Nebraska is the nation’s second leading ethanol producing state behind Iowa. Nebraska’s ethanol capacity is 1.6 billion gallons. But, Nebraska exports 96.5 percent of that ethanol out-of-state.

Nebraska is abundant in renewable energy. The state ranks 6th in the nation in wind energy potential and 9th in the nation in solar energy potential. With so much of the state’s ethanol production shipped out of state to add value, maybe Nebraska could follow Brazil’s lead.

Reuters reported Tuesday that Brazil opened the “world’s first ethanol-fueled power plant in an effort by the South American biofuels giant to increase the global use of ethanol and boost its clean power generation. ”

According to the article, the project is a joint effort between state-run oil giant Petrobras and General Electric Co, which helped design the plant.

The article said that Brazil is the world’s largest ethanol exporter and is working with Japan to develop biofuels power generation there.

According to the article, Petrobras with the help of GE upgraded the 87-megawatt power plant to switch between running on natural gas or ethanol instantaneously. Brazil primarily relies on hydroelectric power but needs backup thermoelectric generation during the dry season.

According to GE, tests showed switching the plant to ethanol reduced carbon dioxide emissions without lowering energy output.

GE has around 770 turbines like those used in the Juiz de Fora plant, including many in Japan, that could be converted to run on ethanol, the article said.

A large scale plant like that could never replace a major coal power generating plant. Smaller ethanol power plants could provide supplemental electrical power to small communities on a scale like wind turbine power. Even better, a small community could build an ethanol plant and create ethanol from the refuse the community generates to feed the power plant, along with providing a market for an area ethanol producing plant.

The article said Brazil is expected to produce a record 27.8 billion liters of ethanol in the 2009/2010 season. It began its biofuels program 30 years ago and now mandates a minimum 20 percent of ethanol in gasoline. The U.S. is currently is looking to increase ethanol in the gas supply from 10 percent to 15 percent on a voluntary basis.

The U.S. imports about 60 percent of its oil supply that is used to make gasoline. Those imports contribute about one-third of this country’s negative trade balance.

While the U.S. ethanol supply comes from corn,  Brazil’s ethanol production comes from sugar cane milled by companies such as Cosan or commodities giants including Cargill Inc, Bunge and ADM Co., according to the article.

Domestic demand for ethanol is being driven by the popularity of the flex-fuel car technology that was launched in 2003 and now makes up around 90 percent of new vehicle sales in Brazil, according to the article.

Nebraska women will celebrate 25 years of empowering women in the agriculture industry Feb. 25-26 at the Kearney Holiday Inn.

The theme for this year’s University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Women in Agriculture conference is “Celebrating Our Heritage, Exploring Our Future.” Nebraska women will find dozens of workshops, “funshops” and networking to them help cultivate their dreams and learn new information to harvest profits, said Megan Voss, Women in Ag coordinator.

The two-day conference begins Feb. 25 with 9 a.m. registration followed by a 10 a.m. welcome and keynote speaker Michele Payne-Knoper.

One of two keynote speakers, Payne-Knoper, a professional speaker, consultant, agriculture expert and author, will inspire participants to celebrate their unique role, what’s special about rural America and share that celebration with others.

On Feb. 26, keynote speaker Yvonne Hollenbeck will address participants. Hollenbeck is an award-winning cowgirl poet who, along with her husband, Glen, raise Angus beef cattle and quarter horses.

Participants will be able to choose from more than 30 workshops spread out over five sessions throughout the two-day conference. Topics range from resources for business growth, estate planning and being an advocate for agriculture to computer and software information, how to be a better communicator and stress control.

Evening “funshops” are one-hour, optional sessions offered with a goal of networking and fun.

Early bird registration of $90 per person is due by Feb. 12. After Feb. 12, the fee is $100. The fee includes workshop materials, registration, breaks, lunch and dinner on Feb. 25 and breakfast and lunch on Feb. 26.

To register or for more information about the conference, including a complete list of workshop and speaker bios, conference sponsors, booths and lodging information, visit the Women in Ag Web site at http://wia.unl.edu and click on WIA Conference in the left column or call (800) 535-3456, fax (402) 472-0776 or mail Women In Agriculture, UNL Agricultural Economics, 304 Filley Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583-0922.

Five scholarships to cover the registration fee are available for full-time, UNL College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources students, and 10 scholarships to cover half the registration fee are available for non-CASNR students. All student scholarship recipients are responsible for their own travel, hotel and any additional expenses. Applications also can be found on the Women in Ag Web site. Applications are due Feb. 3.

UNL Extension is in the university’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Grand Island will be one of five cities hosting a series of outlook and management conferences offered by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension across the state in February.

The first two conferences will Feb. 15 in Norfolk during the day and in Lincoln in the evening. Other conferences will be Feb. 16 in Grand Island, Feb. 23 in Alliance and Feb. 24 in McCook.

The Grand Island meeting will be Feb. 16, Hall County Extension Office, College Park, 3180 W. Highway 34; contact Mark Hinze, (308) 385-5088, mhinze2@unl.edu

Each session is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., except the Lincoln meeting which will be from 4:30-9 p.m. The conferences will cover a number of key topics affecting farm management and production decisions for 2010.

This year’s conferences will feature several specialists from UNL Extension and the Department of Agricultural Economics discussing the relevant outlook and management topics. In addition, Dan O’Brien, extension agricultural economist and grain marketing specialist from Kansas State University, will join the conference to share his insight on the grain market and marketing decisions for producers.

The opening Morning session at each meetings will focus on the agricultural outlook, covering livestock, crops, inputs, land and policy. Specialists also will discuss analysis and decision tools that can help producers make better management decisions for 2010.

Darrell Mark, livestock marketing specialist, will present the livestock outlook and focus on market prices and risk management decisions. O’Brien and Paul Burgener, agricultural economics research analyst, will provide the crop outlook, focusing on market prices and risk management decisions. Roger Wilson, farm management budget analyst, will cover the outlook for input costs, input decisions, and tools to manage input and crop decisions. Extension educators Tim Lemmons and Robert Tigner will present an update on land markets, cash rents and leasing arrangements. Brad Lubben, public policy specialist, will discuss the policy outlook in Washington and the major policy developments that could affect agriculture in 2010.

The closing afternoon session will focus on risk management decision-making in the current volatile economic environment. Extension educator Allan Vyhnalek will address the fundamental nature of risk in agriculture and will discuss how producers can make sound risk management decisions to protect their operations in risky times. Lubben and Mark will discuss risk management decision-making that incorporates farm programs, marketing tools, and crop insurance products in an overall risk management strategy. A panel of local agricultural risk management professionals will cap off the day with their perspective on risk management strategies and decisions producers can make in 2010 to be successful.

Registration cost is $25 and advance registration is necessary. Contact Lubben at (402) 472-2235 or any one of the extension educators listed below with locations for more information. Conference information and a link to online registration is also available at the conference Web page at http://www.agecon.unl.edu/resource/cemoc.html.

New technologies are changing the way of agriculture. Producers will learn how to benefit from these advancements at a January agricultural technology conference.

The 10th annual Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association Conference and Trade Show will be Jan. 27-28 at the Midtown Holiday Inn in Grand Island.

“Conference attendees will learn to use the latest technology to improve their production efficiencies,” said University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Educator Dave Varner. “Participants will glean insights from national and international precision agriculture experts regarding future precision agriculture technology applications,” said Varner.

General session topics and speakers at the 2010 conference include: Adoption of Precision Agriculture by Australian Grain Growers and Global Perspectives of Site-specific Weed Management, Australian farmer Sam Trengove; Precision Nutrient Management on Site-specific Management Zones, Raj Khosla, Colorado State University; Mapping EvapoTranspiration with High Resolution and Internalized Calibration, Gary Hergert, UNL; Monitoring irrigation water application with computerized controllers, Bill Kranz, UNL; and Broadband: Who Needs It?, Sandra Scofield, Nebraska Rural Initiative, Carol Farnham, Signa Solutions.

Participants may choose among 12 concurrent sessions that address topics such as using active crop canopy sensors for in-season nitrogen management, powering pivots by solar and wind energy, hands-on Excel and irrigation efficiency workshops, irrigation water management technologies, precision manure management, regional RTK networks, smartphone capabilities, and online networking.

Special pre-conference workshops will focus on Optimizing Pivot Irrigation Management and Social Media Applications in Agriculture. Both workshops will be offered on Jan. 27 beginning at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Registration is $120 for NeATA members and $145 for non-members. Those planning to attend can register by sending their name, address, phone number, e-mail address and payment to the Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association, 1206 W. 23rd St., Fremont, Neb. 68025-2504. Conference brochures are available at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Offices, at the http://neata.org Web site, or by calling (800) 830-4855.

Eight Certified Crop Advisor continuing education credits are available for conference participants. Additional CEUs may be available for pre-conference programs.

Reservations at the Midtown Grand Island Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center can be made at (800) 548-5542.