Ethanol Blogger

Focused on ethanol, alternative fuel & renewable energy initiatives
Ethanol Producer Magazine article on American Energy Enterprises' cellulosic ethanol plant plans
Here is another media service that has picked up on the America Energy Enterprises' proposal to the town of New Milford Connecticut to build a cellulosic ethanol plant in a site that was previously the Brass Mill property, known now as the Century Enterprises/Brass Mill property (which is owned by the town of New Milford). Be sure to read this article as there is additional information not found in the other media releases...

Connecticut firm announces cellulosic ethanol plans
by Susanne Retka Schill
Web exclusive posted March 24, 2008 at 5:04 p.m. CST

 Ethanol Producer Magazine April's issue

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/27/2008 5:48 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Saccharophagus degradans - what is it? A bacterium from the Chesapeake Bay. Importance - cellulosic ethanol production
Saccharophagus degradans bactrium! A recent article in BIOMASS Magazine (written by Jessica Ebert) discusses a recent discovery related to a bactrium discovered 20 years ago in the Chesapeake Bay where this bactrium can be used as part of a "...degrading enzyme cocktail" used to create cellulosic ethanol.

Read more on what company is involved with bring this to market and the potential...
http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=1510

By the way, BIOMASS Magazine is one of those magazines that anyone interested in ethanol, biomass, etc. should consider subscribing to or at least bookmark their Website. You'll be glad you did! (This is not a plug for them necessarily, just my comments based on my own use of their magazine and site for excellent insight into areas I am interesed in). Here's a good bookmark - it will take you to their current issue -- http://www.biomassmagazine.com/issue.jsp

The article referenced above can also be found on another Website - http://ethanolproducer.com/article.jsp?article_id=3883 - Ethanol Producer Magazine is another one of those references that we subscribe to and use their Website for research current information and to learn more about the production of ethanol. Both magazines and Websites are the creation of BBI International Media. They also operate & produce the Website and magazines http://biodieselmagazine.com/ and http://distillersgrainsquarterly.com/ that may be of interest to you.

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/20/2008 5:17 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Switchgrass use in producing cellulosic ethanol - farming costs study

A follow-up study by several university teams has been published and shows results of their study started in 2000 & 2001 where 10 farmers were contracted to grow switchgrass with the goal in mind to become a feedstock for producing cellulosic ethanol.

The results are interesting - an average of $60 per ton (on-farm costs) was recorded, and as low as $39 per ton for farmers experienced in growing switchgrass. And, the scientists reported that when switchgrass is used in cellulosic ethanol production, it  produces 5 times more energy that it takes to produce the cellulosic ethanol. NOTE: The cost per ton does not include any costs beyond those associated with on-farm costs (see report for details and the added cost calculations for delivery of the switchgrass bales to ethanol refineries).

Here's a link to one site, Tri-State Neighbor, that has posted information on this study:
http://www.tristateneighbor.com/articles/2008/03/17/tri_state_news/production_news/news17.txt

What is noteworthy is that this study (in two parts) started back as early as 2000 before all the hype of cellulosic ethanol and feedstock such as switchgrass.

Here's the link to another Website (Rapid City Journal) running a story on this study:
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2008/03/17/news/agnews/doc47d36c3b81b86970403831.txt

Information (abstract) of the report:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12155-008-9005-y

Full pdf version of the report:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/f85977006m871205/fulltext.pdf

As noted on Rapid City Journals Website, more information on the study can be found at:
http://www.agecon.unl.edu/Cornhuskereconomics.html

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/17/2008 5:52 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Proposed Cellulosic Ethanol Plant - what it would mean for "Green Collar Jobs" in New Milford CT
As I noted on our Website, http://ethanolconsultants.com/green-collar-job.htm, with this proposed cellulosic ethanol plant in New Milford, CT, there is a potential of creating up to 200 new "green collar jobs" in New Milford Connecticut!

Not only will New Milford & Connecticut benefit from the production of ethanol, the sale of town-owned property for a cash-infusion, the entire state and even the northeast will benefit from the close vicinity of an ethanol plant that will ease the distribution and availability of ethanol for the ever-growing demand (and government mandates).

As with any ethanol or cellulosic ethanol proposal, there are many viewpoints on both sides of the many issues these types of plants raise. I will do my "infomediary & intermediary" duties by attempting to log some of these viewpoints for ethanol plants in their early phases around the U.S. and Canada. In the mean time, here are some sites that already are helping to provide the information we are all seeking:

Personal Technology Enterprises, LLC proud member of  NEVC

Personal Technology Enterprises, LLC, proud member of  ACE

Ethanol Industry at a Glance

EthanolToday
Ethanol Biorefinery Locations

Map (pdf) of U.S. Biorefinery Locations

Weekly USDA Ethanol Summary

Ethanol publications

Posts from the Ethanol Category at AutoblogGreen

The Ethanol Report

The Energy Blog

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/16/2008 12:39 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
How is ethanol produced?
You've heard all about ethanol and cellulosic ethanol, but you really aren't sure how it is made. The link below will take you to an excellent ethanol-focused Web site that includes a basic ethanol 101 on producing ethanol from corn. And on the page is a pop-up flash demo "WATCH HOW ETHANOL IS MADE" that you'll want to be sure to watch (and listen to) - an excellent yet basic quick overview of the production of ethanol.

http://www.drivingethanol.org/ethanol_facts/producing_ethanol.aspx

The Web site is the Internet home for the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC), a nonprofit nonprofit alliance of ethanol industry leaders. The organization was formed to provide a central organization for the ethanol industry, one that's goal is to help expand consumer demand for ethanol.

This Web site is loaded with excellent information on ethanol, the ethanol industry, and the companies that are doing their best in helping make the U.S. less dependent on foreign oil, and providing their knowledge, skill, and production successes for all to benefit throughout the world. Here are some of the topics & pages of interest:

EPIC
http://www.drivingethanol.org/default.aspx

Ethanol facts
http://www.drivingethanol.org/ethanol_facts/ethanol_facts.aspx

ethanol retailer - magazine download
http://www.drivingethanol.org/magazine/default.html

Get Involved
http://www.drivingethanol.org/magazine/default.html

Ethanol newsletter sign-up
http://www.drivingethanol.org/take_action/join_ethanol.aspx

Find out if you have an "FFV" (Flex-Fuel Vehicle) and what car & truck manufacturers are making them (and what models are available). At the moment this list runs from 1998 (or the first year the manufacturer first produced FFV vehicles) through 2007:
http://www.drivingethanol.org/ethanol_in_vehicles/ffv_chooser.aspx


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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/16/2008 8:43 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Continued press coverage in CT regarding the proposed cellulosic ethanol plant
Another newspaper in Connecticut, the Waterbury Republican-American, has run an article on the proposed New Milford, CT cellulosic ethanol plant (American Energy Enterpris­es Inc. proposed purchase of the former Century Brass Mill property now owned by the town of New Milford). The property would be used for the new cellulosic ethanol plant and business offices.

As of this posting I have not been able to find this article on their Web site, it is possible that it was only in their newspaper additional, and/or is pending an update to their Web site early in the week:

Article title: Firm plans to build ethanol fuel plant
New Milford offered $4.5M for property
 BY RICK HARRISON
 REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
 March 15, 2008

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/16/2008 8:27 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
More press coverage on the New Milford CT proposed cellulosic ethanol plant
We've got more press here in Connecticut that is covering the breaking story on American Energy Enterprises, Inc.'s proposal to build a cellulosic ethanol plant in the town of New Milford, Connecticut.

American Energy Enterprises has offered to purchase the town-owned former Century Brass mill property (known now as the Century Enterprise Center). Litchfield County Times published an article (3/13/08) written by Nancy Barnes regarding the proposal and other cellulosic ethanol initiatives around the U.S. Click here for the cellulosic ethanol plant article

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/13/2008 7:38 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Proposed cellulosic ethanol plant for New Milford Connecticut - Jay Lewin blog posts
 Read the Jay Lewin Uncensored 3/10/08 blog entry regarding the proposed cellulosic ethanol plant for New Milford (Connecticut). Interesting post have been added to Jay's initial posting; each with a different take on what it will mean to New Milford and their views of the proposal.

Not only would this cellulosic ethanol plant be a major boost for the town of New Milford, it would be for the state of Connecticut as well. And, it will put the state on the map as only the third ethanol plant in our area, with two upstate New York facilities in the works (one in Fulton, N.Y., where they will be converting a former brewery, and the other involving new construction of an $80 million ethanol plant on the shores of the Erie Canal in Seneca Falls).

Expanding on one of Jay's responses, the market will help dictate the success of not only this proposed cellulosic ethanol plant for New Milford but any and all other ethanol and alternative fuel plants that are either in the initial planning stages, on the drawing board, and/or beginning construction. As seen in the press, there are some projects on hold due to potential for over-supply, market demand shifts, raw material/feedstock costs, etc. However, I believe the majority of them are the corn-based ethanol plants. Cellulosic ethanol plants are only now beginning to see progress to the point where initial plants will be coming online in the not-too-distant future...
 
Let's keep an eye on this one and see how the plans progress. As someone very interested in the ethanol solution to foreign oil dependency, and a Bethel CT resident, I look forward to one day stopping by a local gas station where I can filler' up with E85 ethanol!

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/12/2008 8:07 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Cellulosic Ethanol plant proposed for New Milford CT
 IMPORTANT NEWS - Cellulosic Ethanol - NEWS FROM NEW MILFORD CONNECTICUT: A local company to ours is proposing to create a cellulosic ethanol plant at a town-owned mill property, Century Brass. The News-Times article by Lynda Wellman, Staff Writer, noted that American Energy Enterprises Inc. chairman Christopher Brown made an offer to pay $4.5 million for the Century Brass mill property and that there are plans to invest more that $100 million to operate the plant... click here for The New-Times article.

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/11/2008 7:20 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Ethanol Blends between E10 and E85
As you've undoubtedly seen on the TV and Internet and read in the papers, December 19, 2007 President Bush signed into law H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. With this new law comes the Renewable Fuels Standard which calls for at least 36 billion gallons of ethanol to be used nationwide in the U.S. by the year 2022.

To help in this increased usage will be the importance of the use of alternate levels of ethanol mixed with gasoline. Presently there are two grades E10 (10% ethanol) and E85 (85% ethanol) that are increasing in their use across the nation. And with some states already bringing in ethanol blender pumps it is possible for motorists to choose different blends of gasoline & ethanol. These new ethanol blender pumps provide blend mixes of E10, E20, E30 and E85.

As part of the H.R. 6 law, Section 244 authorizes a new $20 million program for the installation of blender pumps starting in the fiscal year 2008 through 2014. South Dakota & Minnesota already have blender pumps in several gas stations.

A recent research effort conducted by ACE (American Coalition for Ethanol, which we are a member), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy, shows that mid-range ethanol blends are very promising in terms of their fuel economy & vehicle emissions - including use in non-flex fuel vehicles.

  • The Optimal Ethanol Blend-Level Investigation appears to support an optimal blend of ethanol & gasoline of E20 or E30. With these blends the cars used in the tests averaged better gas mileage than the standard gasoline models. More tests are needed and have been planned to help validate these initial exciting findings.

The fleet fuel standards have also been set to raise to 35 miles per gallon by 2020

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 2/17/2008 3:11 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)