Ethanol Week - October 1, 2012

Pacific Ethanol raises $11 million in public stock offering For the second time in three months, Pacific Ethanol Inc. raised more than $10 million in a public offering of common stock. Both times, the company raised the amount in less than a week. The latest public stock offering was announced Sept. 20. READ MORE SHARE
Dyadic, SEKAB: Enzyme research project concludes in Sweden A research project at a demonstration plant in Sweden has concluded, successfully verifying an enzyme for use in the production of biofuels and bio-based chemicals.The enzyme is AlternaFuel CMAX, a trademarked product of Dyadic International Inc. READ MORE SHARE
	NREL produces ethylene via photosynthesis Scientists at the U.S. DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory have demonstrated a better way to use photosynthesis to produce ethylene, a breakthrough that could change the way materials, chemicals, and transportation fuels are made. READ MORE SHARE
NSF grants support UNH ethanol fuel cell research Xiaowei Teng, assistant professor of chemical engineering at the University of New Hampshire, has received two National Science Foundation grants totaling nearly $1 million to improve the efficiency of ethanol oxidation fuel cell reactions. READ MORE SHARE
EIA releases ethanol stats for first half of 2012 The U.S. Energy Information Administration published its most recent monthly statistics on the ethanol industry on Sept. 26. The report is part of the EIA's Monthly Energy Review. The data shows a slight increase in production over last year. READ MORE SHARE
New Fuels America coalition launches campaign to defend RFS The advanced biofuels community is taking the threat seriously of a possible waiver or opening the renewable fuel standard for amendment. A new coalition, Fuels America, has been announced along with the launching of a new advertising campaign. READ MORE SHARE
Qteros equipment to be auctioned off Production equipment, lab equipment and other office furnishings and equipment owned by Massachusetts-based Qteros Inc. is set to be auctioned off on Sept. 28. The public auction is being handled by auctioneer and appraisal firm Aaron Posnik & Co. READ MORE SHARE
Renmatix opens new research and development facility Cellulosic sugar manufacturer Renmatix Inc. has opened a new research and development center at its headquarters in King of Prussia, Pa. The facility will enable the company to expand its scope and investigate the use of additional feedstocks. READ MORE SHARE
Valero restarts 2 idled plants as harvest improves corn supply Not long after conducting an executive swing through five of the 10 communities where it owns ethanol plants, Valero Corp. announced that the two plants that had been temporarily idled had been restarted at Albion, Neb., and Linden, Ind. READ MORE SHARE
Fuel Freedom Foundation announces video competition winners The Fuel Freedom Foundation has announced the winners of its first college video competition. The winning films are short segments produced by Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts students. Ethanol is mentioned in all three videos. READ MORE SHARE
Biofuel Energy idles Minn. plant BioFuel Energy Corp., an ethanol production company, announced today that it has decided to idle its Fairmont, Minn., ethanol facility until further notice. The plant ceased ethanol production as of the end of last week. READ MORE SHARE
Switching to ethanol production a luxury for Gevo's Luverne plant Gevo Inc. is taking advantage of a design feature to temporarily switch back to ethanol production after 17 weeks of isobutanol production while it corrects some technological issues identified during typical startup growing pains. READ MORE SHARE
Ethanol cook stove project gains $9 million in funding The Soros Economic Development Fund and the Industrialization Fund for Developing Countries recently announced investments of nearly $9 million in CleanStar Mozambique, with the option to invest more in potential pan-African expansion. READ MORE SHARE
Algae Biomass Summit: Producers say commercialization is close Small American companies are directing the global algae industry's commercialization approach. With Big Oil, Big Food and big money behind them, U.S. algae startups continue to scale up, build out, and tap into the infrastructure of industrial hosts. READ MORE SHARE
Congress fails to pass farm bill before adjourning, clock ticking With Congress adjourned, fears that a 2012 farm bill wouldn't pass before the Sept. 30 deadline have now become a reality. Although there's no guarantee, lawmakers could still get it done after Election Day, commonly called the lame duck session. READ MORE SHARE
Presidential candidates respond to AFBF questionnaire During each presidential campaign, the American Farm Bureau Federation asks the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees to address issues that concern the farming and ranching communities. Responses to this year's questions are now available. READ MORE SHARE
Student scholarships available for National Ethanol Conference The Renewable Fuels Association and Renewable Fuels Foundation will be offering six scholarships for students to attend the 18th Annual National Ethanol Conference: Driving Forward in Las Vegas, Nev., Feb. 5-7, 2013. Applications are due Nov. 23. READ MORE SHARE