DTN Ethanol Blog

EPA may Need More Time on Raising Ethanol Blend

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:32:00 GMT

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson told Reuters Monday that the agency may not meet a Dec. 1 deadline on a request from Growth Energy to boost the allowable ethanol blend in standard vehicles from E10 to E15.

Brazil Drivers Ditch Biofuel Where Prices Rising

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:31:00 GMT

Some Brazilian motorists who fuel their cars only on sugarcane-based ethanol are switching back to gasoline in response to high sugar prices that have now made the biofuel more costly in some states, according to Reuters.

Wet Ethanol Production Process Yields More Ethanol, Co-products

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:29:00 GMT

University of Illinois researchers have found that using a wet ethanol production method that begins by soaking corn kernels rather than grinding them, according to Science Daily, results in more gallons of ethanol and more usable co-products -- by about 20 percent.

Methane-to-Methanol Technology for Sale

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:29:00 GMT

Inventor Walter Breidenstein said he hopes to sell his GasTechno technology that converts methane into a variety of fuels, according to WWJ News Radio 950 in Southfield, Mich.

UK Grain Sector Could Face Dramatic Changes

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:28:00 GMT

The dynamics for the UK wheat market are set to change, according to Gleadell Agriculture Managing Director David Sheppard, the Farmers Guardian said.

Broward County, Fla. Officials Start Over on Fuel Project

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:26:00 GMT

Broward County, Fla. officials have decided to start over on picking a company to upgrade and run fuel storage tanks at Port Everglades, Fla., according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, almost one year after the county began to look for a contractor on the project.

Algae as Biofuel Feedstock Could Skew Corn's Role

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Congress is considering a change to U.S. biofuels mandates that would expand the mandate to include the use of algae and microorganisms to replace the requirement for cellulosic biofuels, according to the Des Moines Register.

Brazilian Government Considers Cuts to Ethanol Mix

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:59:00 GMT

Brazil's government is considering a cut in the required ethanol blend from 25 percent to 20 percent, according to easybourse.com, that would help increase availability of the biofuel and reduce ethanol prices.

Biofuel Technology Gets new Focus at Illinois College

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:58:00 GMT

Southeastern Illinois College officials plan to launch a new program focused on biofuels, the Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale, Ill. said, that includes a proposed curriculum including history, scientific processes, political and legislative realities, marketing and financing considerations and plant construction and engineering.

N.D. Biomass Project Moves Forward

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:58:00 GMT

Spiritwood, N.D.-based Great River Energy’s new power plant expects to begin operations in 2010, according to Ag Week, but the company continues to work on securing biomass-based partnerships.

Ethanol, Swine flu Fears hit Michigan hog Farmer

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:57:00 GMT

Brady Township, Mich. farmer Nick Thiel had his sights set on a 6,000-head swine farm until the market prices for pork started falling, the Saginaw News in Saginaw, Mich. said. With the publicity surrounding the H1N1 flu virus -- identified early on as swine flu -- pork prices fell at a time when industry officials said the pork industry was already hurt by a rise in ethanol production.

Utica Energy to pay Nearly $500,000 for Environmental Violations

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:56:00 GMT

Utica, Wis.-based Utica Energy LLC has been ordered to pay about $280,000 in fines and pay another $200,000 to connect to the Oshkosh, Wis. wastewater treatment system, according to the Oshkosh Northwestern, after the company violated a 2008 water pollution discharge permit.

Tenn. Gov: 'Biofuels Project Criticism Outrageous'

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:51:00 GMT

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen has fired back at critics of a switchgrass-to-ethanol program at the University of Tennessee, who claimed they had been misled about the direction of the project, according to the Associated Press.

Yeast Genomes Reveal Clues That Could Boost Cellulosic Ethanol Production

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:11:00 GMT

Two studies published online in Genome Research show that scientists have analyzed the genome structures of bioethanol-producing microorganisms, uncovering genetic clues that will help speed up cellulosic ethanol production, according to Science Daily.

Tate and Lyle Said Feed, Ethanol Markets 'Uncertain'

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:09:00 GMT

Ethanol producer Tate & Lyle said the ethanol market still has a level of uncertainty even as margins have returned, according to agrimoney.com.