Ethanol Blogger

Focused on ethanol, alternative fuel & renewable energy initiatives
American Energy Enterprises written up in Ethanol Producer Magazine Sept 2009 issue
American Energy Enterprises, Inc. gets written up in ethanol magazine...

Ethanol Producer Magazine article, "Connecticut company plans to produce low-cost cellulosic ethanol" by Kris Bevill

http://www.ethanolproducer.com/article.jsp?article_id=5922

The Connecticut-based cellulosic ethanol producer is planning on producing cellulosic ethanol in a plant to be built in New Milford, CT. The plant will produce ethanol from wood waste (per Chris Brown, company chairman & president) at the newplant they hope to build starting soon after final negotiations for land and permits are finalized. Mr. Brown is hopeful that the go-ahead will happen withing the next couple of months (4th Qtr of 2009). The company is awaiting approval of their request to the DOE for $50m funding to help fund the construction of the plant. However, the company does not require the funding to begin construction.

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 8/22/2009 2:41 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
American Energy Enterprises ranked 87th in Inc.com Top 100 Inc. 500|5000 Companies
Brookfield, CT based American Energy Enterprises, Inc. ranked 87th in Inc.com Top 100 500/5000 Companies by Industry - Energy

http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2009/lists/top-industry-energy.html?sort=listrank&order=&o=50

http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2009/company-profile.html?id=200935770

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 8/22/2009 2:32 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Biofuels & Ethanol receive postive press
It is always great to read positive news articles when it comes to biofuels and in particular ethanol.

Here's a timely article that should be of interest, regardless of your position on biofuels and ethanol - "Anna Autrey: Biofuels are the answer" - published on The Gainsville Sun's Gainsville.com Website http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090414/NEWS/904149911/-1/MAGAZINE?Title=Anna-Autrey-Biofuels-are-the-answer

As she mentioned in her article, Anna Autrey noted the amount of energy produced by ethanol versus that which is required to produce it; in particular her comments on cellulosic ethanol should peak some interest in those who have doubts about the benefits of cellulosic ethanol and it's place in helping to replaces our use of fossil fuels.

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 4/16/2009 1:42 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
New England has a cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant operational
The New England states now have a cellulosic ethanol plant near by in New York state. It was recently announced that Mascoma Corporation's Rome New York demonstration plant for cellulosic ethanol production was put online.

The plant was designed to enable Mascoma to utilize a variety of feedstock, incorporating their Consolidated Bio-Processing technology. To learn more about Mascoma Corporation and their cellulosic ethanol production technology, visit their site at: Mascoma.com

It was announced on April 14, 2009 that Mascoma will be relocated its corporate headquarters (September 2009) into a new research laboratory and office building located in Lebanon, New Hampshire. The corporate office is presently in Boston, Mass.

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 4/16/2009 1:25 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
GrowthEnergy.org - needs your help with their grassroots effort
GrowthEnergy.org America's Ethanol Producers - a new organization that is focused on greener energy alternatives for America and the world. A major focus for the organization is promoting ethanol with the understanding  that America needs a new ethanol approach. And, with their proactive grassroots campaign, they are promoting the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and "expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating American jobs at home..." as noted on their website.

Here's a link to an informative video posted on their site: http://www.growthenergy.org/2009/about/video.asp

As it is noted on GrowthEnergy.org's Website and for those of us who have been following ethanol and its production know that there are breakthroughs already happening that will ensure that we have an even cleaner and greener ethanol biofuel, cellulosic ethanol, for a the long-term use of ethanol to help reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.

If you are interested in participating as an "eTeam member of the organization, be sure to visit this page on their site to sign up:
http://www.growthenergy.org/2009/get_involved/eteam.asp

News release on February 5th, 2009 "General Wesley Clark Announced as Growth Energy Co-Chairman"
http://www.growthenergy.org/2009/news/showItem.asp?id=17

GrowthEnergy.org on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Omaha-NE-Washington-DC/Growth-Energy/122421550289?ref=mf

GrowthEnergy.org on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/growthenergy

For members of the press and others interest, this page has severl .pdf files that may be of interest
http://www.growthenergy.org/2009/press/index.asp

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 4/7/2009 8:15 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol joint venture to build an ethanol plant using biomass
More companies are looking to produce ethanol from biomass, i.e. cellulosic ethanol. Venture funding is pouring into companies that are leading the effort to produce cellulosic ethanol.

One venture headed up by DuPoint and Danisco, and Danisco's Genencor is working on producing cellulosic ethanol from biomass consisting of corn cobs and switchgrass. The biorefinery is under construction in Knoxsville, Tennessee with an anticipated opening in 2010.

Companies like Genencor are considered to be second generation because of the focus on producing biofuels from biomass, and in particular producing ethanol from biomass versus the first-generation approach that involves the use of corn to produce ethanol.

We suspect that 2009 will see even more venture capital funds move to help finance companies that are focused on producing biofuels from biomass and that companies focused on producing cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, and biobutonol will find new sources of funding knocking at their door. Here's a site that recently release a digest of U.S. venture capital focused on biofuels: http://www.oilgae.com/blog/2009/01/biofuels-digest-released-summary-of-us.html

And, here's an article written by David Baker, San Francisco Chronicle, is posted on their website:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/04/MN4916RJ4C.DTL

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 4/7/2009 5:36 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Alternative use of land for growing sustainable feedstock (biomass) for cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels

Alternative uses of land for biofuel feedstock...

Article "Fostering a state of innovation" by Peter Doherty on theage.com.au

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/fostering-a-state-of-innovation-20090405-9t5o.html

Along with Peter's thoughts on not being able to drought-proof Austrial's agricultural sector, in particular in the state of Victoria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_(Australia)), he offers thoughts on what else could be done. And of particular interest is Peter including these comments regarding ethanol in his article, "There's also the possibility that mechanisms for producing ethanol from biomass rather than food grains or sugar cane will have advanced to the point where some of our land might be used to grow specialised grasses for this purpose..." http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/fostering-a-state-of-innovation-20090405-9t5o.html

At all corners of the world we find folks looking at better or alternative uses of their land with many of those uses focused on growing sustainable feedstock for use in the production of cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels. It will be interesting to following efforts such as those mentioned in Mr. Doherty's article and other postings on numerous blogs and news sites across the globe.

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 4/6/2009 7:52 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Sustainable Ethanol and where the industry is headed

There is an interesting post on IndustryWeek.com, "Sustainable Ethanol Industry Rapidly Forming in U.S."

Some of the points raised concerning the direction that we can expect the United States to head in regards to alternative fuels and in particular cellulosic ethanol are very interesting. In particular is the note on President Obama's nomination of Steven Koonin, chief scientist at BP, to the Undersecretary of Science position.

BP is a company that I've followed since my attending the ethanol conference in Washington D.C. a couple years ago. I was impressed with what BP was already doing in regards to alternative fuel and in particular their research into ethanol production.

"Sustainable Ethanol Industry Rapidly Forming in U.S."
http://www.industryweek.com/articles/sustainable_ethanol_industry_rapidly_forming_in_u-s-_18847.aspx?SectionID=4

With the anticipated acceptance of Steven Koonin to the Undersecretary of Science position, it will be very interesting to follow his success in helping move forward the cellulosic ethanol portion of the alternative fuels and energy initiatives that will be greatly expanded with the new government funding and focus.

For those following alternative energy, here are links to a number of excellent short videos that may be of interest - part of Fortune Magazine's "Business of Green Sustainability, the environment and success" series:

An environmental odd couple
http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2009/03/25/fortune.bg.kkr-edf.fortune/


Electric car closer to market
http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2009/03/17/fortune-bg-aptera.fortune/


Garbage power Windex plant
http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2009/03/11/fortune-bg-scjohnson.fortune/

Changing winds in turbine biz
http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/02/24/fortune.bg.vestas.fortune/

The future of hybrid cars
http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2009/01/14/fortune.bg.hybrids2.fortune/

E-car uses 19th Century technology
http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2008/12/24/fortune.bg.thinkcar.fortune/

Electricity from hydrogen
http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2008/10/29/fortune.fuel.cells.fortune/

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 4/6/2009 7:19 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Ethanol to be produced from municipal solid waste in Mississippi
We've been reading about companies that will be producing cellulosic ethanol using municipal solid waste as feedstock...

Here's an article on a company that is planning to do just that, producing 20 million gallons of ethanol per year from municipal solid waste (MSW) from a landfill (the Three Rivers Landfill) in Ponotoc, Mississippi. The Montreal Canada based company, Enerkem, announced the construction of the $250 million plant and their plans of producing cellulosic ethanol. 
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10200929-54.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Enerkem already has built several demonstration plants using municipal solid waste and other feedstock to produce cellulosic ethanol.

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/22/2009 9:20 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Leading buyer of ethanol buys ethanol refineries
Expanding the reach into directly controlling the sources of ethanol for the business that involves mixing ethanol with gasoline, Valero Energy Corporation has won the bid to purchase 7 ethanol plants from VeraSun as part of a bankruptcy auction. A total of $477 million is to be paid for the purchases.

This is Valero Energy's first venture in directly producing ethanol for their business needs. The total capacity of these plants is estimated to be 780 million gallons per year according to the information in the company's press release.

Here's a link to Valero Energy Corp's press release on their Web site:
Valero Energy Has Winning Bid to Purchase VeraSun Plants

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Posted by Ethanol Consultant Mike at 3/19/2009 9:39 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)