Getting Texas refineries back online may take longer than expected; ethanol makers struggle to find capital in a down market; and Bill Gates goes for the green.

Update – Refiners Out Longer Than Expected: It looks as if refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast will be out a bit longer than expected. It’s not direct damage from Hurricane ike that’s the problem — the storm’s worst winds and surge struck to the east of facilities such as ExxonMobil’s Baytown refinery. The issue is power. Utilities are still scrambling to get their grids online, which will keep Baytown and others from restarting several more days. After that, it will take up to a week to move refined product through the pipelines. Until then, expect pricey gasoline and spot shortages. (WSJ)

Ethanol makers hit by cash crunch: Producers of ethanol — at one time big players in the CleanTech boom — are struggling at just the moment that investors are running for cover. Volatile corn prices are chewing up the profits of the young industry, promoting producers such as VeraSun Energy Corp to warn of larger than expected quarterly losses. Wall Street’s precipitous slide this week means ethanol manufacturers will have trouble attracting fresh investment, and many firms are already running low on cash. (Reuters)

Bill Gates Invests in Algae-Based Biofuels: Microsoft founder Bill Gates is the latest high-profile investor to throw money at Sapphire Energy, a company which says it can produce synthetic crude oil from algae. The San Diego-based energy startup has developed a process resulting in “designer crude” which can be refined just like petroleum. There’s no word yet on Gates’ stake, but Sapphire says it has raised a $100 million warchest in less than 12 months. (Treehugger)

US IRS Grants Tax Credits for Mercedes-Benz BlueTECs: Once upon a time, it seemed that tax credits were reserved for buyers of outrageously piggy SUVs. Now there’s some help for more sensible car shoppers. Mercedes’ new BlueTEC clean diesels are the latest to get a boost from the IRS. Buyers of a BlueTEC Mercedes may qualify for up to $1800 in tax credits when the new Mercedes go on sale October 1st. The company says the BlueTEC line will meet all state emissions standards and go up to 600 miles on a single fill-up. (Green Car Congress)

Simple Measures Save 1,200 Gallons of Fuel Per Flight: You probably know that driving habits can have a dramatic effect on automotive gas mileage. That fact hasn’t been lost on the airline industry, which is struggling to carve out profits in the face of soaring fuel costs. Now the FAA is assisting a trial program to see if airborne efficiencies are safe and effective. The idea is to use onboard GPS to direct longer flights, rather than relying on ground-based radar. The result is a more direct route — saving fuel, producing less carbon dioxide, and giving passengers the benefit of shorter flight times. (EcoGeek)