Take This Cob And Burn It!

One of the more forward-thinking and innovative ethanol refineries in the United States is the Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company in Benson, Minnesota. The same refinery that produces Shakers and Prairie premium vodkas as well as fuel for vehicles is using biomass --a combination of corn cobs, wood and glycerin (a co-product of biodiesel production) --to generate 20% of the power needed to generate steam to produce ethanol. Eventually, they hope to replace 90% of the natural gas the plant uses to make steam with biomass-generated steam.

Update on Boundary Waters Haze Reduction Plan

According to the Duluth News-Tribune and WCCO-TV, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Board has voted 7-1 to implement a plan to reduce haze and air pollution in the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area in northern Minnesota. The plan now goes to the US EPA for final approval.

Frozen Corn! E85 Comes to Warroad, Minn.

The new “blender pump” at the Farmers Union Oil station at 418 State Avenue SW in Warroad has brought more than cleaner-burning fuel to the Minnesota town of 1,772 residents. It also brings a new claim to fame: the station is thought to be the northernmost of the more than 2,000 E85 retailers in the United States (the southernmost is in Miami).

Blender pumps can offer gasoline blended with varying amounts of cleaner-burning ethanol from the 10 percent (E10) blend all vehicles can use, to higher blends (E20, E30, E50 and E85) that can be used only by flex fuel vehicles.

The Farmers Union Oil is celebrating its new fuel options with “Christmas Tree discounts” beginning Wednesday, December 9th and culminating with “Full Service Friday” on December 12. Motorists who buy eight gallons or more of the following fuels receive discounts off the price of the live Christmas trees sold at the station: E85 = $8.50 discount; E50 = $5 discount; E30 = $3 discount; E20 = $2 discount; and E10 = $1 discount.

Using E85 instead of gasoline in a flex fuel vehicle can reduce as much as four tons of lifecycle greenhouse gases and other air pollutants annually, according to the American Lung Association in Minnesota, which administers a state program to help offset the costs of adding blender, E85 or biodiesel pumps at retail fuel stations. The Environmental Protection Agency recently declared greenhouse gases “a threat to human health,” and many delegates to the global climate conference now underway in Copenhagen are being transported in E85-powered limousines.

There are about 60 blender pumps throughout Minnesota, which leads the nation in E85 outlets at 350+. For a complete listing of all E85 retailers in Minnesota, as well as a list of all flex fuel vehicles that can use it, visit www.CleanAirChoice.org.

What a difference a year makes in Janesville, MN

The giant ethanol plant in Janesville, MN is now the largest private employer in town, according to this recent article. The plant, once part of the bankrupt VeraSun organization, was closed before it ever began production and was often cited in the national media as an example of the "failure" of biofuels. The plant reopened in October 2009 under the new ownership by local farmers and investors.

Canoe See The BWCA? Air pollution needs solution

There's a nice article in the Star Tribune today about air pollution and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota. It's not just about spoiling the view -- that haze that hangs over the wilderness site is harmful to our lungs, too. Time to clean up our act, Minnesota!

Frozen Corn: Nov. 4 E85 Promo In Olivia, Minn.

Media contact from ALA in MN: Robert Moffitt (651) 269-7561

The Prices Drop Along With The Temperature: November 4th E85 And Biodiesel Promotion In Olivia, Minnesota

Olivia, Minn. – (October 30, 2009) – On Wednesday, November 4, the Olivia Cenex at 1208 West Lincoln in Olivia will hold a promotion on two cleaner-burning fuels, E85 and biodiesel, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. During the promotion, the price of E85 will be discounted by 85 cents per gallon and B5 biodiesel will be discounted 20 cents per gallon. The station will also be discounting the price of the higher-ethanol blend fuels E20, E30 and E50 by 10 cents a gallon.

The higher ethanol blends and E85 fuel is intended for use in flex fuel vehicles only. There is a 30 gallon limit per customer on each fuel. To see if your vehicle can use E85, or to learn more about E85 and biodiesel, visit www.CleanAirChoice.org

The event is being offered by the Farmers Coop Oil, Renville County Corn & Soybean Growers, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, the American Lung Association in Minnesota and the Minnesota Clean Air Choice Team.

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Minnesota Vikings E85 Promotion

Here's a link to the Minnesota Vikings E85 Contest. You can win a trip for two to see the Bears-Vikings game at Soldier Field in Chicago on December 28, 2009.