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PART 1
Written by Kris Bevill, Hope Deutscher, Timothy Charles Holmseth, Marc Hequet, Jessica Ebert, Bryan Sims, Susanne Retka Schill and Craig A. Johnson

PART 2

By Kris Bevill, Hope Deutscher, Timothy Charles Holmseth, Marc Hequet, Jessica Ebert, Bryan Sims, Susanne Retka Schill and Craig A. Johnson

For most of its history, the ethanol industry was dominated by small plants owned by farmer cooperatives and limited liability companies. These pioneering efforts were boosted by the Farm Credit System, which looked at the industry as part of its mandate to help farmers expand their markets. When the industry began to boom, Wall Street and commercial banks started putting a lot of money into the ethanol industry. But with a looming credit crisis, is it time for the FCS to again take the lead in financing growth in the industry?

OK, so you’ve raised $100 million to build your ethanol refinery that was to be an outlet for struggling farmers, a boon to the local economy and a reducer of greenhouse gases. You spent years fundraising. You sold your soul and your proprietary technology to lenders. You paid a fortune for lawyers to get you through the due diligence, permitting and political hurdles. You’re finally ready to break ground or you already have. Then, cue the music from “Jaws.” Here come the plaintiffs.

The Minnesota Corn Growers Association produced a book about the rise of ethanol production in the state and what’s commonly referred to in the industry as the “Minnesota model.” The book includes interesting anecdotes and insights into the behind-the-scenes activities that took place during ethanol’s early years.

Arundo donax, commonly known as giant reed, has tremendous potential as a biomass crop. It also illustrates the emerging issues around the potential for unintended weedy invasions.

After the gold rush mentality of 2006, ethanol project developers are facing the harsh realities of fluctuating commodity prices, a struggling economy and scarce capital. Some proposed projects are dropping out, but excellent projects are still getting funded.