A coalition of biofuels, agricultural and environmental organizations is calling for a united effort toward making July 4th Energy Independence Day by extending America’s domestic fuel supply through increased biofuels use and simple conservation strategies.
Currently, America’s domestic gasoline and ethanol production combined is enough to supply the country’s gasoline needs for 149 days. But through the increased use of biofuels and simple conservation strategies, America could extend its supply by another 27 days - or theoretically until July 4 - before needing to rely on imported oil.
According to the coalition, America currently produces 49 billion gallons of gasoline domestically, which equates to 128 days of energy independence. Nine billion gallons of ethanol adds another 21 days. Assuming no change in domestic gasoline production, the groups believe the additional savings in imports can be made up by another five billion gallons of ethanol - yielding 37 days of energy independence - and 19 days of conservation achieved by drivers limiting their usage by just 21 gallons per year.
The groups are calling for unity to achieve this goal. “To find true and long-lasting sustainable solutions, corporate self interests, political polarization, and agendas must be set aside,” they said in a press release from the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. “We must band together in the fight for Energy Independence here in the United States and around the globe.”
In addition to the major ethanol and corn grower organizations, other groups supporting the effort include the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest, Biotechnology Industry Organization, Environmental and Energy Study Institute, National Farmers Union, National Sorghum Producers
National Wheat Growers Association and Set America Free.
The U.S. Agriculture Department is celebrating Bioenergy Awareness this week. The even will feature exhibits on agriculture and natural resource-based renewable energy research, energy efficiency and education programs in Washington on June 19, 20, 21 and 22 as part of Bioenergy Awareness Days. The USDA, in partnership with 25×25, will also announce Grand Challenge essay winners on agriculture and natural resource based renewable energy and energy conservation and efficiency.
USDA agencies, private sector organizations, and universities from across the country will travel to Washington to exhibit in front of the Whitten Building and at the National Arboretum. 55 exhibits will be at the Whitten Building and 35 will be at the Arboretum, including a special Power Plant display of 21 plants that offer bio-energy options.
Government and private sector spokespeople, researchers, and university representatives will respond to questions about important renewable energy issues making today’s headlines.
Exhibits open at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. The Whitten exhibits close on Friday. The Arboretum exhibits open at 8 a.m. and are also open on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
UPI Energy LPin Ontario recently opened the third E85 station in Canada. The station is located at 685558 Highway #2/Oxford Road #2 in Woodstock, Ontario.
General Motors (GM) is the country’s largest manufacturer of E85 compatible vehicles in Canada. “GM welcomes the news of UPI’s E85 Launch in Woodstock and commends the fuel retailer for expanding the availability of this green fuel in Ontario,” said David Paterson, Vice President Corporate and Environmental Activities for General Motors of Canada. “In order to significantly reduce vehicle greenhouse gases in Canada, it is imperative to not only offer motorists greener vehicle technologies, but also make available green energy alternatives, such as E85 fuel.”
UPI Energy was referred to as “stewards of the environment” by the city’s mayor for their leadership in environmentally safe fuels.
“UPI continuously strives to bring innovative products to the market and to position itself as a leader in the advancement of renewable fuels. We believe the addition of E85 biofuel accomplishes that and paves the way for a greener tomorrow involving the expansion of environmentally friendlier energy products and a future less dependent on non-renewable oil,” said Robert Sicard, UPI’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “In the next six to twelve months, UPI plans to further expand the availability of E85 by offering it at two more of its sites in Ontario.”
Other E85 fueling locations in Canada include Chatham EnviroStation in Chatham and Topia GreenStop in Ottawa, Ontario.
More than 100 new alternative-fuel vehicles will be on the road for AT&T. The nationwide communications company is launching a new fleet of Compressed Natural Gas vans, 65 electric hybrid cars and 15 electric hybrid conversion work trucks in 30 cities across the U.S. Start looking for them in June.
The vehicles will be embedded into AT&T’s workforce as operational components of its fleet. AT&T will measure and track fuel efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, operating costs, performance and driver satisfaction of each vehicle.
The vehicles, which will be deployed in cities in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Texas, join four Ford Escape hybrids that were deployed in California in late 2007. A Green Technology insignia will make the vehicles easy to identify on the road.
AT&T estimates that its use of these alternative-fueled and more fuel-efficient vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 124 metric tons and conserve nearly 34,395 gallons of fuel annually.
LifeLine Foods sells ethanol, but ethanol is just one of many products the company produces. The St. Joseph, MO-based corn milling plant started off as a manufacturer of snack foods in 2001. Today, LifeLine’s identity is continually evolving. The 51 percent farmer-owned company is committed to innovation and is now partnered with ICM, Inc, a world leader in ethanol facility design and engineering, in the production of ethanol.
In this DomesticFuel Cast, we hear from LifeFine Foods CEO Bill Becker about the company’s current innovations with corn, food and fuel and what’s in store for the future.
Here is the Domestic Fuel Cast #4:
You can also subscribe to the Domestic Fuel Cast using the following url/feed link: http://www.zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/domestic-fuel-cast.xml.
A new fleet of off road vehicles in the U.S. Air Force will operate on E85 fuel. MAG International Inc., the newest distributor of Flextek Flex Fuel Conversion technology, will help the Air Force meet its goal of reducing its exhaust emissions.
The U.S. Air Force recently accepted MAG’s bid to provide a new fleet of off road vehicles designed to reduce exhaust emissions. Reducing the exhaust emissions of its fleet is a major concern of the Air Force. The vehicles supplied by MAG will use Flextek technology to allow the vehicles to utilize emission reducing E85 fuel.
As an OEM Flextek distributor, MAG will be marketing to military installations and other government facilities as well as private off-road vehicle purchasers including farms, refineries, stadiums, hotels, resorts, casinos, amusement parks, airports, building complexes, universities and colleges.
The ethanol industry in Brazil has been developing some major traction. Marcos Jank, President of UNICA, says the demand for ethanol in Brazil is now matching that of the demand for gasoline. He says ethanol is gaining ground and Brazil “won’t move back to gas.”
Marcos was one of seven speakers at today’s Ethanol Summit held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway today. General Motors sponsored the event. The object of the Summit was to explore Brazil’s strong and sustained success with ethanol while also taking a look at where and how the U.S. ethanol industry has room to grow.
Marcos and Indy racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi - a Brazilian ethanol producer - highlighted a number of milestones the Brazilian ethanol industry has already attained:
All fuel sold in Brazil contains a 20 to 25 percent blend of ethanol
The unsubsidized ethanol industry offers a fuel that is on average one dollar below the price of gasoline
Virtually all 33,000 gas pumps offer E100
Just one percent of the 40 percent of arable land in Brazil is being used to produce sugarcane ethanol
Forty-five percent of fuel for cars is from sugarcane
Sugarcane ethanol production is 100 percent self-sufficient
The food industry is growing faster than the ethanol industry
Ninety percent of all new automobiles sold are flex-fuel automobiles
One-hundred percent of GM vehicles produced in Brazil are flex-fuel
Twenty percent of all cars are flex-fuel vehicles today
Fifty percent of all cars will be flex-fuel vehicles by 2012
Three percent of electricity is from sugarcane
Honda and Yamaha are introducing flex-fuel motorcycles this year
The 2008 Indy Pace Car corvette wasn’t the only shiny new toy to check out at the giveaway this morning. The Indiana Corn Marketing Council debuted its new interactive mobile marketing unit complete with videos detailing the production of ethanol and a database of local fuel retailers that offer E10 and E85 fuel blends. Visitors can even print off a list of local stations.
I caught up with Indiana Corn’s Mark Walters again, as well as ICMC’s Mike Shuter (pictured), the council’s President and a Frankton, IN farmer. We talked about the new mobile marketing unit, the truth about ethanol as they see it and how IN corn fits into the ethanol industry. You can listen to my interview with Mark and Mike here:
There’s no question for the Indiana Corn Marketing Council’s Mark Walters that the three May pump promotions have all been a huge success. Mark (pictured fourth from left) is the Director of the Biofuels Program for Indiana Corn. He says pump promotions help consumers learn about both sides of the ethanol debate. Some of the ethanol positives he points out are things like the creation of new, permanent jobs, a fuel that circulates cash within the U.S., improved air quality and more. One thing he says it does NOT impact in any significant way is global food shortages. “Doing away with the ethanol industry it not going to solve world hunger,” Mark said.
You can listen to more of what Mark has to say in my interview with him here:
As if biodiesel isn’t green enough. But, Maverick BioFuels has found yet another way to make bio-diesel even more sustainable and XcelPlus Global Holdings is jumping at the opportunity to put this new technology to use. XcelPlus will equip itself with the necessary tools from Maverick to covert glycerin, a byproduct from biodiesel production, to a fuel suitable for use in turbine engines.
Gly-Clene (TM) can be made from any crude glycerol, regardless of the feedstock, including yellow grease. The fuel has the ability to power up turbine engines for electricity production or any other non-aircraft use associated with turbine engines. Gly-Clene can also be used to heat fluid bed reactors as it also performs well in oil gun furnaces.
With the ever-increasing biodiesel production, the glycerin market grows as well. Subsequently, the fear of another glut has concerned biodiesel manufacturers, scratching their heads looking for a stable way to dispose of this by-product. There is currently enough glycerin produced in the U.S. alone for Gly-Clene to produce 27,000 megawatts of electricity per day or over 8 billion megawatts per year without even adding steam turbines to take advantage of the excess heat produced by the turbines.
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Currently, America’s domestic gasoline and ethanol production combined is enough to supply the country’s gasoline needs for 149 days. But through the increased use of biofuels and simple conservation strategies, America could extend its supply by another 27 days - or theoretically until July 4 - before needing to rely on imported oil. 
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LifeLine Foods sells ethanol, but ethanol is just one of many products the company produces. The St. Joseph, MO-based corn milling plant started off as a manufacturer of snack foods in 2001. Today, LifeLine’s identity is continually evolving. The 51 percent farmer-owned company is committed to innovation and is now partnered with ICM, Inc, a world leader in ethanol facility design and engineering, in the production of ethanol.
The ethanol industry in Brazil has been developing some major traction. Marcos Jank, President of 
The 2008 Indy Pace Car corvette wasn’t the only shiny new toy to check out at the giveaway this morning. The 
I caught up with Indiana Corn’s Mark Walters again, as well as ICMC’s Mike Shuter (pictured), the council’s President and a Frankton, IN farmer. We talked about the new mobile marketing unit, the truth about ethanol as they see it and how IN corn fits into the ethanol industry. You can listen to my interview with Mark and Mike here: 
There’s no question for the 
As if biodiesel isn’t green enough. But, Maverick BioFuels has found yet another way to make bio-diesel even more sustainable and 