It was a year ago this month that ethanol advocacy group Growth Energy was formed, absorbing the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) and more recently merging with the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC). Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis has been with the organization since March, after leaving the National Farmers Union and he was on hand at the National …
One Pass Biomass From AGCO
AGCO is one of the companies working on a prototype biomass harvest/transport system. At POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day they demonstrated a pulled behind baler system to harvest corn cobs and stover. Dean Morrell, Product Marketing Manager for Hay and Forage Harvesting, was on site and talked with me about their system. He says it’s a one pass system which …
Biomass Harvesting From Case IH
One of the companies exhibiting their developmental corn cob harvest/collection equipment at the POET Project LIBERTY Field Day was Case IH. Representing them again this year was Sam Acker, pictured sitting in their booth during the speeches. I spoke to him to find out what’s new with Case IH in this area this year. Sam says they’re demonstrating an Axial-Flow …
Harvesting Corn Cobs With Green Equipment
There were 16 different equipment manufacturers involved with POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day. One of them was John Deere, represented by Dean Acheson, Manager, Solutions Development. Dean says that what they’re working on is completely customer based. He says they don’t want to be slowed down during harvest and they want to keep up a high level of productivity. The …
IOWA Invests In Project LIBERTY
Corn growers heard from Iowa Lt. Governor Patty Judge at POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day. She said, “We are seeing for ourselves that cellulosic ethanol is here, that it is viable and that it will transform renewable fuel as we know it today”. It was a cold, breezy day and she talked General Wesley Clark out of his jacket. She …
Providing Homegrown Fuel is Historic
One of the stars on hand to address the crowd at POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day was former four-star General Wesley Clark. He spoke about the important role they would play in providing more homegrown fuel for the nation. “We are involved in something that is historic,” Clark said. “We are going to significantly reduce our dependence on foreign energy …
Cellulosic Ethanol Production Important To Rural America
This is a load of corn cobs being unloaded after they were just harvested at the POET Project LIBERTY Field Day. We watched several different equipment manufacturers display their latest products to handle collecting the corn cobs for use in cellulosic ethanol production. I’ve got video clips of them in action which I’ll be posting in coming days. In the …
Cob Harvesting Equipment In Action Today
Driving to Emmetsburg, IA last night I saw a growing number of these lights the further north I got. This combine was working right near the POET plant in Emmetsburg. Well, it’s daytime now and I’m hoping it will warm up from the 25 degrees we had when I got up. POET is describing today’s event as “The largest gathering …
Nighttime POETry
I’m sure the POET Biorefining Plant in Emmetsburg, IA will look a lot different in the daylight but I think it looks pretty cool at night too. I had to stop by on my way into town in advance of the Project LIBERTY field day tomorrow. Thanks to POET for sponsoring my trip so I can learn more about their …
POET Project LIBERTY Field Day 2009
This is where I’ll be on Tuesday for the POET Project LIBERTY Field Day. The action will take place at their biorefining facility in Emmetsburg, IA starting at 10 a.m. Agriculture equipment manufacturers will soon put cob harvesting equipment on the market, and Iowa farmers will have a chance to see the latest prototypes in action at Project LIBERTY Field …