by Douglas Durante (The Hill Congress Blog) ... the Clean Air Act amendments of 1990 included a prescribed formula for reformulated gasoline that included an oxygen content, which ethanol provides. Oxygenated fuels promote more complete combustion and reduce carbon monoxide, particulates,
by Steve Tarter (Peoria Journal Star) ... The FS station in Kickapoo, the first station to offer biodiesel over a decade ago, now features a pump that allows drivers to select various grades of ethanol-blended gasoline, from E10 to E85. It’s also
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The employees of Illinois River Energy and GTL Resources Biorefining sent a letter to their Congressional delegation this week urging support of the Renewable Fuel Standard. “We are the 60 hard working employees of an independently owned and operated corn bio-refinery
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The California legislature recently passed Assembly Joint Resolution 21, which urges federal lawmakers and the U.S. EPA to reform the renewable fuels standard (RFS), transitioning away from first-generation biofuels. The measure was introduced by
by Pam Johnson (Fox News) Opinion: ...That critique has been around for years. But it doesn't jibe with the facts. Indeed, Big Oil's call to loosen the nation's ethanol requirements is misguided. Corn-based fuel has proven to be a clean-burning
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The oil industry has formally petitioned the EPA to reduce the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirements for 2014, arguing that the ethanol market is saturated. But now that corn and ethanol
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR), the lobbying arm for the fast food industry, is returning to the Hill today to continue its anti-RFS (Renewable Fuel Standard) campaign. Food preparation is a tough job. With rising
(Congressman Bill Enyart (D-IL)) Legislation Would Support Research & Development for Biofuels in U.S. Air Force Surrounded by agriculture leaders at a farm near Scott Air Force Base, Congressman Bill Enyart (D-IL) today announced a major push to power the nation’s
(Growth Energy) Following the American Petroleum Institutes’ recent release of skewed data used to advance their flawed agenda to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), Tom Buis CEO of Growth Energy released the following statement: “Once again, API has held another
by Javier E. David (CNBC) ..."They act as if they didn't see this coming," said Adam Monroe, president of Novozymes North America, a biotechnoloy company that makes enzymes used in biofuel production. Given the onset of the 2008 recession
by Gretchen Morgenson and Robert Gebeloff (The New York Times) ...But a little known market in ethanol credits has also become a hot new game on Wall Street. ...But many people believe that is what happened this year when the price
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (B)iobased chemical producers have been mentioning for some time that, ahem, there’s no Renewable Chemical Standard, no tax incentive, no RINs for them – and they help reduce carbon, too. It becomes especially complex when
By Reid Detchon (The Baltimore Sun) Our ability to break our dependence on foreign oil is threatened by the effort to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard Oil is essential to our economic and national security because our transportation system runs on
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) has released a new report that predicts projected growth in advanced biofuel production capacity will be sufficient to meet both the federal renewable fuels standard (RFS) and California’s low carbon fuel
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... (Paul) Bertels (vice president of production and utilization for the National Corn Growers Association) said the harvest should bring in about 12.9 billion bushels of corn, the third largest crop ever and just 100
by Alan Bjerga & Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Efforts to roll back rules that nurtured the corn-based ethanol industry threaten to stunt other promising biofuels, according to a developer working on one of the nation’s first commercial plants that won’t use
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Fuel Fix) ... The rising cost of RINs turned out to be good economic news for some oil companies, especially those who are producing biofuels and have blending capacity, so they could capitalize on the credits tacked
(Seattle PI/Associated Press) Ethanol producers say they are running up against market and regulatory pressures that are putting a crimp on the industry's future, despite lower prices for a key commodity to produce the fuel. The ethanol industry is distilling enough product
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Today, we look at 2013-14, should Congress elect not to act — but leave the EPA and the markets to govern implementation of the existing law. 2014 Mandate The EPA will ultimately determine the annual mandate, but
by Alex Fitzsimmons (Institute for Energy Research) ...Millions of gallons of ethanol would be produced and used every year without the Renewable Fuel Standard since refiners would use it as an oxygenate. The problem is not ethanol per se, the problem
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Based on our industry sources, here’s an outline for a “change the RFS” outcome – what that might look like. We see four key elements — ethanol, drop-ins, biodiesel and the RIN system for smoothing
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Pottstown Mercury) I am writing in response to Senator Pat Toomey’s Op-Ed that ran in The Mercury entitled “Federal regulations threaten Pa. refineries.” The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is not threatening refiners across the United States because
by Steve Everly (Kansas City Star) ... Ethanol has so far reduced the need for petroleum in gasoline by about 7 percent, which no other alternative fuel has come close to doing. But a shift is already in the works. ... In practice it
by Patrick Meehan and Pat Eiding (The Wall Street Journal) The price of EPA compliance rose 3,625% since the end of 2012. ... As a display of regulatory failure at its finest, current regulations place the compliance obligation on refiners rather than on
by Chris Woodward (One News Now) This week, CEI and ten other free-market organizations wrote Representatives Fred Upton (R-MI) and Henry Waxman (D-CA), urging them to abolish the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which is being thoroughly reviewed by both congressmen. Myron
by Anne Steckel (Biodiesel Magazine/National Biodiesel Board) ...Our industry is exceeding its volume requirements and producing enough fuel to fill the vast majority of the advanced biofuel pool. We are an EPA-designated advanced biofuel that’s doing just what the RFS
by Joe Leo (Biodiesel Magazine/BrownWinick Law Firm) Let’s be honest, despite the fact that the biodiesel industry is experiencing arguably its most successful year, it is still difficult for biodiesel producers to raise capital in the current investing climate. This
by Michael Bastasch (The Daily Caller) House Majority Leader Eric Cantor may attach legislation to reform the ethanol mandate to a debt ceiling package, the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) reports. ...“The Majority Leader listed a number of options to fix
by Janell Baum (Farm Futures) National Corn Growers President Pam Johnson says NCGA membership ready to move forward on the farm bill; reinforces stance on Renewable Fuel Standard It's a common refrain at the 2013 Farm Progress Show – what will
by Evan Halper (Los Angeles Times) It's even possible that conflicting state and federal policies on renewable fuels, both aimed at reducing global warming, could actually make things worse, some scientists say. California and the federal government want drivers to use
by C. Boyden Gray (The Washington Times) ANALYSIS/OPINION: A media campaign is underway to malign a cleaner, cheaper challenger to gasoline’s virtual monopoly on transportation fuel. If it succeeds, this campaign will deprive American drivers of the next generation of high-octane,
by Editorial Board (The Washington Post) Washington is seeing a great fight between two extremely powerful lobbies, Big Ethanol and Big Oil. Neither should win. ... Ethanol backers are right that it’s firmly in the nation’s interest to reduce the amount of oil
by Senator Jim Inhofe (The Edmond Sun) ... The worst impact of RFS on the consumer is beginning to be seen at the grocery store. As demand for corn increases because of the government-subsidized ethanol market, the price of food will
by Bruce Barcott (OnEarth.org) Imagine a future in which airliners run on cornstalks and Navy ships ply the oceans on tanks of switchgrass. That day may at last be inching closer. The promise of cellulosic biofuels sounds like a fable out
(USA Today) Editorial: When members of Congress decided in 2007 to require that Americans put 36 billion gallons of ethanol and other biofuels in their gas tanks annually by 2022, they must have thought there was an award for bad public policy. The
by Tennille Tracy (The Wall Street Journal) The Federal Trade Commission said it was looking into assertions by some members of Congress that oil companies are using their influence over retail gas stations to block consumers from accessing gasoline blended
(LaPorteCountyLife.com/Purdue University) The nation likely can produce federally mandated levels of biofuels in 2014 if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reduces its requirements by 2.3 billion gallons, Purdue University energy policy specialist Wally Tyner says. Tyner, the James and Lois Ackerman
by Charles Lane (The Washington Post) There are two iron laws of energy policy in the United States. Iron Law No. 1: A higher federal excise tax on fuel would efficiently reduce gasoline consumption and its negative side effects (air pollution,
by Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) ...The state of Iowa is proving that our farmers can simultaneously produce the food, feed, fuel and fiber that our country needs. During the past 30 years, we’ve witnessed tremendous growth in the renewable biofuel industry.
(PR NewsWire/Digital Journal/Domestic Fuel Solutions Group) From Day One the Domestic Fuel Solutions Group (DFSG) has been advocating for reasonable RFS reform. Congress is taking notice. At the end of two days of recent House Energy & Commerce Committee hearings on
by Tom Kacich (News-Gazette) Corn growers should be OK when renewable-fuel standards are updated by Congress, U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, told Champaign County farmers Tuesday. ... "It is our corn growers who were promised a ceiling of 15 billion (gallons of
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Fuel Fix) The American Petroleum Institute on Monday launched a new round of advertising taking aim at an eight-year-old renewable fuels mandate it wants Congress to repeal. The new television ad features everyday people behind the wheel,
By Sabina Zawadzki (Reuters) For U.S. refiners facing a multibillion-dollar bill linked to the soaring cost of renewable fuel credits, a U.S. move toward easing biofuel mandates brought to mind the first step in breaking a bad habit: recognizing there
by Nicholas De Filippis (Advanced Biofuels USA) On July 31 experts on bio-based products from around the world converged on the Washington Convention Center to attend the two day Biomass 2013 Conference hosted by the U. S. Department of Energy
by Craig Giammona (CNN Money/Fortune) Ethanol made from corn waste should be commercially available in 2014, but a fight in Congress threatens the market for cellulosic biofuels. When Royal DSM opens a $250 million facility in Emmetsburg, Iowa in a few
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) EPA also announces steps to address concerns about the E10 blend wall As part of an ongoing effort to enhance energy security and reduce carbon pollution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today finalized the 2013 percentage
by Jared Anderson (Breaking Energy/GreenTechMedia) Congressional hearings this week focusing on the EPA Renewable Fuel Standard brought together impassioned speakers representing the U.S. biofuel constituency, traditional fossil fuel interests, major food companies and other stakeholders. With so many business interests involved, there
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) During the recent Subcommittee on Energy and Power’s hearing to review the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) as well as during a recent RFS briefing sponsored by the Advanced Biofuels Association last week in D.C., the Environmental Working Group (EWG) made it very
by Matthew Stepp (The Energy Collective) Both the left and the right use inspiring and lofty rhetoric about elevating U.S. international competitiveness, stimulating economic growth, and spurring innovation. But this messaging often fails to translate into deliberate policy action. This
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) The direct relationship between Climate Change effects and National Security was recently summarized in testimony at a Congressional hearing: Competition and scarcity involving natural resources—food, water, minerals, and energy—are growing security threats. Many countries important to
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) The value of certificates that track compliance with a U.S. law to use corn-based ethanol dropped the most since March on speculation Congress will adjust biofuel consumption targets. Renewable Identification Numbers, or RINs, for ethanol made from
by Alex Guillen (Politico) The House late last night approved by voice vote a measure to block the Defense Department from buying most biofuels. The measure was an amendment to the chamber’s defense spending bill offered up by Rep. Steve
by Mary Rosenthan (Algae Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) Halloween is not for another 3 months, but the costumes and scare tactics are already out in the form of a new ad campaign from the American Petroleum Institute (API). The goal of the
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yesterday in DC, the House Energy & Commerce committee convened a major hearing on the US Renewable Fuel Standard — primarily on the short-term impacts of the ethanol blend wall and the impact on RIN
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Biodiesel Magazine) ...“Big Oil is following the old tactic of attempting to repeat something enough that people mistakenly believe it is true,” stated IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “In reality, Big Oil constantly and aggressively pursues an anti-free
(Fuels America/Biodiesel Magazine) Fuels America coalition members announced the launch of a new ad campaign. The ads highlight the fact that there is a choice when it comes to our energy future: we do not have to be beholden to oil’s
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was in Ames, Iowa this week and while there gave remarks during the Iowa Farm Bureau’s (#IFBF13) 2013 Economic Summit. The standing room only crowd wanted to hear what
by Amy Harder (National Journal) After a year battling over the airwaves and strategizing behind closed doors, the legions of lobbyists fighting over a federal biofuels mandate will finally get the chance to present their arguments to Congress during a
by Rachel Smolker (Huffington Post/BiofuelWatch) Having spent the past eight years or so of my life fighting back against large-scale commercial and industrial bioenergy, it feels good to finally see the tides turning, albeit slowly, maybe not always for the right
by Lloyd Ritter and Ryan Stroschein (Agriculture Energy Coalition/Biofuels Digest) Now that both the U.S. House and Senate are moving toward a conference on the Farm Bill, it’s time to emphasize to both chambers the need for robust mandatory funding for
by Zack Colman (The Hill E2Wire) Biofuel groups are swinging back at oil industry attacks on a federal biofuel-blending mandate with an ad campaign targeting lawmakers and viewers inside the Beltway. Fuels America, a coalition of biofuel organizations, launched a campaign
(National Biodiesel Board) Cites Consumer Benefits, Job Creation at House RFS Hearing National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe told Congress Tuesday that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is helping consumers by stimulating the production of advanced biofuels like biodiesel. Jobe emphasized that
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Fuel Fix) The oil and gas industry’s top trade groups doggedly insist that Congress must completely scrap a federal mandate that forces gasoline makers to blend in ethanol and other renewable fuels. But not all oil companies
by Jim Landers (Dallas News) ...If many refiners had their way, the law would disappear. Ethanol is the primary octane booster for gasoline, but that market is worth only about 4 billion gallons a year. ... Heather White of the Environmental Working
by Evan Lehmann (E&E Publishing) Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) is crafting a climate bill that would cap greenhouse gases on upstream emitters while providing payments to the U.S. public, a design that's meant to deflate attacks about its effect on
by Zack Colman (The Hill E2Wire) The White House on Thursday doubled down on its support of a biofuel-blending rule that’s drawing intense attacks from the oil industry and lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Heather Zichal, President Obama’s top energy and climate
by Brooke Coleman (Advanced Ethanol Council/Biofuels Digest) In case you missed it, a skirmish broke out last week between AAA South Dakota and AAA National over AAA’s position on ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The catalyst for the disagreement
by Julian Hattem (The Hill Reg Watch) A group of House Republicans are urging an end to the federal program that calls for gasoline to be mixed with renewable biofuel like ethanol. ... The lawmakers heard from industry representatives who argued that
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ...(NCGA President Pam ) Johnson says a gas station in her little community of Floyd, Iowa boasts the lowest price of fuel in the United States right now. “And it’s E85 and the price is $2.24 a
by Zain Shauk (Fuel Fix) Amid the oil industry’s all-out blitz to kill a government mandate for corn-based ethanol, biodiesel producers say they have a solution that could help everyone involved. It goes like this: Buy more biodiesel. That proposal may not be so
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) American Petroleum Institute (API) has launched a new campaign featuring print and TV ads taking aim at E15 and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The ethanol industry responded and Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the
(American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers/PR NewsWire) The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) highlight the testimony of Valero Energy Corporation Chairman of the Board and Chief Operating Officer William R. Klesse who testified before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest) The United States is beginning a domestic energy boom and could become a net energy exporter within the next two decades. But U.S. consumers don’t expect to see a benefit – they still
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Washington, the House and Senate have now passed their respective versions of the proposed 2013 farm bill, which would take effect for fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2018. Both bills have energy titles — meaning that,
by David Malakoff (Science Magazine) The Department of Energy's 17 national labs, which spend some $12 billion annually on a wide range of research, are considered a crown jewel of U.S. science. But as federal budgets tighten, lawmakers and others are
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Renewable Identification Numbers for ethanol rose to record levels on concern the U.S. won’t adjust consumption targets. RINs, the credits that help the Environmental Protection Agency track whether refiners are meeting federal biofuel-use mandates, jumped 10 cents
by Christopher Doering (Gannett/DesMoines Register) Poet, one of the world’s largest ethanol producers, has hired a lobbyist as the company battles the oil industry. The company hired Rob Walther as its director of federal affairs to represent the firm in Washington,
by Lacey Koontz (BrownfieldAgNews) The Illinois Corn Growers Association is opposed to the current discussion in Congress to split the farm bill. According to Rodney Weinzierl, the Executive Director of the Illinois Corn Growers Association, House conservatives supporting the split are also
by Joseph Morton (World-Herald bureau/Omaha.com) The ethanol industry is again under fire from critics who want to eliminate the federal mandate that oil companies blend biofuels into the gasoline supply. ... The American Petroleum Institute recently gathered refining executives in Washington, D.C.,
by Jon LeSage (AutoBlogGreen) Congress is considering a revised version of the Open Fuel Standard Act, an Act that was originally introduced two years ago but failed to pass. Representatives Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) introduced a bipartisan bill that would require more
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For every 5% in global shift to aviation biofuels — create 72,000 jobs and avoid 3 million tons of carbon emissions. How to get from available field to affordable fuel in 14 steps In Illinois, the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How to get from available field to affordable fuel in 14 steps. The MASBI report is out, and that’s good. ... Last week, the Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative, led by United Airlines, Boeing, Honeywell’s UOP, the
by Mark Drajem (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Refiners may be forced to exceed 10 percent ethanol in their fuels next year in order to meet congressionally mandated renewable-fuel standards, according the Environmental Protection Agency. ... In his testimony today, Grundler (Christopher Grundler, director of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...LCFS = Low Carbon Fuel Standard Less Coal, For Sure What’s up? What’s the 6-point plan – what does it mean for you, and for biofuels? ...The problems, as the President sees them, are two-fold. First
by Bob Dinneen (Bay Area Citizen/Renewable Fuels Association) Natural gas is not renewable, nor is it the future of ethanol. But let’s start at the beginning. Congressman Pete Olson recently penned an op-ed to Houston Community Newspapers claiming the Renewable Fuels
by Juliet Eilperin (The Washington Post) ... In Saturday’s statement, Obama emphasized the economic opportunities that could come from tackling carbon emissions. “We’ll need scientists to design new fuels, and farmers to grow them,” he said. “We’ll need engineers to devise new
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The EPREINC scenario---One chart was prepared by the Energy Policy Research Foundation for its Congressional testimony on the Renewable Fuel Standard yesterday. ... EPRINC’s scenario foresees a big shortfall between the production of renewable fuels and the
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/The Energy Collective) ...Incredibly, the American Petroleum Institute’s anti-RFS “training center” (yes, Big Oil has a “training center” apparently intended to spawn an army of certified RFS haters) has the audacity to claim, “If you
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On June 5, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements held a hearing on the federal renewable fuel standard (RFS). The hearing, titled “Up Against
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ... At the annual National Association of Farm Broadcasting Washington Watch issues forum on Monday, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen said the dramatic changes in farm programs expected are actually being made possible by the increased
by Geoff Cooper (The Energy Collective/Renewable Fuels Association) Anyone with even a casual interest in energy policy knows that a full frontal assault has been launched against the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Big Oil has gone on the offensive, using
by Fred Cannon (The Hill's Congress Blog/KiOR) More than one-third of the world’s total energy usage relies on liquid fuels – primarily from fossil fuels. In the first quarter of 2013 consumption outpaced production, and the consumption trajectory is only
by Paul Kenney (KAAPA Ethanol/Kearney Hub) Opinion: ...Ethanol blends are becoming a staple at pumps across the nation, and ethanol accounts for more than 10 percent of the country’s motor fuel supply. It’s a higher-octane alternative to gasoline and costs less. In
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The House and Energy Commerce Committee has released its third white paper on the Renewable Fuel Standard, “Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Environmental Impacts.” Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Brian Jennings, responded with written
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Reps. Pete Olson, R-Texas, and Jim Costa, D-Calif., have introduced legislation that would allow ethanol produced from domestic natural gas to meet the volume requirements of the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The bill, titled
by Ryan Tracy (The Wall Street Journal) Instituting a carbon tax could help reduce the deficit and “produce incremental benefits” for the environment, but could also raise the cost of many goods and services, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said in a report Wednesday. The
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest) ...Renewable chemicals offer cost-competitiveness with petrochemicals or new properties and features that add value to innovative consumer products. In that way, they’ve captured some market share and created demand. But many renewable chemical
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) What used to be known as “The New York Sugar Conference” has become “The ISO and Datagro Sugar & Ethanol Conference” with a record-setting number of attendees (350 from 25 countries) demonstrating the growing
by Barry Cohen (National Algae Association/PR Log) The DoE has spent $2.5 billion on algae research but to date nothing has been commercialized. Why? Because their mission is to develop technologies. It's not their problem or concern what happens to them
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, BIO begins the week with applause for Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and other members of the Senate Agriculture Committee for including mandatory funding for Energy Title programs and eligibility
by Tim McDonnell (Mother Jones) ... In mid-March, in a speech at Illinois' Argonne National Lab, Obama pitched an Energy Security Trust, which would collect $2 billion in additional revenues by 2020 from oil and gas companies that drill on federal
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Legislation to reauthorize the Farm Bill energy title was introduced in the Senate Monday. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Al Franken (D-MN) introduced the Rural Energy Investment Act to “help farmers, ranchers, and rural communities by encouraging the
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) As part of its ongoing review of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the House Energy & Commerce Committee recently asked stakeholders to comment on the impact of the RFS on the agriculture sector. One of the
by Ellyn Ferguson (Roll Call) A House panel’s decision to look back at mandates set in the 2007 renewable-energy law could be a pivotal moment for industries hoping to slow down growth in the ethanol industry. The Energy and Commerce Committee, which
by Tina Casey (TriplePundit) Just yesterday, we noted that auto manufacturers are beginning to shed their century-old love affair with petroleum, and now it seems that the agriculture sector is ready to move on, too. On Tuesday, a coalition of more
by Kenneth Prewitt (Science Magazine) Editorial: This month, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) will apply two criteria in its review of research proposals: intellectual merit and impact. One discipline, however, will have to meet a further test. In March, at the
(Renewable Fuels Association) In seventeen pages of comments, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) answered questions put forth in the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Assessment on Agricultural Sector Impacts. Bob Dinneen, RFA’s President and
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A bill proposed Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., that would put E15 on hold for another round of studies was evaluated by the Congressional Budget Office. ...H.R. 875 would require the U.S. EPA to coordinate with
by Joe Jobe (The Wall Street Journal/National Biodiesel Board) It is not true that all renewable fuels are the same and that advanced biofuels aren't being produced on a commercial scale ("An Ethanol Spring," Review & Outlook, April 17). Biodiesel is
by Kent Peppler (Denver Post) ...But predictions of more off-the-charts wildfires this summer are a reminder of how fragile it all is and how much we have to lose. Renewable fuels can help us protect it. ... We must address the root
by Darren Goode (Politico) An effort by ethanol backers to get the Environmental Protection Agency to scale back the amount of advanced biofuels required in the U.S. gasoline supply this year has opened a rift in a decades-old friendship within
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) If RFS detractors get their way, biodiesel may become a casualty of the war against ethanol. It's up to all of us to make sure this doesn't happen In editorials and opinions circling the issue of
by Bruce Dale (The Hill/Michigan State University) The oil industry hopes to protect its control over America’s fuel supply by undermining renewable fuels. By confusing us with misleading claims and outright falsehoods, oil companies hope Congress will overlook the real
by Michael Thede (Kearney Hub) Letter to Editor: Recent efforts by several members of Congress to dismantle the federal Renewable Fuel Standard are a direct attack on a domestic biofuels program that generates enormous benefits to our economy, energy security,
(25 x '25) ...But the growth in new, clean energy is only just beginning, driven in large part by the energy programs first enacted in the 2002 Farm Bill and renewed again in 2008. Now that Congress is set to
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is continuing its assessment of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Committee has issued its second white paper focusing on "Agricultural Sector Impacts." The Committee is seeking stakeholder
by Nicole Lederer (Huffington Post) ... One thing I've noticed over the years: The changing face of the clean energy industry. Increasingly, clean energy business leaders come from rural areas. They are farmers. They are community wind developers. They are retired
(US Senate Finance Committee) This document is the fourth in a series of papers compiling tax reform options that Finance Committee members may wish to consider as they work towards reforming our nation’s tax system. This compilation is a joint product
by Douglas L. Faulkner with contributions from Jacques Beaudry-Losique (Biofuels Digest) ...We believe it is time for bioenergy industry leaders to take the initiative and chalk up a new comprehensive game plan, reflecting the new reality of leaner federal funding. ... Our first
by Tom Buis (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...The industry has matured and is operating freely without any federal subsidies. Yet, 100 years later, Big Oil refuses to give up its excessive tax subsidies. The petroleum industry continues to enjoy immense tax breaks
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) ... (Robert) Murphy simply regurgitates Big Oil’s false argument that the RFS is driving up fuel costs. There’s not a shred of evidence to support that notion, but that’s never stopped these folks before. Murphy
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) The battle between U.S. ethanol producers and oil companies has reached a turning point, with the winners poised to gain an advantage over the future of the country’s energy mix and the losers forced
by Ken Root (High Plains Midwest Ag Journal) ...But there were sectors of agriculture that saw a dramatic change in the cost of their feedstock and began to align with each other and any other interest that would sympathize with
by RP Siegel (TriplePundit) Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Iowa Governor Terry Branstad appeared together recently defending the Renewable Fuel Standard from recent attacks from people like Robert Bradley Jr. who writes for Forbes. Bradley, an adjunct scholar of the fossil-fueled Cato and
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) If the editorial writers of the Wall Street Journal consider themselves students of mine, “An Ethanol Spring,” (April 17), I am saddened to report to you that you’ve failed. Apparently, you skipped too many
by Pavel Molchanov (Raymond James and Associates/Biofuels Digest) ...There is no question that there have been growing pains along the way, more than we would have hoped, but the industry continues along its trajectory towards scale. We expect 2013 to be a
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) A meaningful change to the country’s renewable fuel mandate would drastically curtail the market opportunity for a cellulosic ethanol plant being built in Emmetsburg by ethanol producer Poet and Dutch-based DSM Advanced Biofuels, a
by Nick Juliano (MidWest Energy News) A proposal to allow renewable energy developers to take advantage of a tax structure that has long been popular among fossil fuel companies is gaining traction among lawmakers tasked with overhauling the tax code. Rep.
by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters) * Wyden says committee will explore ethanol mandate * Energy committee to look at gasoline prices this Spring * Lawmakers introduced bill ending corn ethanol targets The chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Friday questioned
by Amy Harder (National Journal) It’s hard to rival the diversity and sheer number of groups and companies with a vested interest in the renewable-fuels standard, from food and livestock businesses to those in the environmental and energy sectors. No official
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) To the Editor: What’s there about lower prices at the pump, less pollution and reduced reliance on imported oil that Robert Bradley, Jr., doesn’t like (“It’s Time to Repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard,” April 17)? Thanks
by Zack Coleman (The Hill E2Wire) The head of a powerful oil industry lobbying group met with top White House officials and senior lawmakers Wednesday about stripping a federal biofuel rule. “We’re talking about the renewable fuel standard (RFS). It’s a hot
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Although conference convener, Biofuels Digest's Jim Lane, insisted that he "discouraged industry bashing," the first morning of this 3-day conference was replete with unveiled references to The Oil Industry, Oil Interests, Big Oil and
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (FuelFix) In unveiling his $3.8 trillion spending plan for the U.S. government on Wednesday, President Barack Obama revived his longstanding attack on oil industry tax breaks and formally launched a plan to pay for alternative vehicle
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (FarmDocDaily) ...Here, we present a proposal for implementing the RFS2 through 2015 that recognizes the constraints implied by the E10 blend wall and will avert the impact of the issues identified in the previous
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry reacted swiftly to the so-called RFS Reform Act, legislation introduced April 10 in the U.S. House of Representatives, which they said would gut the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The bill, introduced by
(EV-olution.org) President Obama’s FY 2014 budget proposal submitted to Congress provides $28.4 billion in discretionary funds for the Department of Energy, an 8% increase above the 2012 enacted level. Among the direct transportation-related highlights of the department’s budget proposal are $575 million
(American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers/PR Newswire) The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) filed formal comments detailing the problems and harmful consequences caused by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rule Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: 2013 Renewable Fuel Standard
by Emily Pickrell (FuelFix) On Jan. 1, Congress made algae-based fuel production eligible for a $1.01-per-gallon cellulosic biofuel production federal tax credit. Cellulosic biofuels typically are made from woody, non-food material such as grasses or wood chips, in contrast to ethanol, which
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today (April 5, 2013) responded to the questions posed by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce in a white paper entitled, “Examining ‘Blend Wall’ Challenges”. The Committee is
by Bill Chameides (The Green Grok/Duke University) ...As a libation, ethanol’s been around for a long, long time. As a fuel, it dates back to 1826 when it was first used in an internal combustion engine. Ethanol was also the fuel
by Brooke Coleman (National Journal/Advanced Ethanol Council) First, let's assess what we know to be true ... RFS2 is just five years old. We are about one-third of the way through a 15-year commitment to diversify the liquid fuels marketplace with
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sens. David Vitter, R-La., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have sent a letter to U.S. EPA administrator nominee Gina McCarthy, asking her to outline “how she will protect American citizens from rising gas prices due
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) There’s a fight for the future of American motor fuels – renewable fuels versus fossil fuels. Environmentalists shouldn’t have much trouble deciding which side they’re on. After all, the major source of greenhouse gas emissions
(Platts) A third key congressional committee has entered the debate over the Renewable Fuel Standard, calling for comment on a series of questions and issuing a "white paper" detailing concerns about the biofuels mandate and some of the proposed solutions
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) Gasoline prices remain stuck above $3.50 per gallon despite the highest monthly domestic oil production in 21 years. Big Oil and renewable fuels advocates on Wednesday blamed each other for motorists’ continued pain at the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week in Washington, it has been one for the record books, emailwise and biofuelswise. Reams and reams of emails attest to the seriousness of the stakes — as NGOs, trade associations and Congress paper
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (University of Illinois/FarmDocDaily) ...The suggestion to waive the mandate assumes that ethanol production and blending is motivated only by the RFS and that a lower mandate would result in less ethanol production and blending and
by Amy Harder (National Journal) ...Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., and ranking member Henry Waxman, D-Calif., released the first in a series of white papers on Wednesday seeking input on how—or whether—Congress should change the mandate for production
by Zack Coleman (The Hill E2Wire) An amendment to a $984 billion Senate government funding bill that would have stripped funds from the Defense Department's drop-in biofuels program failed by a 40-59 vote on Wednesday. Sen. Pat Toomey's (R-Pa.) amendment aimed
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