Days Of Promise Fade For Ethanol

Editor’s note:  Wondering when we will end our dependence on foreign oil?  This isn’t the way to do it!

Backed by government subsidies and mandates, hundreds of ethanol plants rose among the golden fields of the Corn Belt, bringing jobs and business to small towns, providing farmers with a new market for their crops and generating billions of dollars in revenue for the producers of this corn-based fuel blend.

Those days of promise and prosperity are vanishing.

Nearly 10 percent of the nation’s ethanol plants have stopped production over the past year, in part because the drought that has ravaged much of the nation’s crops pushed commodity prices so high that ethanol has become too expensive to produce.

A dip in gasoline consumption has compounded the industry’s problem by reducing the demand for ethanol.

Read more:  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/us/17ethanol.html?hp&_r=0

Pennsylvania’s Largest Solar Farm Taking Shape In East DrumoreTownship

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The former Gerald Kreider poultry farm in southern Lancaster County has taken on a new shine.

About 8,000 panels of glasslike crystalline silica may now be seen glinting in the sun as what will be Pennsylvania’s largest solar farm takes shape in East Drumore Township, just south of Buck.

By the time the field of solar panels begins producing electricity sometime this fall, 20,702 panels will be in place, each about 3 feet by 5 feet, covering some 30 acres.

Construction on the Keystone Solar Project began about six weeks ago, following 18 months of planning and marketing of the “green” electricity to be produced.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/701930_Pennsylvania-s-largest-solar-farm-taking-shape-in-East-DrumoreTownship.html#ixzz22Lgok9Np

Hillandale Farms Installing Biomass-To-Energy Plant

Image via Wikipedia

You have probably seen Hillandale Farms eggs in your local grocery store.  This forward-thinking Adams County egg producer is investing in a revolutionary new green technology that will use 80,000 tons of manure to create energy!

Hillandale Farms is one of the nations leading egg producers/suppliers.  It is always gratifying to see large companies looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint.  This new energy plant will create enough energy to power 2,500 homes a year! 

Hillandale Farms is planning on expanding their egg production facility in Adams County by another 1.5 million hens.  This means 5 million chickens will call Tyrone Township home.  Utilizing animal waste to create power is amazing.  This new process will turn manure into steam that can be used to heat and cool.

Another added benefit will be 13,000 tons of left over nutrients from the biomass process will be recycled into fertilizer or livestock-feed supplement.  This will contribute to a 3.5% reduction of nutrients and a 4.4% reduction of phosphorus being released into the Chesapeake Bay.  Those percentages are for the entire state of Pennsylvania in just one production facility!

The plant is expected to be up and running by the first quarter of 2012. 

If you are environmentally conscious, you may want to consider including this egg supplier in your weekly shopping.

http://www.hillandalefarms.com/

Pennsylvania Makes Top Ten List Of US States Reducing Oil Dependence

This should make us all proud.  Pennsylvania was ranked 7th out of the 50 states for doing the most to reduce our dependence on oil.  Because Pennsylvania funds public transit systems (like PART and SEPTA) and because of setting renewable fuel standards we earned high marks.  California ranked number 1 while Alaska was number 50.  Pennsylvania drivers spend 3.4% of their income on gas, which is the 8th lowest percentage in the country!

If you would like to read the report in its entirety you may click on this link: http://www.nrdc.org/energy/states/files/Fighting%20Oil%20Addiction_NRDC_Nov%202010.pdf