(American Farmland Trust) —“The findings from the 2007 National Resources Inventory (NRI) serve as a stark reminder that our nation’s agricultural land base—and the benefits it supplies—is threatened by poorly planned development,” says Jon Scholl, President of American Farmland Trust
by Mark Steil (Minnesota Public Radio) The idea of a biofuel made from something other than food was one of the stars of both the Bush and Obama administration's energy programs, but the future of cellulosic ethanol is in doubt. Cellulosic
by Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Ph.D. (Director, Office of the USDA Chief Scientist) The USDA has a diverse protfolio of programs supporting the production of advanced biofuels. In this presentation to the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference in Washington, DC in April 2010,
(UPI) Amtrak plans to operate its Heartland Flyer Oklahoma-Texas service on animal-based biodiesel for the next year, officials say. The first biodiesel-powered train pulled into Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram said. The train does a daily 400-mile round
by Jason Paur (Wired) ...A small company in Indiana is leading the way for creating an alternative fuel for piston-powered airplanes around the world. Swift Enterprises has created a biomass-derived, synthetic fuel that has already been successfully tested in several
(POET) Technology ready, CEO says, but loan guarantee, policy stability and market access still needed to achieve vision. POET plans to have a hand in producing 3.5 billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year by 2022, POET CEO Jeff Broin said
(Great Lakes Innovation and Technology Report) Heating and squishing microalgae in a pressure-cooker can fast-forward the crude-oil-making process from millennia to minutes. University of Michigan professors are working to understand and improve this procedure in an effort to speed up development
by Reilly Brennan (AOL Autos) EPA Mulls New Fuel Economy Guidelines The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will soon draft a new regulation for the way it calculates fuel efficiency for electric cars, potentially deflating the stratospheric fuel economy numbers trumpeted by
(Pew Charitable Trusts) Pentagon, Service Agencies Working to Enhance Security, Save Money and Reduce Emissions The Department of Defense has initiated ambitious clean energy programs in service of economic, security and environmental goals according to "Reenergizing America's Defense," a report released today
(UOP) Fuel produced using process technology from Honeywell's UOP under contract from U.S. Defense Energy Support Center. UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced April 22, 2010, that Honeywell Green Jet Fuel(TM) produced using Honeywell UOP's renewable jet fuel process technology powered a U.S.
(Michigan State University) Using productive farmland to grow crops for food instead of fuel is more energy efficient, Michigan State University scientists concluded, after poring over 17 years’ worth of data to help settle the food versus fuel debate. "It's 36
(SG Biofuels) SG Biofuels announced it has established a strategic partnership with Brookhaven National Laboratory to accelerate the analysis and testing of oil produced by its Latin American Jatropha plantations. The company was selected by Brookhaven National Laboratory to provide
(USDA) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack April 16, 2010, invited public comment on several proposed rules designed to increase the production of advanced biofuels and the development of biorefineries. The programs are authorized under the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (The
by Robert Rapier (Forbes) ...In order to better understand the intricacies of the issues involved, I have been engaged in dialogue with a number of industry groups and economists. Here I will try to shed some light on the tariff
(XPrize Foundation, Marketwire) ...X PRIZE is an educational nonprofit organization whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs, inspiring the formation of new industries, jobs and the revitalization of markets that are currently stalled. Through strategic design of ground-breaking competitions with
(US DOE) The U.S. Department of Energy today announced a series of partnerships and other initiatives to address clean energy and energy security in the Western Hemisphere as part of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). Secretary
by Darren Samuelsohn (New York Times) Key senators are weighing a request from Big Oil to levy a carbon fee on the industry rather than wrap it into a sweeping cap-and-trade system that covers most of the U.S. economy. If accepted,
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel) “When do we stop investing in OPEC and start investing in America?” That’s the question that oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens asked at a House Ways and Means committee hearing Wednesday (April 14, 2010) on “Energy Tax
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) LS9 Inc. announced that its trademarked UltraClean Diesel fuel has been officially registered with the U.S. EPA, now making it eligible for commercial sale in the U.S. ...The company's technology is a one-step conversion process that
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...IntAct Labs LLC has been awarded a $46,770 U.S. EPA grant to further research ethanol stillage treatment using a microbial fuel cell process, according to Justin Buck, chief technology officer for the company. The microbial
by Terry Macalister (The Guardian) ...The US military has warned that surplus oil production capacity could disappear within two years and there could be serious shortages by 2015 with a significant economic and political impact. The energy crisis outlined in a
by Stephanie Yao (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have long-term studies underway to examine growing camelina as a bioenergy crop for producing jet fuel for the military and the aviation industry. This research supports the recently signed memorandum of
by Green Liver (Imperial Valley News) A Purdue University researcher will lead a portion of a federally funded effort based at Iowa State University aimed at creating genetically engineered algae for environmentally friendly biodiesel production. Currently, hydrocarbon fuels such as diesel
Zia Haq (Biomass Program, U.S. Department of Energy) focused his presentation on efforts that the Biomass R&D Board Interagency Working Group makes in order to increase the feedstock production. The priorities he pointed out in his talk are sustainability, modeling,
Moderator Laura Neal (Biomass Program, U.S. Department of Energy) emphasized the resources availability to ensure a sustainable supply of feedstock in order to meet increased biofuels demand. The presentation mainly pointed out three focused areas of feedstock platform: feedstock analysis, feedstock
M. Cristina Negri (Argonne National Laboratory) directed her talk toward the Laboratory’s system perspective; “waste as another sector’s resource” in biomass production. The growth of biofuels needs to be sustainable meeting economic, environmental, and social standards. An important research question in
Budhedra Bhaduri (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) This session started with a talk given by moderator Budhedra Bhaduri who emphasized the role of geospatial science and technology in sustainable bioenergy. She presented the Geographic Information System (GIS) that includes computer software and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, a battle royal has been joined on the comments page of the Natural Resources Defense League (sic) following posts on the economic and greenhouse gas benefits (or lack thereof, according to NRDC’s Nathanael
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) It doesn't make sense to exchange reliance on one kind of imported transportation essential for another. This is as true for foreign oil; fossil fuels; batteries and rare earth metals for electric cars; as
by Nick Chambers (Gas2.0) Calling themselves the “underdogs,” the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) has today launched an advertising campaign and a new website, sweeteralternative.com, to bring awareness of the successes of the Brazilian ethanol industry to a U.S. audience. The
by Ann Perry (USDA ARS) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are figuring out how to turn wheat straw into ethanol “gold,” and learning more about the bacteria that can “infect” ethanol plants and interfere with fuel production. ...But the same environments
by Gary Chittim (King5News) The nation's largest boat owners' group wants the federal Environmental Protection Agency to slow down on plans to increase the ethanol content in the nation's gasoline supply. U.S. gasoline currently contains about 10 percent ethanol and most
(GreenAirOnline) The US Air Force has carried out the first-ever feasibility flight powered solely by a blended hydrotreated renewable jet fuel. The twin-engined A-10C Thunderbolt used a 50/50 blend of conventional military JP-8 jet fuel and a biofuel derived from
The first ARIES biodiesel production system has been delivered to Naval Base Ventura County. ARIES is the result of a collaborative effort by the U.S. Navy, Biodiesel Industries and Aerojet to produce a sustainable and reliable renewable fuel, biodiesel, using
by Patrick Westhoff (Washington Times letter to editor) The editorial "Stop 'Big Corn' " (Opinion, Monday) did not accurately describe the analysis of ethanol policy conducted by our institute. The editorial says we at the University of Missouri's Food and Agricultural
Growth Energy, the coalition of US ethanol supporters, announced today that it has filed papers to intervene on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a lawsuit filed against EPA by the petroleum industry challenging a key part
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Washington, the US Department of Energy released its Open Government Plan highlighting DOE initiatives to maintain and increase transparency, increase participation between the Department, its program offices, sites and the American public, and increase collaborative
by Gal Luft (The Baltimore Sun) ...While both drilling and efficiency promise little relief, with growing instability in the Middle East and millions of Chinese and Indians moving from bicycles to cars, it is almost a given that we will
by Jane Meinhardt (Tampa Bay Business Journal) A startup formed when University of South Florida researchers created a patent-pending catalytic process that transformed sawdust into jet fuel is taking off. COSI Catalysts Inc. received honorable mention last week in the “Advanced
(Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News) Funding the existing cellulosic biofuel reverse auction program is a targeted, affordable way to assist pioneer cellulosic biofuel producers in the United States. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) released a March 23, 2010, letter to House and Senate
Responding to one of the first major directives of the Obama Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today jointly established historic new federal rules that set the first-ever national greenhouse gas emissions
The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources was awarded $71,694,000 to fund energy projects through SEP. A portion of these funds has been used to create the Transportation Efficiency & Alternative Fuels Grant Program as described in the following sections. The Louisiana
by Joshua Kagan (GreenTechMedia) Algae biofuels are often considered one of those technologies --- like hydrogen fuel cells --- that are always "ten years away." Well, one company says it might have just cracked the code and could be supplying
by Joshua Kagan (GreenTechMedia) This week's announcement that the Air Force successfully tested a A-10C Thunderbolt "Warthog" plane on a 50:50 blend of petroleum jet fuel and camelina-based biofuel has brought the two disparate ways of producing aviation biofuels into
...Well, if there’s any doubt about the leadership that our military is showing, you just need to look at this F-18 fighter and the light-armored vehicle behind me. The Army and Marine Corps have been testing this vehicle on a
U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Cathy Zoi today announced that the Department’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will build an advanced biofuels process development facility aimed at speeding the commercialization of advanced biofuels by
Agencies Move to Increase Energy Security and Fuel Efficiency. President Obama announced March 31, 2010, that the Federal Government will lead by example in replacing older cars in the federal fleet with fuel efficient hybrids and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, reducing our
A new study by the Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology indicates that the use of E20 fuel, which blends 20 percent ethanol with gasoline, reduces the tail pipe emissions of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, compared
by Richard Johnson (GlobeGazette.com) ...Mt. Valley will use all types of feed stock — grease, soy, sunflower seeds — in a closed-loop, emissions-free facility. It will be able to produce 3 million gallons of biodiesel fuel per year for its first
by Leah Beth Ward (YakimaHerald.com) The parent company of the AB Foods-Washington Beef processing plant in Toppenish has won $2 million in grants and loans to create a biofuels company that will transform waste into diesel. AB Bioenergy will use the
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ...Both the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA) filed the lawsuit Monday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia challenging the EPA rule, officially published
by Samuel King, Jr. (Air Force Material Command) Air Force officials, embracing the national priorities of cleaner fuel and energy independence, took a step toward a greener, energy independent future when an A-10C Thunderbolt II here took to the air
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $2.38 million to 34 small businesses to develop innovative, sustainable technologies to protect human health and the environment. These efforts will help improve air quality, protect our water, work to decrease the
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...The easiest way to gain the improved fuel economy is through “engine downsizing,” in other words, using smaller engines. But the new smaller engine technologies will not mean less power, like in the past. According to
“Advanced Biofuels: Your Guide to Sustainable Energy Sources” was published on March 31, 2010, by MediaPlanet as a supplement to the Capitol Hill editions of the Washington Post and will be distributed at coming advanced biofuels conferences and events. As part
by Eric Petermann (The Journal-Standard) Furst-McNess has started a new business that markets a by-product of ethanol production, dry distillers’ grain, for use as a feed supplement for livestock, and has already established a relationship that exports that product to
by Thom Gabrukiewicz (Argus Leader) A native perennial might hold the promise of being not only a new source crop for cellulosic ethanol, but also a way to help capture and store carbon. South Dakota State University plant breeders are helping investigate
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...orchestrating a sweeping revamp of energy strategy at the Department of Defense — where a new generation of leaders cite benefits such as these when they tout the features of biofuels: 1. Saving lives – as
Under the Clean Air Act Section 211(o), as amended by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), the Environmental Protection Agency is required to promulgate regulations implementing changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard program. The revised statutory requirements specify
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today announced a series of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) with 3M, the St. Paul, Minn.-based technology company. The collaborative effort demonstrates both 3M’s and NREL’s commitments to
by John Nolan (Dayton Daily News) The Air Force flew an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, operating solely on a biomass-derived jet fuel blend Thursday, March 25, in a major step toward the service’s goal of diversifying its sources for aviation fuel. Officials
Accelergy Corporation, a global leader in high-grade domestically sourced liquid fuels, today announced that it has begun production of their highly efficient fuel from coal and biomass, to be evaluated by the United States Air Force (USAF) as the industry
Camelina oil and domestic coal will soon be blended to create clean biojet fuel using coal-biomass-to-liquid technology (CBTL), thanks to an agreement between Accelergy Corporation and Great Plains Oil & Exploration – The Camelina Company. "This teaming gives Great Plains the
EPA's Abstract: Regulation to Prevent the Misfueling of Vehicles and Engines with Gasoline Containing Greater than Ten Volume Percent Ethanol and Modifications to the Reformulated and Conventional Gasoline This rulemaking does two things. First, it will help prevent the misfueling of
The Defense Logistics Agency’s Defense Energy Support Center and Air Transport Association of America, Inc., signed a strategic alliance agreement today in Washington, D.C., recognizing a partnership for the development and deployment of alternative aviation fuels. The agreement highlights the shared
by Joshua Kagan (GreentechMedia) ...While I am completely unapologetic in my belief that Congress and the White House are unwisely pursuing a biofuels policy in which corn ethanol, soybean biodiesel, and cellulosic ethanol have been chosen over radically transformative feedstocks
With full implementation of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) now in full swing, ethanol producers will be required to register with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In an effort to provide them with information they will need before registering,
by Gary Pinnell (Highlands Today) In April 2008, Congressman Tim Mahoney told county commissioners that Highlands was poised to become "the biofuels capital of America." They were expected to produce hundreds of jobs and millions in revenues. Two years have gone
by Philip Brasher (DesMoinesRegister.com) The National Research Council is digging into the economic and environmental impact of biofuels, but the results of the congressionally mandated study won’t be known until next year. That means the results won’t be known until
The livestock sector can lead the agricultural economy to higher net farm income, assuming the farm economy benefits from a recovering general U.S. economy. That analysis tops a 2010 baseline report prepared by the University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy
by Vera Chinese (The Riverhead News-Review) ...Available via two bright yellow pumps to distinguish it from regular gasoline, E85 has been selling at the Middle Country Road gas station since the fall. "It's something really new," said station owner Marley
(Pork) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is set to “develop a pump label to prevent misfueling of vehicles and engines not authorized to use E15 fuel and to provide manufacturer certification to sell E15,” according to the publication InsideEPA. That
by (National Defense Magazine) The secretary of the Navy’s announcement last fall of several initiatives to wean the sea service off fossil fuels has generated excitement but also some trepidation among energy researchers and defense contractors. Much of the hope for
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 funding is available again through three USDA programs to promote increased production of biofuel and bioenergy. The programs are authorized under the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008
by Cole Gustafson (Prairie Business Magazine) ... In addition to problems on Wall Street following the collapse of the financial markets, cellulosic biofuel producers have lacked standard benchmarks of performance like those used in grain corn ethanol plants (1 bushel
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, R.W. Beck, has been awarded a blanket purchase agreement by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Golden Field Office to support The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Biomass
by Aaron Pickering (KOLD) ...The experiment, National Lab Pathfinder-Cells 3, is aimed at learning whether microgravity can help jatropha curcas plant cells grow faster to produce biofuel, or renewable fuel derived from biological matter. Jatropha is known to produce high
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“Cellulosic ethanol is not the same as first generation ethanol,” (Arnie) Klann (Bluefire Ethanol CEO) noted. “There, you had the corn growers, and there was a vested interest, and companies like ADM, Cargill to provide the support.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) has awarded a Technology Investment Agreement to DuPont for the development of a process to convert sugars produced by macroalgae into next-generation biofuels called isobutanol. Bio Architecture Lab (BAL)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BIO exec VP Brent Erickson ruefully noted in a conference with reporters that the biofuels industry was “very disappointed in the loan guarantee program. Biomass was mixed in with wind and solar, which have much
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Starting off the call, BIO section EVP Brent Erickson compared the scale up of the advanced biofuels industry to the scale up and evolution of the oil industry which took place over 120 years as
(New York Times) House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio and other key Republicans plan to unveil a formal resolution that would effectively veto EPA's "endangerment" finding. That determination, issued last December, finds that greenhouse gases threaten public health and
by Light and Medium Truck (Transport Topics Online) A group including motor carriers, businesses, several members of Congress and a conservative public interest legal foundation has filed a lawsuit in federal appeals court challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s finding
by David J. Leeds (GreentechMedia) After sitting through presentations from a "who's who" of the energy world these past two days at the DOE's inaugural ARPA-E Innovation Summit, any one of the more than 1,700 individuals in the room likely needed
Virent Energy Systems, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded $2.4 million from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of a $33.8 million grant to the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium (NABC). The NABC aims to develop technologies to
UOP, a Honeywell ( HON) company, announced today that it has been awarded a $1.5 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy for a project to demonstrate technology to capture carbon dioxide and produce algae for use in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) was a cold Wednesday afternoon in January when the news came through that a consortium called the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts had received a $44 million grant from the Department of Energy.
by Naureen S. Malik (Dow Jones Newswires) Makers of cellulosic ethanol warn that ambitious U.S. government goals to significantly boost production of the technologically advanced fuel over the next 12 years won't be met without stronger backing from Washington. ...industry executives
by Clayton McMartin(Clean Fuels Clearinghouse) To say the RFS2 rule is complex would be a huge understatement. In reality this rule is much more complex than RFS1. Recognizing this, and the fact that thousands of companies throughout the industry will need
by Robert M. Ames, Anthony Corridore, Edward Hirs, Paul W. MacAvoy (Yale Graduates Energy Study Group) The authors demonstrate that the United States profits handsomely in all circumstances by imposing an embargo on imports of foreign crude oil. The US removes its
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Contemplating the continued inability of the US to meet the biofuels and advanced biofuels production and sales expectations codified in the Renewable Fuels Standard, the Advanced Biofuels USA board passed a resolution to introduce
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Since the provisions of the RFS were written into the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 without a realistic funding provision, RFS and RFS2 are, as a practical matter, “Sense of
In response to a paper published by two Cornell University professors – a paper that is critical of the Environmental Protection Agency’s calculations that grain ethanol emits far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional gasoline – Growth Energy released the
A recent EPA announcement that corn-based ethanol achieves a 21 percent greenhouse gas reduction compared to gasoline is based on false accounting assumptions and could actually lead to more fossil fuel consumption, according to Cornell University economists whose research will
(DTN Ethanol Center) President Barack Obama will continue championing biofuels as a job creator, said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack when he spoke to members of the Governors' Biofuels Coalition on Monday. Vilsack is hopeful for a positive decision on
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has come up with a new system for renewable identification number (RINs) that should be easier to use as well as cut down on the possibility of human error. ...Tony Miller,
(CleanTechPRWire) DMC Green, Inc., announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded DMC Green two separate grants to support their on-going green fuel infrastructure projects in California. The two grants will help fund E85 ethanol installation for ten gas
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...(S)aid Sarah Dunham of the EPA, the EPA received real data during the comment period that helped shape the rule, including indirect land use change (ILUC). “I can safely say that this is the
by Lisa Hare (Yankton Press & Dakotan) The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent final ruling on the national Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was met with mixed responses by farm state politicians and organizational leaders. “This is a good news/bad news announcement
(NASC Online) General Motors Co. is asking for more U.S. ethanol stations to help fuel its growing fleet of hybrid vehicles, Reuters reports. The car maker is producing more vehicles able to run on ethanol-gasoline blends. Tom Stevens, GM vice chairman
by Peter Sur (West Hawaii Today) A new biodiesel plant that will produce 2.6 million gallons a year is planned for Keaau. ...Now an undeveloped property, a little more than a year from now the Maui-based principals of Pacific Biodiesel
by Suzanne Goldenberg (The Guardian) The brains trust of the Pentagon says it is just months away from producing a jet fuel from algae for the same cost as its fossil-fuel equivalent. The claim, which comes from the Defense Advanced Research
(New York Times) letters to editor Re “Sensible Rules for Ethanol” (editorial, Feb. 11): While American corn farmers are pleased the Environmental Protection Agency recognizes that corn ethanol offers significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions compared with gasoline, we disagree strongly
Jonathan Fahey (Forbes.com) It is becoming ever more apparent that there is one big squishy variable in the calculations that determine whether biofuels help the planet or help destroy it. That variable is called the indirect land use charge (sic),
by Douglas Fischer (Scientific American) The Obama administration last week gave the green light to corn ethanol as a low-carbon renewable fuel – in apparent contradiction to California's declaration last summer that the biofuel's carbon footprint was too big to
by Tom Humphrey (Knoxnews.com) A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit by the American Petroleum Institute that sought to invalidate North Carolina's "ethanol blending" statute, which is similar to a 2009 law passed by the Tennessee legislature. API has also
by Dennis O'Brien (Agricultural Research Service) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and their colleagues at the Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute announced that they have completed sequencing the genome of a kind of wild grass that will
by Henry A. Stephens (TCPalm.com) ...“Our project is a brand-new opportunity with new technology,” Tex Carter, vice president and chairman of INEOS New Planet BioEnergy LLC, said Thursday. “We’re turning garbage into ethanol.” ...The company has been discussing buying and converting
(OPIS) The New York Times is praising U.S. EPA for including the international indirect land use change (ILUC) calculation in its lifecycle greenhouse gas reduction threshold as part of the finalized expanded renewable fuels standard (RFS2), issued last week. ...In response,
by Charles Zusman (NJ.com) Boating interests are on guard against a move by the ethanol industry to increase the ethanol content of gasoline from 10 percent to 15 percent, an action they fear might be harmful to marine engines. Boating
By Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The expected EPA approval of E15 later this year will be only the beginning. In order to bring E15 to market, the ethanol industry needs to support petroleum marketers in addressing the issues that
by Brian Baskin (SugarcaneBlog.com, Dow Jones) U.S. ethanol producers are facing their toughest fight yet to keep long-standing trade protections intact. Producers of ethanol, which in the U.S. is usually distilled from corn and then blended to make gasoline, have
(Central Valley Business Times) The mass production of biofuels could be a major step toward eliminating dependence on fossil fuels, but a number of factors have stood in the way, including the argument against using productive agricultural land for fuel
by C. Boyden Gray (Washington Times) Little noticed outside a small policy community, an issue has quietly arisen in recent years that, while seemingly technical, has the potential to derail the nation's attempts to address the issues of energy security
by Michael Gonzalez (Post-Tribune) More of Gary's men and women in blue could be driving green by spring. The Board of Works on Wednesday voted to advertise for vendors to provide up to 120 "flex fuel" and hybrid vehicles for the
by Paul Bollinger (The DOD Energy Blog) It appears that the Obama Administration is close to formally announcing a nominee for the Department of Defense (DOD) Director of Operational Energy Plans and Programs. The Director of this office will have
Rentech, Inc. and ClearFuels Technology Inc., jointly announced that their project to construct a biomass gasifier at Rentech's Energy Technology Center ("RETC") in Denver has been awarded a conditional $22.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE"). The
by Catherine Saillant (Los Angeles Times) Members of the Southern California Assn. of Governments reject $11 million in federal stimulus money to set up 55 stations throughout the Southland. They say ethanol causes environmental problems. A regional panel Thursday turned
(Earth Times) UK-based Carbon Credited Farming congratulated NASA on the successful launch of the Endeavour Space Shuttle today. It blasted off from Kennedy Space Center taking with it new scientific experiments, including a study of the Jatropha curcas plant, used
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Biotechnology Industry Organization followed up on a shift in US biofuels policy with a call for four new steps it said would increase the pace of biofuels commercialization. BIO called for: • Revising
Jim Lane and Will Thurmond (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, Biofuels Digest columnist Will Thurmond, covering the National Biodiesel Conference, reports that “EPA’s half-baked, not ready for prime time beta version of RFS2 report to NBB on RIN tracking system,” used
President Obama announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a proposed rule for the new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) that intends to spur the expansion of dedicated non-food crops for renewable energy and biofuel production. A public comment
by Heather Zichal (White House Blog) ... The President’s Biofuels Interagency Working Group released its first report – Growing America’s Fuel, which lays out a strategy to advance the development and commercialization of a sustainable biofuels industry to meet or
(Biofuels Digest) Roundup of reaction to the new Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) and related announcements. Included are: Nathanael Greene, NRDC’s director of renewable energy policy; Bob Dineen, CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association; Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel
(Biofuels Digest) A letter to Energy Secretary Chu from 11 cellulosic ethanol CEOs and directors: “The Department is obligated by statute to determine that LGP-funded projects offer a “reasonable prospect of repayment” (EPAct Section 1702(d)(1)). We understand that, at present,
Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson (MN) issued the following statement on Renewable Fuel Standard regulations announced by the Obama Administration today. "Typical of most decisions made in Washington, there is some good and some bad in the Renewable Fuel Standard
President Barack Obama announced a series of steps his Administration is taking as part of its comprehensive strategy to enhance American energy independence while building a foundation for a new clean energy economy, and its promise of new industries and
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) The QDR (Quadrennial Defense Review), which sets the Department of Defense's priorities for the next four years, came out February 1, 2010. The QDR, because it is much more detailed than the FY 2011
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) The FY 2011 US Budget request is so long, cumbersome and detailed, that we've read it and pulled out some salient points related to biofuels so you don't have to. But, if you want
by Dan Miller (The Patriot-News) The state will provide $3 million toward an $11 million upgrade of the Keystone BioFuels bio-refinery production plant in Hampden Township (Pennsylvania). The Alternative Energy Investment Fund will provide a $1 million loan guarantee and a
(CBC News, AP) A $10.5-million-US research project aimed at mapping the DNA sequence of sunflowers could one day yield a towering new variety for both food and fuel. Researchers envision crossbreeding a standard sunflower with the Silverleaf species from Texas to
[caption id="attachment_6035" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Last year DOE displayed the Green Challenge winner, but not in 2010. DOE also recognized young innovators and educated the public on its projects and investments in biofuels. Not in 2010."][/caption] by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA)
(January 21, 2010) ...It is imperative that government provide R&D funding, especially at the front end when private investments would not recoup the full value of the shared social good or when a new technology would displace an embedded way
by Will Thurmond (Biofuels Digest) As industry and governments enter a new decade and contemplate the outcome of the December, 2009 Copenhagen treaty, the ‘big picture’ on biofuels continues to get lost in the rhetoric of sustainability in Brussels and
by Phillip Ewing (Navy Times) ... Navy scientists will be able to use the Department of Agriculture’s knowledge of corn, algae and other biofuels to help develop the alternatives the fleet needs if it is to meet (Navy Secretary Ray)
(US Department of Energy)Secretary Steven Chu also announced the selection of eight infrastructure projects to receive up to $1.6 million to support expanded fueling infrastructure for ethanol blends. The projects will expand ethanol blends infrastructure at existing retail fueling locations in nine
With the goal of providing drivers with more choices at the pump, the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC) has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to expand the number of ethanol stations along major
UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced it has been selected for negotiation of a $25 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to build a demonstration unit in Hawaii to convert cellulosic biomass into green transportation fuels. As part
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the investment of nearly $80 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for advanced biofuels research and fueling infrastructure that will help support the development of a clean sustainable transportation
Novozymes, has received an Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit of USD 28.4 million from the Obama Administration for the construction of its new enzyme manufacturing facility in Blair, Nebraska. The facility, which will produce enzymes used to make advanced biofuels, will
Memphis Bioworks Foundation announced it has been awarded a $2.9 million Energy Training Partnership Grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Green Jobs Training Program. The two-year initiative will fund programs to train area workers for jobs in
by Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) It sounded like a good idea: Provide a little government money to convert wood shavings and plant waste into renewable energy. But as laudable as that goal sounds, it could end up causing more economic damage than
by Megan Kuhn (Flightglobal) Four companies with biorefinery projects targeting alternative jet fuel production will receive grant money totalling up to $100 million from the US Energy Department. Honeywell subsidiary UOP, algae-based fuel developer Sapphire Energy, chemical producer Elevance Renewable Sciences
(Aftermarket Business) ... EVCARCO is an American automotive dealership offering the latest in alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) as part of a multi tiered national strategy. The corporation will launch its first dealership in Fort Worth, Texas due to the regional
by Tom Doggett (Reuters) The agency already said it was waiting until this summer, so it can review test data on how a higher ethanol-gasoline ratio would affect engines. ... Initial tests showed vehicles built after 2001 would likely be
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) RE-Powering America’s Land: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites initiative Web site has been updated. Some of the highlights of the updated Web site are below. The Google Earth interactive mapping tool,
Neil Rossmeissl (Department of Energy, Office of Biomass Program) Presentation includes Biomass Program goals and objectives; charts of biomass pathways to biofuels, biochemicals, other biomass-based products; description of grant-making metholology; charts of biomass conversion techniques; chart of key strategic relationships
by Ben Lefebvre and William Lemos (ICIS.com) US ethanol and biodiesel players have put a disastrous 2009 behind them, but many are wondering if they can survive 2010 without major government support. Biofuels producers are awaiting the roll-out of the updated
by Alexis Madrigal (Wired Science) For nearly 20 years, a government laboratory built a living, respiring library of carefully collected organisms in search of something that could grow quickly while producing something precious: oil. But now that collection has largely been
Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Q: Why is there a tariff on Brazilian ethanol? A. Under WTO rules the corn ethanol subsidy of 45 cents per gallon has to be made available to domestic and foreign ethanol. The tariff is designed
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