an eight-year study. D.K. Lee, associate crop science professor at
February 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Biorefinery Asks Grand Forks County to Help It Sell $80 Million in Bonds
by April Baumgarten (Grand Forks Herald) ... The Grand Forks County Commission approved during a Tuesday meeting a resolution that sets the stage for a public hearing for the Red River BioRefinery bond. The $80 million bond has not been
February 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Against the Odds
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Continued investment and expansion took place in the U.S. biodiesel sector throughout 2017, despite rising political uncertainty and a lapsed tax credit. Here is an overview of some of the activity, plus a special sidebar story
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
EERC, Red Trail Energy Continue to Reduce CO2 Emissions
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Red Trail Energy LLC and the University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center began investigating carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology as a way to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions associated with
January 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Results of UW-Madison Study on Carbon Emissions Disputed
by Carol Spaeth-Bauer (Wisconsin State Farmer) A University of Wisconsin-Madison study released on Nov. 15 has officials in the ethanol industry frustrated, disputing the methodology of the study saying the claims of the study are not supported by fact. The study showed a shift of
November 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Farmers Push for Support of Renewable Fuels
(Public News Service) Farmers in North Dakota and across the country are pushing policymakers in Washington to support renewable fuels. The National Farmers Union, in conjunction with the North Dakota Farmers Union and counterparts in other states, wants Congress and the Trump
October 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Heitkamp Leads Bipartisan Effort to Protect Biofuel Production & Support Rural Jobs
(Office of Senator Heidi Heitkamp) Senators: EPA Proposal to Cut Renewable Fuel Standard Would Cost Jobs in Rural America -- U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today led a bipartisan letter with U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO), Patty Murray (D-WA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and
October 16, 2017 Read Full Article
University of Wyoming Scientists Part of $6 Million Biofuel, Carbon Capture Project
(University of Wyoming) Agricultural economists at the University of Wyoming will generate models of what economies in the Upper Missouri River Basin might look like if raising biofuels and carbon capture technologies were implemented. UW is part of the four-year, $6 million
October 09, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA: Thumbs-up to 'Energy Beet' Idea
by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) The Environmental Protection Agency predicted it might take six months to do an initial evaluation of "energy beets" for their environmental footprint as a feedstock for biofuels. Six years — not months — later the agency has
September 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Study Shows North Dakota Ethanol Industry Added $623.4 Million to State’s Economy in 2015
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In North Dakota, a study by North Dakota State University’s the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics, The Center for Social Research, says the state’s ethanol industry added $623.4 million to the economy during 2015 including 234 FTE direct
August 16, 2017 Read Full Article
NDSU: Ethanol Contributes $623.4 Million to ND Economy Annually
by Haley Olson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) North Dakota’s ethanol industry contributes $623.4 million to the economy annually, according to a report from the North Dakota State University Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics. “The industry generated $187.7 million of economy-wide personal
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Fraudster Faces 2 to 22 Years
by Mikkel Pates (West Central Tribune) It will likely be November before an Iowa biofuels promoter is sentenced after ultimately pleading guilty to federal fraud charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Darrell Duane Smith, 61, of Forest City,
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
North Dakota Oil Refinery Plans to Co-Process Renewable Diesel
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) A Tesoro oil refinery in Dickinson, North Dakota, has plans to co-process renewable feedstock along with regionally sourced Bakken crude oil to produce a 5 percent renewable diesel blend. Construction is planned to begin in
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
ND Ethanol Plant Could Become First in US to Store Carbon Underground
by Ellie Potter (Grand Forks Herald) Red Trail Energy may soon be the first ethanol plant in the United States to store carbon dioxide underground as part of an environmental and economic effort. Last month, U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., secured
June 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Sustaining Opportunities
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry provides young people with wealth of job opportunities. -- Nineteen-year-old Marcus Niehaus sees a future in the ethanol industry. The Southeastern Illinois College student said he wants to make a
June 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Owning The Ethanol Exec Role
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) One year into her role as Guardian Energy CEO, Jeanne McCaherty has tapped into her previous experience at Cargill and the unique make-up of the ethanol industry. -- It’s hard to believe that Jeanne
May 30, 2017 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Agrisoma
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The production of Agrisoma’s Resonance Carinata is being expanded to multiple locations globally to provide a supply of sustainable, non-food oils for meeting the demand for sustainable biofuels. Resonance Carinata is certified sustainable by the
May 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuels Promoter Faces Federal Fraud Charges
by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) An Iowa biofuels promoter who came to North Dakota in 2012 and sought investments in factories, including a proposed beets-to-ethanol plant Grafton, N.D., has been accused of violating federal wire fraud, mail fraud, identity theft, racketeering
May 02, 2017 Read Full Article
How Ethanol Is Making North Dakota Farmland Less Fertile
by Sam Harrington (Yale Climate Connections) Until about 10 years ago, spring wheat was a favorite crop for farmers in North Dakota. Erickson: “Beginning in 2007, when the government heavily incentivized corn production for ethanol use, corn production really reached into North
April 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Vega Biofuels to Provide Biochar to Alaska’s Legal Cannabis Industry
(Vega Biofuels) Vega Biofuels, Inc. (OTCPink:VGPR) announced today that it has signed a five year Agreement to provide the Company’s Biochar to legal cannabis growers in Alaska. The state of Alaska is the most recent state to legalize both medical
March 07, 2017 Read Full Article
The Carinata Kings: The Digest’s 2017 8-Slide Guide to Agrisoma
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The production of Agrisoma’s Resonance Carinata is being expanded to multiple locations globally to provide a supply of sustainable, non-food oils for meeting the demand for sustainable biofuels. Resonance Carinata is certified sustainable by the
February 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Thousands of Spills at US Oil and Gas Fracking Sites
By Matt McGrath (BBC) Up to 16% of hydraulically fractured oil and gas wells spill liquids every year, according to new research from US scientists. They found that there had been 6,600 releases from these fracked wells over a ten-year period
February 22, 2017 Read Full Article
NDSU Scientists Study Distillers Grains as Fertilizer
(North Dakota State University) Wet distillers grains and condensed distillers solubles increased corn and spring wheat yields. -- Distillers grains could be a source of fertilizer for some crops, according to research at North Dakota State University’s Carrington Research Extension
February 09, 2017 Read Full Article
MSU Awarded Grant to Research Biofuel, Carbon Capture Technologies for Upper Missouri River Basin
by Evelyn Boswell (Montana State University) A regional interdisciplinary team led by Montana State University has received $6 million to develop new innovations at the intersection of food, energy and water systems while training the next generation of scientists. The four-year
November 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Can Carbon Capture and Storage Be Integrated at an Ethanol Facility?
(Energy and Environment Research Center) Red Trail Energy, LLC, and the EERC take a closer look at the expansion of ethanol production through carbon capture and storage. READ MORE
October 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Making the Case for Young Farmers
by Keith Norman (The Jamestown Sun) ... Kasey Bitz was one of 44 farmers participating in the North Dakota Farmers Union legislative fly-in that returned from Washington, D.C., on Sept. 14. Members of the group met with the North Dakota Congressional
September 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Consumers Ability to Choose #E15 Back at the Pumps
by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) Consumers will have the choice to purchase E15 at the pump again tomorrow, September 15, 2016. For drivers owning a 2001 or newer vehicle, E15 sales are restricted during summer months due to an arcane U.S.
September 14, 2016 Read Full Article
7 Governors Ask EPA to Remove RVP Limit on E15
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Sept. 13, the governors of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy asking her to remove the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) limit
September 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Land-Use Change Rapidly Reducing Critical Honey Bee Habitat in Dakotas
(U.S. Geological Survey) The Northern Great Plains of North and South Dakota, which support over 40 percent of United States commercial honey bee colonies, are quickly becoming less conducive to commercial beekeeping as a result of land-use changes, according to a
August 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Advanced Biorefinery Proposed for Eastern North Dakota
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A biorefinery proposed to be built in Grand Forks, North Dakota, would transform low-value agricultural byproducts, including sugar beet tailings, wheat straw and potato waste, into biofuel. The North Dakota Ag Products Utilization Commission
August 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Red Trail Energy, EERC Win Funding to Support CCS Study
(Energy & Environmental Research Center/Ethanol Producer Magazine) North Dakota ethanol producer Red Trail Energy LLC and the Energy & Environmental Research Center, a worldwide leader in the development of solutions to energy and environmental challenges, have been awarded $490,000 by
August 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Developers Plan Crop Waste Ethanol Plant in North Dakota
(Associated Press/The Washington Times) A group of developers is planning to make ethanol from the stalks and leaves of North Dakota wheat straw and corn plants. New Energy Investors is looking to develop a 13-million gallon, cellulosic ethanol plant at the
August 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Project Grant Denied: New Energy Investors Developers Updating Grant Request
by Keith Norman (The Jamestown Sun) Officials with New Energy Investors are planning on submitting an updated grant request to the North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Committee after its previous request was denied in May, according to Robert Johnson, CEO
June 08, 2016 Read Full Article
In North Dakota's Oil Patch, a Humbling Comedown
by Ernest Scheyder (Reuters) The fracking party is over, and a quiet desperation has descended on the state's once-booming communities and the thousands of people who were drawn to them. -- ... But the price drop quickened, due in part
May 19, 2016 Read Full Article
From Up North to Down Under With DDGS
by Kassidi Andres (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Mike Bryan is introducing Australia to a DDGS-based feed product made by a company headquartered in North Dakota, where his ethanol career began. -- ... Today, living on the east coast of Australia in
May 17, 2016 Read Full Article
Oil Market Manipulation Is Alive and Well
by Jim Talent (Americans for Energy Security and Innovation/The Hill) Opponents of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) claim that the free hand of an unrestricted marketplace will guide biofuels into our fuel supply, driving economic competition and giving consumers better
May 13, 2016 Read Full Article
The E15 Perspective from Those Marketing the Fuel
by Maura Keller (Fuel Marketer News) ... The argument among those marketers and retailers that have embraced the fuel is that E15 fuel allows them to market a cleaner-burning, higher-octane fuel that can technically be used by more than 200 million cars
May 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Farmers Do More than Feed the World
by Katie Heger (Farm & Ranch Guide) ... It is just so cliché and doesn’t nearly cover all that agriculture is about. On our family farm, we do so much more than feed the world. Now, let me explain. Yes, my farm
May 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Planned Project to Produce Ethanol, Chemicals from Beets on Hold
by Keith Norman (Forum News Service/Prairie Business Magazine) Industrial grade sugar beets, which can be used to produce ethanol and plastic, may become a farm crop for central North Dakota in the future, although the time is not right now,
May 04, 2016 Read Full Article
The U.S. Oil and Gas Boom Is Having Global Atmospheric Consequences, Scientists Suggest
by Chelsea Harvey (The Washington Post) Scientists say they have made a startling discovery about the link between domestic oil and gas development and the world’s levels of atmospheric ethane — a carbon compound that can both damage air quality and contribute
April 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Planned for Spiritwood
by Keith Norman (Jamestown Sun) Plans for a $150 million cellulosic ethanol plant at the Spiritwood Energy Park Association industrial park are underway, according to Thomas Corle, founding partner of New Energy Investors, a Pennsylvania company. If built, the ethanol plant
April 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Oil and Gas Companies Stiff 29,000 Workers Out of $40 Million
by Alan Neuhauser (US News and World Report) America's fracking boom promised big paychecks, but thousands of workers were exploited, the Labor Department says. -- ... Despite booming industry profits and record oil and gas output – which together rejuvenated the
April 11, 2016 Read Full Article
LETTER: Ethanol Is Truly a Homegrown Energy
by Kim Larson (Grand Forks Herald) ... Let us all be reminded, that CRP was never meant to remain as a stationary acreage program. It was expected to perform just as it has, rise and fall with the free market decisions
March 14, 2016 Read Full Article
OUR VIEW: Ethanol Supports May Have Outlived Usefulness
by Tom Dennis (Grand Forks Herald) ... What happened is that crude oil production soared in North Dakota and elsewhere around the United States. More domestic oil production means less need to import foreign oil—and it also means less need
February 29, 2016 Read Full Article
Renewable Accounts: Solid Biofuels, Part One
by David Ripplinger (NDSU Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics) When I returned to the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University in 2010, I expected my research to focus on the economics of liquid biofuels. The
February 03, 2016 Read Full Article
Trestle Energy Wins Approval for Innovative, Low Carbon Biofuel Pathway from California Air Resources Board
(Trestle Energy/PR Newswire) Trestle Energy LLC – a California company working with ethanol and power producers across the Midwest – announced that California's Air Resources Board officially approved its groundbreaking ethanol production process under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).
January 26, 2016 Read Full Article
The North Dakota Crude Oil That’s Worth Less than Nothing
by Dan Murtaugh and Javier Blas (Bloomberg/msn.com) Oil is so plentiful and cheap in the U.S. that at least one buyer says it would need to be paid to take a certain type of low-quality crude. Flint Hills Resources LLC, the refining
January 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Renewable Accounts: Big News for Biodiesel
by David Ripplinger (North Dakota State University) The domestic level of biodiesel use is mandated to increase to 2 billion gallons a year by 2017, double the minimum amount required by the original law. How much biodiesel is that? Domestic biodiesel
December 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Report: Coal, Biomass Mix May Be in Military Jet Fuel Future
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency and the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology recently released results of a research project that investigated the technical feasibility, commercial viability and environmental compliance of the use of liquefied coal and
December 23, 2015 Read Full Article
Pacific Ag’s National Wheat Straw Harvest Brings Quality, Sustainable and Cost Effective Bio-Material for New Markets
(Pacific Ag) For industries like mushroom composting to erosion technology as well as dairy and cattle feed, Pacific Ag is creating a supply chain for agricultural residue -- — Pacific Ag, the nation’s largest crop residue harvest company, has recently completed
November 16, 2015 Read Full Article
U.S. Oil Refiners Look Abroad for Crude Supplies as North Dakota Boom Fades
by Jarrett Renshaw and Catherine Ngai (Reuters) ... North Dakota's Bakken production peaked at 1.153 million barrels per day in June, and had fallen to 1.13 million barrels per day by August, according to state data. The supply restraint has made Bakken
November 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Biofuels Program Meant to Promote Different Blends at Pump
(Associated Press/Bakken.com) The North Dakota Department of Commerce is accepting applications for a program to market biofuels. The $1.2 million program sponsored through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership offers grants to test and evaluate ways to promote
November 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Analysis Shows Greenhouse Gas Emissions Similar for Shale, Crude Oil
by Tona Kunz (Argonne National Laboratory) The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory this week released a pair of studies on the efficiency of shale oil production excavation. The reports show that shale oil production generates greenhouse gas emissions
October 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Priming the Pump for Higher Blends
by Ray Defenbaugh (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Prime the Pump/Growth Energy) Prime the pump, an effort to grow the ethanol market to accelerate the build-out of higher blend retail infrastructure, has had tremendous success, writes Ray Defenbaugh. -- The ethanol industry is
October 27, 2015 Read Full Article
ICM Aims for Strong Legacy
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) For two decades, ICM has adapted with the changing times, bringing technology solutions to the ethanol industry. -- In 1995, ICM Inc. got its start with the purchase of the engineering, manufacturing and marketing
October 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Senators Push White House on Ethanol Mandate
by Devin Henry (The Hill) A group of senators is pushing the White House to issue a strong mandate for ethanol fuel. Fourteen senators — a mix of Republicans and Democrats, many from ethanol-producing Midwestern states — met with White House
October 05, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA Invests $100M in Renewable Fuel Pumps: The Deep Dive into Who Got What, and How the Landscape Shifts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) USDA announces state finalists for the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership. Will it move the needle? The Digest investigates. In Washington, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure
September 14, 2015 Read Full Article
USDA Announces State Finalists for the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to add infrastructure needed to supply more renewable fuel to America's drivers. Since announcing the program in May
September 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Heitkamp Announces Significant Federal Funding to Support Renewable Energy Research in North Dakota
(Office of Senator Heidi Heitkamp) U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced $250,000 in federal funding for research at the University of North Dakota (UND) to study biomass as a biofuel and solar energy absorption by nanoparticles. “North Dakota has a rich
September 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Farmers Harvest Jet Fuel
by Jessica Holdman (Bismarck Tribune) Harvest is underway for North Dakota's first crop of jet fuel. "Yields are looking pretty good," said Garret Groves, of Canadian seed producer Agrisoma Biosciences. "We’ve had some stuff we’re really happy with, and we've had some
August 26, 2015 Read Full Article
Highlights from the Casselton Agronomy Farm Field Day
by Dale Hildebrant (Farm & Ranch Guide) ... Using dried distillers grain as a fertilizer source The first stop on the tour was a plot where research is being done to use dried distillers grain (DDG) from ethanol plants as a source
July 31, 2015 Read Full Article
Minnesota Electric Co-op Opens Ethanol Plant in North Dakota
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) ... Dakota Spirit AgEnergy, 78 percent owned by a Minnesota cooperative power company, is a 65 million-gallon-per-year ethanol plant built next to one of the electric utility’s coal-fired power plants. It supplies steam to produce the
July 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Expansion in U.S. Ethanol on Hold after Blending Targets Slashed
by Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) Expansion in the U.S. ethanol industry, stuck in neutral for more than a year as the government debated biofuel blending requirements, is now likely to come to a screeching halt. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last
June 02, 2015 Read Full Article
ABO Applauds Senators Manchin and Heitkamp on Introduction of Carbon Utilization Legislation
(Algae Biomass Organization) Addition of just 12 words could accelerate pace of large scale, emissions reducing algae projects at fossil fired power plants -- The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the US algae industry, today applauded new legislation
May 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Senators Show Support for Biodiesel Industry
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ... Joining Sen. Heitkamp were Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Al Franken (D-MN), as well as biodiesel producers, who also stressed how the uncertainty caused by EPA’s misguided
May 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Top of Biofuels Class
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Training programs around the U.S. offer opportunities in the biofuels industry for part- and full-time students. ... Mick Miller, president of NuVu Fuels and general manager of DENCO II in Morris, Minnesota, also went through the
April 13, 2015 Read Full Article
More Gevolution
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The results from Gevo’s 4th quarter are in, and a worth a look-see, not only for fans of isobutanol and its prospects. Also for a look at how this member of the 2010-12 IPO group of
April 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Energy Beets Slow to Catch on in North Dakota
by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) Development of energy beets in North Dakota is still nebulous, while projects in California are moving forward. Attendance was light for a recent series of grower meetings about energy, or industrial, sugar beet production hosted by North
March 31, 2015 Read Full Article
Biofuel Beets Meetings Scheduled in 3 North Dakota Cities
(The Washington Times/AP) Backers of a proposed project in North Dakota that would turn sugar beets into ethanol are holding educational meetings in three cities this week. KOVC radio reports that the Green Vision Group meetings are Tuesday in Valley
March 18, 2015 Read Full Article
N.D. Survey Shows Support for Ethanol Fuels
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The North Dakota Alliance for Renewable Energy has published results of a statewide public opinion survey on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Ethanol was one of the renewable energy types addressed in the survey,
March 09, 2015 Read Full Article
ADM Cuts Biodiesel Output as Industry Hit by Weak Margins
by Rod Nickel and Chris Prentice (Reuters) Archer Daniels Midland , one of the world's top biofuels producers, has slowed North American biodiesel output, the latest sign the industry is battling uncertainty over U.S. renewable fuel policy while the oil
February 26, 2015 Read Full Article
A CORN-acopia of Energy Options Coming
by Jason Spiess (Fargo Business Examiner) Recently I sat down with Tom Lilja, executive director, North Dakota Corn Growers Association, to chew the fat on a variety of corn-themed energy and agriculture topics. ... "I think a lot of people just
February 25, 2015 Read Full Article
E15’s Big Dance
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The future is bright as hundreds of E15 stations are in the works with many expected to open, writes Bob Dinneen of RFA. It’s still early in the game for E15 and
February 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Minnesota Boasts Some Pretty Awesome E85 Prices
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A few weeks ago, a reader question sparked an interesting search for answers. That one comment has led to several stories and blogs at our website. In mid-December, a reader asked me why, as opposed
January 13, 2015 Read Full Article
Eight under $70: Which Biofuels Ventures Can Beat out Cheap Oil?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Oil prices continue to show incredible volatility. $106 in June, $50 today. Which biofuels ventures have the pro-formas to make money in a tough market? The Digest investigates. ... Avello Bioenergy Cost: $57.50 per barrel (gasoline, diesel) Stage: Preparing for
January 13, 2015 Read Full Article
Soil Sensor Technology Uses Biocomposites
(North Dakota State University/Biomass Magazine) A technology developed at North Dakota State University creates precise in-the-ground measurement and monitoring of soil and crop conditions, which could provide opportunities for greater yields. The technology also has led to a new start-up
January 09, 2015 Read Full Article
Gevo Issues Plant Update, Transfers Common Stock Listing
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On Jan. 8, Gevo Inc. issued an update of operations at its Luverne, Minnesota, plant, reporting that the facility produced more than 50,000 gallons of biobased isobutanol in December. The company also recently announced the
January 09, 2015 Read Full Article
NDSU: New Plastic Disappears When You Want It to
(North Dakota State University/Biomass Magazine) A discovery by researchers at North Dakota State University, Fargo, holds scientific promise that could lead to a new type of plastic that can be broken down when exposed to a specific type of light
December 15, 2014 Read Full Article
Early Slowdown Signs Emerge for U.S. Oil States after Crude Slide
by Tim Reid (Reuters) ... In Houston, Texas, the first oil industry layoffs have been announced, with realtors there predicting a sharp decline, up to 12 percent, in home sales next year. Alaska's 2015 fiscal year budget revenue forecast will have
December 15, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Puts RFS In Jeopardy
by Jacqui Fatka (Farm Futures) Actions taken by EPA to help keep RFS alive have actually backfired and brought more attacks in defending Congress’ intent. ... Wally Tyner, Purdue University ag economist, said it’s quite ironic that EPA likely proposed lower corn-based
December 02, 2014 Read Full Article
The Downside of the Boom
by Deborah Sontag and Robert Gebeloff (The New York Times) North Dakota took on the oversight of a multibillion-dollar oil industry with a regulatory system built on trust, warnings and second chances. ... Blowouts represent the riskiest failure in the oil business.
November 24, 2014 Read Full Article
Study Shows Ethanol Impact on Retail AG Service Sales
(North Dakota Farmers Union/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol production in North Dakota generates significant income for retail agricultural service and supply dealers, roughly $700 million a year, according to a study recently released by the Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade
November 06, 2014 Read Full Article
The Impact of Ethanol Production on the North Dakota Agricultural Retail Industry
by Richard Taylor and Won W. Koo (Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies North Dakota State University) ... The first immediate impact of ethanol was increased agricultural commodity prices. In 2005, the corn price averaged $2.00 per bushel. At the end of 2006,
August 12, 2014 Read Full Article
Retailer Roundtable: Giving People the Choice of Higher Blends
by Katie Fletcher (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Much discussion of the E10 blend wall was to be found at the 2014 American Coalition of Ethanol conference. The last day of events began with retailers who were able to get over the
August 08, 2014 Read Full Article
DF Cast: Senators, Industry Push EPA on Biofuels
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Time is ticking down for the Environmental Protection Agency to make a decision on how much renewable fuel will be mixed into the nation’s fuel supply, and ethanol and biodiesel groups are pressing for a change
June 06, 2014 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Producers, Farmers Take to The Hill
by John Davis (domesticfuel.com) Biodiesel producers and farmers who raise the feedstocks for the biodiesel industry took to Capitol Hill this week, joining a group of U.S. Senate Democrats in their calls to end policy uncertainty that is hurting their industry. “The uncertainty
June 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Fargo Conference Highlights Future for Biotechnology
(Forum News Service/SC Times) Opportunities to provide bio-based industrial products exist, but they probably will need to provide price, utility and environmental benefits, especially if they want to compete at a premium to petrochemical substitutes, according to a recent industry
May 29, 2014 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Producers Hit Hard by Policy Uncertainty: Survey Finds Nearly Six in Ten Have Idled Production
(National Biodiesel Board) Policy setbacks in Washington are taking a major toll on the most successful advanced biofuel in the U.S., according to a nationwide survey of biodiesel producers released Wednesday. The survey, conducted by the National Biodiesel Board, found that nearly
May 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Collaborative Growth Platform
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
May 13, 2014 Read Full Article
All Distillers Grains, All The Time
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) When I was a newbie reporter, I had no idea how many of my sources would be repeat contacts. I’d get somebody’s contact info for a story, scribble it down on a random piece of
May 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol from Energy Beets: A Viable Option?
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Fuel World) US farmers are exploring the use of energy beets to produce ethanol. Requiring less water and containing more sugar than corn, they could be just what the market needs. Corn remains the undisputed ethanol king.
April 24, 2014 Read Full Article
ND Sen. Heidi Heitkamp Finds Identity as a Top Democratic Critic of Obama's Energy Policy
by Henry C. Jackson (Associated Press/The Republic) ... Heitkamp came directly to the Senate from the energy industry, where she worked for 12 years, including as a director of Dakota Gasification Company, a coal and natural gas company. Before that, as
April 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Rail Bottleneck for Grain, Ethanol Shippers
by Peter Harriman (Argus Leader) ...But while BNSF Railway spokeswoman Amy McBeth says the problem is operational and not systemic, and the bottleneck will be cleared, Soy Transportation Coalition Executive Director Mike Steenhoek points to the continued growth of both
April 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Solving the Industrial Building Mystery
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Opening up your ethanol plant for public tours is a wonderful educational opportunity that could do wonders for your business and the industry as a whole. ... I wonder how many people in your community, drive
April 01, 2014 Read Full Article
Merle Anderson: Government ‘Myths’ Limit Ethanol’s Full Use
by Merle Anderson (Grand Forks Herald) Orrie Swayze from Watertown, S.D., and I have traveled many miles together as friends and American Coalition for Ethanol founding board members. We have gained a historical perspective on all that is called ethanol. ... First,
March 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Developers of Project to Convert Sugar Beets into Ethanol Looking for Commitment from Growers
by Dave Kolpack (Associated Press/Star Tribune) Backers of a proposed project in North Dakota that would turn a variety of sugar beets into ethanol have preached patience for the last five years. Now they're looking for a commitment from farmers
March 12, 2014 Read Full Article
Corn Growers Worry about Price Decline if RFS Is Reduced
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
February 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Search Is Underway for Site of First Industrial Sugarbeet Plant
by Dale Hildebrant (Minnesota Farm Guide) Tuesday, Jan. 28, marked the beginning of a five-city tour for the steering committee of BeetsAll Biofuel in their search for a site for the first industrial beet plant site. The committee’s first stop was
February 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Nonsugar Sugar Beet Promo Prompts Interest
by Mikkel Pates (AgWeek) “Industrial beets” is now the preferred moniker for beets being promoted for growing outside the Red River Valley to make things such as industrial sugar components or “green” ethanol, but not sugar. For the past five years,
February 04, 2014 Read Full Article
Info Meetings on Energy Beets Set around North Dakota
(Bismark Tribune) Informational meetings are being held in several North Dakota cities this week to update farmers on the effort to develop a biofuel sugar beet industry in the state. The development of beets as a new industrial crop to turn
January 31, 2014 Read Full Article
Beating the Drum for Industrial Beets
by Keith Norman (Forum News Service/Ag Week) The promoter of an idea to raise sugar beets to be converted into energy and chemicals says 13 communities in central North Dakota could be home to processing plants. Maynard Helgaas, president of the
December 31, 2013 Read Full Article
Branstad, Five Other Governors Lobby President for Higher Ethanol Mandate
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
December 23, 2013 Read Full Article
Meet Me at the World’s Flare; Methane Gas Flaring, and the Role of Biobased Tech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The flares — Dakota fireflies — dot the landscape like pin-lights. They burn natural gas escaping from the unconnected Bakken oil field wells, which are coaxing energy out of 9,000 working sites in the area.
November 19, 2013 Read Full Article
Co-Location of Torrefaction, Power, Biofuel Plants Reduces Costs
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Douglas Tiffany, assistant extension professor at the University of Minnesota, discussed the economics of co-locating torrefaction, ethanol and coal power plants at the University of North Dakota on Nov. 6. “What we wanted to get
November 13, 2013 Read Full Article
Energy Beet Group Working toward Commercialization
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Helgaas (Maynard Helgaas, president of Green Vision Group) is saying that commercializing the first energy beet plant is planned for 2014 to 2015. “Energy beets will benefit rural North Dakota communities, because the processing facilities we
September 24, 2013 Read Full Article
Fuel with 15 Percent Ethanol Available in ND
(Associated Press/Grand Forks Herald) Gov. Jack Dalrymple and members of the state's agriculture and ethanol industries announced the introduction of E15 blended gasoline on Monday in Bismarck. A new blend of gasoline with 15 percent ethanol is available in North Dakota. Gov.
September 24, 2013 Read Full Article
Summer Volatility Restrictions on E15 End, Fuel Now Available
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
September 18, 2013 Read Full Article
USDA Solicits Bids Under the Feedstock Flexibility Program
(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
August 20, 2013 Read Full Article
Plant Groundbreaking and Looking Back on Five Successful Years
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...But right now I’m thinking of plant restarts, new partnerships between neighboring ethanol plants, studies that show the “blend wall” isn’t exactly a wall and advanced biofuels facilities starting commercial production, just to name a few. ...The ethanol production facility and CHP power
August 13, 2013 Read Full Article
North Dakota Group Educates FFV Owners, Promotes Use of Higher Blends
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Thanks to a promotion by North Dakotans for Energy Independence, flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) owners in the state can receive coupons for discounts on higher ethanol blends and enter to win a $1,000 fuel card.
July 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Group: ND Energy Production Doubles since 2007
(FuelFix) A group representing North Dakota’s various energy sectors says the state’s energy production from all sources has doubled since 2007. ... The group says renewable energy such as wind power, ethanol and bio-diesel increased by 225 percent since 2007. Marketed natural
July 11, 2013 Read Full Article
Energy Beet Juice Can Be Stored for Ethanol Production
(North Dakota State University Extension/Farm & Ranch Guide) ...At North Dakota State University, the feasibility of using new sugarbeet varieties, known as energy beets, for ethanol production is under study. Energy beets have characteristics very similar to sugarbeets used for
May 07, 2013 Read Full Article
Fertilizer Production at North Dakota Ethanol Plants Explored
by Mikkel Pates (Prairie Business) Colorado company Agrebon Inc. and North Dakota partners are in discussions with North Dakota’s two largest ethanol plants in Casselton and Hankinson to build small-scale nitrogen fertilizer factories on their campuses. ...Each $20 million fertilizer plant would
April 08, 2013 Read Full Article
Ethanol Producers Respond to Market Conditions
(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
March 18, 2013 Read Full Article
Beets Being Considered for Ethanol Production
by Jessica Holdman (Bismark Tribune) Research scientists at Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory are testing sugar beets as a new source of ethanol. Igathi Cannayen presented his research this week at the lab’s annual research conference held at the Seven Seas
February 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Recent Land Use Change in the Western Corn Belt Threatens Grasslands and Wetlands
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,
February 19, 2013 Read Full Article
Advanced Ethanol Council Releases Snapshot of Cellulosic Ethanol Production around the World
(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
December 19, 2012 Read Full Article
Company Eyes Hemp as Feedstock for Biofuel, Power Generation
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An alternative energy company looking to build multiple energy beet-to-biofuel plants in Kentucky recently became the first corporation to join the Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association. Although federal rules currently prohibit the growth of
December 17, 2012 Read Full Article
Energy Beets for Ethanol
by Rich Keller (Ag Professional) “Energy beets” have proven to produce double the ethanol of corn per acre in research studies. But what are the full economics and will a large-scale demonstration ethanol plant using beets as the feedstock prove
November 16, 2012 Read Full Article
State Corn Groups Lay Groundwork for Higher Ethanol Blends, Greater Consumer Choice
(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
October 25, 2012 Read Full Article
Studies Show Energy Beets Can Be Grown in Non-Traditional Sugarbeet Areas
by Sue Roesler (Minnesota Farm Guide) Energy beets are growing hardy for the second year in a row in crop fields south of Minot’s NDSU Northern Research Extension Center near Minot, N.D. They will soon be harvested and the tonnage analyzed,
September 26, 2012 Read Full Article
North Dakota and Montana: Opportunity Knocks for the Bioeconomy, along the Northern Tier
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Despite low levels of publicity, North Dakota and Montana are making great strides in bioeconomy development – with a combination of strong R&D, feedstock abundance and some hot processing technologies. ...The bioeconomy has been getting a
September 04, 2012 Read Full Article
Local Business Saves Money with E85
(KSFY.com) ...A local family fun park is trying to beat these costs. They're the first in the U.S. to use E85 in their go-karts. E85 is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gas. The company is going green not just
August 22, 2012 Read Full Article
New Kids on the Block: 12 hot bio-based technologies worth watching (Parts 1 and 2)
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
June 25, 2012 Read Full Article
Energy Beets: Who Will Leap First?
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) North American sugar-to-ethanol strategy differs from Brazil’s, Europe’s ...North Dakota-based Green Vision Group is resolutely moving forward with a plan to build multiple 20 MMgy dedicated energy beet plants in the state. ...More than 3,000 miles
April 16, 2012 Read Full Article
Ethanol-Blended Fuel Use in ND Jumps 97 Percent since 2010
(Farm & Ranch Guide) Recently released statistics show a staggering 97 percent increase in the amount of ethanol-blended fuel sold in North Dakota from 2010 to 2011. ...Increased sales of ethanol-blended fuel in North Dakota are due in large part to
March 26, 2012 Read Full Article
Grafton Ethanol Plant Owners to Meet with Sugar Beet Growers
(Grand Forks Herald) Energae LP, the group planning to reopen the former Alchem Ltd. ethanol plant in Grafton, N.D., will conduct a meeting at noon Friday for sugar beet growers. The meeting will be at Marketplace on Eighth. About 75 people attended
March 23, 2012 Read Full Article
More People Choosing Ethanol
(KFYR-TV) With the price of gasoline increasing to $3.70 a gallon, more and more motorists are choosing E-30 and E-85, a less expensive alternative to gasoline. In fact, sales of ethanol-blended fuel in North Dakota have jumped 97 percent since
March 08, 2012 Read Full Article
Grafton Ethanol Plant Could Re-open
(WDAZ-TV) The former Alchem Ethanol plant in Grafton could re-open later this year. When it does, it will be turning sugar beets into the alternative fuel instead of corn. READ MORE and MORE (Grand Forks Herald)
March 07, 2012 Read Full Article
Ethanol Sales Nearly Double in North Dakota
(The Jamestown Sun) State Tax Department data shows that more than 1.3 million gallons of ethanol-blended fuel was sold in the state last year. That's up from about 663,000 barrels in 2010. Officials credit the rise in ethanol use to