I apologize for no post from yesterday’s travels.  Turns out that the greater Scotts Bluff-Torrington area is a bigger hot spot than I had anticipated. Not a room was to be had and I arrived late in Cheyenne. Sleep won out.
But, before my lodging nightmare, I took the opportunity to drive past Chimney Rock National Monument. The dedication and sacrifice of those early pioneers never ceases to amaze. They so firmly believed in the dream of a better life that they were willing to risk everything.
As I was driving through the darkness of southeast Wyoming and taking the time to reflect on the day, it occured to me that that same pioneering spirit that brought families through raging rivers, intense heat, disease, and rattlesnakes is alive and well in America.
Today’s pioneers, however, do not wear animal skins and drive oxen teams. Today’s pioneers wear lab coats and goggles, overalls and boots, and suits and power ties. In short, today’s pioneers are those Americans pairing ingenuity, productivity and investment into a new movement that is striving for that brighter future.
Indeed, today’s pioneers are those seeking to break America’s addiction to fossil fuels and move the nation toward a future that is more energy secure and more environmentally sound. Oh, and they are proving that being responsible about our energy future can also have the intended consequence of creating jobs and economic activity.
Normally on this blog, the renewable of choice is ethanol and ethanol has an important role in our nation’s energy future to be sure. But it will take the collective ingenuity, productivity and entreprenuership of all renewable energies to truly make America energy independent.
While today’s pioneers are not risking their lives, they are doint yeomen’s work to ensure that future generation won’t have to.
As is the case for employees of the Renewable Fuels Association, August provides us a chance to travel outside the Beltway and reconnect with people and the places that we represent to the best of our abilities. It’s a chance to witness firsthand the excitement that renewable fuels production stirs in rural communities across the country.
 This August, I am traveling across Nebraska, into Wyoming, down the front range in Colorado, to the heart of North Dakota, and then ultimately back to my old stomping grounds in Northern Iowa. My hope is to provide an interesting tale from each day’s journey here on the Ethanol Report.
 Today, I had the opportunity to visit the closed-loop system at E3 Biofuels in Mead, Nebraska. This is truly revolutionary technology that is a shining example of the kind of ingenuity and innovation that is becoming the norm in the U.S. ethanol industry.
Many people are aware that this facility is the first to produce ethanol using cattle manure as its predominant power source. But more importantly, the plant is efficiently using other resources important in ethanol production. Through its waste water treatment process, E3 actually is able to use the treated water to irrigate the surrounding fields of corn, which then ultimately becomes the corn that feeds the ethanol plant. No doubt that throws a wrinkle into the arguments of those who claim ethanol production uses too much water.
I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that the corn crop looks good. Much needed remain throughout South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa fell over the weekend. Farmers I have spoken to are as optimistic as farmers can be, and I say that with much affection as my Dad is still a farmer in Iowa.
Tomorrow, I am off to KAAPA Ethanol and then through the Sand Hills of Nebraska, past Chimney Rock and then to Renova Energy on Wednesday.
All I have to say is thankfully the State of Nebraska has realized that speed is essential when crossing their state and have set the speed limits accordingly.
Until tomorrow…
Subscribe to this Blog
How to subscribe