Getting back to the original idea of Begle1. I have a friend who writes for The Forum in ND. They did two articles:

Fuels bill gets push
By Dale Wetzel Associated Press Writer
BISMARCK – Although North Dakota raises corn and soybeans and has
abundant wind, the state trails badly in developing alternative fuels,
say lawmakers who want to invest $20 million in a new initiative.
However, the legislation’s opponents say it has a glaring flaw – a
requirement that all North Dakota filling stations sell gasoline with a
10 percent ethanol blend. The fuel is a common, but not universal,
offering at the service station pump.

“We have to continue to work together, and this is not a form of
working together,” said Ron Ness, director of the North Dakota Petroleum
Council. “Trying to stick it in our ear every session, and force these
(ethanol) markets, is not a healthy way to grow these industries.”
Rep. Pam Gulleson, D-Rutland, and Agriculture Commissioner Roger
Johnson said aggressive state promotion of ethanol and other alternative
fuels was warranted.

Minnesota requires service stations to sell ethanol, and it has
reaped benefits, including corn farmers getting higher prices and
high-quality livestock feed that is a byproduct of ethanol production,
Gulleson said.

North Dakota has two ethanol plants, both built in the 1980s. Other
ethanol projects have struggled to get started.

“Those states that are the most aggressive in term of offering
either an incentive or a mandate standard ... have gone the farthest in
promoting and making their state really active in this whole area,”
Gulleson said.

Ness, Gulleson and Johnson were among those who spoke Tuesday at a
Senate Finance and Taxation Committee hearing on the legislation. The
full Senate will vote on the proposal later.

The bill would establish a new “renewable energy development
commission,” which would oversee a $20 million fund to aid the industry.
The money would be provided by profits from the state-owned Bank of
North Dakota.

It would require service stations to include a 10 percent ethanol
blend among their gasoline offerings. North Dakota’s state government
car and truck fleet would have to use either gasohol or biodiesel, a
blend of diesel fuel and soybean oil.

If a highway construction contractor landed a state job worth more
than $100,000, the company would have to use gasohol and biodiesel in
its vehicles and equipment.

State agencies, when buying electricity, would have to make sure at
least 10 percent of the power was generated by wind turbines, the bill says.
The legislation also includes tax credits for biodiesel sellers and
users, tax breaks for hydrogen fuel cell development, and an income tax
credit for renewable energy projects.

Johnson said North Dakota has been lagging in developing its
ethanol, wind energy and biodiesel industries, even though the state’s
corn and soybean production is rising and its wind energy generation
potential is the greatest in the country.
The bill is SB2229.

***********
We published this today -
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/ind...ction=Business

Renewable fuel bills sputter
By Gerry Gilmour
The Forum - 02/15/2005

Bills promoting renewable energy initiatives for North Dakota are
running out of steam in Bismarck, according to supporters.

“I think they’re all faring very poorly,” Agriculture Commissioner Roger
Johnson said of several bills drafted in support of the wind energy,
biodiesel and ethanol industries for the 2005 Legislative session. “The
‘big ideas’ have been killed almost summarily.”

Among those killed: a $20 million Senate bill that would have used Bank
of North Dakota profits to underwrite renewable energy projects such as
wind farms and ethanol and biodiesel plants.

Terry Goerger, a Mantador farmer and president of the North Dakota
Biodiesel Task Force, said the state is sitting on the sidelines while
other nations and states push for broader use of biodiesel, a blend that
can be produced from soybeans.

A Senate bill that would have expanded tax incentives for biodiesel
corporate income tax credits -- using funds from the Natural Resources
Trust Fund -- came out of the finance and taxation committee with a
“do-not-pass” recommendation.

The best chance for renewable energy progress this session might ride
with House Bill 1308 -- albeit a watered-down version that would create
modest incentives for wind, ethanol and biodiesel.

“That’s our last, best hope this session,” said Rep. Scot Kelsh,
D-Fargo, a sponsor of the bill in the House.

As drafted, it would create a state renewable energy commission, within
the Department of Commerce, responsible for promoting wind, solar,
hydropower, geothermal, biomass, ethanol, biodiesel and other renewable
energy sources.

It would have set aside $12 million in general funds over the biennium
in a renewable energy trust fund to support renewable energy projects
and create a state standard -- similar to Minnesota’s -- of at least 10
percent ethanol in all fuel sold. It would have required the state to
buy at least 10 percent of its electricity from wind farms and run all
of its vehicles on renewable fuel blends.

The bill ran into opposition from the North Dakota Petroleum Council,
the Lignite Council and the Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce.

An amended version of the bill -- being voted on in the House this week
-- would direct $3.5 million in funding for renewable fuel projects,
rather than the $12 million proposed.

The 10 percent ethanol provision was deleted. Meanwhile, the state would
not be required, rather, “attempt to ensure,” that it buy electricity
powered by wind and blended fuel for its motor pool.

Financing and administration would fall to the existing state
Agricultural Production Utilization Commission.

Jay Haley, an engineer with EAPC Architects of Grand Forks and a
renewable energy lobbyist in Bismarck, said the session has been
frustrating.

“Virtually every other state in our region is moving and moving fast on
these things,” he said.

Still, he said, progress is progress, and passage of an amended House
Bill 1308 would be better than nothing.

“We’re the new kids on the block, and we’re not that well-financed,” he
said of the renewable fuels lobby. “It is about time that North Dakota
wakes up and realizes that it has it has some of the best renewable
resources in the country, yet we aren’t capitalizing on that.”
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And so it goes....round and round and round. In the meantime, nothing gets done. With no federal energy policy in place this is what happens.

 

The point is that it probably won't get done until there is profit in doing it. Why would you grow Diesel when you can get it from the Middle East, Canada and Mexico for cheaper?
However, it is not that cheaper on a small, US only scale, and if we were to industrialize the rest of the world to US standards, it would be way cheaper.

No matter what, though, we will not see a change from petrofuels until a change is needed. It is my argument that such a change will be rather painless, especially if we get off our butts and start expanding into third world countries. But people seem to like that stupid Ghandi guy... Argh, I hate Ghandi!

I haven't found a good source on what actually makes the most oil per acreage, be it Canola or hemp or what. (Actually, I didn't even know Canola was a plant, but oh well...) I still put my money on alginic oil, but the feds never could get that going very well.

 

Can't legally grow hemp here, DEA rules about it. Hemp is grown all over Central and South America, not for the THC, but for cloth and clothing. It's better than cotton (forgive me) and lasts longer.

Gandhi is dead, forget about him.

 

When and if we ever get cut-off again from middle eastern oil, the only people that will have bio-diesel will be the one's who make it themselves. Try making gasoline......