News and Notes - August 14, 2008

Feature Article

Food or fuel? It’s the ethanol battle
http://www.theoutlookonline.com/sustainable/story.php?story_id=121847421590294700

Ok, I know your thinking that this is just another story about food versus fuel. Well, it is. But, I think this one has value, not only because it is well written, but because it uses a great analogy to describe the current ethanol industry. A couple of folks compare ethanol today to a 1980 IBM computer. He notes that the computers of that time were big and clunky and not nearly as efficient as we wanted them to be. He then concludes “they looked pretty silly compared to what we have now … (but) you gotta start somewhere with this stuff.” I think people need to look forward, plan for the future and realize the more effort we put into biofuels, we can go farther, faster.

US News

DOE JGI Director Eddy Rubin highlights the genomics of plant-based biofuels in the journal Nature
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-08/dgi-djd080808.php

POET Announces Construction to Be Complete on Pilot-Scale Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in Scotland, SD by Year's End
http://www.biofuelsjournal.com/articles/POET_Announces_Construction_to_Be_Complete_on_Pilot_Scale_Cellulosic_Ethanol_Plant_in_Scotland__SD_by_Year_s_End-61695.html

EPA Ethanol Ruling Irks Texas Governor (NPR Interview)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93575226

Ethanol industry improves product and PR efforts
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/08/13/ethanol_industry_improves_product_and_pr_efforts/

Ethanol demand could spark new bull market for corn
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSN1249572420080812

Changing look for state's ethanol industry (SD)
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2008/08/13/news/opinions/doc48a3581d02747682471793.txt

Governor links ethanol to security (NE)
http://www.nptelegraph.com/articles/2008/08/14/news/50000543.txt

Cut in corn-ethanol production not solution for poultry industry, officials say
http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2008/08/13/News/347390.html

FACTBOX - U.S. presidential candidates on energy issues
http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2008/08/13/america/OUKWD-UK-USA-POLITICS-ENERGY.php

John Deere Agri Services Partners with Clean Fuels Clearinghouse for Renewable Identification Number (RIN) Solution
http://www.deere.com/en_US/newsroom/2008/releases/agriculture/2008_0811release.html

Turning Waste Material Into Ethanol
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080813164640.htm

BioFuel Energy will avoid bankruptcy, says analyst, despite $46 million hedge loss
http://biofuelsdigest.com/blog11/2008/08/14/biofuel-energy-will-avoid-bankruptcy-says-analyst-despite-46-million-hedge-loss/

Metal Carbide Set to Make Biofuel Production Economically Viable
http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=7152

Imperium closes Hawaii office
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/08/11/daily16.html

Kauderer Group Energy to Purchase 87-Acre Site for New Biodiesel Facility Near Marion, Ohio
http://www.biofuelsjournal.com/articles/Kauderer_Group_Energy_to_Purchase_87_Acre_Site_for_New_Biodiesel_Facility_Near_Marion__Ohio-61670.html

International News

General Motors, PTT (Thailand) To Develop Alternative Fuels For Vehicles
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200808140053DOWJONESDJONLINE000007_FORTUNE5.htm

KENYA: Boosting biofuels without compromising food security
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79800