It's certainly true that most ethanol opponents can find plenty of fuel for their arguments. Some claim that food prices have been adversely affected by ethanol production. Others point to the fact that most cars get worse fuel mileage when running E85. Obviously, there have been many debates regarding the effects of running ethanol in our vehicles. While we primarily are concerned with automobile engines, there are many other internal combustion engines to be concerned with, including those in motorcycles, lawn mowers, trimmers and numerous other devices which have become necessary for modern life. Even if automakers are able to ensure that their engines are not harmed by ethanol-blends, small engine manufacturers may not be able to do the same. MSNBC has an polled a handful of small engine mechanics and each of them cite internal engine damage, which they claim can be attributed to the use of alcohol fuels. We've heard about this problem for at least two years, and expect that this is an issue which will get even more attention as the government mandates more ethanol to replace petroleum.

[Source: MSNBC]

So far, Suzuki has steered clear of alternative fuel vehicles in the American market. They haven't offered any diesels, flex-fuel or hybrid vehicles yet. That may soon change as the company will reportedly launch some vehicles that can run on not just E85, but also E100 as soon as 2010. The powertrains will be targeted at both the U.S. and Brazilian markets were E100 is commonly available. By March of 2009, Suzuki plans to launch a product in Brazil that can handle E25. Suzuki could also use its General Motors connections to bring a hybrid vehicle to market. In this case, it will more likely be the mild hybrid BAS system rather than the much more expensive Two-Mode hybrid. We might even get some of the diesels that Suzuki offers in other parts of the world.

[Source: Green Car Congress]

Texas Governor Rick Perry had requested that the EPA revise its Renewable Fuels Standard requirement to lessen the amount of ethanol for use in automobiles. Between September 1 of this year till August 31 of 2009, the EPA has mandated that 9 billion gallons of ethanol be blended into gasoline, a number which Perry wanted to see cut in half. In the United States, the vast majority of the available ethanol is produced from corn, a process which has drawn more than its fair share of criticism from many parties due to its inefficiencies and its possible impact on food prices. The EPA, though, denied Perry's request.

Perry responded to the decision this way, "I am greatly disappointed with the EPA's inability to look past the good intentions of this policy to see the significant harm it is doing to farmers, ranchers and American households. For the EPA to assert that this federal mandate is not affecting food prices not only goes against common sense, but every American's grocery bill." We don't imagine this is the last we'll hear from ethanol opponents regarding the issue. Thanks for the tip, Razpez!

[Source: AP via Google News]

One reality of biofuels (not to mention most things related to cars or technology) is that those of who read sites like this one are outliers. The majority of people out there (especially politicians) have at best a superficial knowledge of what alternative fuels are and whether they can use them in their vehicles. Over on the GMnext site they have posted a new video asking people on the street if they know what E85 is, where it comes from and whether its better for the environment. As most of us here know the answer to the last question is far from clear cut. On all the questions asked however, almost all the people questioned were shockingly ill or mis-informed. GM Engineer Melissa Schulz answers some of the questions trying to clear up misconceptions. Its not to in-depth but if any of your less enthusiastic friends need a quick primer, send them the link

[Source: GMnext]

Driving around South Carolina and Iowa in a flex-fuel vehicle? Time for you to fill up your tank with E85 at a promotional price on Wednesday, July 23, a Kum & Go station in Elk Point, South Dakota. The stations with the odd spelling are offering E85 for $1.85 a gallon. The following day, July 24, the Kum & Go in Sloan, Iowa is matching the deal offered at the South Dakota station. Both fuel promotions begin at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m., and are being sponsored by Kum & Go, the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest and the Iowa and South Dakota Clean Air Choice Teams. Thanks to Bob for the tip.

[Source: Clean Air Choice]

The National Governors Association is teaming up with General Motors to promote the expansion of E85 distribution around the country. While no one seriously expects the corn-based ethanol that we have today to be anything more than a very small piece of the fuel puzzle, GM is firmly committed to next-generation biofuels. Since the start of this year, GM has made equity investments in two different companies (Coskata and Maskoma) developing processes to produce low-cost cellulosic ethanol.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced the agreement at the NGA meeting in Philadelphia. Pawlenty has been a major proponent of biofuels in his own state, having recently proposed making all gasoline sold be a 20-percent ethanol blend. Under the agreement, GM will work with state governments to determine where best to locate E85 pumps to make them most accessible to drivers of flex-fuel vehicles. Currently there are just under 1,700 E85 pumps available nationwide out of the total of 170,000 filling stations. The intent of this partnership is to ensure that over the next few years as cellulosic ethanol gets commercialized, there will be easily-accessible locations where drivers of the millions of flex-fuel vehicles on the road can get biofuel. The GM press release is included after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

Fourth of July equals fireworks, parades and, if the Brazilian sugarcane growers - represented by UNICA, the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association - get their way, a reduced or eliminated ethanol import tariff. UNICA is calling on the U.S. Congress to eliminate the 54-cent tariff on each imported gallon of ethanol. Doing so, they argue, would reduce the cost of using cars for U.S. drivers as UNICA's "Are We There Yet?" campaign will try to prove. After all, UNICA says, the ethanol tariff is a relic from 1980 and was never meant to be permanent anyway.

UNICA's website, which features the oh-so-subtle graphic seen above, doesn't highlight how badly American ethanol producers would be hurt by letting Brazilian ethanol flow more cheaply in U.S. pumps. Still, if cheaper gas is the result, then I'm sure not many drivers will really care where their fuel comes from (see also *cough* Wal-Mart *cough* China). Read more after the jump.

[Source: UNICA]

Holidays in the U.S. are used for so much more than celebrating. We've got President's day sales, the Christmas shopping season, special Easter candy flavors (notice a trend?). For the Fourth of July, something to do with being free is often in order, and this year the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) has decided that it's energy independence that we need to focus on as a country, dagnabit.

EPIC has put out a statement calling for "unity in search of solutions." By coming together, fellow Americans, EPIC thinks that July 4th could become Energy Independence Day, with ethanol and other renewables for all. A few smarter driving sacrifices (if you can call consolidating trips when gas is at $4/gallon a sacrifice) and increased biofuel output would shift the balance of domestic vs. foreign energy sources to a more homegrown one.

Note: if we're going to be using corn to make all of this ethanol, let's not forget that October 16 is World Food Day.

[Source: EPIC]

The man who may or may not ever step up to the British throne has been keeping busy while his mother keeps his new seat warm. As wealthy people are wont to do, Britain's Prince Charles has a number of vehicles at his disposal. As a very public person, he has been trying to set an example by reducing the carbon footprint of his transportation fleet. Last year he had his Range Rover and Jaguar converted to run on biodiesel. Now he has decided to put some surplus British wine to use by having to distilled into ethanol to feed his Aston Martin. His Royal Highness has a 38 year old Aston Martin DB6 Volante that is now fueled by E100. The Aston only gets 8.3mpg (U.S.) on gas and will get less than that on ethanol. However, Charles only drives it about 300 miles a year so the overall effect is negligible at best. The vineyard that produces the wine is limited in how much it can bottle by EU quotas, so the leftovers are distilled to produce fuel.

[Source: This Is London]

This is not the time to be betting on first-generation biofuels. Add up the increasing cost of feedstocks and an overall tough economy and it's no great surprise that "going yellow," as it were, is not the easy path that some made it seem a year or so ago. The reality is hitting home. According to Reuters, about a dozen biofuel plants across the U.S. have filed for bankruptcy protection thanks to corn shooting up to $8 a bushel and ethanol's "miserable profit margins." The affected plants are mostly small or mid-sized facilities, a biofuels expert told Reuters, and he said he expected more to announce bankruptcy soon.

On top of the financial problems, many ethanol plants are only operating at 50 percent capacity and previously-announced plants are being stalled or stopped completely. Who knows how much longer blending E85 into gasoline at the pump will be a way to save a few bucks.

[Source: Reuters]

Because certain subsidies and incentives allow many gas stations to sell ethanol for less money than regular gasoline, the fuel is becoming a popular choice among motorists, even if their vehicles are not certified for flex-fuel use. All vehicles sold in the U.S. today are capable of accepting small doses of the alcohol fuel, as up to ten-percent of normal gasoline may be ethanol. Of course, the fuel is available in higher concentrations for vehicles which have been designed to use it, with E85 - eighty-five-percent ethanol, fifteen-percent gasoline - proving one of the most popular combinations.

Apparently, though, the lower price of the fuel has attracted the attention of those looking to save a few bucks on each fill-up. In fact, this article indicates that many users are mixing their own blends right in their tanks. This trend has prompted some gas stations to allow a choice of ethanol mixtures for drivers who want to use it, right from a single pump. Manufacturers warn that using alcohol fuels in vehicles not certified for them could cause permanent damage, so be sure you know what you're doing before breaking those rules.

[Source: AP via The Detroit News]

Making fuel from waste is just brilliant. Up in Edmonton, Canada, a company called Enerkem is ready to set up the world's first industrial scale municipal waste-to-ethanol facility. Hopefullly, the implementation will be as brilliant as the idea.

Enerkem and its partner GreenField Ethanol and the city of Edmonton have agreed to a 25-year partnership whereby the government will spend $70m on a facility that will be capable of making 36m liters of biofuels each year. The governments of the city and Alberta will chip in $20m and the city will spend the other $50m on a related processing facility and research facility.

You can get the press release of this announcement here. Canada is also considering wheat-to-ethanol plants.

[Source: Enerkem Inc.]

Here in the Northeast, you're more likely to spot the Loch Ness monster in your neighbor's kiddie pool than you are to find a fuel pump that dispenses E85 Ethanol, a situation that always makes me chuckle at the various "FLEXFUEL" badges I increasingly see on area vehicles. Well, as of this Thursday, June 26, people in Massachusetts will actually be able to fill their tanks with the biofuel at the first public E85 pump in the state. And for 85 minutes, they'll be able to do so for 85 cents a gallon after the grand opening ceremonies at the Burke Oil station in Chelsea, MA. General Motors, purveyors of flex-fuel vehicles that in most cases rarely see a drop of the stuff, is sponsoring (we assume that means "paying for") the 85-cent promotion, after which the price will go back up to its normal rate of $2.85/gallon. Nowadays, that doesn't sound so bad at all. All the specifics can be found in the press release after the jump.

[Source: National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition]

Oh, the poor ethanol industry figures. Maligned for their reliance on corn, blamed for rising food prices and having to resort to subsidized fuel sales to attract attention, ethanol is an easy target these days.. Ethanol can't even get any love from the chickens. Last week, ethanol promoters gathered in Nashville to lash out at OPEC and Big Oil, and to figure out how ethanol will fare in the coming years. Around 4,000 people attended the 2008 Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo, according to organizers BBI. There is a lengthy video of the opening session now available online here.

In the video, the president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association,Bob Dinneen, breaks into a bit of a tirade about the oil industry. Dinneen's message is that the oil companies are waging war against renewables through paid-for studies and newspaper editorials. The ethanol industry's solution? Mandate that all new vehicles in the U.S. be E85-capable (we assume they mean all current gasoline-powered vehicles). Author Robert Zubrin said this would drive gas prices down to $50 a barrel. I say if cellulosic ethanol companies can make good on their promises to sell ethanol for something like $2 a gallon, you won't need a mandate to get all cars to be E85-ready.

Photo by mrebert. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

Last month, Texas asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to halve the nationwide renewable fuels standard (RFS) because it believes "implementation of the RFS would severely harm the economy or environment" of Texas. Basically, Texas said, using so much corn to make ethanol (for 2008, the RFS is nine billion gallons) will hurt Texas' big leather pocketbook. As per the rules, the EPA then asked other groups for comment, and the National Chicken Council stepped up to support Texas' call (yes, this is the same National Chicken Council that was hatin' on corn ethanol a year ago).

Using language to get the EPA's attention, the NCC said in a statement (pasted in full after the jump) that U.S. policy to grow corn for ethanol "is imposing 'severe harm' on the broiler chicken industry and should be scaled back." The national ethanol policy leads to high corn prices, which hurts poultry companies, the NCC said. Of course, feeding chickens a lot of grain isn't the healthiest way to raise them, but that's a post for another blog. The NCC represents companies that make about 95 of the chicken sold in the U.S.