The answer isn't oil, either

When evaluating alternatives like ethanol, it always needs to be done in comparison to the commodities they replace, like petroleum. It's easy enough to find problems with any energy solution. Yet we still need energy, so we must choose the solution with the least problems. -- Jeff G.
The answer isn't oil, either - Roanoke.com:
by Diana Christopulos -- April 23, 2007
"The true price of oil is much higher than what we pay at the pump."

In search of fuel's holy grail

globeandmail.com: In search of fuel's holy grail:
by Shawn McCarthy
"Companies in Canada are closing in on a profitable way to turn wood waste into ethanol to use as an alternative to gasoline."

Joint ADM and Purdue University Cellulosic Ethanol Project Selected for Funding by U.S. Department of Energy

Joint ADM and Purdue University Cellulosic Ethanol Project Selected for Funding by U.S. Department of Energy : "DECATUR, Ill., April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A joint BioEnergy
project of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) and Purdue University
has been selected to receive funding by the U.S. Department of Energy to
further the commercialization of cellulosic ethanol. Specifically, the
Purdue-ADM project is focused on commercializing the use of
highly-efficient yeast which converts cellulosic materials into ethanol
through fermentation."

Grasses could start as process fuel, then feedstock

In order to establish the infrastructure for eventually using gasses as an ethanol feedstock, we can start by using them as a fuel to replace natural gas and coal process fuels in existing corn kernel biorefineries. Some facilities have already installed gasifier systems that can use a variety of biomass materials. -- Jeff G.

Farm & Ranch Guide: North Dakota's Ag Newspaper: "Current corn ethanol production uses large amounts of fossil fuels at the ethanol plant for milling, fermentation, and distillation,” Hill said. “Diverse prairie biomass could be used in their place, thereby reducing fossil energy use, fostering a fledgling cellulosic biomass production industry and realizing the many environmental benefits of restoring native grassland ecosystems."

E=mc2- For ethanol, Einstein was a little too optimistic

E=mc2- For ethanol, Einstein was a little too optimistic:
by Ken Root -- 4-12-07
"If 'E' equals ethanol and 'c' equals corn, then the noted physicist would have been wrong because the 'm' mass of corn can't yet be squared as it's turned into a biofuel."

Chevron, Weyerhaeuser in Cellulosic Deal

United Press International - Energy - Briefing:
April 12, 2007
"FEDERAL WAY, Wash., (UPI) -- Chevron Corp. and Weyerhaeuser Co. Thursday announced they signed a letter of intent to jointly assess the commercial feasibility of cellulosic biofuels."

Single Microbe Yields Ethanol, Plus Eco-Friendly Glue

This microbe could streamline cellulosic ethanol production, hopefully lowering costs. -- Jeff G.
Single Microbe Yields Ethanol, Plus Eco-Friendly Glue / April 12, 2007 / News from the USDA Agricultural Research Service

BlueFire expects cellulosic production costs under DOE target

BlueFire plans to make ethanol and other products from municipal waste with the help of landfill methane. If the technology works, it appears they have a good model because of their low feedstock cost and not needing to transport the feedstocks far. -- Jeff G.
PRESS RELEASE BlueFire CEO Addresses Shareholders: "BlueFire's current production cost estimate for the project is significantly lower than the DOE's cellulosic ethanol goal of $1.07/gal in production costs by 2012, and DOE's current estimate of approximately $2.26/gal."

Utilities plan Iowa project to store wind-generated power with pressurized air

In this project, electricity from wind generators, even a great distance from the site, would power generators to pressurize air into an underground aquifer. Release of that air at a later time would power generators to make electricity at times of greatest demand. -- Jeff G.
Utilities plan Iowa project to store wind-generated power:
U.S. Water New Online -- April 2007
"...the utility owners will be able to store and produce energy at a price equivalent to 6.5 cents per kilowatt hour, then sell the energy at peak times for 8 to 10 cents a kilowatt hour."

Company develops compressed air storage for wind power

This looks like it could be a viable alternative to batteries for storing energy. Wind turbines compress air rather than making electricity directly. -- Jeff g.
"The high-pressure pipeline network collects and stores 6-12 hours of energy. If the project is sited near a geologic feature such as a salt dome, aquifer, limestone cavern, or depleted gas field, energy storage times can exceed a month."

China reports major offshore oil find

China reports major offshore oil find - International Herald Tribune:
AP -- March 28, 2007
"Daily production could reach 200,000 barrels within three years, Xinhua said. But that still would be equal to just a fraction of China's imports of 2.9 million barrels per day."

Biofuels demand will increase, not decrease, world food supplies argues scientist

Interesting take on the food vs. fuel topic. -- Jeff G.
Biofuels demand will increase, not decrease, world food supplies argues scientist

Hong Kong Engineers Develop Micro-Wind Turbine

This looks like it might be a true affordable micro-turbine that could be installed almost anywhere without the problems of mounting, vibrations, etc. Importantly, they say it generates electricity in winds as low as 2 meters per second (about 4.47 miles per hour). Units can be linked to produce greater amounts of electricity. Conventional wisdom says wind generators must grow ever bigger to become more competitive. Perhaps microturbines can be competitive by going smaller, with more of them. Every homeowner could have one in most areas, especially where net metering is available. Cumulative power production could be considerable -- Jeff G.
Hong Kong Engineers Develop Micro-Wind Turbine:
March 25, 2007
"Unlike conventionall wind turbines with 50-meter-diameter rotor blades, the compact micro-wind turbines are equipped with specially designed plastic gearwheels with a rotor diameter of just 26 centimeters."

Ethanol boom creates water use dilemma

Water use might be the biggest dilemma for dry areas like western Kansas when it comes to corn ethanol. This article points out that the extra water for irrigating corn may be more critical than water use at ethanol biorefineries. The best solution would be tapping cellulosic ethanol crops like grasses and wheat straw that take much less water. Even starch and sugar crops like wheat grain, barley, grain sorghum, sweet sorghum, and Jerusalem Artichokes take much less water than corn does. Some of them are high yielding as well. -- Jeff G.
Ethanol boom creates dilemma for farmers and small towns | LJWorld.com: "“That’s what’s really going to kill the water situation here,” says Brakey, a businessman from nearby Dodge City. “The amount of water it will take to irrigate all that corn.”"

Proposed wood-fired ethanol plant in Wisconsin

This biorefinery will convert wood liquor into ethanol, using wood waste as the process fuel. -- Jeff G.
The Daily Press - Ashland, WI: Thursday, March 22nd, 2007

Let's stop nay-saying and get behind ethanol

Kansas City Star | 03/19/2007 | AS I SEE IT: Let's stop nay-saying and get behind ethanol: "...The lesson is twofold. One, if we truly want an alternative to petroleum-based fuels, the public needs to back the use of cellulosic ethanol or the plan will fail."

DuPont's biobutanol strategy could deliver multiple benefits

If DuPont and BP can perfect a viable production process, it's hard to see how it would not make sense to switch from ethanol to biobutanol production and use in most cases. The ability to mix at higher levels with gasoline and greater ease in pipeline shipping alone would be huge advantages. -- Jeff G.
DuPont Leader Reviews Strategy to Bring Next Generation Biofuels to Market : "It resolves fuel stability issues in that
biobutanol-gasoline blends can potentially be distributed via the existing
fuel supply infrastructure; it improves blend flexibility allowing higher
biofuels blends with gasoline; it improves fuel efficiency (better miles
per gallon) compared to incumbent biofuels; and, it enhances
ethanol-gasoline blends by lowering the vapor pressure when co-blended with
these fuels. Biobutanol is targeted for introduction later this year in the
United Kingdom."

Kentucky considers biofuel production incentives

Cellulosic Ethanol Could help put states like Kentcuky in the Ethanol game without the need for importing corn. States in the southeast U.S. have as much potential for biomass yield per acre as anywhere in the nation. -- Jeff G.
Fletcher backs help for alternative fuels : "Fletcher said he also believes the incentives could help 'seal the deal' for cellulosic ethanol plants in Eastern Kentucky when that technology becomes commercially feasible."

800 gallons/acre of ethanol from corn within 10 years

DuPont Innovations to Help Agriculture Meet Global Challenges:
Press Release -- March 1, 2007
"'By applying cutting-edge science across the biofuel value chain, we will be able to help farmers more than double the gallons of ethanol produced from an acre of corn -- 600 gallons from grain and 200 gallons from stover -- within the next 10 years,' said Niebur."

New Vehicle Design Surpasses State Global Warming Standards

New Vehicle Design Surpasses State Global Warming Standards:
Union of Concerned Scientists -- March 1, 2007
"The Vanguard is designed to run on either pure gasoline or a mixture of gasoline and as much as 85-percent ethanol. Using 85-percent corn-based ethanol can reduce global warming pollution from 10 percent to 30 percent. Using 'cellulosic' ethanol could cut global warming pollution by as much as 90 percent. There are currently 32 types of flex-fuel vehicles on the road."

DOE announces cellulosic ethanol grants

Six projects were awarded funding. -- Jeff
Ethanol Producer Magazine
by David Niles -- Feb. 28, 2007

A (Re)Birth for Offshore Wind

Cleantech blog: A (Re)Birth for Offshore Wind
by Richard T. Stuebi -- Feb. 26, 2007

Dupont's Commercialization Strategies for Cellulosic Ethanol, Biobutanol Advancing

Cellulosic biobutanol looks like our best renewable transportation fuel option in the next 20-30 years. It can be used in our existing vehicles and pipelines much more readily than ethanol can. -- Jeff
Dupont's Commercialization Strategies for Cellulosic Ethanol, Biobutanol Advancing:
Feb. 22, 2007
"Fleet testing of biobutanol has begun in the United States and the European Union. Biobutanol market testing is targeted for later this year in the United Kingdom."

New crops could fuel new wave of ethanol

DesMoinesRegister.com:
by Jerry Perkins -- Feb. 25, 2007
"Corn is not enough. Researchers hope to increase the yields from dedicated energy crops, such as switchgrass."

FIU, Florida Crystals to Develop Cellulosic Ethanol Technology

FIU, Florida Crystals to Develop Ethanol Technology: "
Feb. 22, 2007
The grant, the product of a unique partnership between FIU-ARC and
FCC, will identify a pretreatment process that can cost-effectively convert
sugar cane bagasse to ethanol."

DuPont outlines commercialization strategies for cellulosic ethanol and biobutanol

Biofuel Review - international biofuel news updated daily - DuPont outlines commercialization strategies for cellulosic ethanol and biobutanol:
by Giles Clark, London -- Feb. 21, 2007
"A 25 million gallon per year commercial-scale plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa, will begin production of cellulosic ethanol in the next four to six years."

Ethanol's future not dependent on corn

The debate continues about how far along cellulosic ethanol technology really is. This article touches on some of the companies planning to make it in the near future. -- Jeff
TheStar.com - Business - Ethanol's future not dependent on corn:
by Tyler Hamilton -- Feb. 19, 2007
"From a technology perspective, there's always room for improvement. But, far from what the oil CEOs suggest, there's no breakthrough or invention required to make cellulosic ethanol an economic alternative to corn-based ethanol."