by Sean Broderick (CHS/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Chinese MIR 162 (Syngenta trait corn) issues are still not resolved, leaving significant amounts of contracted tonnage that needs to move a different direction. River logistics are still an issue with barge rates that
railroad
Back TO HOMEEthanol Industry Pushes Back on Rail Safety Improvements
by Curtis Tate (McClatchy News Service/Star Tribune) The industry disputes finding that ethanol is more volatile than crude. Ethanol producers are pushing back hard against new rail safety rules after a federal study found that ethanol poses hazards equal to or
October 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Proposal Threatens to Aggravate Shortage of Railcars to Move Oil
by Bob Tita (Wall Street Journal) Thousands of Tank Cars Are Likely to Be Scrapped or Redeployed Under Federal Safety Move ... With production capacity for new tank cars about 35,000 cars a year, industry analysts say the railcar industry could
August 13, 2014 Read Full Article
US Biodiesel Supply Kings
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine speaks with three leaders in the U.S. biodiesel distribution space about the growth and opportunities in biodiesel distribution, and the challenges that lie ahead. The marked increase in U.S. biodiesel production over the past
August 05, 2014 Read Full Article
Comment Period Starts for Oil-Train Rules
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) The Obama administration Friday formally published proposals in the Federal Register to strengthen safety rules for trains carrying crude oil and other fuels, kicking off a two-month period in which the public can comment. The proposals were prompted chiefly by
August 04, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. DOT Announces Comprehensive Proposed Rulemaking for the Safe Transportation of Crude Oil, Flammable Materials
(U.S. Department of Transportation) Releases new data on Bakken crude oil to support increased safety measures The U.S. Department of Transportation today released the details of its comprehensive rulemaking proposal to improve the safe transportation of large quantities of flammable materials
July 24, 2014 Read Full Article
NGFA Proposal to the STB Could Benefit Shippers of Ethanol, DDGS
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On July 7, the National Grain and Feed Association announced it submitted an extensive proposal to the Surface Transportation Board, urging the STB to establish new rules and procedures that captive grain shippers could
July 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Expresses Concern Over Continued Rail Shipment Delays
(Growth Energy) In response to a recent order by the Surface Transportation Board (STB), which called on specific rail providers to resolve backlogs of rail cars for grain orders, but failed to address the substandard rail service for the delivery
July 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Asks for Relief from Rail Delays
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) The ethanol industry Monday urged a federal regulator overseeing the nation's railroads to provide relief for shippers of the renewable fuel who have faced delays. Growth Energy, which represents ethanol manufacturers, told the Surface Transportation
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Rule on Crude-by-Rail Shipments Is Priority Over Hazmat Fee, Foxx Says
by Tom Curry (Roll Call) Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says he won’t immediately push Congress to enact a proposal offered by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other mayors for a federal fee to be imposed on shipments of hazardous materials passing through cities. “It’s something
July 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Producer Green Plains Has Plans to Feed Its Own Cattle
by Lynn Doan (Bloomberg) Green Plains Inc. (GPRE), which just became the first major ethanol producer to buy its own cattle-feed yard, has plans to milk it for more -- by buying the cattle too. The fourth-largest ethanol maker in the U.S.
June 12, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol on the Rails
by Cindy Zimmerman (domesticfuel.com) In the last couple of weeks there have been two derailments of trains carrying crude oil, one in Virginia on April 30 and one in Colorado on May 9. These incidents are just the latest in
June 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Canada Issues New Tank Car Requirements for Ethanol, Crude Oil
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Canadian government has announced a plan improve rail safety. It includes a requirement to phase out certain railcars used to carry ethanol and crude oil over a three year period. Some DOT-111 railcars
April 28, 2014 Read Full Article
RFA Committed to Rail Safety, Says Priority One Is Keeping Trains on the Tracks
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today (April 23, 2014), Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), testified before the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) forum on Rail Safety: Transportation of Crude Oil and Ethanol. In his testimony, Dinneen focuses
April 24, 2014 Read Full Article
CSR Partners with Indiana Rail Road to Convert Railroad Ties into Biofuel
(Coalition for Sustainable Rail) The Coalition for Sustainable Rail (CSR) announced April 14 that it is initiating research on conversion of used railroad ties into an advanced biofuel. This research, funded through a generous grant from the Indiana Rail Road (INRD),
April 15, 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
Combative Oil, Ethanol Industries Find Common Ground over Tank Cars
by Blake Sobczak and Amanda Peterka (E&E Publishers Energy Wire) Orlando, Fla., was home to a rare occurrence last week: The oil and ethanol industries, usually at each other's throats, publicly agreed on something. Addressing an ethanol industry conference there, American
February 28, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol is a Win for Illinois, A Win for Agriculture
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Illinois State Representative Donald Moffitt knows agriculture. He grew up on a family farm, on which his son still farms (and Don occasionally helps). This has been a huge asset for him in his role as
December 26, 2013 Read Full Article
U.S. Oil, Ethanol Say Billions to Upgrade Rail Safety too Costly
by Patrick Rucker (TD Waterhouse) Rail safety rules contemplated by U.S. regulators could require multibillion dollar upgrades to a tank car fleet that has helped spur domestic oil production and meet demands of a booming biofuel sector. More flammable liquids such
December 06, 2013 Read Full Article
Trains to Be Trialed on Jatropha Biodiesel
(Biofuels International) Biodiesel made via jatropha has been cleared for field trials on trains in India. The Research Design Standard Organisation, a division of Indian Railways, has passed the fuel developed by the Central Salt Marine and Chemical Research Institute to
September 19, 2013 Read Full Article
Schumer Calls for Safer Railcars to Transport Oil, Ethanol
by Tom Magnarelli (Innovation Trail) Sen. Charles Schumer is calling on the Department of Transportation to retrofit or phase out a specific type of railway car that carries crude oil and ethanol. The DOT-111 is the same kind of tank car as
August 30, 2013 Read Full Article
Tampa Port Works to Begin Operation of 96-Car Ethanol Unit Train
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) There are two ethanol-related firsts at the new Tampa Gateway Rail terminal in Florida. The Port of Tampa now has the nation’s first ethanol unit train-to-refined productions pipeline and Florida’s first on-dock unit train
October 16, 2012 Read Full Article
Port of Tampa Prepares to Unveil New Railroad Line to Boost Cargo, Ethanol Markets
by Jamal Thalji (Tampa Bay Times) The transformation of the Port of Tampa will start on land. The port is nearing completion of the $11 million Tampa Gateway Rail Terminal, a 2-mile rail loop that will speed the unloading of ethanol-bearing trains
September 26, 2012 Read Full Article
General Electric To Invest BRL500 Million In Brazil Technology Center
(Fox Business) General Electric Co. (GE) said Thursday it will invest 500 million reais ($245.5 million) in a research-and-development center in Rio de Janeiro. The center, which should be operational in the second half of 2013 and employ 400, will focus
May 29, 2012 Read Full Article
World’s First Carbon-Neutral Higher-Speed Locomotive
by Joshua S. Hill (CleanTechnica.com) The Coalition for Sustainable Rail (CSR) announced Tuesday plans to create the world’s first carbon-neutral higher-speed locomotive. The plan is simple: “create the world’s cleanest, most powerful passenger locomotive, proving the viability of solid biofuel and
May 29, 2012 Read Full Article
Rail Plan to Ship Ethanol Is Decried
by Katheleen Conti (The Boston Globe) Eight firefighters are seen dousing a couple of rail cars, as bright flames and a plume of dark smoke engulf parts of the freight train in a still image stamped with the message: Ready
March 09, 2012 Read Full Article
Training for Trains: A 130-Ton Tank Car Is a Unique Beast that Demands Its Handlers Have Proper Safety Knowledge
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Groups like the Emergency Ethanol Response Coalition were formed years ago to educate first responders on best practices for ethanol-related incidents. Accidents are rare, but they do happen. For the 200 or so ethanol
February 27, 2012 Read Full Article
Norfolk Southern Pens Deal with Dynamic Fuels and Mansfield Oil
(Syntroleum) Norfolk Southern becomes first fleet user in the U.S. to deploy clean renewable diesel Dynamic Fuels, LLC and Mansfield Oil Company have signed an agreement to supply renewable diesel to Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE / NSC), one of the nation's
February 14, 2012 Read Full Article
By Train, By Truck, or By Boat: How Ethanol Moves and Where It’s Going
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...In September, Ed Hubbard, legislative counsel for the Renewable Fuels Association, addressed the topic of ethanol exports during a presentation at an ethanol logistics conference held in New Orleans. He noted that the amount
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Marcellus Shale Gas Exploration, Ethanol Production Net New-Business Growth for Norfolk Southern
by Julie Sneider (Progressive Railroading) ...Both ethanol production and Marcellus gas exploration have been among NS’ fastest-growing traffic opportunities — ethanol over the past decade and the shale-related activity just since 2008 — as a result of U.S. efforts to
November 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuels Literally Take Flight
by Conrad deFiebre (Minnesota 2020 Hindsight) More than just a niche or a fad, biofuels produced from soybeans, used cooking oil, algae and even livestock fat are moving into the energy mainstream in a big way, with new applications in aviation,
November 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Amtrak: Biodiesel Trial Results Encouraging
(Railway Age) Amtrak says that it found the use of a renewable biodiesel fuel blend to power its daily Heartland Flyer train “resulted in no more wear on the locomotive than traditional diesel fuels and no reduction in performance or
November 02, 2011 Read Full Article
CSX, Kinder Morgan Team up for Ethanol Hub at Port of Tampa
(Tampa Bay Business Journal) Kinder Morgan Energy Partners , CSX Corp. and the Tampa Port Authority finalized an agreement to bring ethanol into the Tampa market via the nation’s first ethanol unit train-to-pipeline distribution system. TPA will build rail track
September 20, 2011 Read Full Article
Steaming Ahead to a Better Fuel: Railroad Companies Investigate Benefits of Using Biodiesel-Blended Fuels
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The railroad is already considered one of the most environmentally sustainable and efficient ways to transport freight. Although most railways address fuel efficiency in terms of gallons-per-mile rather than miles-per-gallon, the sheer volume of cargo
August 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Budget Cuts May Target MSU-N Biodiesel Facility
by Kay Rossi (KXLH.com) ...Five years ago, Montana State University-Northern received $800,000 in grant funding for infrastructure and staffing for a new biofuel lab at the MSU-N Bio-Energy Center Now the nationally-certified facility performs a variety of functions, from researching
March 25, 2011 Read Full Article
Railways to Set up Four Biodiesel Plants
(Economic Times/India Times) In one of the biggest initiatives for bio-fuel production in the country, Indian Railways is poised to set up four bio-diesel plants costing about Rs 120 crore. While two bio-diesel esterification plants are going to be commissioned at
February 21, 2011 Read Full Article
Railways to Set up Four Biodiesel Plants
(Deccan Herald) In one of the biggest initiatives for bio-fuel production in the country, Indian Railways is poised to set up four bio-diesel plants costing about Rs 120 crore. While two bio-diesel esterification plants are going to be commissioned at Raipur
February 08, 2011 Read Full Article
FRA Advances Use of Bio-Based Fuels and Lubricants with New Research Grants
(US Department of Transportation) U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced two research grants totaling $766,562 intended to advance the use of bio-based fuels and lubricants with the goal of cleaner air and decreasing the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels. “We are
December 03, 2010 Read Full Article
Railway in Hyogo Unveils Biodiesel-Fueled Train
(The Japan Times) Japan's first train to run on biodiesel fuel, in this case refined edible oil, has taken to the tracks in Hyogo Prefecture. Hojo Railway Co., a third-sector entity financed by the city of Kasai and other organizations, started
October 20, 2010 Read Full Article
Norfolk Southern Railway and Electro-Motive Diesel Inc. (EMD) Partnering to Test Biodiesel for Locomotive Fuel Applications
(Progressive Railroading) Under “one of the most extensive testing programs to date on the use of biodiesel fuel for locomotives,” eight SD70M-2 units and two MP15 switchers manufactured by EMD and owned/operated by NS will be used during the testing
April 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Iowa Interstate Railroad to Test Biodiesel; Special Railroad Biodiesel Update
Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Iowa, the Iowa Interstate Railroad in Cedar Rapids, Iowa announced it has commenced testing B10 and B20 biodiesel blends supplied by Renewable Energy Group. As part of the study, REG, IAIS and Kansas University are