Domestic Fuel

So, we’ve all heard the talk how biodiesel is just not built for the cold… how it gels up when the temperature goes down. But a ski resort in New England is proving that myth wrong.

This press release from the National Biodiesel Board tells how the resort is running its equipment on the green fuel:

“We know that even with heavy snow falling and temperatures hovering around 20 below, we can count on our biodiesel-powered vehicles to start up and perform with no problems at all,” said Mersereau, Operations Director for New Hampshire’s Cranmore Mountain Resort. “We have been very pleased with biodiesel’s performance and have had absolutely no cold weather problems.”

“Cranmore Mountain is one of many examples demonstrating that it is a myth that you can’t use B20 in cold weather,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of NBB. “As we enter the coldest time of year in many parts of the country, biodiesel users can rest assured that precautions such as using high quality fuel and following proper blending procedures, biodiesel blends are reliable even in sub-zero temperatures.”

Just like regular diesel, biodiesel can gel up in the cold weather. But the NBB has some tips to reduce that gelling, including mixing biodiesel with kerosene or diesel that has been treated with cold weather additives; using block and filter heaters; and even storing your vehicle inside. You can read more tips and stories about using biodiesel in the cold at NBB’s cold weather information web site: http://www.biodiesel.org/cold/.

I don’t think I’ve had a chance to bring your attention to a series of video interviews I did recently at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention. They have all been featured on Corn Commentary, the blog of the National Corn Growers Association that we created for them and help manage.

In this one I interview NCGA CEO Rick Tolman and University of Missouri ag economist Dr. Ron Plain. They point out that our corn growers have produced to meet demand for both the food and the fuel needs of our corn. It’s also interesting to note that higher corn prices haven’t really impacted food prices much. In fact, it’s really things like transportation costs that have driven food prices up.

As they point out, no one is starving anywhere because of biofuel production. The fact is our corn production has a lot of opportunity to grow due to demand and new technologies and that’s good for our farmers, our economy and our country. So that’s the word on this “renewable fuel” issue!

Hardly anyone knew what ethanol was 20 years ago, but that is when the company formally known as Broin started in the ethanol business.

United States Senator John Thune, South Dakota Lieutenant Governor Dennis Daugaard and other elected officials helped the company now known as POET celebrate at their corporate headquarters in Sioux Falls, S.D.

“Jeff Broin and POET were present at the creation of the American ethanol industry,” said Senator Thune. “They deserve the highest praise for their historic leadership and for building South Dakota’s economy for the past 20 years.”

POET was founded 20 years ago when the Broin family from Wanamingo, Minn. purchased an ethanol plant in Scotland, S.D. Today, its 21 ethanol plants annually produce just over 1.1 billion gallons of ethanol and 3 million tons of DDGS, making it the largest producer of ethanol in the world. With five plants under construction and one in the midst of expansion, POET will be producing 1.5 billion gallons of ethanol by the end of 2008.

An innovative “closed loop” ethanol plant in Nebraska shut down last week as the company filed bankruptcy, according to a report in the Omaha World Herald.

E3 BioFuels opened in June as a model for using energy from biogas derived from cattle manure and cellulosic biomass to power the plant. Manure from 28,000 head of cattle in a nearby feedlot was used to make methane that fueled the plant. Distillers grain, a byproduct of ethanol production, was then fed to the cattle. As a result, almost no fossil fuels would be used and carbon emissions from the manure were minimized.

However, the plant has been plagued by mechanical problems which has kept it from reaching full capacity.

“It’s a temporary shutdown,” said E3 spokesman R. J. Wilson. “With the mechanical failures hampering us, it has made it difficult to be profitable.”

Wilson said E3 BioFuels expects to file lawsuits against construction contractors.