Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | CNS Canada – Renewable sources of energy may be the future, but that future is not coming any time soon as fossil fuels will be needed to continue to power the world for generations, according to author and professor emeritus Vaclav Smil, speaking at the Grain World conference in Winnipeg, Nov. 14. “We […] Read more
Fossil fuels here to stay… for now
Court decision may boost biofuels, hit refiners
Reading Time: 2 minutes New York / Reuters – The U.S. government may have to require more biofuels to be blended into the country’s fuel supply after a court ruled on Friday that the mandates must be reconsidered, a decision that boosted renewable fuel credits to seven-month highs on financial markets. The decision sank stock prices of independent refiners […] Read more
Let’s get real on solar energy
Despite the skeptics, these two farms prove that solar energy is likely to be the foundation of our commercial farms for generations to come
Reading Time: 5 minutes In the last issue of Country Guide I made a case for solar power. I tried to show that economics of solar power are improving and that it is becoming a viable source of electricity. More importantly, I pointed out that society is demanding a switch away from fossil fuels, and that countries around the world […] Read more
A biomass corn-stalk co-op
Farmers need to invest now if the new corn-stalk project is to go ahead
Reading Time: 8 minutes Farmers aren’t negative or pessimistic by nature, but they are realists. When it comes to business proposals, they’ve heard terms such as “sure-fire” and “can’t-miss” before, not always with good cause. So, do those terms work for the proposed corn biomass co-op? You decide, but it appears there may be a good case for the […] Read more
From cornstalks to sugar
Farmers ready to participate in bioeconomy
Reading Time: 5 minutes With consumers pushing for a greener, more sustainable chemical industry, agriculture is poised to play a key role in the new bioeconomy, especially with renewable resources that can be converted into bioenergy and biobased chemicals. This time, farmers aren’t waiting around to find out how they can get involved. A group of farmers in southwestern […] Read more
Glencore sees renewables not cost competitive until mid-century
Reading Time: 2 minutes London | Reuters — Renewable energy will not be cost competitive with fossil fuels until 2050, Glencore said on Tuesday, much later than energy organizations forecast and supporting the mining and trading giant’s case for continued investment in coal. Glencore, whose non-mining holdings include Canadian grain handler Viterra, has said coal is still an investment […] Read more
Alberta to back new renewable energy capacity
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — The Alberta government said Tuesday it will support the creation of 5,000 megawatts of additional renewable energy capacity by 2030 to help achieve goals laid out in its climate plan last year. Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks, said Alberta now has a firm target of 30 per cent of electricity used […] Read more
German bioenergy generates quandary
German biogas producers produce as much electricity as two nuclear power stations. If that sounds like a great success, try talking to the farmers who grow the crops
Reading Time: 7 minutes It’s a perfect picture on a perfect day. A Claas chopper sends a steady stream of green rye into a tractor trailer while overhead, the main overland power line hangs in the blue sky. It’s perfect too as a representation of the Mayer Energy Farm in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, where Norbert Mayer grows all his crops […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
