Agriculture

USGC: Ethanol Summit Sparks Engagement on Ethanol Policy

(U.S. Grains Council/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ..Countries shared their experiences with implementing biofuels policy and discussed how best to support the development and implementation of ethanol policies with a role for trade. Recognized scientists and ethanol experts demonstrated how ethanol use in transportation fuels improves air quality, extends the current fuel

October 15, 2018 Read Full Article

A Superior Value: A Workshop in Anerobic Digestion

by Bill Keba* (Advanced Biofuels USA) October 2, 2018, Annapolis, Maryland. Inside the Doubletree Inn, it was as hectic as the traffic on Route 50. Eightyfive paid attendees were gathering, registering, networking, and hurriedly settling in for the 9:15 start of this workshop titled Opportunities and Challenges in Anaerobic Digestion:

October 11, 2018 Read Full Article

It’s Past Midnight: Do You Know Where Funds for Your Farm Bill Energy Title Programs Stand?

by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Biofuels Digest) On September 30th, the 2018 Farm Bill officially expired. And while both chambers of Congress passed their respective bills, the final version of the legislation that supports the agricultural sector in the U.S. is still being negotiated between House and Senate leaders in conference

October 10, 2018 Read Full Article

From Waste to Fuel: Researchers to Develop Next-Generation Biofuels and Bioproducts

by Julianne Beck (Northwestern University Campus News) A new collaboration led by Michael Jewett, professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University, will combine recent technological advancements in bioengineering to develop a transformative production system for next-generation biofuels and bioproducts. The multi-institutional project is supported by a three-year, $1.6 million contract

October 5, 2018 Read Full Article

India’s Ethanol Consumption for Fuel at All-Time High, Lags Goals: USDA

by Joshua Pedrick (S&P Global Platts) The volume of ethanol blended with gasoline is at an all-time high in India thanks to the government allowing a new feedstock in the production process, but continues to lag goals, the US Department of Agriculture said Monday. … The country could reach an ethanol

October 3, 2018 Read Full Article

New E15 Push Expected from White House: Update

(Argus Media) President Donald Trump’s administration will within weeks renew efforts to allow the year-round sale of higher-ethanol gasoline blends, according to multiple sources in biofuels and refining industries. The administration will announce changes to allow the year-round sale of 15pc ethanol gasoline in October, according to sources familiar with the

September 25, 2018 Read Full Article

Farm Bill Delay Possible as Deadline Looms

(NAFB News Service/Hoosier Ag Today) The farm bill deadline at the end of the month could pass without a new farm bill or an extension. As the pace of the farm bill committee stalls, leadership says the actual deadline that would have any impact on farm country is in December, if

September 20, 2018 Read Full Article

EPA to Make RFS Waiver Info Public

by Anna-Lisa Laca (AgWeb) Over the past year, farmers and ethanol advocates alike have pressed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be more transparent when it comes to Renewable Identification Number (RIN) waivers for small refineries. Today, EPA recognized that concern and created a handful of new sections on their website

September 20, 2018 Read Full Article

iSEE Helps Secure $6M+ in New Research Grants for U of I Agriculture Studies: $5M DOE Grant for Energy Crops Study

(Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) … A U of I Crop Scientist will lead a team of researchers on a five-year study of new crops that could contribute to the production of affordable, sustainable sources for market-ready fuels and other valuable products. U of I College of Agricultural, Consumer, and

September 20, 2018 Read Full Article

Resilience through Regional Partnership: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the SPARC Consortium

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Southeastern Partnership for Advanced Renewables from Carinata (SPARC) is a consortium consisting of the University of Florida (lead), the University of South Florida, the University of Georgia, Auburn University, and other institutions, government agencies, the civil aviation industry, and Agrisoma Biosciences and Applied Research Associates (ARA) from

September 20, 2018 Read Full Article

Renewable Fuel Standards Boosts Air Quality

by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/My San Antonio) The Express-News Editorial Board recently missed the mark, claiming that the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, is bad policy. The RFS has boosted local economies, strengthened U.S. energy security and improved overall air quality. … The Editorial Board cites an outdated and scientifically

September 18, 2018 Read Full Article

Finding Pathways for Biofuels Advocates Say State Low-Carbon Fuel Policies Could Drive More Ethanol Demand

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Just a few blocks from the commotion and crowds at the Global Climate Action Summit, biofuel advocates gathered Thursday to champion more low-carbon fuel standards that could take the country’s biofuels industry in new directions. While the climate summit focused on all the various

September 17, 2018 Read Full Article

Argentina to Pass B10 Mandate Thanks to Falling Exports

by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Argentina, while exports are dropping, domestic consumption is seen rising this year to an all-time high of 1.48 billion liters, and for the first time since the policy was put in place in 2014, the blending rate will be above the mandated 10% at 10.3%. Some

September 7, 2018 Read Full Article

New Members of Biomass Research and Development TAC Announced DOE Office of Energy Efficien

(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the newest members of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC provides advice and makes recommendations to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the DOE concerning the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI), an interagency program that

September 3, 2018 Read Full Article

Notice of Solicitation of Applications for the Rural Energy for America Program for Fiscal Year 2019

(U.S. Department of Agriculture/Federal Register) The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (the Agency) Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) is being issued prior to passage of a final appropriations act to allow potential applicants time to submit applications for financial assistance under Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for Federal Fiscal Year (FY)

September 3, 2018 Read Full Article

Six States Account for More than 70% of U.S. Fuel Ethanol Production

(U.S. Energy Information Administration) Six states accounted for 72% of U.S. fuel ethanol production in 2016, according to the most recent estimates from EIA’s State Energy Data System. Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and South Dakota collectively produced 265 million barrels of fuel ethanol out of the U.S. total of 367 million

September 1, 2018 Read Full Article

Funding Opportunity: Algae Production Systems SBIR DEADLINE: October 25, 2018

(Algae Biomass Organization) The USDA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, a competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D), has opened a new opportunity that could support algae production systems. The SBIR Aquaculture topic area funds research projects that can improve the production efficiency

August 31, 2018 Read Full Article

Ethanol Blog — Ethanol Groups Seek EPA Documents on Small Refinery Waivers

by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Two leading ethanol interest groups and one of the nation’s largest ethanol producers asked a federal court on Thursday to force two federal agencies to hand over records related to the issuance of small refinery waivers to the Renewable Fuel Standard. In a lawsuit

August 31, 2018 Read Full Article

NCGA: USDA Trade Aid Won’t Make Up for Lost Markets

(National Corn Growers Association) The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today said plans unveiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide aid to farmers negatively impacted by trade tariffs and ongoing trade uncertainty would be insufficient to even begin to address the serious damage done to the corn market

August 31, 2018 Read Full Article

Put Algae in the Farm Bill!

(Algae Biomass Organization) … Algae are fast becoming a significant component in food and health products, and it is time that this new crop was afforded the support by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that other crops have seen for decades. Thanks to outreach by ABO and its members, a number

August 30, 2018 Read Full Article

USDA Stands With Ethanol on Waivers

by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Federal Agencies Disagree on Accounting for Small-Refinery Waivers in 2019 — EPA has made clear it is not considering public comments on small-refinery waivers and how they affect the Renewable Fuel Standard. But a USDA memorandum sent to EPA on Aug. 15 disputes the EPA’s

August 28, 2018 Read Full Article

Iowa RFA Hosts 10th Annual Biofuels Tour

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) recently hosted the 10th Annual Biofuels: Science and Sustainability Tour, taking nearly 40 participants representing members of Congress from around the country on a biofuels journey through the state, including visits to an ethanol plant, biodiesel plant, family farm, soybean crush facility, and

August 28, 2018 Read Full Article

Trump Offers Trade Aid to Farmers, but Some Question Its Fairness

by Helena Bottemiller Evich, Catherine Boudreau and Liz Crampton (Politico) The Trump administration on Monday detailed how it will dole out $6.3 billion in aid to assist farmers stung by retaliatory tariffs — and it’s already sparking backlash from some sectors where industry leaders say growers won’t get their fair share.

August 28, 2018 Read Full Article

National Biodiesel Education Program Tweets Video on University of Idaho Biodiesel Firsts

(University of Idaho National Biodiesel Education Program) The goals of the Biodiesel Fuel Education Program as originally established in Sec. 9004 of the Farm Security Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8104) were to stimulate biodiesel consumption and to stimulate the development of a biodiesel infrastructure. The information and outreach activities

August 17, 2018 Read Full Article

USDA Under Secretary Discusses Impact of Ethanol, Hemp

by Tonya S. Grace (Kentucky New Era) Bill Northey talked ethanol and hemp while stopping in Christian County on his way to Missouri. Northey, confirmed in February as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new under secretary for farm production and conservation, visited the local community on Wednesday with U.S. Congressman James

August 16, 2018 Read Full Article

Aemetis Reports Progress with Cellulosic Ethanol Project

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Aemetis Inc. released second quarter financial results on Aug. 9, reporting increased revenues and gross margins. The company also reported process being made with its Riverbank cellulosic ethanol plant, including engineering, environmental permitting and EPC project milestones. “Record gasoline demand in the second quarter helped

August 15, 2018 Read Full Article

USGC Joins USDA Trade Mission to Promote Ethanol

(U.S. Grains Council/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Grains Council and ethanol industry partners added an octane enhancer to the USDA’s Agricultural Trade Mission to Indonesia in July, led by USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney. The Council delegation joined the larger mission to Indonesia to follow-up on

August 14, 2018 Read Full Article

DOE Announces Open Meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee — August 22-23, 2018 — Arlington, VA

(U.S. Department of Energy) Purpose of Meeting: To develop advice and guidance that promotes research and development leading to the production of biobased fuels and biobased products. Tentative Agenda: Agenda will include the following: Update on USDA Biomass R&D Activities Update on DOE Biomass R&D Activities Presentations from national laboratories and federal agencies

August 14, 2018 Read Full Article

Notice of Solicitation of Applications for the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program DEADLINES: October 1, 2018 and April 1, 2019

(U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business-Cooperative Service/Federal Register) This Notice announces the solicitation of applications for funds available under the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (the Program) to provide guaranteed loans to fund the development, construction, and retrofitting of commercial scale biorefineries using eligible technology and of

August 10, 2018 Read Full Article

Significant Environmental Milestone for Mississippi Project

(Velocys) The USDA has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact on the environmental assessment report for Velocys’ planned Mississippi biorefinery. Velocys plc (VLS.L), the renewable fuels company, announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on the environmental assessment report

August 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Leahy among Lawmakers Taking Farm Bill to Conference

(WCAX) Both houses of Congress have passed their respective versions of the Farm Bill, a massive piece of legislation that affects farmers around the country. Now, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, will try to come together to pass one version of the bill. Farm bill negotiations

August 7, 2018 Read Full Article

When Markets Misbehave, Send the Marines! (World Governments Get a Case of Bioeconomy Interventionitis)

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The European Court of Justice has ruled that organisms altered via genome editing are GMOs and subject to GMO regulation in Europe, including warning labels for foods. And in the US, President Trump announced $12 billion in relief for farmers impacted by the Administration’s trade policies

August 6, 2018 Read Full Article

More Support for Carbon Utilization in Congress

(Algae Biomass Organization) This month the momentum for supporting technologies that put carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to good use got a boost in Congress with the introduction of the bipartisan Carbon Utilization Act of 2018. The House bill would support utilization technologies, such as algae cultivation, by allowing them

August 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Biofuel Mandates in the EU by Member State in 2018

by Sabine Lieberz (US Department of Agriculture) This report provides an overview on the biofuel use mandates in the various EU-28 member states. It supplements the EU-28 Biofuel Annual Report. The 2009 EU Energy and Climate Change Package set out a 10 percent minimum target for renewable energy consumed by the

August 1, 2018 Read Full Article

USDA Provides Aid for Farmers, Biofuel Groups Call for RVP Relief

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA has announced it will authorize up to $12 billion in aid to assist farmers who have been impacted by retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods. The ethanol industry also called on the Trump administration to provide Reid vapor pressure (RVP) relief for E15

August 1, 2018 Read Full Article

“There’s No Place Like Home” Grown Sorghum

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Sorghum sights are set high with EPA approval and recent genetic improvements — … U.S. EPA opened up pathways for sorghum oil to become renewable fuels. … Sorghum is a grass grown in many places and regions around the world, but also is increasingly being grown

July 30, 2018 Read Full Article

Higher Blends of Ethanol Should Be Available Year-Round

by Anthony Bush (Marion Star) … Most urgently, (Agriculture) Secretary (Sonny) Perdue must follow the president’s directive to work with the Environmental Protection Agency to end harmful sales regulations on higher ethanol blends like E15 and above. These regulations restrict the sale of higher blends during the summer months when travel

July 30, 2018 Read Full Article

White House Readies Plan for $12 Billion in Emergency Aid to Farmers Caught in Trump’s Escalating Trade War

by Damian Paletta and Caitlin Dewey (Washington Post) The U.S. Agriculture Department on Tuesday plans to announce a $12 billion package of emergency aid for farmers caught in the midst of President Trump’s escalating trade war, two people briefed on the plan said, the latest sign that growing tensions between the

July 24, 2018 Read Full Article

Help Or Hinder? Federal Agencies At Odds Over Biofuels

by Madelyn Beck (Harvest Public Media/KUNC) … That’s because for the last few years, the EPA and the Department of Energy have been at odds, with taxpayer money creating a new biofuel industry that may not have the room to grow outside the lab. … The Department of Energy spent hundreds

July 22, 2018 Read Full Article

Surfactants, 100% Renewable and Biobased: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Croda’s Eco Range

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Croda’s new Eco Range of surfactants is 100% renewable and 100% biobased. Croda’s is the first plant of its type in North America to produce 100% renewable, 100% biobased surfactants. The versatile bio-ethylene oxide plant can accept bioethanol from different renewable sources. The new line is registered

July 18, 2018 Read Full Article

Creative Debt and Equity: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Structures for Bioeconomy Project Finance

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bottom line, if you’re in the business of financing a renewable fuels project with a loan guarantee in the mix, you’re probably talking with some combination of New Energy Risk, Stern Brothers, Faegre Baker Daniels partner John Kirkwood or Kilpatrick Townsend partner Mark Riedy. They’ve been part

July 9, 2018 Read Full Article

Ethanol Operation Considering Barley for Biofuel, Fish Food

by Jessica Holdman (Bismark Tribune) … The North Dakota Industrial Commission approved an $83,810 Renewable Energy Program grant to Midwest AgEnergy Group to research using North Dakota barley for biofuel and a high value protein concentrate byproduct to sell to commercial fisheries. “It’s a higher value market than where we’re

July 3, 2018 Read Full Article

Trump Administration Appoints New Biomass R&D TAC Members

by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, D.C., the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee has appointed several new volunteers from industry, academia, nonprofits, and local government to the TAC which advises the federal government about its bioenergy R&D programs. These are the first appointments to the TAC by the current

July 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Ag Secretary Perdue on Trump’s Message to Farmers: You Won’t Suffer in a Trade Fight with China

by Berkeley Lovelace Jr. (CNBC) Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says President Trump has told him to assure American farmers that they won’t suffer from the U.S. trade fight with China. Perdue says he is calculating the potential impact of trade disruptions on a weekly basis, and making it known to the Trump

June 29, 2018 Read Full Article

WSU Researchers Creating Catalyst to Improve Jet Biofuel Production

by Maegan Murray (Washington State University-Tri-Cities) Efforts to create an environmentally friendly catalyst that will lower the cost and increase the efficiency in producing bio-based jet fuels has netted Washington State University researchers a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Institute of Food and Agriculture. WSU Tri-Cities associate professor

June 29, 2018 Read Full Article

Senate Overwhelmingly Passes Sweeping Farm Bill, Setting up Fight with House

by Caitlin Dewey and Erica Werner (Washington Post) The Senate passed its version of the $428 billion farm bill Thursday, setting up a bitter fight against the House over food stamps, farm subsidies and conservation funding. The Senate measure passed in an 86-to-11 vote, overwhelming support that reflected a bipartisan desire

June 29, 2018 Read Full Article

Can USDA Stretch Corn, Soybean Farmers’ Safety Net with Tariff Relief?

by Chuck Abbott (Successful Farming) Rumors of USDA’s Tariff Easing Strategy Not Confirmed — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is giving himself a couple of months – until around Labor Day – before deciding whether to proceed with President Trump’s promise of shielding farmers from “China’s unfair retaliation.” For tactical reasons, Perdue

June 28, 2018 Read Full Article

USDA Grants Hood $100,000 for Biofuels Project

(Hood College) The United States Department of Agriculture has awarded Hood College Professor of Biology Craig Laufer $100,000 over an 18-month period to fund research and development of cost-effective biofuels. Successful completion of this project would qualify Laufer’s lab for larger grants for commercialization. The grant is through the Agriculture and

June 22, 2018 Read Full Article

EPA Considers Delaying Friday Biofuel Announcement: Sources

by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering delaying its widely anticipated announcement on Friday on 2019 renewable fuel volumes as it re-examines plans to force larger refineries to make up for gallons exempted at smaller plants, according to two sources familiar with the

June 22, 2018 Read Full Article

WSU Professor Lands $500,000 Grant to Pursue Lignin to Biofuel Conversion

by Maegan Murray (Washington State University Tri-Cities) WSU Tri-Cities associate professor Xiao Zhang is targeting the use of lignin — a common material that makes the cell walls of plants rigid — to create affordable biofuels and bioproducts. Interested in the project, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food

June 22, 2018 Read Full Article

Senate Ag Committee Restores 2018 Farm Bill Energy Title Funding

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On June 13, the Senate ag committee approved the its version of the 2018 Farm Bill with bipartisan support. The legislation includes an amendment offered by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., that restores mandatory funding to Farm Bill Energy Title programs. The legislation, officially titled the Agriculture

June 14, 2018 Read Full Article

Senators Hope to Reap Farm Bill Amendments

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Senate Agriculture Committee will take up amendments to the farm bill today, but negotiations were still ongoing as to just which of 186 submitted would get a vote. Here are a few energy highlights from a list obtained by POLITICO. — If E15 at

June 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Pruitt Heads out on Ethanol Visit

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is expected to travel to Kansas this morning, where he’ll stop by East Kansas Agri-Energy’s ethanol plant in Garnett. The trip comes a week after the White House quashed the release of a plan to change the Renewable Fuels Standard amid

June 12, 2018 Read Full Article

Carbon Utilization Bill Could Create Value for CO2 Emissions

by Tim Albrecht (Biomass Magazine) Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., introduced three bills this week to boost rural economic opportunities by expanding USDA funding eligibility for clean energy projects. This funding would help improve electric grid security, create more energy choices for businesses, and advance the development and deployment of low-carbon, clean

June 8, 2018 Read Full Article

Senate Farm Bill Expands Reach of Energy Title, But Provides Little Funding

by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On Friday, June 8, the Senate Agriculture Committee released the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. In contrast to the GOP-only bill that has advanced in the House, the bipartisan Senate farm bill refrains from eliminating the Energy Title, but provides mandatory funding to only one

June 8, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Notice for Solicitation of Members for Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee DEADLINE: June 30, 2018

(U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Agriculture/Federal Register) … U.S. Department of Energy is soliciting nomination for candidates to fill vacancies on the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee (Committee). … Deadline for Technical Advisory Committee member nominations is June 30, 2018. … The Biomass Research and Development Act

June 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Sen. Tina Smith Tells Senate Agriculture Committee Leaders that Farm Bill Energy Programs Are Key to Reviving Lagging Farm Economy

(Office of Senator Tina Smith (D-MN)) Senator Leads Bipartisan Push for Strong Funding and Focus on Energy As Senate Begins Work on Farm Bill in Coming Days — As the Senate prepares to begin work on the 2018 Farm Bill, U.S Senator Tina Smith, today told the leaders of the Senate Agriculture

June 7, 2018 Read Full Article

The Carbon Rescuers: 20 Top Waste Projects and Breakthroughs that Capture Used Carbon from the Waste Pile for New Uses

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In these top 20 projects, we usually say that we are using waste, but really we are converting something from a state of waste to a state of value — and that’s not just good for the project owners in question, it’s good for every stakeholder

June 5, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Sustain RFS as Important Tool in GHG-Reduction Strategy

(Solutions from the Land) One of the three pillars of climate-smart agriculture is actions that farmers can take to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and simultaneously improve profitability. A principal means by which the agriculture sector can help governments around the world reach global emission-reduction goals is through the production

May 31, 2018 Read Full Article

ABO Secures Unprecedented $136 Million For Algae and Related Projects — Deadlines Approaching

(Algae Biomass Organization) ABO’s ongoing work in Washington, DC, to educate Congress and federal agencies on the importance of robust algae research, development and demonstration has resulted in the release of an unprecedented series of funding opportunities for algae. Deadlines for letters of intent are fast approaching. Four major algae funding

May 30, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Farm Bill Energy Programs Have Earned Bipartisan Support

by Brent Erickson (The Hill/Biotechnology Innovation Organization) Since 2002, the farm bill has contained an energy title, with cost-effective programs that support private investment in renewable energy, biobased manufacturing and energy efficiency. The programs are extremely successful in helping businesses create employment and economic growth opportunities in rural communities across the

May 24, 2018 Read Full Article

Trump Administration Officials to Meet on Biofuel Policy Changes – Sources

by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) Top officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the departments of Energy and Agriculture plan to meet on Thursday to hammer out details of President Donald Trump’s planned changes to the nation’s biofuel laws, according to two sources familiar with the matter. … Trump has told

May 24, 2018 Read Full Article

E15 Year-Round: Mixed Messages from RFS, RINs Meeting

by Tom C. Doran (AgriNews Publications) It was good news and bad news for corn growers and ethanol proponents after President Donald Trump met with legislators to discuss the Renewable Fuel Standard. A White House meeting with Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; Ted Cruz, R-Texas; and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., resulted

May 23, 2018 Read Full Article

Farm Bill to Get Second Vote in US House in June: Roll Call

(CNBC/Reuters) The U.S. House of Representatives will vote for a second time on a massive farm bill after the measure was defeated last week, according to a report. The vote on the $867 billion bill will be held on June 22, Republican Representative Steve Scalise said, Roll Call reported. Roll

May 23, 2018 Read Full Article

Biotechies Riding Herd on Biofuel Policy Uncertainties

by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) Ag technology promoters are pedaling hard for biofuels-friendly policies in Washington, D.C., to make life livable for cash-strapped farmers supplying markets that didn’t exist 30 years ago. Erick Lutt, director of industrial and environmental policy for Biotechnology Innovation Organization, speaking at the 2018 Bio Industry Summit

May 21, 2018 Read Full Article

Growing Leaders for the Emerging Bioeconomy: A Personal Experience with CABLE

by Leyla Battista* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Consortium for Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership and Education (CABLE) grant was established by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prepare the next generation of leaders and integrate them into the emerging bioeconomy. The grant was split between nineteen partnering universities across the country.

May 21, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Breaking News: Attack on Farm Bill Clean Energy Programs

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Breaking news arrives from the Ag Energy Coalition regarding the 2018 Farm Bill. Green Capiltol’s Lloyd Ritter writes: Rep. Biggs farm bill amendment was made in order by the Rules Committee last night to eviscerate the clean energy title programs of the farm bill. It

May 18, 2018 Read Full Article

From the Dump to the Pump: Fulcrum BioEnergy Breaks Ground on Landmark Trash-to-Jet Fuel Project

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Near Reno, Nevada, Fulcrum BioEnergy broke ground today for its 10 million gallon per year first commercial plant that makes jet fuel from municipal solid waste. For thousands of years we have had a love/hate relationship with waste. We love to make it, we hate

May 17, 2018 Read Full Article

A Proposed Rule by the Agricultural Marketing Service: National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard COMMENTS DUE 7/3/18

(U.S. Department of Agriculture) A recent amendment to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 requires the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to establish the national mandatory bioengineered (BE) food disclosure standard. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing a new rule that would require food manufacturers and other entities that label foods

May 15, 2018 Read Full Article

ICYMI: $227M Available from US in Push for Vehicle, Feedstock and Bioconversion Advances

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We usually say, ICYMIs for those In Case You Missed Its that show up in someone’s inbox. This week, we might re-purpose that useful acronym to: In Case Your Money Isn’t Sufficient — because there are three funding opportunities that have been flying slightly under the radar this week

May 15, 2018 Read Full Article

Biofuels Production and Consumption in the US: Status, Advances and Challenges

by Mahmood Ebadian and James D. McMillan (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) … The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) was enacted in 2007 to enhance domestic production of fuels and spur economic development while reducing reliance on imports and improving the environment (through reducing both the absolute level of fossil fuel

May 11, 2018 Read Full Article

Department of Energy Selects $3 Million in Research Projects to Advance Biofuels, Bioenergy, and Biobased Products

(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $3 million in funding for advanced biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products available through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI). DOE has selected two projects from the University of Tennessee and Northwestern University that will receive

May 9, 2018 Read Full Article

Parties to White House Biofuel Deal Disagree What’s Agreed

by Jennifer A Dlouhy and Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Tentative agreement struck during a White House negotiation; Refiners could benefit with biofuel exports allowed for quotas — A tentative deal on U.S. biofuel policy struck at the White House would allow year-round sales of higher-ethanol gasoline in exchange for possible policy changes to rein in compliance costs

May 9, 2018 Read Full Article

Accelerating Ag Innovation: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the USDA Agricultural Research Service

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. ARS conducts research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to: Ensure high-quality, safe food, and other agricultural products; Assess the

May 8, 2018 Read Full Article

Bosselman Travel Center to Observe Renewable Fuels Month on May 18

by Robert Pore (Grand Island Independent) Bosselman Travel Center at 3335 W. Wood River Road in Grand Island will be celebrating Renewable Fuels Month in May. The Bosselman event is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 18. At that time, E-15 will sell for $1.88 per

May 7, 2018 Read Full Article

USDA Solicits Applications for Repowering Assistance Program

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA is soliciting applications for up to $5 million in funding under its Repowering Assistance Program, which helps eligible biorefineries use biomass as a replacement for fossil fuels used to create heat or power. Eligible biorefineries must have been in existence on or before

May 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Duckweed Redux: Are Duckweed’s Ducks Finally in a Row for Protein, Fuels and More?

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Greenbelt Resources Corporation and Duckweed DAYS commenced their inaugural Duckweed Project to commercialize the duckweed model developed by the Andrew J. Young Foundation. Tests conducted during a pilot program indicated that protein extracted from duckweed was one of the most nutritious vegetable organic protein with essential

May 3, 2018 Read Full Article

Washington Insider: Biofuels Mandates Under Pressure

(DTN The Progressive Farmer) Oil state partisans, including certain refiners, have raged about a credit-trading market within the program that they say causes undue economic pain. The biofuels industry counters that those compliance credits, known as renewable identification numbers, are essential to making the mandate work. While the battle has heated

April 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Ag Policy Blog — NFU Opposes House Version of Farm Bil

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) In another blow to support for the House version of the farm bill, the National Farmers Union’s board of directors early Wednesday passed a unanimous resolution to oppose the bill as it cleared the House Agriculture Committee last week. NFU leans more to the

April 26, 2018 Read Full Article

EPA Data Shows Small Refiner Waivers Have Lowered 2016, 2017 RFS Blending Obligations by 1.6 Billion Gallons

by Emily Druckman (Renewable Fuels Association) EPA’s recent actions in exempting small refineries from their Renewable Fuel Standard blending obligations for 2016 and 2017 have effectively lowered the volumetric obligations by at least 1.6 billion gallons, according to an analysis of the agency’s own monthly compliance data by the Renewable Fuels

April 25, 2018 Read Full Article

Refinery Workers Return to Capitol Hill to Rally for Renewable Fuel Standard Reform

(United Steelworkers/PR Newswire) The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that on Thursday, April 26, about 100 workers from independent merchant oil refineries owned by Monroe Energy, Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) and PBF Energy will rally for their jobs in Washington, D.C., bringing the urgent need for Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) reform to

April 25, 2018 Read Full Article

Canadian Biofuels Report: Ethanol at Full Capacity, Imports up

by Tim Albrecht (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Canada recently filed its 2017 annual biofuels report with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Information Network, showing Canadian production is at full capacity and imports of ethanol rose in the past year. The country also plans to introduce carbon intensity benchmarks and a carbon

April 24, 2018 Read Full Article

Perdue’s Strong First Year at USDA May Be Clouded by Ethanol Doubts

by Chuck Abbott (Successful Farming) … In May 2017, during his (Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue) first month as secretary, he created the post of undersecretary for trade, a longtime goal of farm groups, as part of redrawing USDA’s organizational chart. … If Perdue made his mark at a White House meeting

April 20, 2018 Read Full Article

House Committee Passes 2018 Farm Bill

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … In a statement, House Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., criticized the legislation, calling it “a flawed bill that is the result of a bad nontransparent process.” Cuts to Energy Title programs are among the specific provisions of the bill that Peterson criticized. “…$500

April 20, 2018 Read Full Article

McConnell Introduces the Hemp Farming Act of 2018

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On April 12, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., introduced the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, bipartisan legislation that aims to legalize and clearly define hemp as an agricultural commodity and remove it from the list of controlled substances. A statement released by McConnell explains that

April 18, 2018 Read Full Article

RFA: E15 Debuts in St. Louis Metro Region

(Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Renewable Fuels Association is excited to announce that E15 has debuted in the St. Louis area and will be available throughout the year. Home Service Oil Co. now offers both E15 and E85 at 1707 Hwy Z in Pevely, Missouri, just off Interstate 55. The

April 17, 2018 Read Full Article

Study Shows 95% of Wooden Pallets are Recycled, Indicating Significant Gains in Landfill Avoidance

(National Wooden Pallet & Container Association/PR Newswire) Preliminary results of a research project conducted by Virginia Tech on the disposal of wood pallets at landfill sites reveal that 95% of wooden pallets are being recycled. The landfill avoidance study was independently conducted at Virginia Tech over two years. Both municipal and solid waste (MSW)

April 16, 2018 Read Full Article

Jet Fuels from Crops: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the SPARC Regional Biojet Consortium

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sometimes, what an engine needs to roar to life is a spark. Or a SPARC, as in this case. As in the Southeastern Partnership for Advanced Renewables from Carinata (SPARC), a consortium consisting of the University of Florida (lead), the University of South Florida, the University of Georgia,

April 16, 2018 Read Full Article

Draft 2018 Farm Bill Reauthorizes Energy Title Programs

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On April 12, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, released a draft of the 2018 Farm Bill, officially titled the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. The legislation reauthorizes many bioenergy-related programs, but provides them with only discretionary funding. The draft bill spans

April 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Trump Administration Weighs High-Ethanol Fuel Waiver to Placate Farmers

by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The Trump administration is considering allowing the sale of a higher ethanol fuel blend in the summer, a source familiar with the issue said, a move that would placate corn growers worried about the future of U.S. biofuels policy. … Trump has tried in

April 12, 2018 Read Full Article

USGC Opens Application Period for Advisory Teams

(U.S. Grains Council/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Grains Council is now accepting applications for the organization’s advisory teams, known as A-teams, for the 2018-2020 term. A-teams are comprised of USGC member experts that provide insight and guidance on designated topics to the Council’s staff and board of directors. “A-team members gain

April 11, 2018 Read Full Article

Trump Ethanol Moves May Be Worse for Farmers Than Soy Tariff

by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Change to biofuel mandate may mean destruction of corn demand; Growers already dealing with trade concerns, crop gluts — Based on his own back-of-the-envelope calculations, Minnesota farmer Kirby Hettver could lose tens of thousands of dollars of earnings because of President Donald Trump. But damaging as the brewing trade war with

April 10, 2018 Read Full Article

No Crop Left Behind: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to USDA/NIFA’s Coordinated Agricultural Projects

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Er, what are AHB, SUBI, BANR, SBAR, NARA, CENUSA, SPARC, IBSS and NEWBIO? You’d be forgiven if you mistook Ahb Subi Banr-Sbar for a well-placed official in the Iranian government — but, in fact, it’s a 9-project network to facilitate the development of regionally-based industries producing advanced biofuels, industrial chemicals, and

April 10, 2018 Read Full Article

The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of April 11th, 2018

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking these on a weekly basis to keep pace with the

April 9, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Rural Issues Growing Jobs and Rural Economies: The Farm Bill’s Energy Title

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) 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 wind, solar, geothermal,

April 6, 2018 Read Full Article

Illinois Researchers Receive $1 Million to Study Bioenergy Crops

(Univeristy of Illinois) The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture has announced a grant for $1 million to support research led by a University of Illinois scientist. The research will address the need for better-adapted and higher-yielding biomass cultivars ready to plug into the biofuel supply chain in the

April 6, 2018 Read Full Article

Carinata Rising: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Agrisoma

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The production of Agrisoma’s Resonance Carinata is being expanded to multiple locations globally to provide a supply of sustainable, non-food oils for meeting the demand for sustainable biofuels. Resonance Carinata is certified sustainable by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), the global standard and certification scheme

April 3, 2018 Read Full Article

Commentary: Biofuels Are Driving US Growth

by Jim Talent (Tribune News Service/Madison.com/Americans for Energy Security and Innovation) … Biofuels are a target because they supply a full 10 percent of America’s motor fuel, and every extra gallon increases competition at the fuel pump, holding down prices for American drivers. In fact, U.S. oil imports are down

April 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Biomass Crop Producers Eye Favorable Marketplace

by Sarah Wurzbacher (Penn State Extension) The Association of Warm-Season Grass Producers (AWSGP) has had a busy year, and now voices market optimism for perennial grass products. One of the group’s primary efforts from the start has been to welcome businesses to its ranks, particularly in an effort to connect buyers

April 1, 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 have urged Trump to instead let Congress tackle the

March 30, 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 farm-bill discussions in the House. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat

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 Starling, a special assistant to the president, spoke at

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, it indicates great potential for additional prosperity from future growth

March 22, 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 referenced, Pro’s Helena Bottemiller Evich and Eric Wolff report. But

March 21, 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 trade war, there have already been repercussions seen

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 familiar with the matter. The meeting in Washington marks the

March 20, 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 has seen since it was established more than 10 years

March 16, 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 for America Program (REAP), which was created under the

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 for biofuel production. Both crops are drought and heat tolerant,

March 15, 2018 Read Full Article

Update: White House Calls off Biofuels Meeting

(Agri-Pulse) Oil, biofuels interests were originally set to meet Monday morning. READ MORE BIOFUELS WHITE HOUSE MEETING SCRAPPED: (Politico’s Morning Energy) MONDAY WHITE HOUSE MEETING ON RFS CALLED OFF (Brownfield Ag News; includes AUDIO) Ethanol Interests Shout Opposition to RIN Price Cap (Energy.AgWired.com; includes AUDIO and VIDEO) Excerpts from

March 12, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to USDA and Its Programs

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “The bioeconomy is a catalyst for economic development in rural America, creating new jobs and providing new markets for farmers and ranchers. Investing in the businesses and technologies that support the production of biofuels and biobased products is not only good for farm incomes. The whole

March 12, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Bill Aims to Dismantle RFS, Limit Biofuel Blending

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On March 8, Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., introduced companion bills that aim to dismantle the Renewable Fuel Standard and sunset blending obligations for conventional, advanced, cellulosic, and biomass-based diesel fuels. The acts, titled the “Growing Renewable Energy through Existing and

March 9, 2018 Read Full Article

200 Companies, Trade Groups Urge Congress forward on Farm Bill Energy Title Programs

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, more than 200 companies and trade associations today wrote House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders, urging them “to reauthorize and maintain stable mandatory funding for energy title programs in the next farm bill reauthorization.” The letter, organized by the Agriculture Energy Coalition, states, “For more

March 9, 2018 Read Full Article

Commercial Time: Aemetis Embarks on $158 Million Cellulosic Ethanol Project in California

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … I’d start with the news from Aemetis that they are embarking now on a $158 million cellulosic ethanol plant — to be built in Riverbank, California, in partnership with LanzaTech. Cellulosic ethanol is selling for such a high price in California right now — the

March 8, 2018 Read Full Article

UPDATE 1-U.S. Refinery Workers Head to Washington to Urge Biofuels Reform

by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) A delegation of workers from U.S. oil refining companies that oppose the nation’s biofuels policy will converge on Washington on Wednesday to lobby lawmakers to find a way to lessen the regulation’s costs without hurting corn farmers and makers of the alternative fuels. The trip, organized by

March 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Ag Policy Blog: Government Confusion Over Ethanol Might Demand Growing Locally

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) … So you have USDA saying ethanol demand has basically peaked. The Department of Energy is saying ethanol is really the only fuel that can provide the energy and market demands needed in the next 15 years — for roughly 9 billion more gallons

March 6, 2018 Read Full Article

Aemetis Completes Operation of Cellulosic Ethanol Integrated Demonstration Unit, Produced Record Yields

by Kelly Shaver (Aemetis) Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced today that the company successfully built and operated an integrated demonstration unit for more than 120 days of continuous operations with 94% uptime, meeting the requirements for a federal USDA 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program guaranteed loan. In partnership with its key technology providers

March 6, 2018 Read Full Article

Heard On The Floor at ABLC Day 2 – Listen to the Wind of Change

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … Starting with the Federal Perspective and Programs Forum first thing in the morning, we heard from Harry Baumes from USDA who announced 5 more projects projecting to achieve financial closing in 2018 and an application cycle currently open until April 1st, followed with some sad news

March 5, 2018 Read Full Article

Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference—Thoughts and Tidbits from Day 1

by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The ABLC 2018 conference began at the US Department of Agriculture headquarters with a focus on feedstock. Jordan Solomon, Managing Director & CEO Ecostrat Inc.. kicked off the event with news of new US national standards for biomass supply chain risk that intend to

March 1, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Heard on the Floor at ABLC 2018

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There was high drama in Washington, DC as the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference got underway and President Trump readies to meet at the White House with a number of biofuels leaders about the RFS and bioeconomy policy in a session currently scheduled for 2pm ET today. Meanwhile,

March 1, 2018 Read Full Article

ABLC 2018 Preview: Deployment Dawns, Products Proliferate, and Techs Land Major Venture Deals as the Bioeconomy Advances into a Big 2018

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, ABLC 2018 opens amidst a flutter of government rollbacks of deployment support but the hope of regulatory relief, breakthroughs in financial structuring, a decisive shift in early-stage projects to nutrition & health, and an increasing number of deployments in advanced biofuels and a surge

February 28, 2018 Read Full Article

Aviation Biofuels: 10 Years, 100,000 Flights and We’re Still Arguing about Feedstock – Why?

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week marks the 10th anniversary of the first demo flight on biofuel which was done by Virgin Atlantic. LanzaTech CEO Jennifer Holmgren shared the factoid that, since that day, more than 100,000 commercial flights have used low carbon fuels. “This is especially amazing since in 2006

February 27, 2018 Read Full Article

Study Says CRP Mixes Don’t Live up to Biofuel Potential

by Julie Harker (Brownfield Ag News) Mixed prairie grasses that are used in Conservation Reserve Program lands did not live up to their potential as biomass crops for cellulosic biofuel production, in an eight-year study. D.K. Lee, associate crop science professor at the University of Illinois, tells Brownfield most of the CRP

February 21, 2018 Read Full Article

Indiana Farm Leaders on Importance of NAFTA

by Andy Eubank (Hoosier Ag Today) … “There are a lot of positives of NAFTA as it relates to agriculture in Indiana; and all throughout the value chain and economy we would feel the impact should the U.S. withdraw from NAFTA,” said (Indiana Corn Growers Association president Sarah) Delbecq. “NAFTA is

February 20, 2018 Read Full Article

Expected Drop in Farm Income Highlights Need for Biofuels, RFS

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA’s February 2018 Farm Income Forecast predicts net farm income will decline by or 6.7 percent this year. According to Growth Energy, the expected drop underscores the need for a strong Renewable Fuel Standard. The USDA’s forecast currently predicts net farm income will decrease

February 19, 2018 Read Full Article

Catalysts, Cleaning and Cook

by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) It’s not every day that scientists stumble upon novel ways to make biofuel, but that’s exactly what Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have done by discovering that a simple catalyst based on carbon, nitrogen and copper can turn carbon dioxide and water into ethanol. Meanwhile,

February 19, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

New DOE Study: Ethanol Among Best Options for Future Engine Efficiency Improvements and Emissions Reduction

(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today hailed the release of two studies by the Department of Energy that find ethanol-based high octane fuels can deliver substantial fuel economy improvements and emissions reductions when paired with optimized internal combustion engines. The studies are part of the DOE’s Co-Optimization of Engines &

February 15, 2018 Read Full Article

Pruitt Commits to Creating Regulatory Certainty for Biomass

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On Feb. 13, U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt met with members of the forest products industry and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu to discuss a range of environmental issues. Pruitt also provided Sununu with a letter announcing EPA’s efforts to work towards a carbon-neutral policy for

February 14, 2018 Read Full Article

Energy Programs Should Be Fully Funded and Enhanced in the 2018 Farm Bill

by Jeremy Gilpin, Jordan Blanchard, and Cindy Thyfault (National Rural Lenders Association/Biofuels Digest) There has been a keen focus the last few weeks for President Trump and the USDA with the release of the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Report, President Trump’s recent speech to the Farm Bureau, and the release

February 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Withdrawal of the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for and the Cancellation of the Farm-to-Fleet Feedstock Program Biofuel Production Incentive (BPI)

(U.S. Department of Agriculture Commodity Credit Corporation and Farm Service Agency) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) has withdrawn support for the Farm-to-Fleet BPI Program, and is cancelling funding for the BPI payments to companies that are refining biofuel in the United States from certain domestically

February 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Reaction to President Trump’s SOTU

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) President Donald Trump did mention energy in his first State of the Union address, albeit briefly. “We have ended the war on American energy, and we have ended the war on beautiful clean coal,” said the president. “We are now very proudly an exporter of energy to the

January 31, 2018 Read Full Article

Biobased Buzz: Renewable Propylene Glycol – Early Success in Renewable Chemical Market

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) … According to the Department of Energy, substitution of renewable propylene glycol made from biomass can reduce greenhouse gases by 61 percent, as compared to using petroleum-based propylene glycol. The process for converting biomass to propylene glycol (PG) has been long understood. Scientists

January 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Industry Honors Biodiesel Champions, Reflects on History

(National Biodiesel Board) Annual awards highlight 25 years of biodiesel success — As the U.S. biodiesel industry celebrates 25 years, the National Biodiesel Board’s annual awards recognize a diverse group of individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to biodiesel. From long-time champions to present-day breakthroughs, the commercial biodiesel industry wouldn’t

January 24, 2018 Read Full Article

Ag Secretary to Roll out Farm Bill & Legislative Principles in Pennsylvania

(Wisconsin State Farmer) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will be in Pennsylvania Wednesday, Jan. 24 to roll out the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Bill and legislative principles for 2018. READ MORE Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue pulls back the curtain on the farm bill (Marketplace; includes AUDIO) Tom Vilsack: What the

January 24, 2018 Read Full Article

USDA, DOE to Fund Biomass Genomics Research

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA and U.S. Department of Energy have opened a funding opportunity that aims to support genomics-based research that will lead to the improved use of biomass and plant feedstock for the production of biofuels and biochemicals. Selected research projects would aim to overcome biological

January 23, 2018 Read Full Article

Dry Idea: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Bioeconomy in Arid Regions

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The 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. Scale up to profitable production, however, requires feedstock improvements, expansion of cultivation, agronomic knowledge and practices, and economic crop residue utilization. Researchers

January 22, 2018 Read Full Article

US Government Report Strengthens Consensus on Biodiesel Benefits

(National Biodiesel Board) Argonne National Laboratory, US Dept. of Agriculture, and Purdue University affirm impressive emissions reductions — A new study on biodiesel’s lifecycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission effects updates and reaffirms the long-understood benefits of using the renewable fuel. The study is the latest in the significant body of

January 22, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Research Finds Land Management Practices Matter in Cellulosic Biofuels Production

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) New research from Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Chicago at Illinois and the International Food Policy Research Institute shows that incorporating conservation practices can both increase soil organic content and improve the greenhouse gas profile of biofuels produced from crop residues. A

January 22, 2018 Read Full Article

The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the SPARC Regional Biojet Fuel Consortium

January 19, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Top 20 Advanced Bioeconomy Projects underway in North America

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To date, North America is the most active of all regions in terms of deploying advanced technology — whether it is cellulosic ethanol, isobutanol for fuels and chemicals, or renewable chemical plants, you see the first and the most, here. There are three drivers for that:

January 19, 2018 Read Full Article

Getting a Loan Guarantee: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the USDA 9003 Loan Guarantee program

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The 2014 Farm Bill provides for support of Advanced Biofuels, Renewable Chemicals, and Biobased Product Manufacturing by providing loan guarantees for up to $250 million. USDA has funding available and is actively looking for new applications. These illuminating slides on the USDA process come from Todd

January 18, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

My Voice: A ‘Swing and a Miss’ from the USDA

by Doug Sombke (Argus Leader/South Dakota Farmers Union) Our esteemed U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released a report of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. While it is hard to get excited over any government report, I had high hopes for this particular effort given the title and the supposed

January 18, 2018 Read Full Article

USDA Awards Attis $3 Million Grant for Lignin Technology

(Meridian Waste Solutions Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) Meridian Waste Solutions Inc., an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services and innovative technology company, recently announced the award of a $3 million grant from the USDA to support the commercialization of patented and patent-pending lignin conversion and refining technologies owned by Meridian’s subsidiary, Attis Innovations

January 17, 2018 Read Full Article

Developing Climate-Smart Ag Farm Groups Meet to Examine Role of Agriculture in Building Climate Resiliency

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Farm organizations are beginning to talk about the evolution of climate-smart agriculture and the need to ensure the U.S. remains at the table as the United Nations begins developing an agricultural framework for climate change. Representatives from more than 30 organizations were scheduled to

January 17, 2018 Read Full Article

Old and New at the Keystone Farm Show

by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA has three overlapping reasons to attend and exhibit at the Keystone Farm Show: Educate attendees; Educate ourselves; Connect with people interested in joining the biofuels world. For one, the organizers, Lee Publications, invite us to be there to provide information about

January 12, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

CAAFI Highlights Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuel Activities of 2017 and Plans for 2018

by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) has taken stock of its busy 2017 and has set priorities for 2018. Highlights on the sustainable alternative jet fuel (SAJF) front include development of many resources available to the public on the CAAFI website. Progress on

January 12, 2018 Read Full Article

Alabama Producers Growing Carinata for Biofuel

by Katie Nichols (Alabama Extension Daily) Alabama growers are sowing the seeds of a new biofuel oil crop this winter. Brassica carinata, informally known as carinata, is similar to canola (Brassica napus L.)—a crop many producers introduced to rotations several years ago. An oilseed crop, carinata seed is larger than millet and smaller than sorghum.

January 12, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

USDA: Ethanol Plants Are Operating near Full Capacity but Constraints Limit Growth

(AgriMarketing) The number of U.S. ethanol plants more than quadrupled since 1999, as demand for ethanol has increased. This growth in the number of plants is driven mainly by the Renewable Fuel Standard program, which was first enacted in 2005. The initial increase in plant numbers after 2005 led to reduced capacity

January 12, 2018 Read Full Article

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Invests in Integrated Biorefinery Optimization

(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today awarded a grant to improve biorefinery technologies through the Integrated Biorefinery Optimization (IBO) program. The funding comes from NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which addresses challenges in food and agricultural sciences

January 5, 2018 Read Full Article

The Sun Also Ryzes: Ryze Renewable Secures Financing, Heads for Commercial-Scale Advanced Biofuels in Nevada

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, we’d like to share news that a new biorefinery for diesel and jet fuel has finalized $112.6 million loan, backed by a USDA loan guarantee. This is Ryze Renewables, which will construct its biorefinery in Storey County, Nevada. The new refinery is scheduled to open in

December 22, 2017 Read Full Article