Right now, blenders credits as biofuels incentives are in serious trouble on the political front. Since the biodiesel credit lapsed Dec. 31, multiple efforts have been unsuccessful in attaching an extension to various bills. The latest vehicle was the jobs bill—but the energy provisions were stripped from the bill before it emerged from the Senate....
Nothing like a week’s vacation to give a person a refreshing break from the work routine, even if the “vacation” included a lot of work on the homefront. There was no break in the news, though. While I was weeding the garden, my colleagues were busy following several news developments....
EPM associate editor Holly Jessen writes about misinformation about ethanol in her guest blog....
The New York Times hasn’t exactly been a friend of ethanol in the past. A special report written by Erica Gies was published online June 24 titled: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/business/energy-environment/25iht-rbogeth.html?pagewanted=1&src=busln " rel="external">“As Ethanol Booms, Critics Warn of Environmental Effect.”</a>...
Every person I talked to last week in St. Louis said the mood was definitely more upbeat than last year’s International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo. There were more producers in attendance and exhibitors were pleased with the show. The educational sessions were well-attended with good presenters and good questions....
The ABW is a one-day workshop dedicated to advanced biofuels with a program covering fuels such as renwable diesel, biobutanol and a bit on cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol is a track of its own in the educational program for the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo which opens tonight....
The July issue of Ethanol Producer Magazine was uploaded to the printer last week. It’s always a good feeling to get an issue closed and out the door, but this one especially so since it’s my largest to date as editor—seven features and four contributions and the usual columns and news section....
A recent survey shows strong support among U.S. consumers for reducing oil consumption and increasing fuel economy in vehicles. Conducted before the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, one wonders if it would be even stronger if conducted today....
People need to be reminded that “the most efficient source of ethanol” is regionally specific. Corn makes sense in the Midwest, which is called the Corn Belt for a reason. The climate and soils provide an ideal environment for corn....
It will be interesting for the renewable energy sector to see what the USDA learns from a new survey. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said last week the USDA will be survey the nation’s 20,000 farms and ranches to learn what they’re doing in renewable energy and biofuels....
I’m still struggling to come back to earth after my trip to Poet’s ethanol plant in Macon, Mo., last week. The fact that President Barack Obama visited an ethanol plant means a lot to the whole industry—and it means a lot to us here at Ethanol Producer Magazine too. It means ethanol, including corn ethanol, is on his radar....
Here’s a new sales pitch for distillers grains—it might increase the number of twins born to your herd....
