Federal Agency – Advanced BioFuels USA

EPA Could Immediately Increase Volume of Low-Carbon Biofuels by Over 50 Percent

by Jesse Stolark (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) The EPA is leaving 200 million gallons of cellulosic biofuels on the table, according to the newly formed Biomass Power Coalition, a group of biomass trade organizations, biomass power producers, and supporters (EESI is a supporting member). That’s nearly half the total volume of

February 17, 2019 Read Full Article

RFS Power Coalition Launched by BPA, ABC, ERC

(Biomass Power Association, American Biogas Council and Energy Recovery Council/Biomass Magazine) Three trade associations representing renewable electricity producers today announced the launch of the RFS Power Coalition. The coalition’s purpose is to get the EPA to implement a law passed by Congress in 2007 which mandates the inclusion of qualifying renewable

February 13, 2019 Read Full Article

National Wildlife Federation Files Lawsuit over Habitat Destruction from Biofuels Policy

by Mike Saccone (National Wildlife Federation) The National Wildlife Federation, represented by Earthjustice, filed a lawsuit today against the Environmental Protection Agency alleging that it illegally approved expanded volume production of largely corn- and soy-based biofuels despite evidence that such production destroys habitat, degrades water quality and increases harmful greenhouse gas

February 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Open the Door to Higher Blends

by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union and Farmers Union Enterprise/Biofuels Digest) … The reality is that the RFS is going backwards, we have effectively capped the use of corn ethanol in the United States, and the EPA continues to play lip service to the President they work for and the public

February 13, 2019 Read Full Article

General Motors to Ethanol: Focus on 95 Octane Fuel Standard, or “Miss the Window altogether”

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, General Motors VP Dan Nicholson told delegates at the National Ethanol Conference that “High octane is essential to realize better efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions,” but warned the US ethanol industry to get behind the 95 octane fuel standard, warning that 98 RON is

February 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Reader Opinion: Let’s Be Champions for Ethanol

by John Poston MN(R) District: 09A (Brainerd Dispatch) … Over the past five years, farm income has fallen by 46 percent. One thing that all Americans can do to help is use a biofuel that we make and sell right here at home. E15, a 15 percent ethanol blend, is made from

February 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Renewable Fuels Association Kicks Off Awareness Campaign for E15

(Convenience Store News) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) launched an awareness campaign in support of E15 fuel with the launch of a new consumer-facing website and digital ads in The Washington Post. The campaign’s goal is to educate consumers and policymakers about the benefits of the fuel ahead of this year’s summer driving

February 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Exclusive: U.S. EPA May Issue E15 Gasoline Plan without Biofuel Credit Trade Limits – Sources

by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering releasing its draft proposal to expand sales of higher ethanol blends of gasoline without including simultaneous measures it promised the oil industry to curb biofuel credit speculation, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The move would help the agency

February 12, 2019 Read Full Article

RFA’s Cooper: Ethanol Industry ‘Delivering Huge Wins’ Despite ‘Tough Year’ in 2018

(Renewable Fuels Association) Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper told nearly 1,000 National Ethanol Conference attendees today that while the U.S. ethanol industry had a “tough year” in 2018, it “continued to deliver huge wins for consumers,” including lower gas prices, cleaner air, a more secure energy supply,

February 12, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Pushing Water Quality Trading to Address Nutrients

(Agri-Pulse) The Environmental Protection Agency is encouraging states to develop water quality trading programs to tackle nutrient pollution, which has become an increasingly visible issue in farm country. In a memorandum to EPA regional administrators, Assistant Administrator for Water David Ross said the agency wants to move toward more market-based solutions to address

February 11, 2019 Read Full Article

Republican Lawmakers Face Pressure to Propose ‘Green New Deal’ Alternative

by Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) Republicans who want to combat climate change say their party should avoid the temptation of rejecting the progressive “Green New Deal” without proposing an alternative. “If the Green New Deal goes down in flames and gets totally discredited, the climate issue is still out there,” said

February 11, 2019 Read Full Article

RFA Releases 2019 Ethanol Industry Outlook, Pocket Guide

(Renewable Fuels Association) Today at the 24th annual National Ethanol Conference, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) released its 2019 Ethanol Industry Outlook and Pocket Guide, known around the world as the go-to sources for reliable information and data on America’s ethanol industry. The annual Outlook publication provides policymakers, regulators, consumers, the media, and renewable fuel

February 11, 2019 Read Full Article

Audio: Grain, Ethanol Market Development Work To Surge With USDA ATP Funds

(U.S. Grains Council) New funding to the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) from the Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) Program – part of a larger “trade aid” package offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the wake of new tariffs and global market uncertainty – will expand the organization’s global footprint and

February 11, 2019 Read Full Article

One Fish Model Study Leads to Three Wins for the Environment

by Tim Theiss (Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Department of Energy) Over the past two years, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have been modeling to understand the costs and benefits of thinning forests and the potential for improving habitat, yielding benefits

February 7, 2019 Read Full Article

NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) Favors Giving Consumers Options at the Pump

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) For the National Association of Convenience Stores, selling E15 is a matter of giving consumers plenty of fuel options. “We like the optionality of being able to have lots legal choices and really sell what the consumer wants to buy,” said Paige Anderson, NACS’s director

February 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Long, Strange Trip: How U.S. Ethanol Reaches China Tariff-Free

by Chris Prentice and A. Ananthalakshmi (Reuters) In June, the High Seas tanker ship loaded up on ethanol in Texas and set off for Asia. Two months later – after a circuitous journey that included a ship-to-ship transfer and a stop in Malaysia – its cargo arrived in China, according to shipping data

February 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Farmers Nearing Crisis Push back on Trump Trade Policies

by Ryan McCrimmon (Politico) President Donald Trump’s trade war is magnifying some of the toughest farm conditions since the crisis that bankrupted thousands of farmers in the 1980s — and threatening a constituency crucial to his reelection hopes. The president’s trade policies have sent U.S. agricultural exports plunging, exacerbating already difficult

February 7, 2019 Read Full Article

UPDATE 1-U.S. Asks Brazil to Consider Lifting Tariffs on Ethanol Exports

by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The United States has asked Brazil to consider lifting tariffs imposed on its ethanol exports and is hopeful of a positive outcome, a senior official at the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday. Brazil currently charges a 20-percent tariff on ethanol imports surpassing 150 million liters a

February 7, 2019 Read Full Article

NTSB Warns against the Dangers of Transporting Ethanol by Pipeline

by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, earlier this week the National Transportation Safety Board announced its 2019–2020 Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements. The Most Wanted List (MWL) was developed from safety recommendations that we’ve issued but that haven’t been acted on acceptably. The NTSB’s investigations have shown that moving

February 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Greens Grasp for Silver Lining in Trump’s Infrastructure Pitch

by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) … “While we have fought against this administration’s efforts to gut protections for clean air and water, roll-back efforts to address climate change and lease public lands for oil drilling and mining, infrastructure is an opportunity for everyone in Washington to work together to achieve the

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The GHG emissions of petroleum are higher than the baseline estimates originally projected by EPA” That’s one finding in a new study by Life Cycle Associates. It’s also one reason biofuels entering the marketplace thanks to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) exceed EPA’s expectations for greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reductions. READ MORE

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

New Study: RFS2 Has Reduced GHG Emissions by 600 Million Metric Tons, Beating EPA Expectations

(Renewable Fuels Association) A new study released today finds that the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) has been a tremendous success in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with nearly 600 million metric tons of GHG reduction since 2007. Actual GHG reductions under the RFS2 have far surpassed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) original

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Matsui Introduces Legislation that Pushes Back on the Trump Administrations Attempts to Roll Back the Fuel Economy and Vehicle Emissions Standards

(Office of Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA 6th)) Today (February 5, 2019), Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) led 19 of her House Energy & Commerce Committee colleagues in introducing the Clean and Efficient Cars Act of 2019, which would preserve fuel economy and vehicle emissions standards that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Fueling Debate

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) FUELING DEBATE: ConservAmerica Chairwoman Nan Hayworth urged National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow to “avoid or soften the negative impacts” from upcoming international rules requiring cleaner-burning shipping fuels. The Feb. 4 letter warned that “hasty deadlines” for the International Maritime Organization rule to reduce

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Fuel & Engine Co-Optimization: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) is working to address key questions like what fuels engines really want, what fuels work best and what will work in the real world. John Farrell from NREL gave this illuminating overview of their work thus far on answering those

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Commentary: Bring California’s Low-Carbon Wisdom to Washington, D.C.

by Andy Foster (Capital Press/Aemetis Inc.) … With the election behind us and new leadership in the House, it’s time to take another look at the IPCC warnings and examine bipartisan solutions that Congress can work toward — immediately. High on the list are biofuels, which offer low-cost energy without

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Want a Bipartisan Push on Climate Change? Start With Unleashing American Biofuels

by Jeff Cosman (Morning Consult/Attis Industries Inc.) … And in November, a letter from the Department of Energy, the EPA and the United States Department of Agriculture to Congress laid out a plan to encourage the use of efficient and carbon-neutral products made from woody biomass. In particular, it highlighted how

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Chief Says Agency, California ‘Far Apart’ on Car Emissions

by Ryan Beene, Jennifer A Dlouhy, and David R Baker (Bloomberg) Wheeler, Nichols signal little progress on auto MPG agreement; State shouldn’t have authority on C02 emissions, Wheeler says — U.S. and California officials agreed Monday on one thing about auto emissions standards: they’re still miles from an agreement, with a crucial deadline

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

EU Approves US Soybeans for Biofuel Production

(Associated Press/Washington Post) The European Union has approved U.S. soybean exports to be used in the production of biofuels in an effort to boost such imports following last summer’s trans-Atlantic meeting between President Donald Trump and his EU Commission counterpart Jean-Claude Juncker. The summit meeting was able to stave off a

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Biofuels Group Growth Energy Sues U.S. EPA over Small RefineryExemptions

by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) Biofuels group Growth Energy filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday, challenging the agency’s renewable fuel mandate for 2019 as failing to address rising waived biofuel volumes. “EPA’s inaction on addressing lost gallons due to small refinery exemptions in this rulemaking is a

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

NREL Seeks Participants for 2019 Executive Energy Leadership Program

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is seeking applicants for its 2019 Executive Energy Leadership Program—otherwise known as Energy Execs. Energy Execs provides non-technical business, governmental, and community leaders throughout the country an opportunity to learn about advanced energy, energy-efficiency technologies, analytical tools,

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

RFA Asks EPA to Use Reset Rule to Restore Lost RFS Gallons

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) … Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) CEO Geoff Cooper sent a letter to (Andrew) Wheeler this week to provide input on the agency’s upcoming RFS reset proposal. RFA is asking Wheeler to use the reset rule as an opportunity to restore the RFS volumes that were “inappropriately erased” by granting

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

No Carbon Left Behind: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTechhas over 20 years experience sourcing and supplying over 5 million tons of wood fiber and organic feedstock in markets across North America. They offer biomass feedstock supply and analytics to understand and minimize supply chain risk. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech gave this illuminating overview of

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

How Do Your Fuel Decisions Impact Our Environment?

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) EESI Policy Associate Jessie Stolark spoke on a roundtable panel about the health and environmental considerations of fuel choices, at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit on January 29. Below is an abbreviated version of her remarks at that presentation, which highlighted the benefits

February 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Biofuels Leaders Engage in RFS Discussion: “To 2022 and Beyond: Renewable Fuels in the Next Decade”

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The 2019 National Biodiesel Conference concluded Thursday with a panel discussion entitled “To 2022 and Beyond: Renewable Fuels in the Next Decade,” featuring renewable fuel industry leaders discussing the Renewable Fuel Standard and what is on the horizon for 2020. National Biodiesel Board chief operations officer Doug Whitehead moderated the

February 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Congress Retains Most Energy Programs in 2018 Farm Bill through Fiscal Year 2023

by Steve Hanson (U.S. Energy Information Administration) On December 20, 2018, the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) was signed into law, continuing federal support to a number of renewable electricity and bioenergy-related programs. Authorizations in the 2018 Farm Bill cover fiscal years (FY) 2019 through 2023, during which time energy

February 3, 2019 Read Full Article

ARPA-E Projects to Develop Sensors for Bioenergy, Agriculture

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy recently awarded nearly $6 million to four projects under its OPEN+ program for the Sensors for Bioenergy and Agriculture cohort team. According to ARPA-E, the team will develop ultra-low energy distributed sensors to improve production efficiency

January 31, 2019 Read Full Article

Update on CAAFI State-Level Projects

(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative ) SAJF Deployment Projects Florida, Alabama, Georgia Several developments in Alabama and Florida will enhance opportunities for the Southeast Partnership for Advance Renewables from Carinata (SPARC), a USDA Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP). The Alabama Department of Economic Development and Community Affairs (ADECA) has issued an RFP

January 29, 2019 Read Full Article

CAAFI Publishes Presentations from CAAFI Biennial General Meeting 2018 · December 4-6, 2018

(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative) CAAFI community is making great strides in the deployment of sustainable alternative jet fuel. The event included presentations and discussions of results from a number of key events from this year, including outcomes from International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) meetings

January 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol Industry Prepares for a ‘Crazy Year’ Trying to Sway the Trump Administration

by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) Ethanol producers are preparing for major action at the federal level in the months ahead, both in terms of litigation against Trump administration actions on the nation’s renewable fuel mandate and lobbying to finalize rules regarding the ethanol mandate. “You know, 2019 is going to be

January 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Interview: RFA Hoping EPA Will Be More Restrained on SREs

by Jeff Barber (Opis Biofuels News) The U.S. ethanol industry, which spent most of 2018 dealing with the fallout from EPA’s decision to allow a record number of small refineries to escape their Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance obligations, believes the agency will take a more measured approach to exemption requests

January 29, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. Energy Outlook Report Underscores Need for Higher Ethanol Blends

(Growth Energy) Federal forecasts in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) newly released Annual Energy Outlook 2019 (AEO2019) underscore the importance of delivering cleaner, lower cost options to the fuel pump, said Chris Bliley, vice president of regulatory affairs at Growth Energy. “America’s thirst for clean, affordable fuel options is set

January 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Octane on ‘Sesame Street’

by Doug Durante (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Clean Fuels Development Coalition) Striving for higher-octane fuels shouldn’t mean saying goodbye to the RFS. –… Why is the quest for high-octane fuels to reduce petroleum consumption and increase efficiency in vehicles paired with getting rid of the Renewable Fuel Standard? In the waning hours of the

January 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Economic Reasons for a Green New Deal

Rob Jackson (Global Carbon Project/Stanford University/The Hill) … The global economy is creating half a million new jobs yearly in renewable energy and employs more than ten million people. In the U.S. we’ve created a hundred thousand new solar and wind jobs annually, 12 times faster than in the rest of the economy. Green energy

January 27, 2019 Read Full Article

Review Finds No Consensus Among Fuel Studies – Major Implications for Health, Air Quality

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) A recent review of nearly 100 different peer-reviewed vehicle emission studies, by the independent consulting group Future Fuel Strategies, found that there is no consensus in the literature regarding the health effects of ethanol-blended fuel. Despite the fact that ethanol is a cleaner-burning

January 27, 2019 Read Full Article

Ready for Take Off? Aviation Biofuels Past, Present, and Future

by David Hitchcock (Atlantic Council) … However, the importance of powering the aviation sector (both military and commercial) through sustainable fuels cannot be overstated. David Hitchcock’s paper, “Ready for Takeoff? Aviation Biofuels Past, Present, and Future,” provides a keen look at the history of biofuels, current uses of biofuel, and investments

January 26, 2019 Read Full Article

On Tap: Retailers Preparing for Year-Round E15 Have Options for Pumps, Financing and Marketing.

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) …(W)ith the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expected to extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver to E15, hopefully before next summer’s driving season. Retailers will have to decide not only if they will offer the blend, but how they’ll dispense it. For those who

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Rounds: Corn Ethanol Production Plays Important Role in South Dakota’s Economy

by Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) (Brookings Register) Corn and corn ethanol production are vital components of South Dakota’s economy. The corn ethanol industry supports thousands of jobs in our state and contributes a significant amount of revenue to our local communities. Corn ethanol has taken a hit in recent years,

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Moving the RFS Forward

by Amie Simpson (Brownfield Ag News) There is a false notion that the Renewable Fuel Standard ends in 2022, but that is not the case. Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, says even those in the industry sometimes misunderstand the law. “Through 2022, volumes are specified by Congress, after 2022

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Thune Meets With Acting EPA Administrator

(Office of Senator John Thune) “Acting Administrator Wheeler is committed to the president’s efforts to provide greater regulatory relief and certainty to the American people, including through the EPA’s rewrite of the WOTUS rule and by providing for the year-round sale of E15.” — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today met with

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

UAI: Test Fuels Are Not Representative of Real-World Fuels

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An analysis commissioned by the Urban Air Initiative raises questions about studies used by U.S. EPA to model ethanol’s emissions. The independent analysis, completed by Future Fuel Strategies, looked at nearly 100 vehicle emissions studies, and concluded that the test fuels used often do not

January 24, 2019 Read Full Article

Pentagon Report on Vulnerable Bases Incomplete: Climate Change Resilience Requires Stronger Response

by Brian La Shier (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Today (January 18, 2019), the Department of Defense released a Congressionally-mandated report on the effects of a changing climate on America’s military bases. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute welcomes the report but finds it incomplete, as it fails to list the most vulnerable bases, per

January 23, 2019 Read Full Article

New ‘Architecture’ Discovered in Corn: Scientists’ Findings May Improve Biofuel Production

(Louisiana State University/Science Daily) New research on the United States’ most economically important agricultural plant — corn — has revealed a different internal structure of the plant than previously thought, which can help optimize how corn is converted into ethanol. — It has been previously thought that cellulose, a thick and rigid

January 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Independent Study Finds Vehicle Emission Testing Is Not Reliable

(Urban Air Initiative) A new study finds that many of the test fuels used in emissions research studies do not reflect the makeup of consumer fuels, limiting the ability of ethanol to be used to reduce emissions and improve vehicle efficiency. The Urban Air Initiative (UAI) is pleased to announce

January 21, 2019 Read Full Article

ARPA-E Announces $11 Million for Fourth, Fifth OPEN+ Cohorts

Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced $11 million in funding for 7 projects in the next two cohorts of the agency’s OPEN+ program: Energy-Water Technologies and Sensors for Bioenergy and Agriculture. Energy-Water cohort teams will develop new, energy-efficient processing technologies

January 21, 2019 Read Full Article

RFA Publishes E15 Countdown Clock, Calculator and FAQs

(Renewable Fuels Association) E15. Clean. Affordable. Domestic. Fuel. There’s been a lot of talk recently about “E15,” a biofuel blend of gasoline that contains 15 percent ethanol, a product that comes from crops grown by American farmers. E15 burns cleaner and cooler than gasoline, lowers gas prices, and reduces oil imports. Unfortunately,

January 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol Is the Safe Option

by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Tri-State Livestock News) … Well, let’s hope we don’t see the price at the pumps go up. Instead, let’s use more ethanol. What I’m suggesting is oil companies increase the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline – from the mandatory 10 to 30 percent. And,

January 18, 2019 Read Full Article

The Energy 202: Potential 2020 Candidates Test Climate Messages on Trump’s EPA Pick

by Gino Grandoni (Washington Post) … Nominally, the hearing was convened to consider the nomination of former coal lobbyist and ex-Senate aide Andrew Wheeler to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. … In the past six months alone the EPA under Wheeler has proposed relaxing emission limits on power plants and freezing them for

January 18, 2019 Read Full Article

RFA Asks EPA to Separate Year-Round E15 Provisions from RIN Reform Measures in Upcoming Proposal

(Renewable Fuels Association) With the government shutdown threatening to further delay approval of year-round sales of E15 (gasoline containing 15% ethanol), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to focus strictly on year-round E15 provisions in its forthcoming proposed rule and address RIN reform measures in a separate

January 18, 2019 Read Full Article

A Sensible Approach to Climate Change Policy

(Solutions from the Land) … That opening now allows for the presentation and consideration of a more centered and pragmatic approach like that promoted by Solutions from the Land (SfL) and the other members of the North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (NACSAA). NACSAA is a producer-led alliance focused on utilizing climate-smart

January 17, 2019 Read Full Article

We Can’t Tackle Climate Change if We Ignore the Main Polluter — Transportation

by Steven Higashide (TransitCenter/The Hill) … Missing from these efforts, however, is a whole-hearted stab at cleaning up transportation, the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. To do that requires efforts to reduce driving, which would mean reversing the current course of federal policy. … Bigger roads haven’t solved congestion; they’ve just allowed

January 16, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. Automakers Push for Deal on Fuel Efficiency Rules

by David Shepardson (Reuters) Executives at the major U.S. automakers are pressing the Trump administration and California to agree on standards for fuel efficiency and carbon emissions through 2025, as risks increase that a deadline for setting national standards will pass without a deal. Automakers are already entering the time frame when

January 16, 2019 Read Full Article

House Bill Would Repeal CAFE Standards:

(Bergeson & Campbell) On January 10, 2019, Representative Roger Williams (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 431) that would repeal the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CAFE standards are set by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and EPA. President Trump last year proposed to freeze CAFE standards at

January 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Algae: As Different from Each Other as They Are from You and Me

by Amanda Barry (U.S. Department of Energy) … In a recent project funded by the Advanced Algal Systems (AAS) Program, researchers from LANL and the New Mexico Consortium are exploring the biofuel candidate Chlorella sorokiniana, developing genetic engineering tools in order to introduce novel traits that would allow the algae to grow faster and accumulate

January 15, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK–Chris Clayton

Chris Clayton, DTN Ag Policy Editor reported that Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting that his committee will schedule hearings on trade and climate change in the near future and quoted Senator Roberts acknowledging increased yields and the role of agriculture: “It’s

January 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Ag Policy Blog Senate Ag Committee to Hold Hearing on Climate Change

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told reporters Sunday at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting that his committee will schedule hearings on trade and climate change in the near future. On climate, Roberts said the hearing will look at various issues.

January 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Seeks to Sell Shutdown, Trade Policies to Farmers

by Jonathan Lemire (Associated Press/Washington Post) President Donald Trump urged farmers Monday to stick with him even as many grapple with the impact of his trade war with China and the partial government shutdown. … Trump said the wall was needed to cut down on illegal immigration, even though border crossings have

January 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Biodiesel an Underutilized Solution as US Carbon Emissions Climb

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) … The transportation sector remained the largest source of U.S. emissions for the third year in a row, “as robust growth in demand for diesel and jet fuel offset a modest decline in gasoline consumption,” the researchers state. Biodiesel is one commercially available, known solution to

January 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Advancements in Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis Give Biofuels a Boost

(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) National laboratory researchers demonstrate improvements in bio-oil yield through catalyst and process development. — Researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) have identified an approach to improve the efficiency and reduce costs of biofuel production that moves

January 10, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Says It Is Committed to Rule for Higher Ethanol Blend by Summer Driving Season

by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday it would complete a rule to boost sales of higher-ethanol blends of gasoline by the summer driving season, despite a partial government shutdown. The statement from the environmental regulator came after the agency warned at least two

January 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Proposed Changes to EIA-819 Monthly Biofuels, Fuel Oxygenates, and Motor Gasoline Blending Components Report COMMENT DEADLINE: February 25, 2019

(U.S. Department of Energy) On December 27, 2018, a Federal Register Notice (FRN) was published announcing proposed survey changes to the Petroleum Supply Reporting System. These changes enhance collection and reporting of biofuels a number of ways: EIA-819 Monthly Oxygenate Report will be expanded to incorporate EIA-22M Monthly Biodiesel Production

January 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Forecast for U.S. Federal and International Chemical Regulatory Policy 2019

(Bergeson & Campbell) Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and its consulting affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®) are pleased to offer you our Forecast 2019. In this richly detailed document, the legal, scientific, and regulatory professionals of B&C and Acta distill key trends in U.S. and global chemical law and provide our

January 9, 2019 Read Full Article

A Rightful Role in the RFS: The Electric Vehicle Market Is Predicted to Soar, and, Pending Overdue Action by the U.S. EPA, Biomass Power Producers Are Positioned to Help Meet Goals Set Forth in the Renewable Fuel Standard.

by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) … The vast complexities of the RFS extend far beyond these components, but a much lesser-known provision is beginning to attract attention—the role of renewable electricity in the program, and it’s abilities to fuel electric vehicles (EVs). This provision is one that was embedded in

January 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Ag Policy Blog: Peterson Elected House Ag Chairman

by Jerry Hagstrom (DTN The Progressive Farmer) House Democrats on Friday elected Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, a position Peterson held from 2007 to 2011 when his party last was in the majority in the House. Since 2011 Peterson has been the committee’s ranking member.

January 7, 2019 Read Full Article

More Designer Peptides, More Possibilities

(U.S. Department of Energy) With their tiny scaffolds of atoms, peptides hold the promise of creating catalysts for biofuels, capturing hazardous waste, and delivering new therapies to improve health. While nature offers a few peptides with the perfect characteristics for such purposes, scientists have been attempting to design peptides more precisely.

January 7, 2019 Read Full Article

The Problem of Invalidated RINs in the Renewable Fuel Standard

by Mike Newman (Parhelion Underwriting/Stillwater Associates) Under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposed a “buyer beware” approach to the purchase and sale of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). This creates a liability for any buyer of RINs, making them responsible for purchases of invalid RINS, even if done

January 7, 2019 Read Full Article

The Unlikely, Eccentric Inventor Turning Inedible Plant Life into Fuel

by Lesley Stahl (60 Minutes/CBS News) Marshall Medoff unveils to 60 Minutes his innovative method of turning plant life into fuel and other useful products — … What (Craig)Masterman helped implement was Medoff’s novel idea of using these large blue machines called electron accelerators to break apart nature’s chokehold on the valuable

January 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Alternative Fuels Council Offers Biodiesel Strategy

by Jeff Hove (Biodiesel Magazine) Jeff Hove, vice president of NATSO’s Alternative Fuels Council, provides perspective on current political, regulatory and market events relating to biodiesel blending, and how a myriad of potential changes will affect downstream operators. — … But renewable identification number (RIN) value volatility—driven by political rumor, speculation and

January 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Biodiesel’s Cutting Edge

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine profiles nine companies whose process technologies, products and services are on the frontline of change in this industry. Third Coast Commodities Biodiesel feedstock trading is evolving, and Third Coast Commodities is one of the firms ushering in this change. … The only way to

January 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Ricketts: My Goals for 2-19

by Pete Ricketts (Office of Governor of Nebraska/Star Herald) As we enter the new year, I have put together a list of goals for our state in 2019. I am sharing a few of them here. … Year-Round E15 – In October, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and I joined President Trump in

January 4, 2019 Read Full Article

A Fox Guarding the RFS Henhouse

by David Kruse (The CommStock Report/Spencer Daily Reporter) From a subscriber: “I asked my local Cenex manager why the price of E85 was still high. E10 has dropped 43 cents in the last couple of months and E85 hasn’t changed from $1.94. He told me that the RIN price has often been close

January 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Farmers Fear Another Hit as Trump Shutdown Threatens Ethanol Vow

by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Year-round 15% ethanol-gas blend by summer now seen at risk; Shutdown could join trade war in limiting farmer income — … The government shutdown that Trump says could last “a long time” without funding for a border wall may hurt farmers by delaying the administration’s

January 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Nominations Open for Green Chemistry Challenge DEADLINE: January 15, 2019

(Environmental Protection Agency) The Green Chemistry Challenge Awards promote the environmental and economic benefits of developing and using novel green chemistry. These prestigious annual awards recognize chemical technologies that incorporate the principles of green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture, and use. EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention sponsors the

January 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Outlook 2019: RINs Market Looks toward Washington in 2019

by Wesley Swift (S&P Global Platts) The market for Renewable Identification Numbers looked for relief in 2019 after a tumultuous 2018. Uncertainty over the nation’s renewable fuel policy created a volatile market for RINs, the credits used by refiners and fossil fuel importers to prove compliance with federal renewable fuel blending

January 3, 2019 Read Full Article

OPINION: UST Corrosion Blame Game Continues

by Cassie Mullen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … (B)iofuel opponents will continue to blindly blame ethanol for corrosion in underground storage tanks (USTs). However, ethanol is not the culprit, and retailers need to know the facts to help fight back against misinformation. Beginning around 2007, UST owners reported new incidents of

January 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Your Views: Q&A on E15 Fuel Had Misinformation

by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/The Gazette) Rather than providing factual answers to common questions about Unleaded88 gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol (E15), The Gazette’s recent Q&A on the fuel (Page 6A, Monday) perpetuated familiar myths and misinformation about ethanol. After conducting the most extensive fuel testing program in history, the

January 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Issues Executive Order on Forest Management

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) An executive order on forest management issued by President Trump in late December addresses how rural economies can benefit through the utilization of byproducts created by forest restoration efforts. Trump issued the executive order on Dec. 21. It is officially titled “Promoting Active Management of America’s

January 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Recognizing Today’s Reality to Shape a Better Tomorrow

by Brian Jennings (American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Looking back to one year ago, ethanol renewable identification numbers (RINs) were fetching nearly 70 cents (a valuable incentive for ethanol blending), exports were swelling to record volumes, and EPA was promising to consider granting Reid vapor pressure (RVP) relief for E15.

January 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Driving Opportunities to Expand the Market

by Emily Skor (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … We expect a proposed rule in February, followed by a public hearing and comment process. President Donald Trump’s administration has clearly stated its intention to have a rule in place by June 1—when the 2019 summer driving season begins. Our opponents will try

January 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol’s Impact: Iowa’s Status as the Largest Ethanol-Producing State Means Its Ethanol Economy Affects the Entire Industry.

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … A waiter in a Cedar Rapids restaurant, for instance, recently asked Shaw (Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) about Trump’s E15 waiver, upon hearing that Shaw advocates for biofuels and ethanol through the IRFA. “So here’s a waiter in the

January 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) DEADLINES: May 24, 2019 (4th Friday in May) and August 28, 2019 (4th Wednesday in August)

(National Science Foundation) The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program.

December 27, 2018 Read Full Article

Breaching the Biomass Problem: ORNL Team Provides Supercomputer-Aided Insights for How to Turn Plants into Fuel and Materials

by Jonathan Hines (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Humans have found uses for woody plants since time immemorial—tools, shelter, firewood. Today, scientists are working to add more major uses to the list: renewable, cost-competitive biofuel and value-added materials. Turning trees and waste biomass into liquid fuels and other bioproducts has long

December 27, 2018 Read Full Article

Mid-Level Ethanol Blends Are the Transportation Fuel of the 21st Century, NFU Says

(National Farmers Union) As Congress looks to revamp and coordinate federal-level policies that govern the transportation fuels and vehicles sectors, National Farmers Union (NFU) is urging legislators to expand use of high-octane, mid-level blends of ethanol in the transportation fuel supply. In doing so, policymakers have the opportunity to create lasting

December 27, 2018 Read Full Article

Minnesota Marks More Alternative Fuel Milestones in 2018

(American Lung Association in Minnesota/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The state that led the region in the growth and use of alternative fuels last year set even higher milestones in 2018, according to the American Lung Association in Minnesota. This year, Minnesota became the first state in the country to have more than

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

EPA: 8 New Small Refinery Waivers Filed

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Dec. 20, the U.S. EPA released updated data on small refinery hardship waivers filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard, reporting that seven new waivers for the 2018 compliance year and one new petition for the 2017 compliance year were filed between Nov. 10 and

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Federal Funding Opportunities for Each of the Nine Technology Readiness Levels: Part 1, TRLs 1-3

by CJ Evans (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) Many promising ideas, concepts, and innovations that could improve, add to, and make game-changing breakthroughs in energy, sustainability, and the bioeconomy – and create new jobs, bring economic growth to U.S. communities, and catapult the U.S. into a global lead in innovation –

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Catalysis Rocking: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to ChemCatBio

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ChemCatBio is a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes. Led by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, we work with industry to rapidly transition R&D discoveries into commercial processes and grow the bioeconomy in the United

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Enemy Submarine Detecting Microorganisms, Algae-Based Polymers, Edible Antimicrobial Film, Limestone-Based Bags, Soybean Oil Based Road Sealant: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of December 26th

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of December 26th. In today’s Digest, enemy submarine detecting microorganisms, algae-based polymers, edible antimicrobial film, limestone-based bags, soybean oil based road sealant — these and more,

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

China’s Ethanol Love May Be Antidote for Slumping U.S. Farms

by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Producers hopeful Chinese ethanol purchases are coming next; Biofuel, made from corn, helps support farm-belt growth — A little love from China in the U.S. ethanol market during the trade-war detente between Washington and Beijing could go a long way in soothing the ailing American farm economy. That’s according

December 24, 2018 Read Full Article

New Composite Advances Lignin as a Renewable 3D Printing Material

by Stephanie Seay (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have created a recipe for a renewable 3D printing feedstock that could spur a profitable new use for an intractable biorefinery byproduct: lignin. The discovery, detailed in Science Advances, expands ORNL’s achievements in lowering the cost of

December 24, 2018 Read Full Article

Grease. Gunk. Sludge. Where Most People See a Nasty Nuisance, These Scientists See Powerful Potential.

(U.S. Department of Energy) Join us on this episode as we wade into the world of bioenergy and learn about the folks working to turn noxious waste into useful energy. Then read on for more bioenergy stories and background from the Department of Energy and our 17 National Labs! WARNING: Unless you’ve got a cast-iron

December 21, 2018 Read Full Article

Grants Fund Research on Biofuel Production, Reduced Fertilizer Use

(University of Arkansas News) A University of Arkansas biologist working on research that could decrease the need for agricultural fertilizers and boost the production of biofuels recently received grants totaling more than $1 million from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy. Daniel Lessner, associate professor in the

December 20, 2018 Read Full Article

Greener Days Ahead for Carbon Fuels

by Theresa Duque (Berkeley Lab) Researchers discover copper has potential as a catalyst for turning carbon dioxide into sustainable chemicals and fuels without any wasteful byproducts, creating a green alternative to present-day chemical manufacturing — For decades, scientists have searched for effective ways to remove excess carbon dioxide emissions from the air,

December 20, 2018 Read Full Article

COP24, 2018 Farm Bill Give Agriculture a Voice, Climate Smart Tools

(Solutions from the Land) As 2018 closes out, advocates for the role agriculture can play in facing a changing climate can feel encouraged by developments on the international and domestic stages. Global climate negotiators in Katowice, Poland, came to a final agreement late last week on steps aimed at ensuring a

December 20, 2018 Read Full Article

Exclusive: Exxon Mobil Secured U.S. Hardship Waiver from Biofuels Laws – Sources

by Humeyra Pamuk and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted oil major Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) a financial hardship waiver this year temporarily freeing its Montana refinery from U.S. biofuel laws, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Exxon, which reported earnings of almost $20 billion in

December 20, 2018 Read Full Article

The BioIncredibles 2: iMicrobes Is Using Methane to Produce Chemicals, and Mikey the Microbe Likes It

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The achievement of a major proof of concept is the news, in the case of Industrial Microbes — the ability to show that they can convert methane into multiple products (albeit at low efficiency, in these early days) in E. coli. We visited iMicrobes’ early

December 20, 2018 Read Full Article

Coming Changes in Marine Fuel Sulfur Limits Will Affect Global Oil Markets

(U.S. Energy Information Administration) International regulations limiting sulfur in fuels for ocean-going vessels, set to take effect in January 2020, have implications for vessel operators, refiners, and global oil markets. Stakeholders will respond to these regulations in different ways, increasing uncertainty for crude oil and petroleum product price formation in both

December 19, 2018 Read Full Article

Report: First ETBE Made with US Ethanol Could Reach Japan in 2019

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Japan is expected to import 890 million liters (235.11 million gallons) of fuel ethanol this year, mostly in the form of bio-ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), according to an annual biofuels report the country recently filed with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network.

December 19, 2018 Read Full Article

On Eleventh Anniversary, RFS2 ‘Has Unquestionably Lived Up to Its Promise’

(Renewable Fuels Association) Eleven years ago today, President George W. Bush signed into law what has become the single most successful clean fuels policy in the United States–the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). The RFS2, included in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, requires petroleum refiners and importers to

December 19, 2018 Read Full Article

DOE Awards $1M to UMass Lowell-Led Team to Develop Renewable Fuel Additives from Wood Byproducts; Co-Optima Project

(Green Car Congress) The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a three-year, $1 million grant to a team of researchers led by a UMass Lowell mechanical engineering professor that is working to develop renewable fuel additives from sawdust and other wood byproducts. The project is part of the Department of Energy’s Co-Optima

December 19, 2018 Read Full Article

New SBIR and STTR Bioenergy Projects Announced! FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA) NUMBER: DE-FOA-0001941 DEADLINE: January 7, 2019

(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy announced 12 topics to fund more than 100 new projects, totaling approximately $20 million as part of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) research programs. Three topics announced deal directly with

December 18, 2018 Read Full Article

New Research Finds EPA Not Enforcing The Clean Air Act

(Urban Air Initiative) Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was directed to reduce mobile source air pollution to the greatest degree possible. But a new research project conducted by the Urban Air Initiative found that not only is mobile source air pollution still a significant problem, but

December 18, 2018 Read Full Article

EPA Sets 2019 Cellulosic Waiver Credit Price at $1.77

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has published a notice on its website setting the cellulosic waiver credit (CWC) price for 2019 at $1.77. The price is slightly lower than the CWC price for 2018, which was set at $1.96 in December 2017. Under the Renewable Fuel Standard

December 18, 2018 Read Full Article

Kampachi Company Wins $3.3m Grant to Turn Seaweed into Food, Feed, Fuel

by Jason Huffman (Undercurrent News) The Kampachi Company may be best known for its recent efforts to grow “king kampachi”, aka kahala or almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana), in ocean-based cages, but it also is performing research with plans to make a play in the seaweed space. The Kona, Hawaii-based company has

December 17, 2018 Read Full Article

Energy Department Seeks Information on Algae, Biomass, and Waste Feedstock Research — DE-FOA-00002020 FY 2019 Bioenergy Technologies Multi-Topic RFI DEADLINE: extended to January 18, 2019

(Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is requesting information on research opportunities related to outdoor algae research, biomass characteristics and feedstock performance, and renewable energy from urban and suburban wastes to help inform its research