Domestic Fuel

I apologize for the light posting this week. I have been doing a “virtual press room” for the National Institute for Animal Agriculture ID INFO EXPO 2006 this week in Kansas City, so that has been keeping me busier than normal and out of the office. But, as you can see from the previous post, I did still manage to get in a Domestic Fuel moment.

Unlike my prolific poster husband, I just don’t have the stamina to multi-task the way he does at a meeting. I have to focus on the business at hand. So, I don’t even have a picture of me hard at work in the news room to post – or even one of me interviewing the Secretary of Agriculture. His personal photog got a pic that I might be able to get some time in the future, but I unfortunately did not get one with my own camera.

Be that as it may, here I am at 10 pm, sitting on the floor of the upper meeting room area of the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City doing my posting. Please allow me to vent – that’s what blogs are really for! I’m staying in this classy four-star hotel that has wireless access in the lobby and just about anywhere else OUTSIDE of your hotel room. So, if you don’t get a room, you have all the access you want, 24 hours a day.

However, if you pay $200 a night to stay in the place, you have to pay another $10 a day for internet access in your room! If I was in a Motel 6, I’d get it for free with my $75 room, along with a free breakfast in the morning. What is wrong with this picture?

So, that’s why I’m sitting on the floor posting right now. The first night I did pay the extra $10 for the access in my room, which is by ethernet. But last night I somehow screwed something up so I couldn’t get it to connect, which is actually saving money in the long run, but still is annoying.

OK – I’m done venting. Now I am packing up my computer and going to bed.

All the complaining about high ethanol prices may soon come to an end. Reports are that ethanol prices appear to be leveling out and should start falling. An article in the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier today quotes Tami Foster, an energy data analyst with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Foster said high ethanol demand on the east and west coasts has stabilized. At the same time more ethanol production capacity is coming on line in Iowa and elsewhere.

That means several months of rising ethanol prices may be at an end, Foster said. And she predicts in a week or so ethanol’s price at the pump will fall back below regular unleaded.

DuPont research scientists outlined the company’s biofuels strategy at the third annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing held in Toronto. According to a release, DuPont biofuels research manager William Provine said the three-part strategy entails: (1) improving existing ethanol production through differentiated agricultural seed products and crop protection chemicals; (2) developing and supplying new technologies to allow conversion of cellulose to biofuels; and (3) developing and supplying next generation biofuels with improved performance.

Here is a story from the Des Moines Register about a recovering alcoholic who tried to get unemployment benefits from the ethanol plant he worked for because he drank some 190-proof alcohol that spilled into a holding pond.

At the hearing, the judge asked, “Why would you drink fuel?”
“I don’t have a good explanation for that,” he replied. “Curiosity?”

At least the judge had the good sense to deny him the benefits, even on the grounds of terminal stupidity.

A British company is using poultry litter to fuel power plants in the US. Fibrowatt, based in Philadephia, has projects planned or under development in poultry-growing states across the country, including Minnesota, Maryland, Mississippi and North Carolina. According to the company’s website, Fibrowatt Ltd built the world’s first three poultry litter fueled power plants and has licensed its technology to Fibrowatt LLC for the US market.

2006 may someday be known as the year our nation made a Declaration of Energy Indepedence.

When we declared our independence 230 years ago, there were many difficulties and hardships for the people of the new nation to face – not the least of which was a war. By cutting ourselves off from England we had to become more self-sufficient, and in many cases that involved sacrifice.

People complain about ethanol being less fuel efficient than gasoline, that it uses too much fertilizer or natural gas or water to make, that there’s not enough or it’s too expensive right now. But, it is made in America. The fossil fuels that we have been dependent on as a nation to fuel our vehicles are NOT. That is the real reason we are trying to make this happen and it won’t happen overnight. Our independence as a country did not happen overnight. It required effort, sacrifice, ingenuity, and the courage to make a change, even if it costs more.

Is ethanol the one and only answer to our energy independence? Absolutely not. Can we improve upon its shortcomings in terms of fuel efficiency, production and availability? Absolutely. Good old American know-how can make it happen. Cellulosic ethanol can address many of the issues and it is not too far down the road. And let’s not forget the other alternatives like biodiesel, biobutanol, hydrogen, etc. AND, we do need to learn how to conserve fuel by using less of it.

Domestic Fuel made in America is helping us on the road to energy independent as a nation. We grow our own food, we can grow our own fuel also. God bless America.

Have a very happy 4th of July celebration wherever you are.

Here in America’s heartland it was nice to see a little rain happen early. We needed it. Now hopefully it will clear up so we can get outside and relax a while.

Safe travel if you’re on the road today or anytime this week.

Xethanol Corporation is parthering up Global Energy and Management, LLC to develop ethanol production in New England states.
According to a press release, the new venture, known as NewEnglandXethanol LLC, or NEX, plans to open several ethanol plants throughout the region deploying Xethanol’s proprietary technologies. Additionally, Xethanol may co-locate biodiesel production in its facilities under Xethanol’s sub-license from H2Diesel, Inc.

Chevron Corporation has formed a biofuels business unit to advance technology and pursue commercial opportunities related to the production and distribution of ethanol and biodiesel in the United States, according to a company release. Chevron officially announced the business unit at a groundbreaking ceremony in Galveston, Texas to inaugurate construction of one of the first large-scale biodiesel plants in the U.S.

Actor and environmentalist Robert Redford has a commentary today on cnn.com about kicking the oil habit. His main purpose appears to be the promotion of KickTheOilHabit.org, which is “based at the Center for American Progress and works with partners from the Natural Resources Defense Council to Consumers Union, MoveOn.org to the Apollo Alliance.” The classy site features ways you can donate, take action and send your message “to Exxon, Chevron, BP, Shell, Valero, and ConocoPhillips, and to your Representative in Congress.”

It also features a video that places the blame for everything from higher gas prices to global warming on President Bush. Not necessary at all. This should not be a political issue. If we are truly serious about kicking the habit we all have to work together and make the sacrifices and changes necessary to make us less dependent on foreign sources of oil. Pointing fingers is simply counter-productive. We can all take the blame for our addiction – and take the responsibility of working the program to beat it.

Times they are a changing. For example, look at this 1955 tv commercial for Speedway 79′s Powerfuel on Cartoon Modern.

Why can’t we have fun commercials like this anymore? I wonder what an animated commercial for biodiesel or ethanol would look like done in this style.

Story via Adjab.

A friend of mine sent me this news video about running cars on water.

Water Fuel (WMV file)
It’s pretty amazing. This would be the ultimate domestic fuel. The company is Hydrogen Technology Applications and they call it the Hybrid Hydrogen Oxygen System (HHOS). Interesting.

Some sectors of agriculture are calling for a new direction to farm policy. At a press conference last week, the American Farmland Trust unveiled its vision of a new farm policy called Agenda 2007. AFT President Ralph Grossi says this vision includes renewable energy. “Much more can be done to unleash producer innovation and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Grossi, including expanding the production of renewable fuels, “especially in developing technologies to convert cellulose to biofuels.”

Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and former U.S. Congressman Dan Glickman, who endorses the AFT framework, is most excited about “the very significant role that farmers may have in producing big chunks of energy needed to produce electricity, but particularly liquid fuels, motor fuels, transportation fuels – in addition to providing environmental benefits.”

The AFT website details Agenda 2007 and includes a video webcast of last week’s press conference.

At our opening reception, hosted by General Motors we got to see a serious percussion performance. We went out to the Bentley Projects, a high-end art gallery. There we got to see Rhythm Extreme.

You’ve got to have rhythm and be in shape to do this. We were getting ourselves into shape prior to the performance with a culinary experience that you’d expect from GM. Think big shrimp, custom made pasta, champagne and cute blue on white GM cakes.

If you want to get in the Rhythm, then watch this 2 min video clip: Rhythm Extreme (wmv file)

If you just want to listen then check out this audio file of their first selection: Rhythm Extreme (3 min Mp3)

Domestic Fuel coverage of the Clean Cities Congress is made possible by the following sponsors:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (1.2MB)

You always have to show registration.

These folks working behind the counter do a lot of work and need some recognition. They get a lot of questions.

I’m set up in the room right behind them so I can see and hear it all. Full registrants get some very nice GM bags.

Domestic Fuel coverage of the Clean Cities Congress is made possible by the following sponsors: