Ask POET Episode 7: What's the best source of Biomass?

In the seventh episode of Ask POET, we received the following question from Carla:

Which plant residues are best for biofuel usage? I have read corn stover and straw. Do you have a list with best in order and a demographic of where they are grown in the US? Secondly, which agricultural crops would be best for biofuel usage? Again, where in the US are they grown and which ones, in order of priority usage?

That's a lot to answer in one interview, but if anyone can do it, it's Adam Wirt. Adam is Regional Biomass Coordinator at POET and he spoke with Ask POET host Nathan Schock. Here's episode 7:

To learn more about our work, visit our web pages on POET Biomass and cellulosic ethanol. If you want to follow Adam's work, he regularly blogs on our Project LIBERTY Blog.

Ask POET is a monthly program on POET TV where we answer the public's questions about ethanol and the role that we, as the largest producer, play in that industry. If you'd like to ask a question for a future episode, leave a comment below or email your question to askpoet@poet.com.

Ask POET Episode 6: Questions from Investors

In the sixth episode of Ask POET, we collected a few of the most common questions that current and prospective investors ask about POET and got the answers from Larry Ward, Senior Vice President of Project Development. Here's episode 6:

Ward referenced the web site poet.com several times. Also, be sure to check out the investors page on our web site for more information.

To learn more about Ward, check out his profile in Vital Magazine.

Ask POET is a monthly program on POET TV where we answer the public's questions about ethanol and the role that we, as the largest producer, play in that industry. If you'd like to ask a question for a future episode, leave a comment below or email your question to askpoet@poet.com.

Ask POET Episode 4: Ethanol Efficiency

The question for the fourth episode of Ask POET comes from Scott Miller, who asks: "What is the ethanol industry doing to reduce its carbon footprint and the amount of water it takes to produce ethanol?"

To get the answer, I interviewed Erin Heupel, Director of Environment & Technology for POET. Erin talks about the carbon intensity and net energy gain of ethanol and the water it takes to produce ethanol. Here's episode four of Ask POET:

On the carbon intensity of current ethanol production, see http://bit.ly/etohco2

For ethanol's energy returned on energy invested (EROEI), see http://bit.ly/etoheroei

For POET's Ingreenuity initiative to improve the sustainability of ethanol production, visit http://www.ingreenuity.com

Ask POET is a monthly program on POET TV where we answer the public's questions about ethanol and the role that we, as the largest producer, play in that industry. If you'd like to ask a question for a future episode, leave a comment below or email your question to askpoet@poet.com.

The Straight Scoop with Marcus Ludtke 8/11/2010

In this week's episode, I dial in the average trade guesses for the USDA's August Crop Report and the potential market reaction. I also assess some of the revised wheat production estimates for Russia, Ukraine, and Canada.

The information contained herein is gathered from sources we believe to be reliable, but cannot be relied upon as such. Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. Trading in commodity futures or options involves substantial risk of loss. Past results are not indicative of future results.

Ask POET Episode 3: the Ethanol Tax Credit

The question for the third episode of Ask POET comes from R-Squared Energy blogger Robert Rapier. His question, which you can watch in the video from POET TV, is whether or not the ethanol industry needs the tax credit known as VEETC (Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit) when the Renewable Fuel Standard already mandates the use of ethanol.

The question was well-timed considering Growth Energy's announcement of the Fueling Freedom Plan, which calls for the redirection and phase out of government support for ethanol in return for a level playing field. As Jeff Broin, CEO of POET, points out in the video, government support is necessary for the ethanol industry today, because oil still has generous subsidies and an de facto mandate for 90 percent of the market.

Here's episode 3 of Ask POET:

Ask POET is a monthly program on POET TV where we answer the public's questions about ethanol and the role that we, as the largest producer, play in that industry. If you'd like to ask a question for a future episode, leave a comment below or at POET TV. Or, you can email your question to askpoet@poet.com.

Isn't there something you want to Ask POET?

Are you looking for answers about the future of cellulosic ethanol? Maybe you want to know how ethanol continues to expand beyond E15? Or you're curious about ethanol's role in the future energy mix of the country? Just Ask POET.

Ask POET is a monthly program on POET TV where we will be answering the public's questions about ethanol and the role that we, as the largest producer, play in that industry. In the first episode, POET CEO Jeff Broin answered a question from Joanna Schroeder of Domestic Fuel and Gas 2.0 about the coming availability of cellulosic ethanol. Launched last month, it was covered by the blogs Chem Info and Autoblog Green.

In the second episode, released today, Jeff responded to a question from Jim Lane of Biofuels Digest about what comes after E15. You can watch the episodes here:

Since Jeff founded this company 22 years ago and has at one point or another performed every job there is in an ethanol plant, we thought he'd be the best person to answer the first couple of questions. In the future, I will direct questions to the person at POET who is best able to answer them. That may be Jeff, or it could be one of our plant engineers or biomass feedstock researchers. But if it's about ethanol, I bet one of our 1,500 team members has encountered it before and can help you understand it better.

Have a question that you want to ask? Leave it in the comments below or head on over to the Ask POET section of our web site. Isn't there something you want to know about ethanol?