Posted at 1:08 p.m., Monday, July 10, 2006
Business briefs: Report questions ethanol profitability
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Making ethanol from sugar could be profitable with the current high demand for the gasoline substitute, but it probably won't be for long, the U.S. Agriculture Department said today.At recent spot market prices of $4 per gallon, converting sugarcane, sugar beets, raw sugar and refined sugar to ethanol is profitable, the department said in a report. However, the report added that those spot market prices are expected to drop as more ethanol is produced from other sources, chiefly corn.
There are five companies that plan to build ethanol plants in Hawai'i, and several are considering using sugar cane or one of its byproducts to produce the alternative fuel. The companies are eligible for state and federal tax credits that will help underwrite their cost of doing business, even if ethanol prices fall.
Marble Slab Creamery opens at Ala Moana
Marble Slab Creamery recently opened its first Hawaii outlet in Ala Moana Center's food court.
The store, which specializes in homemade ice cream, is operated by franchise owners Steve Ahmed and Mohamed Allwer. Marble Slab Creamery, founded in 1983, is a privately held company based in Houston, Texas, with a total of 535 franchise locations in 35 states, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United Arab Emirates.
