by Amy Mayer & Erica Hunzinger (Harvest Public Media) ... Since 1980, the amount of land being farmed or grazed in the U.S. has dropped 13 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Much of it now is covered
Archive
Back TO HOMEAs We Approach 10th Anniversary of $147 Oil, Could It Happen Again?
by Landon Hall (Fuel Freedom Foundation) The price of oil reached a record high of $147 on July 11, 2008. Could such a sharp, unexpected spike occur again? ... Market forces alone aren’t likely to cause oil prices to rise to $147 anytime
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Auto Exec: Raise the Octane Rating of U.S. Gasoline for Bump in Fuel Efficiency
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) At a recent American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers meeting, General Motors executive Dan Nicholson voiced the automaker’s support in raising the minimum octane rating of the U.S. gasoline pool from 87 to 91,
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels to Bioproducts: A Growth Industry for Australia
(Bioenergy Australia) The massive economic, social and environmental benefits that can be delivered to Australians through the creation of a strong bioenergy industry could be lost without clear government strategies. Increased use of 10 per cent ethanol-blended petrol (E10) in Australia could
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
How to Make Greener Biofuels
by Martin Høj (ScienceNordic/Phys.Org) ... The biological processes that transform biomass to alcohol yield a relatively low amount of energy, around 35 per cent of the potential energy stored within the biomass. So we are certainly not using this biomass to its full potential. This
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy Entrepreneur Proposes Hibiscus Farm at Molokai Ranch
(Associated Press/Honolulu Star Advertiser) An energy entrepreneur has proposed purchasing the Molokai Ranch and turning part of it into a farm for hibiscus that would be used for bio-fuel. Andres De Rosa, the CEO of renewable energy company Lamplighter Energy, shared his
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Exclusive: Trump Weighs Dropping Personal Efforts on Biofuel Reform - Sources
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) President Donald Trump is seriously considering abandoning efforts to remake the nation’s biofuel laws after wading deep into an issue that divides some of his core constituencies, according to three sources familiar with the administration’s thinking. Advisers
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
March 27, 2018: NHTSA Proposes to Retain Existing CAFE Penalty
(U.S. Department of Transportation) NHTSA is publishing in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking titled, “Civil Penalties,” which proposes to keep the penalty rate for violations of the agency’s CAFE program as they currently stand and not adjust them for
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Bioemergent Materials: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Alternative Natural Rubber Development
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “What would industrial progress be without natural rubber?” asks Rubber Journal Asia. “It’s hardly imaginable.” Listed as one of our four most important natural resources (the others being air, water, and petroleum and rubber), it is
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Team Discovers Enzyme Domains that Dramatically Improve Performance
(Phys.Org/ National Renewable Energy Laboratory) It was more than 10 years in the making, but when it came to uncovering the secrets of the molecular structure of enzymes, perseverance paid off. By studying and comparing the workhorse cellulose-degrading enzymes of two
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Companies Show Interest in Producing Hydrogen in Gladstone
by Tegan Annett (The Observer) Interest in producing hydrogen as an energy source is on the rise in Central Queensland. At a recent Future of Hydrogen in Australia Conference Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett said two companies approached him about industry opportunities. Cr Burnett, who
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
DSM Announces Broad Product Offering for the Biofuels Industry
(DSM/Newswire Today) Royal DSM announces its commitment to bring innovative solutions to the biofuels industry with a full portfolio offering of yeast and enzymes for starch, fiber and biomass conversions - DSM.com. Euronext: DSM KON -- Royal DSM, a global science-based company
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Nth Power and Nth Plant: The Digest’s 2018 Guide to Process Scale-Up, or Not?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) You probably knew him first as the VP for Biofuels at Chevron, and later the Program Manager for the DOE Biomass program. Paul Bryan’s a noted consultant on technology development and sometime lecturer in chemical engineering
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations, 3.28.18 Release
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) According to BIO, the global economic value today of the biobased economy – including industrial biotechnology, renewable chemicals and polymers, biofuels, enzymes and biobased materials – is $355.28 billion. And looking at the new USDA Indicators report
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Recovering Phosphorus from Corn Ethanol Waste
by Michael Torrice (Chemical & Engineering News) Finding a way to reuse the element could help lower nutrient pollution -- ... When industrial plants process corn grains to make the fuel, or even food products such as corn syrup, they generate by-products containing
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
US Grains Body Wants to Supply Ethanol for Fuel Blending
by Tv Jayan (The Hindu Business Line) Ethanol supplied by sugar producers is enough for around 4% blending, whereas India plans to blend 10% ethanol -- A trade association representing US ethanol producers said recently it wants to explore the possibility of
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Air New Zealand Says It Will Be at Least 10 Years before Aviation Biofuels Commercial
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In New Zealand, Air New Zealand says that despite talking with 30 companies following its call to source 20 million liters of aviation biofuels last year, no one is scalable at the moment to be able
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
UPDATE 1-ADM to Suspend Biodiesel Output at German Plant
by Michael Hogan (Reuters) U.S. agribusiness group Archer Daniels Midland Co will suspend production at a major biodiesel plant in Germany because of increasing cheap imports of the renewable fuel into the European Union, it said on Friday. The standstill is expected to
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
The Circular Economy: It’s Time Has Come
by KSL (Biofuels Digest) ... Prior to the energy crisis, most economies were too extravagant; now, they have now overreacted and have become retrenchment-mad. It is imperative to think rationally and design progress with the right analysis and tools to
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Bellwether Stocks of the Advanced Bioeconomy Report Good Vibes: Shoulda Put a Ring on ‘Em?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Two bellwether public stocks of the advanced bioeconomy — Amyris and Renewable Energy Group — reported strong quarterly and annual results this past week, and Aemetis’ stock has been on a real tear in recent days
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Use Light to Turn Yeast into Biochemical Factories
by Lonnie Shekhtman (Princeton University) ... In a series of experiments, they used light to control genetically modified yeast and increase its output of commercially valuable chemicals. The results offer scientists a powerful new tool to probe and understand the inner working
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
James Hay Reviewing Products after Biofuel Saga
by Hope William-Smith (Money Marketing) James Hay is reviewing its older products, following its well-publicised issues with the Elysian Fuels biofuel investment scheme. James Hay revealed last May it is involved in a legal dispute with HM Revenue & Customs around unpaid tax on
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Greenbelt Resources and Biofuels & Energy Announce “SLV Biopro”
(Greenbelt Resources) Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC: GRCO), an innovator of sustainable energy production systems, in collaboration with Biofuels & Energy, LLC (B&E), announced today the San Luis Valley Bioproducts Project, known as SLV Biopro. The project will feature Greenbelt’s waste-to-energy interconnected system (ECOsystem) designed
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Alchemy for Modern Times: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to CRI/GTI’s IH2 Process
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The IH2 process was developed by Gas Technology Institute (GTI) of Des Plaines, Illinois—a research, development, and training organization serving energy markets. GTI experts invented, tested, and patented IH2 technology and are providing ongoing commercialization support. Twelve US
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Europe’s Ethanol CEOs Besieged by RED II and Illusory Truths
by James Cogan (Ethanol Europe Renewables Ltd/Biofuels Digest) The CEOs of Europe’s big ethanol firms (Tereos, Cristal Union, Alco Group, Crop Energies) are under seige. They are battling imported and sometimes fake used cooking oil, not-yet-viable advanced fuels, palm oil diesel, imports from
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Byogy Renewables Secures Path to Commercialization With Historic ASTM Bio-Jet Fuel Specification
(Byogy Renewables/PR Newswire) California biofuel company Byogy Renewables welcomes last week's ASTM Alcohol To Jet (ATJ) ethanol based specification ballot measure approval, putting Byogy on track as a leader to produce one of the world's first "full replacement" renewable jet fuels. The ASTM
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Regulatory Fixes Will Open the Market to Ethanol Quickly -- How EPA Could Easily Remedy Issues with RINs.
by Adam Gustafson (Boyden Gray and Associates/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Such short-term fixes to high RIN prices ignore their underlying cause—EPA’s artificial constraints on the volume of ethanol that can be blended into the nation’s fuel supply. Basic rules of supply
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Enzyme Discovery Enables First-Time Microbial Production of an Aromatic Biofuel
(Phys.Org/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have discovered a new enzyme that will enable microbial production of a renewable alternative to petroleum-based toluene, a widely
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Sustainability Is All the Rage but Financing of Extreme Fossil Fuels Is on the Rise
by Eshe Nelson (Quartz Media) ... Last year, when economic losses from natural and man-made disasters exceeded $300 billion, big banks across the globe increased their financing of “extreme” fossil-fuels activities by 11% to $115 billion, according to a new report by a
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Shell — Yes, That Shell — Just Outlined a Radical Scenario for What It Would Take to Halt Climate Change
by Chris Mooney and Steven Mufson (The Washington Post) Royal Dutch Shell on Monday outlined a scenario in which, by 2070, we would be using far less of the company’s own product — oil — as cars become electric, a massive carbon
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
NACSAA Advances Recommendations to Shape UNFCCC Agricultural Work Program
(25 x '25/North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) Last November, we wrote here of a major breakthrough occurring at the global climate talks in Bonn, Germany, where, for the first time, delegates approved plans to establish an agricultural work program. What
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Growing Jobs and Rural Economies: The Farm Bill’s Energy Title --- April 4, 2018 --- Washington, DC
Since their inception in the 2002 Farm Bill, Energy Title (Title IX) programs have helped farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and rural communities generate thousands of jobs and millions in economic development. The sectors impacted by the Energy Title range from renewable energy—including
March 24, 2018 Read Full Article
China Mulls Hiking Import Duty on US Denatured Ethanol by 15% to 45%
by Srijan Kanoi (Platts) China's Ministry of Commerce said Friday that they might impose an additional 15% duty, along with the existing 30% duty, on denatured ethanol imports from the US if both China and US fail to reach a trade compensation
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
JRC Released New Certified Reference Materials for Automotive Diesel Fuel Testing
(EU Science Hub) The JRC released two new Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for automotive diesel fuel containing 7 % biodiesel, so-called 'diesel (B7)'. These CRMs will support fuel producers and fuel testing laboratories in assuring the quality of their measurements, thus improving
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Oyo Compensates Owners of Land Acquired for Cassava Plantation
(The Guardian Nigeria)The Oyo State government has paid compensation to about 77 families whose lands were acquired recently for mass production of cassava in Otu, near Iseyin. The Commissioner for Lands, Housing, and Survey, Mr. Isaac Ajiboye Omodewu, presented the
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Parliamentary Committee Raises Concern over Ethanol Blending Programme
(IANS /Moneylife) Raising an alarm over slow ethanol procurement for blending with the petrol, a parliamentary committee has flagged loopholes in the government's Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP). The EBP, under Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, aims at blending ethanol with petrol,
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Low-Cost Sugars and Lignin: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Sweetwater Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sweetwater Energy has developed a unique and patented technology for producing low-cost sugars and clean lignin fiber from multiple non-food plant materials to help meet the modern world’s increasing demand for biochemicals, bioplastics and biofuels. Sweetwater CEO
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
High Tech Algae Farming Industry Gets Boost with Introduction of Bipartisan Algae Agriculture Act of 2018
(Algae Biomass Organization/Globe Newswire) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today applauded the introduction of the Algae Agriculture Act of 2018, a bill that would give algae cultivators and harvesters many of the same advantages as other
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Plymouth Drivers Get Rewarded for Choosing E15
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MBA) and KS95 FM teamed up today to reward drivers who chose E15 during a two-hour long promotion at the Holiday station on County Road 24 in Plymouth. From 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, MBA
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Where’s Ethanol Going to Go?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... According to POET CEO Jeff Broin, there’s a deal on the table — changing almost by the hour, but a deal none the less. A deal on the table to provide year-round E15 approval for the biofuels industry
March 23, 2018 Read Full Article
LanzaTech is #1!
(Lanza Tech) In Washington, LanzaTech took the #1 spot in the 2018 “50 Hottest Companies in the Advanced Bioeconomy” rankings, published in The Digest, the world’s most widely-read bioeconomy daily. It was the third year at the top for LanzaTech, which
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
NBB Again Disappointed by Failure to Renew Biodiesel Tax Credit
(National Biodiesel Board) Congress Reaches Another Deal to Fund the Government That Fails to Reinstate the Biodiesel Tax Credit -- Today, the U.S. Congress is expected to pass an omnibus spending bill to fund the government that did not include a reinstatement
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
West Coast Fuel Supply & Transportation Opportunities --- May 9-10, 2018 --- Napa Valley, CA
Discover the opportunities that lie on the West Coast with a greater understanding of market-based emissions reduction efforts California is considered the market leader in implementing regulatory programs that simultaneously create billions of dollars in revenue and cut carbon dioxide emissions. As
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Medford High School Students Tour Guardian Energy
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Thirty-seven students from Medford High School visited Guardian Energy in Janesville yesterday to gain a better understanding of clean Minnesota-produced renewable energy. The students were briefed on the various processes of ethanol production at the plant, which produces 130
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Boeing Promotes Aviation Biofuel in Africa
by Kaleyesus Bekele (AIN Online) The Boeing Company has teamed with the South African government, South African Airways (SAA), the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and U.S. energy firm SKYNRG, to identify biofuel
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Ag Policy Blog: Senators Detail Farm Bill Goals
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee are getting ready to move ahead on drafting a farm bill, ideally in April, and will seek to avoid the rancor over food assistance that has tied up
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA Leader: EPA Eroding RFS -- Assistant to President Says Search Continues for a Win-Win Proposal
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) A special assistant to President Donald Trump on agriculture said Wednesday, "the search for a win-win continues" in the debate over how to relieve oil refiners of their obligations under the Renewable Fuels Standard. Ray
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
DTI Seeks Technology Partners for Algae Extraction
(Algae Industry Magazine) Diversified Technologies, Inc. (DTI) has received a Phase II SBIR for the USDA NFIA to use pulsed electric field (PEF) processing for algal extraction and predator control. Working with the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI),
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Enerkem Makes a Major Breakthrough by Producing a New High-Octane Biofuel
(Enerkem/Oil and Gas 360/PR Newswire) Enerkem Inc., a world-leading waste-to-biofuels and chemicals producer, announced today during the 255th American Chemical Society national meeting being held in New Orleans, that it had succeeded in producing a new high-performance biofuel that could improve the octane rating
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
USDA Biobased Economy Report Indicates Potential for Rural Prosperity with Renewable Chemicals
(Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Pharmiweb) The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today applauded USDA’s release of a new report, “Indicators of the U.S. Biobased Economy.” The report measures substantial economic growth, job creation, and household income for the agricultural sector from biofuel and bioenergy production. Moreover,
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Thirty Third Annual RISI North American Conference --- October 10-12, 2018 --- San Francisco, CA
Join industry colleagues in San Francisco for the Thirty Third Annual RISI North American Conference. This is the premier forum to immerse yourself in all aspects of the forest products industry. Discover how RISI's deep industry expertise will help you
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
It's Here! ... The (Spending) Level Playing Field
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA grants rise: The agency's operational budget would remain pretty much the same, but grant programs get a boost, Alex Guillén and Annie Snider report. That means the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving funds
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Stora Enso Wins Bio-Based Product of the Year for Lineo by Stora Enso
(Stora Enso/Cision) Lineo™by Stora Enso, a renewable replacement for oil-based phenolic materials, has been awarded ‘Bio-Based Product of the Year’ at the Bio-Based World News Innovation Awards 2018. Shortlisted alongside products from Clean Plus Inc. and The Chemours Company, the judges recognised
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Global Bioenergies to Present Results of Engine Testing with Renewable Fuels
(Global Bioenergies) Global Bioenergies (Euronext Growth: ALGBE) will present engine testing results on April 5th. Its commercial partner Audi, and German engine & fuels specialist FEV, will join the presentation. ... Global Bioenergies is one of the few companies worldwide, and
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
UK-Based Vertas Group Acquires Waste Management Firm
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) U.K.-based Vertas Group Ltd. has acquired a majority stake in MMB Environmental, a million-pound waste management and pest control business. Services provided by Vertas Group include catering, cleaning, grounds maintenance, energy and property management, and more. Vertas
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Chinese Researchers Boost Algae Lipids, Reduce Peroxidation
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers from Nanjing Tech University in China have published a paper in Biotechnology for Biofuels on their method to increase lipid content and reduce peroxidation in Schizochytrium sp., a marine microalgae rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is touted for
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Can Help Reduce Injector Deposit Formation
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Modern diesel engines utilize high pressure common rail fuel systems whose small injector gaps are highly sensitive to deposits. New research from the University of Rostock in Germany has shown that biodiesel use can minimize deposit
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
10-Day Comment Period on PES Settlement Agreement Closes March 26
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The public comment period opened March 16 after publication in the Federal Register on the proposed consent decree and environmental settlement agreement lodged by the U.S. Department of Justice with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Borough in London Chooses Biomethane to Fuel Heavy Duty Fleet
(Islington Council/NGV Journal) Islington Council has revealed plans for a new “green fleet” of vehicles that will use the cleanest possible technology and fuels, as it launches a borough-wide spring clean campaign this month. Fully electric and hybrid cars have been
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Indonesia to Expand Domestic Biodiesel Use
(Jakarta Post) The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry plans to expand the use of biodiesel to 3.5 million kiloliters annually by encouraging the mining sector and state-owned railway operator KAI to use the fuel. “I just reported the plan to use biodiesel
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
RED II – Europe’s €25 Billion Blunder
by Dick Roche (EURACTIV) ... Investments worth billions have already been written off as a result of EU U-turns on biofuels. The half-billion Euro Vivergo plant, at one point the largest industrial project in England, is a monument to confused biofuel
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Scraps Duty on Most Argentina, Indonesia Biodiesel: Document
Philip Blenkinsop (Reuters) The European Union has removed duties on biodiesel imports for 13 Argentine and Indonesian producers following the end of legal proceedings at the European Court of Justice (ECJ), an EU document shows. The bloc set anti-dumping duties on imports
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Develop Methanation Technology to Produce RNG
(University of Waterloo/Biomass Magazine) Farm manure could be a viable source of renewable energy to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. Researchers at the University of Waterloo are developing technology to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) from manure so
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
What Would a Bill Look Like?
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. John Shimkus have some ideas. The two have been working on a bill for well over a year to overhaul the Renewable Fuel Standard, a likely vehicle for the fixes Perdue
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Project Focus: Converting Dairy By-Products into High Value Bio-Based Chemicals.
(AgriChemWhey/Biobased World News) ... Producers that can access plentiful feedstocks with the minimum of fuss can have the best of both worlds – exactly the position that Ireland finds itself in. The country is in the midst of a bio-based revolution
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Sakol Energy Poised to Become a Fully Integrated Power Provider
(Sakol Energy) Sakol Energy PLC (SKE), a natural gas provider, has successfully acquired the last biomass licence with high FIT rate as the firm moves to become an integrated power producer after completing three energy deals in three months following listing
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Facebook and Google’s Surprising, Rising Prospects along Agriculture’s Revolutionary Road
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you haven’t been to Ankeny, Iowa in recent years — situated between Des Moines and Ames, which is to say between the political and financial capital of the state and Iowa State University and its
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
CEC: California EV chargers Will Add 1 GW of Peak Demand by 2025
by Gavin Blade (Utility Dive) o California will need between 229,000 and 279,000 electric vehicle chargers in public locations and multi-unit dwellings by 2025 to meet Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) goals of having 5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Export Exchange 2018 --- October 22-24, 2018 --- Minneapolis, MN
Nearly 200 international buyers and end-users are expected to be in Minneapolis, Minnesota from Oct. 22 to 24, 2018 – eager to meet and build relationships with more than 300 domestic suppliers in attendance over three days of educational sessions and networking
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Toyota to Sell Ethanol Fueled Hybrids in Brazil
(Kyodo News) Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it has unveiled in Brazil a prototype of the world's first hybrid vehicle that runs on ethanol to further cut carbon dioxide emissions, aiming to launch the model in the country in one to
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Trash Facility Director Aiming to Construct Alternative Biofuel Facility
by Andrea Ray (Sippican Week) If all goes as planned, the Zero Waste Solutions trash processing facility in Rochester could be among the first in the country to produce a renewable alternative to gasoline. That's what Zero Waste CEO Mike Camara told
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
UPDATE 2-Pennsylvania Says Bankrupt Refiner Owes $3.8 bln in Taxes - Filing
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The state of Pennsylvania wants a federal judge to halt the bankruptcy of Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES), arguing the refiner owes an estimated $3.8 billion in fuel taxes, according to a court filing on Friday. The state’s Department
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Says Exports at Risk in Tariff Disputes
by Karl Plume (Reuters) U.S. agricultural exports could be at risk in any retaliation over tariffs implemented by the White House, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said on Monday. ... Perdue said that while the United States is not currently in a
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
The MixAlco Process: Green Energy for the Future
by Matt McDowell (The Battalion) Texas A&M professor’s green energy research is helping turn bio waste into useful chemicals and fuels. -- ... The MixAlco process, a term originally coined by Mark Holtzapple, chemical engineering professor, uses bio waste as input
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Katter, "Ethanol Is Answer to National Security"
(Bob Katter) KAP Federal Member for Kennedy, Hon Bob Katter MP says that when it comes to national security there is only one answer; Australia must produce its own fuel. Mr Katter’s comments come in response to Parliament's National Security Committee
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Honeywell’s UOP and Renewable Jet and Diesel Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Honeywell’s UOP has developed a renewable jet fuel processing technology, a renewable diesel process, as well as a joint venture, Envergent Technologies, that will market technologies and equipment for generating power, transportation fuel and heating oil
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
California Here I Come: World Energy's Audacious $72M Acquisition of AltAir and the Paramount Oil Refinery
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Paramount Deal: World Energy takes off with audacious $72M acquisition of AltAir and the Paramount oil refinery -- In Massachusetts, World Energy has acquired renewable jet and diesel producer AltAir Paramount, and its Paramount Petroleum refinery
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Bioeconomy Potential of Portugal, Romania and Poland Profiled in New BIC Country Reports
(Bio-based Industries Consortium) The Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) has published three new Country Reports mapping the potential and identifying opportunities for expanding the bio-based industry in Poland, Portugal and Romania. Poland’s bioeconomy sector is focused on agriculture, forestry and food processing, areas which are already central to the
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Administration Preparing List of Possible Biofuels Tweaks - Sources
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The heads of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Agriculture Department are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to winnow down proposals to lower the cost of the nation’s biofuels policy to oil refiners, according to two sources
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
New Biodiesel Mandate Starts on May 1, Johnson Says Minnesota Is Ready for B20
by Brandon Lewis (KTOE) Six weeks remain until Minnesota’s new B20 mandate kicks-in on May 1. House Representative Clark Johnson (D-North Mankato) says all evidence points to the state being ready to go ahead with the change. “For farmers it means a higher
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Opinion: How Blockchain and Digital Coins Can Serve the Biofuels Industry
by Fabio Nehme (Nehme Commodities/Biofuels International) ... Biofuel market participants should also follow these technological developments closely. There are three areas particularly promising to the biofuels industry: supply chain integrity and traceability, access to financing, and downstream sales. Increasingly, the management
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Questions Raised over EU’s Proposed Advanced Biofuels List
by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EurActiv) Not all second-generation biofuels listed by the European Commission are sustainable, critics warn, urging policymakers to use the indirect land use change (ILUC) factor to “clean up” the list. The Commission’s proposed revision of the Renewable Energy Directive
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
China's Independent Oil Refiners Gear up for Ethanol Push in Cars
by Meng Meng, Josephine Mason (Reuters) China’s top independent oil refiner is buying ethanol and two others are seeking government approval to blend the biofuel into their gasoline ahead of the country’s 2020 deadline to add it to the nation’s fuel supply,
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Big Oil Faces Big Test in Climate-Change Court Showdown with SF, Oakland
by Kurtis Alexander (San Francisco Chronicle) A San Francisco judge who must decide whether to hold the world’s largest oil companies responsible for global warming is ordering up what many are calling the most comprehensive, and unusual, debate on climate change
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA and Paul Jr. Designs Team Up on Hit AMERICAN CHOPPER TV Series with Custom Ethanol-Powered Bike
by Emily Druckman (Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has joined forces with Paul Jr. Designs to conceive of and fabricate a signature motorcycle that thrusts American-made fuel ethanol into the spotlight. Known for innovative designs that push creative
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Brazilian Lawmakers Mull Expanded Ethanol Tariff
(Argus Media) Mato Grosso state congressman Fabio Garcia presented a bill that would remove Brazil's 600mn liter/year (10,339 b/d) tariff exemption on imported ethanol, a move that would hurt imports from the US. The bill is seen as a response to the
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Sugar Glut Pushes Brazil Mills into Ethanol, White Sugar, Washouts
by Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Brazilian mills are doing everything they can to keep raw sugar off the global market as Brazil’s cane harvest kicks off, to avoid worsening a glut that has driven prices to their lowest in two years. With the benchmark
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Biofuel Policy Requires Reliable Framework Conditions -- UFOP and FOP Appeal to Council, Parliament and Commission
(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP)) The trialogue procedure for redrafting the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) began in late February 2018. Against this backdrop, the German Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP -
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
New Edition of “Good Reasons for Biofuels” Brochure Published
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Germany, the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) updated and reissued its consumer information “Good Reasons for Biofuels”. The brochure provides the most important aspects on 24 pages justifying the
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Brazil Regulates Its National Biofuel Policy Law
(Renewables Now) Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy announced on Wednesday that President Michel Temer has signed a decree to regulate the National Biofuel Policy (RenovaBio). According to the new guidelines, the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) will be in charge of defining
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
This USDA Lab Is Turning Billions Of Pounds Of Almond Waste Into Beer, Plastic, And Power
by Adele Peters (Fast Company) The country’s growing almond habit means that there are lots of shells and hulls to put to good use. These government scientists are working hard to find the best options. ... “For every pound of almonds we produce,
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Cow Power: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Ag-Grid Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ag-Grid Energy has a vision to convert agricultural and organic waste into renewable energy, compost and support local area practices that lead us towards a sustainable environment. The company intends to finance, build, own (jointly), operate
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
World First ISCC Independent Smallholder Certificate Event --- March 26, 2018 --- Jambi, Indonesia
The independent smallholder from Jambi have received their first ISCC certificate. This will be celebrated on 26 March at Swiss Belholtel in Jambi City together with project partners such as SNV, Government and company representatives and the press. Erwin Widodo,
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Brews, Bangers and Biofuels – Ireland’s Bioeconomy Looking up
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... But it’s also about whisky, as reported in the Digest in July 2017, and how Celtic Renewables puts whisky in the car and not just in the jar. It’s about Cork County’s announcement that they are
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
New Federal Budget Puts Price on Carbon
by Joshua D. Rhodes (University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute) Expanded Carbon Credit Could Spur New Coal Power Investment -- The Furthering carbon capture, Utilization, Technology, Underground storage, and Reduced Emissions (FUTURE) Act, part of the recently enacted Bipartisan Budget Act of
March 19, 2018 Read Full Article
5th Annual Rethink Methane Symposium --- February 26-27, 2019 --- Sacramento, CA
The expanded two-day event will provide a more in-depth look at the opportunities renewable gas presents to achieve California’s air quality, climate protection and economic development goals. Learn how renewable methane can help California: -Achieve GHG emissions reduction objectives in SB 32,
March 18, 2018 Read Full Article
CO2 Reuse Summit --- May 16-17, 2018 --- Zurich, Switzerland
The world is constantly looking for pathways to sustainable future. One of the biggest issues are increasing CO2 emissions, which are causing the global warming. Scientists from around the globe developed several technologies enabling us to turn carbon dioxide into
March 18, 2018 Read Full Article
RFS Roundup: Potential Impacts of the GREENER Fuels Act on Cellulosic Fuels Development
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Riding the recent wave of Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) reform talks, Representative Welch (D-VT) and Senator Udall (D-NM) introduced the Growing Renewable Energy through Existing and New Environmentally Responsible Fuels Act (GREENER Fuels Act)
March 18, 2018 Read Full Article
CALL FOR PAPERS: Revolution in Food and Biomass Production (REFAB) --- October 1-2, 2018 --- Cologne, Germany DEADLINE: uncertain
The conference “Revolution in Food and Biomass Production” in Cologne on 1-2 October 2018 will bring together all future-oriented experts from companies, start-ups and research to have a look at the future of food and biomass production. What high-tech strategies are emerging on
March 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Revolution in Food and Biomass Production (REFAB) --- October 1-2, 2018 --- Cologne, Germany
The conference “Revolution in Food and Biomass Production” in Cologne on 1-2 October 2018 will bring together all future-oriented experts from companies, start-ups and research to have a look at the future of food and biomass production. What high-tech strategies are emerging on
March 18, 2018 Read Full Article
DOE Official: Clean Energy Funding Should Be Cut for ‘Exceeding Goals’
by Lacey Johnson (Greentech Media) The Under Secretary of Energy defends a Trump administration proposal to cut $1.3 billion in funding from the DOE’s renewable energy office. -- The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is so
March 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Corn-State Senators Seek Trump Meeting as U.S. Biofuel Changes Loom
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) A group of senators from U.S. corn states have asked President Donald Trump for a meeting about the nation’s biofuels law, amid expectations the administration will soon act to lower the regulation’s costs to the oil refining
March 18, 2018 Read Full Article
The U.S. Is about to Be the World’s Top Crude Oil Producer. Guess Who Didn’t See It Coming.
by Charles Lane (Washington Post) ... Domestic crude production was not inherently “limited,” as O’Connell told Congress in 2011, it just needed a better mouse trap. Fracking was it. Entrepreneurs broke the oil-import addiction, even though the main thing they intended to
March 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Co-Optimization of Engines & Fuels: Breakthrough Research in Engine and Fuel Co-Optimization
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Energy Department today (February 15, 2018) released two studies from the Co-Optimization of Engines & Fuels initiative (Co-Optima). The study, Fuel Blendstocks with the Potential to Optimize Future Gasoline Engine Performance, identifies eight representative high-octane blendstocks across
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
XCELIS™ Is DuPont’s Fuel Ethanol Platform
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) DuPont gave its new XCELIS™ fuel ethanol platform a colorful debut at the National Ethanol Conference last month in San Antonio, with a rainbow of pastel colored arches along the walkway to the meeting area. “XCELIS is really the way
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Environmental Groups Back Ted Cruz, Republicans on Overhaul of Renewable Fuel Standard
by Ben Wolfgang (Washington Times) Green organizations back ending corn ethanol mandate -- ... The intense opposition to the RFS from environmental and conservation groups comes as the White House and congressional leaders work to craft the most serious reforms the program
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Oklahoma Cellulosic Diesel Facility Achieves D7 Q-RIN Status
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) D7 renewable identification numbers (RINs) generated at a biorefinery in Oklahoma City producing cellulosic diesel fuel have been verified by Weaver and granted Q-RIN status. Weaver is an independent third-party auditor and U.S. EPA-approved RIN Quality
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
ARPA-E Announces $16M in Funding for 8 New Projects to Develop High-Efficiency Distributed Generations Systems Integrating Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
(FuelsCellsWorks/U.S. Department of Energy) Innovative Natural-gas Technologies for Efficiency Gain in Reliable and Affordable Thermochemical Electricity-generation (INTEGRATE) The U.S. electric system is dominated by large, central power plants and an extensive transmission and distribution system commonly referred to as the “grid.” Two-thirds
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Finnish Government Supports Increased Biogas Production
(Gasum/NGV Journal) The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has granted Gasum €7.83 million in ‘Bioeconomy and clean solutions’ key project support for increased biogas production. Developing the biogas market and the transport use of natural gas and increasing biogas production
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Algility: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Algae as a New Crop and Technology Platform
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae has been reinvented in recent years as a Sustainable New Crop for Food, Feed, Fuel and other products. Part of an international effort to expand Agricultural Production and productive land, and keeping key nutrients on the farm
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
'Keep It In The Ground' Activists Optimistic Despite Oil Boom
by Jeff Brady (National Public Radio) The United States oil business is booming and the country could soon be the largest crude oil producer in the world. Despite this record-breaking production, climate change activists campaigning to move away from fossil fuels
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Visual Guide to the Economics, Politics of Renewable Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Have you ever wondered why corn farmers march for the RFS, but Wall Streeters don't? Or why merchent oil refiners want the US Renewable Fuel Standard repealed but major oilcos generally support RFS reform? Why are biodiesel
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Opinion: Putin Has Finally Gone Too Far
by David Ignatius (The Washington Post) ... So how can the United States and its closest allies alter (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s behavior, if they’re truly serious about holding Russia to account? The answer, say several former senior CIA officials,
March 16, 2018 Read Full Article
First Renewable Hydrogen Refueling Station Opens in the Netherlands
(PitPoint/NGV Journal) The hydrogen refueling station has been built and will be operated by PitPoint clean fuels and AkzoNobel will supply with renewable hydrogen by pipeline. The fuel is produced sustainably by electrolysis, using electricity produced from wind energy, which is
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Fiat Panda Natural Power Runs on Biomethane for a Whole Year
(Fiat/NGV Journal) Today marks the first anniversary of the trial on the Panda powered only by biomethane produced at CAP Group’s wastewater treatment plant in Bresso-Niguarda (Milan). On 14 March 2017 Elisa Boscherini (Head of FCA Institutional Relations for the EMEA
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Better Biomass Conversion for Biofuels and Bioproducts
by Krista Eastman (University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) Behind the successful conversion of biomass to a better biofuel or a new green chemical, there is a carefully chosen solvent. The right solvent not only dissolves biomass but also drives the efficiency of the
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels Interest in Post Tax Bill Hearing
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and more than 50 member organizations are urging Congressional leaders to extend the biodiesel tax credit as soon as possible for at least 2018. In a letter to House and Senate leadership sent in advance of
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
John Abraham, in an article in The Guardian, notes, "Biofuels can help solve climate change, especially with a carbon tax -- We’re not yet optimizing biofuel production for both economic and environmental factors." And, "If society is willing to pay a
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels Can Help Solve Climate Change, Especially with a Carbon Tax
by John Abraham (The Guardian) Biofuels can help solve climate change, especially with a carbon tax -- We’re not yet optimizing biofuel production for both economic and environmental factors ... These are great starts but we will still need some liquid fuels and for those,
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Scania Engines Being Tested with Raw Untreated Biogas
(Scania/Biomass Magazine) Producing biogas from waste materials for use as vehicle fuel and heating is not new. And Scania has been working with biogas as an alternative and sustainable source of energy for some years now. However, a couple of innovative
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
USDA Seeks Applicants for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects under the Rural Energy for America Program DEADLINE: April 30, 2018
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) – Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today invited applications for loan guarantees and grants for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects. These loan guarantees and grants are part of USDA’s Rural Energy
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Electric Dreams: The Impact of EVs for Energy and Metals in Asia --- March 22, 2018
While EVs are the subject of noisy debate among some western commentators, they have been quietly gaining ground in some of Asia’s biggest economies. China is developing a timetable to ban internal combustion engine vehicles, while India aims to have EVs
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Regional Transportation and Climate Listening Session --- April 9, 2018 --- Albany, NY
Focus on the development of policies and strategies for reducing carbon emissions from the transportation sector. Participating TCI states have announced a series of stakeholder discussions to promote a safer, cleaner and more reliable transportation future through policies and strategies that
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Op-Ed: Biofuel from Sugarcane – Why Is SA Not Rushing Ahead?
by Chris Ward (Daily Maverick) Support for diversification of the sugar industry provides a superb and immediate opportunity for the government of South Africa under its new president to create thousands of new jobs by leveraging sugarcane as a key strategic
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Greenbelt Resources Signs Letter of Intent With Biofuels and Energy, LLC
(Globe Newswire/Greenbelt Resources) Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC:GRCO) (Greenbelt), the developer of a sustainable ECOsystem model that transforms waste into revenue generating bioproducts, today announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Biofuels and Energy, LLC (B&E), a New
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
So-Called ‘Dem’ Ethanol Bill Has It All Wrong
by Doug Sombke (The Hill/South Dakota Farmers Union) As a card carrying Democrat, I resent the broad brush generalization of the Hill’s March 8 headline, "Dem Bill Would Overhaul Ethanol Mandate.” To imply to readers that the measure by Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Geothermal Could Profit from U.S. Executive Order to Support Lithium Mining
by Alexander Richter (Think GeoEnergy) An executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump to support mining activities for critical minerals, could present a boost to lithium mining activities in the U.S. and indirectly help some geothermal projects. As reported recently, U.S. President
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
UPM Moving into Bioplastics, Continues Busy 2018
(Biofuels International) UPM has joined forces with Norwegian packaging company Elopak and chemical producer Dow to convert its renewable naphtha into cartons. Alongside renewable diesel, the Finnish company’s UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery produces naphtha, an excellent raw material for bioplastics. The naphtha can
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Omani Researchers Convert Wastepaper into Bioplastic, Bioethanol and Biodiesel
(Muscat Daily) The wastepaper which accounts for more than 35 per cent of the total lignocellulosic waste of the municipal solid waste could be a potential feedstock for value-added products due to its rich cellulose content, researchers in Oman have
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
NBB Highlights 5 Individuals' Stories for National Biodiesel Day
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) ... In the U.S., nearly 3 billion gallons of clean, renewable fuel replacing its petroleum counterpart. A thriving and growing diesel vehicle market. And 64,000 jobs supported by biodiesel, many the highest paying jobs in the area.
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Braathens Regional Airlines First Passenger Airline in the World Offering All Travelers to Fly on Biofuel
by Angelos Restanis (Travel Daily News) Anyone who fly with Braathens Regional Airlines in Sweden as from April 8 will be able to book biofuel flights for an extra fee of SEK 300 (29,50 euros) per flight Braathens Regional Airlines is the first
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Bolivia Invests $1.6 Billion to Boost Output of Sugar-Based Ethanol
(Latin American Herald Tribune) A $1.6 billion investment by 2025 will allow ethanol made from sugarcane represent 25 percent of fuels used in Bolivia, President Evo Morales said on Thursday. The president was speaking at an event in the eastern city of
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions (SBAR)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions (SBAR) is a multi-level research project that will cultivate two desert-dwelling crops, guayule and guar, for a sustainable bioeconomy. Combined, guayule (perennial) and guar (annual) feedstocks can provide biomass year round
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Youth Climate Justice Summit 2018 --- April 25, 2018 --- St. Paul, MN
Join Climate Generation for a day at the capitol! This is a chance for youth to experience first-hand how to participate in government and policy. Meet with Governor Dayton and our MN Senators and Representatives to talk about why you care
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
OMCs Ready to Pay Higher Offtake for Biofuel: Pradhan
(The Siasat Daily) The government is prepared to pay a higher offtake price to producers of biofuel than it does for fossil fuels in a bid to boost the use of clean energy, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Wednesday. Addressing the
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
CON: Keep the Renewable Fuel Standard but Reboot It by Using Bio-Masses instead of Corn
by Michael E. Kraft (Tribune News Service/Bradenton Herald) ... Ideally, Congress would reboot the renewable fuel mandate in a new way for today's economy, and design it as one component of a comprehensive response to climate change. For starters, Congress could slowly transition
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Biodiesel and 2nd Gen Biofuels Need Stable Tax Policy
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AdWired.com) The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax Policy heard from representatives of the biodiesel and advanced biofuels industries Wednesday on the need for “Post Tax Reform of Recently Expired Tax Provisions” that are helping move the nation toward
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Golden ARC Awards "Call for Entries" Announced DEADLINE: May 4 , 2018
(Agricultural Relations Council) The Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) today issued the annual "Call for Entries" for the highly-respected Golden ARC Awards. The annual contest allows agricultural public relations professionals to submit their best work for comparison to that of colleagues working
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Cloncurry Treated Sewage Water Trial
TREATED sewage water is being used to irrigate paddocks of crops that can be used for biofuels in a trial at Cloncurry. Sorghum, soy beans, sun hemp and leucaena are being irrigated with the treated sewage water at a trial site,
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Venice's Water Buses to Run on Recycled Cooking Oil
by Catherine Edwards (The Local IT) The water buses that transport locals and tourists through Venice's canals will soon run on environmentally friendly biofuel, made from used cooking oils. The fuel, which is 15 percent renewable, will be produced in a Venetian refinery
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
$1.5 Billion Settlement Reached in Syngenta GMO Class Action Suit
by Susan Reidy (World-Grain.com) A $1.5 billion settlement has been reached in the nationwide class action suit over Syngenta’s genetically modified corn seed. It is believed to be one of the largest agricultural settlements in U.S. history. The settlement covers all U.S.
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Valtra Switches to 100-Percent Renewable Fuel to Fill New Tractors
(Valtra) Valtra has become the first tractor factory in the world to begin using Neste MY Renewable Diesel as the start-up fuel for all new tractors. As a result, around 700,000 litres of fossil diesel fuel will be replaced each
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Harmonizing a Three-Headed Regulatory Monster (EPA, NHTSA, CARB)
by Graham Noyes and Doug Durante (Low Carbon Fuels Coalition/Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Biofuels Digest) ... While not as entertaining to watch as a Godzilla film with a three-headed flying monster, the current regulatory struggle over national auto standards between the US
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the 2018 Bioeconomy Business Outlook
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, The Digest reports that 72 percent of bioenergy executives are more optimistic about their organization’s prospects for growth and 68 percent about industry growth, than 12 months ago. The findings were among the highlights
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Bioeconomy Execs Bullish on 2018, 74% of Companies Expect Revenue Growth, 62 Percent Expect Jobs Increase; 48% Seeking Finance
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, The Digest reports that 72 percent of bioenergy executives are more optimistic about their organization’s prospects for growth and 68 percent about industry growth, than 12 months ago. The findings were among the highlights
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Chief Signals Showdown With California on Fuel Emission Standards
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Ryan Beene and John Lippert (Bloomberg Politics) Pruitt warns California isn’t in driver’s seat on car rules; EPA faces April 1 deadline to decide on current requirements -- The Trump administration’s chief environmental regulator signaled a coming showdown with
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Refiners Try to Hold Trump's Attention
(Politico's Morning Energy) With a settlement between refiner Philadelphia Energy Solutions and EPA in hand and voting in the Pennsylvania special election over, some biofuels observers think the issue may fall off Trump's radar. A biofuels source told ME Tuesday they
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
ACE Talks Opportunities, Challenges for Ethanol Demand in 2018
by Tim Albrecht (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The American Coalition for Ethanol hosted a webinar Feb. 20 titled “Opportunities and Challenges to Increasing Ethanol Demand in 2018.” The webinar focused on ACE initiatives designed to ensure ethanol continues to grow in the
March 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Let's Talk Technical -- Reid Vapor Pressure and E15 Choice -- What Roadblocks Limit Ethanol from Expanding into the Market Place?
(Urban Air Initiative) The ethanol industry faces several roadblocks, in particular we hear about the RVP relief, vapor pressure for blends higher than E10. We also have the MOVES model which is the Motor Vehicle Emissions simulator that the EPA uses to
March 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Neste's Human Rights Program Making Gradual Impacts on Labor Issues within the Palm Oil Industry
(Neste Corporation) ... In order to truly have impacts in human rights, we have started identifying potential human rights issues and put in motion a plan to manage the associated risks, particularly in our palm oil supply chain. Engagement to ensure capacity