News and Notes - Sept. 11, 2008

Feature Article

Crist endorses ethanol plant to replace U.S. Sugar mill (Coskata in Florida)
http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wetlands/article805326.ece

This is an interesting article in more ways than just a cellulosic ethanol plant in Florida (which is big news on its own). It is a huge, multibillion dollar deal by the state to purchase the US Sugar Co. lands. However, what I find more interesting in the article are the small details about Coskata’s technology. Granted, sugarcane baggase is different than normal cellulosic materials, Coskata is claiming that once their demonstration plant in Pennsylvania opens, they’ll be making ethanol for $1 per gallon. That’s a lofty target. They also indicate that by squeezing the sugarcane leaf material, they will produce “extra water for South Florida” instead of being a net consumer.

UTBI-related News

UT’s Big Bet On Biofuels
http://www.metropulse.com/news/2008/sep/10/uts-big-bet-biofuels/

Tennessee researchers study switchgrass bale storage
http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2002

US News

Reap that Residue: Corn residue is there for the taking (Vermeer introduces new stover baler and cob collector equipment)
http://www.agweb.com/get_article.aspx?pageid=145297

New plant offers foothold on Gulf Coast for biodiesel
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5994871.html

OPEC's September Surprise
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/energywire/2008/09/opecs_september_surprise.html

Ethanol Subsidies: Robbing Peter to Pay Paul
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-kessler/ethanol-robbing-peter-to_b_124537.html

Ethanol's redemption? Distillers grain may ease food fears
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080816/NEWS/808160306/1001/news

Staying on Track: Transporting ethanol safely via rail begins at the ethanol plant or terminal.
http://www.ethanolproducer.com/article.jsp?article_id=4756

Study: Creating global biofuels industry could be difficult
http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2723

Bunge executive criticizes ethanol mandate
http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/mound-city-money/mound-city-money/2008/09/bunge-executive-criticizes-ethanol-mandate/

Battle simmers over ethanol blending
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/BUSINESS01/809110356/1029/BUSINESS

Woody Biomass Removal Case Studies (Forest Guild)
http://biomass.forestguild.org/

Chesapeake Bay Watershed states study cellulosic ethanol
http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2004

State awards $14M to E’burg ethanol plant: Iowa Power Fund behind Poet Biorefining grant
http://www.messengernews.net/page/content.detail/id/508787.html?nav=5010

Broad Coalition Encourages Pelosi to Advance E85 Fuel Infrastructure
http://biobasednews.com/node/18011

Sustainable Power Corp. Capable of Generating Electricity From Its Raw Biocrude Utilizing Texas Power Systems' Generators
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Sustainable-Power-Corp-898443.html

Partners celebrate opening of biomass plant (24MW plant in AZ)
http://www.wmicentral.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20106796&BRD=2264&PAG=461&dept_id=505965&rfi=6

UOP LLC Partners With Ensyn Corp. to Offer Equipment and Technology to Convert Biomass to Oil For Power, Heating, and Transportration Fuels
http://www.biofuelsjournal.com/articles/UOP_LLC_Partners_With_Ensyn_Corp__to_Offer_Equipment_and_Technology_to_Convert_Biomass_to_Oil_For_Power__Heating__and_Transportration_Fuels-62990.html

International News

Cabinet sets new biofuel target, risks food price row (India)
http://in.reuters.com/article/economicNews/idINIndia-35429120080911

Biofuel boom profiting corporations, not locals: activists
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jbQQRYXL6ls4yv30IXoNRWKWqmSQ
(Friends of the Earth Report is available here: http://www.foeeurope.org/agrofuels/fuellingdestruction/FOEI_FuellingDestruction_lr_FINAL.pdf)

UNICA Critiques Friends of the Earth Report for Use of Inaccurate and Outdated Information (Brazil)
http://www.biofuelsjournal.com/articles/UNICA_Critiques_Friends_of_the_Earth_Report_for_Use_of_Inaccurate_and_Outdated_Information-63001.html

EU lawmakers propose lowered biofuels target
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/7787628

IDB Biofuels Sustainability Scorecard
http://www.iadb.org/scorecard/