Jan–Mar, 2008

The word has been on the masthead of this newspaper for 16 years — innovation. Innovation has become a popular term these days as businesses seek to differentiate themselves from…

A 3M chemist made a sub-par batch of glue that wouldn’t bond properly; another worker used it to stick bookmarks in his hymnal. The post-it note was born. It’s a…

The nation’s first poultry litter-fueled power plant opened in October. Fibrominn is generating enough renewable electricity to serve 40,000 homes. Power from the 55-megawatt plant is being purchased by Xcel…

Waseca, Minn. — Businesses hoping to leap into biomass-pellet production should keep their eyes wide open, cautions a recent AURI sponsored study. The evaluation by Cooperative Development Services and researcher…

The ash left after burning crop residues for energy can be recycled as fertilizer. Biomass ash retains many nutrients, especially phosphorus and potassium. This spring, AURI will evaluate ash’s effectiveness…

Benson, Minn. — A Minnesota ethanol company is building a biomass bridge to an energy self-sufficient future. Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company will gasify wood chips, corn cobs and other biomass…

The man behind Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company’s move to biomass power is a sandy-haired chemical engineer with a slow Tennessee drawl and a quick eye for new opportunities. Bill Lee…

Where are they now? Editors note: This is the first in a series that will update readers on entrepreneurial ventures featured in past issues of Ag Innovation News. Where are…

Doug Root joined the AURI staff in Marshall in October as senior scientist working in biomass and renewable products technologies. A Minneapolis native, Root is a veteran of the pharmaceutical…

The biggest challenge for the ethanol and biodiesel industry isn’t technology or enough raw materials. It’s not even public policy. The biggest hurdle is finding, training and keeping qualified employees.…

A crush on garlic Eating raw garlic may be good for your heart, but not your breath. The solution: crush the pungent little bulbs, then bake them slightly. Garlic and…

1. What ag processing leftover is being evaluated for its fertilizer potential? A. Ash B. Corn silks C. Oat hulls 2. How much biomass will the CVEC gasifier consume per…