Ethanol Week - February 21, 2011

USDA proposes reform to loan guarantees for advanced biofuels The USDA recently proposed changes to its loan guarantee program in order to make it more accessible for advanced biofuels projects, allowing bond market financing among other changes. READ MORE SHARE
Cellulosic developers call for federal support, give updates Representatives from several companies working to commercialize cellulosic ethanol participated in a round table call Feb. 17 hosted by the Biotechnology Technology Organization to make their case for continued federal support of their technologies. READ MORE SHARE
	E3 Biofuels sues over faulty boiler, wet cake conveyor The former owner of an idle ethanol plant in Mead, Neb., filed lawsuits Feb. 8 in U.S. District Court in Nebraska against four companies, faulting them for its failure to fully start up and operate as intended. READ MORE SHARE
GPRE to acquire ethanol plant from Otter Tail Ag Enterprises Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. announced Feb. 17 that its bid to purchase certain assets of the 55 MMgy Otter Tail Ag Enterprises LLC was accepted by the bankruptcy court overseeing the auction process. READ MORE SHARE
Scoular acquires Kansas ethanol plant, shuttle facility The Scoular Company has acquired Gateway Plant LLC along with an adjoining 1.8 million bushel shuttle train facility. The 55 MMgy plant in Pratt, Kan., will be upgraded before restarting sometime in the fall. READ MORE SHARE
Modified switchgrass reduces enzyme use, boosts ethanol yield Researchers at The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation have modified switchgrass to reduce lignin levels, producing approximately one-third more ethanol and also requiring less severe pre-treatment and fewer enzymes during the conversion process. READ MORE SHARE
Oregon ethanol plant prepares to restart; idled 2 years The idled 108 MMgy ethanol plant in Clatskanie, Ore., is preparing for restart under the ownership of JH Kelly Holdings. It ran for six months in 2008 before liquidity problems and the recession forced it into bankruptcy. READ MORE SHARE
Syngenta corn increases ethanol yield, reduces natural gas use Production tests of Syngenta Seeds Inc.'s new amylase corn at Western Plains Energy LLC showed an 8 percent increase in ethanol production and an 8 percent decrease in natural gas use. READ MORE SHARE