Corn suffers 30-cent sell-off in New Year
By Sean Broderick, Commodity Specialists Company
February 09, 2007
Plant start-up delays keep market tight
By Spencer Kelly, OPIS
February 09, 2007
December price run hits New Year speed bump
Currently, a typical corn-based ethanol plant takes in more water than the ethanol it produces. That doesn't have to be the norm, however. At the Biofuels Workshop and Trade Show-Western Region, an industry expert talked about trimming water consumption by using current and future technologies.
The ethanol industry is poised to take a giant leap, as techniques to commercialize cellulosic production methods move closer to becoming a reality. But the old saying, "Look before you leap," was one of the messages that came out of two recent conferences focused specifically on the developing cellulosic ethanol industry. Challenges, such as securing project financing, manufacturing cheaper enzymes, producing more flexible-fuel vehicles, and developing the blending and pumping infrastructure for renewable fuels, still loom large, leaving plenty of opportunities for more dialogue and collaboration.
Commonwealth Agri-Energy produces ethanol in Kentucky, a state that is familiar with turning grain into alcohol. Although the plant may never be as famous as Jim Beam, its alcohol-producing predecessor, the project has increased demand for corn, which—while great for farmers—has prompted plant officials to find creative ways to lower costs and diversify.
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