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(Urban Air Initiative) Replacing toxic carcinogens in gasoline provides a huge boost to an already impressive carbon reduction number for ethanol, according to a new study published by Transport Energy Strategies (TES), a leading energy consultancy with expertise in emissions, fuel and oil refining. TES found that ethanol’s inclusion in
Health Concerns/Benefits
(GrainNet) Thursday (Sept. 16), the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) delivered a letter to Michael Regan, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), renewing a request made in May 2021 to meet and discuss the findings of a new study, Assessment of Health Benefits from Using Biodiesel as a Transportation Fuel. The study from Trinity Consultants quantifies at a community level
September 17, 2021
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by Floyd Vergara (National Biodiesel Board/Advanced Clean Tech News) … However, while other viable solutions are still being developed, biomass-based diesel fuels such as biodiesel and renewable diesel are already delivering both emissions reductions and public health benefits today and will continue to do so well into the future. …
September 3, 2021
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(National Biodiesel Board) Truck Was Part of Cooperative Pilot Program That Could Pave the Way to Widespread B100 Use in Fleets — One of the five trucks used in last year’s cooperative B100 pilot program will be on display at the 2021 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois. The pilot, conducted by ADM,
September 1, 2021
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(Office of Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17)) Industry leaders praise bill, Bustos as champion for clean liquid fuels — U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (IL-17) introduced the Next Generation Fuels Act, legislation that leverages greater fuel octane to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, improve air quality by reducing the use of harmful aromatics and increase
August 26, 2021
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by Colin Huwyler (Construction Executive/Optimus Technologies) … While the idea of electrification has been emerging around the world, oftentimes it’s neither a cost-effective or technically feasible solution for heavy duty machinery like construction equipment. The reasons for this are threefold: Modifications, if available, can be costly, charge times are immense
July 27, 2021
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by Mike Stoll (Austin Daily Herald) … During the tour, Klobuchar (Senatory Amy Klobuchar D-MN) learned of the Institute’s research into the role biofuels play in reducing the risk of cancer. A recent study, which was a collaboration between The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, and the Energy Resources Center, University
July 9, 2021
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Review points to fewer toxic chemicals in ethanol-blended gasoline emissions — A newly published review of top scientific literature suggests that ethanol-blended fuels widely available at gas stations as E10, E15, or E85 result in less toxic emissions from vehicles and present a lower risk to human health than
July 8, 2021
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by Doug Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Governors’ Biofuels Coalition) Commends Daschle HOLC Alliance Fight for National Higher Octane Gasoline Standard in SAFE-2 Rule — The Clean Fuels Development Coalition (CFDC) called a recent letter from automakers in support of high octane low carbon fuels further validation that ethanol has a key
June 25, 2021
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by Samuel Medenilla (Business Mirror) Female biofuel workers engaged in the processing coconut as feedstock will be getting additional benefits from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). In his Department Order (DO) 225, Series of 2021, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III expanded the benefits of the said workers that may
June 18, 2021
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by Donnell Rehagen (National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) While waiting on electric vehicles, the biodiesel industry has the ability to make an immediate and swift impact with B100 on public health. As we continue to make meaningful advancements, biodiesel is not blending in, but standing out and ready now. Our readily
June 17, 2021
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Eduardo K. Mitter, James J. Germida and J. Renato de Freitas (Scientific Reports) Soil contamination as a result of oil spills is a serious issue due to the global demand for diesel fuel. As an alternative to diesel, biodiesel has been introduced based on its high degradability rates and potential
June 16, 2021
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by Mikkel Pates (AgWeek) Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., talks about corn ethanol opportunities in the Biden administration and reflects on the recent passing of Orrie Swayze, a farmer and former Marine fighter pilot from Wilmot, S.D., who Daschle described as a “mentor” in his passion for an
June 15, 2021
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(University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute for the Environment) Tailpipe emissions caused an estimated 7,100 premature deaths in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic in 2016 — A new study finds that ozone and fine particulate matter from vehicle emissions in 2016 led to an estimated 7,100 deaths in the Northeast
June 9, 2021
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Biofuel Project Proposed in McFarland Would Bury Carbon from Ag Waste, Produce Alternative to Diesel
by John Cox (Bakersfield.com) An Iowa technology company has proposed a first-of-its-kind bioenergy project in McFarland that’s expected to help cut a significant source of local air pollution while also reducing diesel emissions, burying carbon and employing about 50 local residents. The project spearheaded by Iowa-based technology company Frontline BioEnergy
May 20, 2021
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(National Biodiesel Board) New study shows the low-carbon fuel would decrease premature deaths, reduce cancer risk and alleviate asthma complications for thousands of Americans — A new study from Trinity Consultants demonstrates that switching to biodiesel results in a multitude of benefits at the neighborhood level, including significant health benefits such as
April 30, 2021
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by Robert White (Renewable Fuels Association) With temperatures at or below freezing in many states, a lot of drivers are curious or concerned about the effect on their vehicles. And there are systems you especially need to watch or maintain, such as your battery and your radiator. Thanks to ethanol, however,
February 12, 2021
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by Kurt Kovar (National Biodiesel Board/Biofuels Digest) As the new Biden administration and a growing number of states examine options to address transportation carbon emissions, biodiesel and renewable diesel stand out as the workhorses of existing low-carbon fuel programs. State programs are sending a strong signal for market growth in low-carbon,
January 13, 2021
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by Carey Gillam (The Guardian) … But unlike most of the other 203 US ethanol plants, AltEn has been using seed coated with fungicides and insecticides, including those known as neonicotinoids, or “neonics”, in its production process. Company officials have advertised AltEn as a “recycling” location where agricultural companies can rid
January 11, 2021
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by Sarah Kaplan (Washington Post) … (Catherine Coleman) Flowers has a vision for a better septic system. It’s cheap to buy and easy to run. It’s equipped with sensors that can monitor for signs of pathogens, including the coronavirus. Instead of allowing sewage to seep into the ground, the system separates
January 11, 2021
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by Sarah Garland (Scientific American) The vast majority of the scientific community agrees on both their safety and their potential to help feed the world sustainably — … In order for global agriculture to rapidly become more sustainable and climate resilient, we must have the power to responsibly use every tool
December 15, 2020
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by Tsvetana Paraskova (Oilprice.com) People who live close to oil refineries are at increased risk of cancer, a new study from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) has found. Proximity to an oil refinery was associated with an increased risk of multiple cancer types, according to the conclusions of the multi-year study
December 7, 2020
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by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) Biodiesel has a great story to tell―a unifying, healing message. It is one that must be told to policymakers, regulators, and consumers lest the “electrify-everything” movement steamrolls our narrative before it is even considered. … The petroleum industry is learning to embrace biofuels as
November 18, 2020
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(Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) This week, Growth Energy submitted comments to the California Air Resources Board following a July 15th workshop on Fuels and Infrastructure for a Carbon Neutral Economy. In his written submission, Growth Energy Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley urged CARB to expand the use of higher biofuel blends
August 11, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … New research shows sustainability has moved from a fringe preference into a core imperative across American life. According to a new survey from clean manufacturing leader Genomatica, 56% of Americans want brands and government to prioritize sustainability even amid health and economic turmoil, and 85%of Americans
August 11, 2020
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Emily Skor (Growth Energy/Biofuels International) As policymakers and public health experts dig deeper into the human costs of air pollution, including heightened risk from COVID-19 among vulnerable communities, a rapidly growing body of research is raising awareness of the threat posed by toxic fuel additives, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and
July 29, 2020
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(Missouri Soybean Association) Applicants may receive up to 25 percent of the required cash match for federal funding. — Missouri soybean farmers are investing in the future for soy in Missouri through biodiesel with a new infrastructure grant program. A new commitment from the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and Missouri
July 2, 2020
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by Michael Bates (NGT News) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has adopted a first-in-the-world rule – the Advanced Clean Truck regulation – that requires truck manufacturers to transition from diesel trucks and vans to electric zero-emission trucks beginning in 2024. By 2045, every new truck sold in California will be zero-emission. …
June 30, 2020
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(Nebraska Ethanol Board) In an effort to spread ethanol’s clean air message, the Nebraska Ethanol Board put together this video aimed at students across the state. To help illustrate what is in gasoline and how ethanol can help, they included the popular video of Steve VanderGriend demonstrating the kinds of emissions
June 29, 2020
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by Steve Vander Griend (Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) In a world intent on lowering carbon emissions, any positive steps lowering CO2 should receive credit. Instead, a recent Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) issued by EPA actually proposes to penalize low carbon ethanol in a convoluted approach that would add
June 10, 2020
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(Growth Energy) Growth Energy today said the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new “anti-backsliding” report on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) side-steps the wide body of evidence supporting a clear scientific consensus around the clean air benefits of homegrown ethanol. The study, required by the Clean Air Act and released as part of
June 9, 2020
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by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) … The reason I’m contacting you today, in 2020, is because yesterday I received a message from a reader who disagrees with my advocacy of ethanol based upon your article. In my reply to this reader, I said that I could appreciate why he
May 26, 2020
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by David Vander Griend (Urban Air Initiative/Biofuels Digest) … Whether in New Delhi, Kansas City, New York, or Beijing, less driving has resulted in cleaner air. Vistas that previously were only foggy images have burst through as crystal clear pictures of what clean air actually looks like. If we thought we
May 25, 2020
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(Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Urban Air Initiative sent a letter to the COVID-19 Review Panel within the EPA’s Science Advisory Board asking them to look at the research that shows the impact gasoline additives have on tailpipe emissions and air pollution. The review panel asked the question, does long term exposure
May 20, 2020
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(Omaha World-Herald/Nebraska Corn Board) When you stop at the gas station to top off your tank, how much thought do you put in to choosing the fuel that’s right for your car? For your wallet? For the environment? For the air quality in your community? The truth is, transportation is the
May 20, 2020
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(Growth Energy) In a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB), Growth Energy urged members of a new COVID-19 Review Panel to examine the impact of toxic gasoline additives on respiratory health, as well as the potential benefits offered by bio-based alternatives like ethanol. “As you explore the human costs of
May 19, 2020
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(Urban Air Initiative) The last few months have been tough, the sudden distress caused by COVID-19 has caused so much harm and heartache for all of us. But if there is something positive coming from this pandemic, it is the world’s attention on air pollution, tailpipe emissions and the need to improve
May 13, 2020
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by Chris Bliley (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … When it comes to transportation emissions, newsrooms around the world generally preserve their biggest headlines for the urgent, high-stakes battle against climate change. Biofuels are a major part of that conversation, and the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that
May 4, 2020
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Mike Gill, Kristie L. Ebi, Kirk R. Smith, Lorraine Whitmarsh and Andy Haines (The BMJ Opinion) Mike Gill and colleagues explain how the implementation of of fossil fuel labelling could have a significant impact on the awareness of climate change. This article is part of The BMJ’s Health in the Anthropocene collection. — The use of fossil fuels
May 1, 2020
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(Urban Air Initiative) That is the conclusion of a new peer reviewed technical paper published in the Journal of Air & Waste Management, validating previous research efforts by the Urban Air Initiative that find when ethanol is added to gasoline, it significantly reduces toxic emissions tied to air pollution. The research team leading
April 27, 2020
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … In comes news of public-private investments, rural economic development and employment, and even human health. With two new executive position veteran hires, up to 8 new plant managers, and putting to use a $2.9 million 2019 grant from the California Energy Commission, how
April 27, 2020
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by Adele Peters (Fast Company) … Fracking companies have lost billions over the past decade. Some investors may be even more reluctant to invest in the sector now. “I think on the financial side, I would think twice as a lender until it became really clear what the trends were
April 24, 2020
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(Oklahoma Farm Bureau) … The Harvard team’s recent findings underscore the need to power more of our transportation system with non-petroleum-based fuels, like ethanol. The research team looked specifically at polluted areas beleaguered by fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5). Motor vehicle emissions are a primary source of PM2.5, which are tiny particles
April 21, 2020
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by Andrea Kent (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Greenfield Global/Renewable Industries Canada) Myths and misinformation about ethanol and its effect on health and the environment need to be corrected to expand higher blends. — … (Canadian) Federal blending mandates—in place since 2007—require our gasoline to contain an average 5 percent ethanol. In addition,
February 19, 2020
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(Saint Lucia News Online) Following the success of its first Biodiesel Conversion Centre in Saint Lucia, Sandals Resorts International is exploring ways to expand the project throughout its resorts across the region. For the last five years, the company’s Dive Centre at Pointe Seraphine has been the site of its first
February 17, 2020
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(New Kerala) The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) on Thursday announced the launch of #BringBackMyBlueSky campaign to highlight the benefits of ethanol in India. The campaign was unveiled at the Auto Expo 2020 in Greater Noida. As part of this launch, an engaging display screen has been setup that will allow
February 7, 2020
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(South Dakota Farmers Union) Ethanol lowers carbon emissions by 40 percent and reduces the need for carcinogenic gasoline additives. These health and clean air benefits will be the focus of South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke’s presentation to the United Nations Foundation in D.C. today, February 6, 2020. “I’m
February 7, 2020
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by Keith Randal (Texas A&M University) Texas A&M researchers are part of a team that analyzed how auto exhaust in large cities, especially in China, is linked to air quality and health problems. — Tiny matter called “ultrafine particles” in the atmosphere are un-regulated, according to the World Health Organization, but a
February 5, 2020
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(Grand Rapids Herald Review) Recently, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the chair of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, along with South Dakota Gov. and coalition vice chair Kristi Noem, sent a letter to President Trump urging the administration to consider 30 percent ethanol blends, or E30, as a way to reduce toxic aromatics
December 13, 2019
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(TERI) Airborne nanoparticles from diesel vehicles are even more harmful to human health than PM2.5 and PM10. TERI has suggested modifications to India’s bio-diesel policy to reduce nanoparticle emissions — Changing the process of producing bio-diesel could help reduce tailpipe emissions of nanoparticles, contributing to improving air quality, according to a
December 6, 2019
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(California Air Resources Board) The California Air Resources Board has issued a Product Alert for Fuel Additives under the Alternative Diesel Fuels (ADF) Regulation. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has conducted emissions testing that showed that tested additives failed to effectively mitigate to the regulatory standard. These results raise
November 5, 2019
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by Patrick Roth, Jiacheng Yang, Weihan Peng, David R. Cocker III, Thomas D. Durbin, Akua Asa-Awuku, and Georgios Karavalakis (Atmospheric Environment) Highlights: Higher ethanol fueling will reduce SOA formation from GDI vehicles. Gasoline with higher aromatics will adversely affect SOA formation. Inorganic aerosol dominates total secondary aerosol mass from GDI vehicles.
October 24, 2019
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Douglas A. Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Governor’s Biofuels Coalition) The global biofuels community is without a doubt watching the developments in the US with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and might be understandably confused. How is a program that was passed by the U.S. Congress and supported by Democrats and Republicans
October 23, 2019
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(Vital) “Health Impact of Blending Ethanol into Gasoline in Five Global Cities” University of Illinois at Chicago, Energy Resources Center — Dr. Steffen Mueller, PhD, and others at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Energy Resources Center looked at the effect of biofuel in reducing cancers connected to chemicals such as
October 17, 2019
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by Craig LeMoult (WGBH) This is the first story in a three-part series on transportation-related air pollution in the Boston area. Read Part 2 here and Part 3 here. Highways are crucial arteries of our transportation system, but the air pollution from all those vehicles could pose a serious health risk to anyone
October 7, 2019
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(Nebraska Ethanol Board) Throughout October, drivers can help Fuel the Cure for breast cancer by choosing American Ethanol at the pump. More than 30 Nebraska gas stations will donate 3 cents for every gallon of higher ethanol blends – E15 to flex fuel E85 – sold between October 1‑October 31. All
October 2, 2019
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) With a reported big deal for biofuels in flux, an economist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign put forward a plan on Thursday to account for more than 4 billion gallons of biofuels exempted to small refineries from the Renewable Fuel Standard from 2016
September 23, 2019
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by Doug Durante (Morning Consult/Clean Fuels Development Coalition) … But what if there is research illustrating that some of these toxins — specifically ultrafine toxic particulates that often come from additives in gasoline — are not only a known danger to our public health, but that there is a solution
July 16, 2019
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(Simmons University) … In order to deliver the highest quality care and education, providers need accurate scientific information about the influence of climate change on diseases, respiratory function, nutrition, and morbidity. Providers are ethically bound to advance health holistically, and with climate change, this means translating information into advocacy. The effects
July 10, 2019
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(Safe Gasoline Campaign) The 263 million gasoline vehicles on American roadways are emitting significantly more harmful emissions than being reported, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is ignoring the dangers of toxic compounds in gasoline, according to a new report released this week. Simply titled Gasolinegate, the report (and public service
July 2, 2019
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(Safe Gasoline Campaign) Gasoline and its emissions are one of the greatest threats to public health Americans face today. Transportation related pollution accounts for an estimated 50,000 premature deaths annually. When lead was removed from gasoline, it was replaced with benzene-laced octane enhancers—despite the fact that benzene is a well-documented carcinogen
June 22, 2019
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(Green Car Congress) A new study finds that ethanol blends reduce particulate matter (PM) coming out of the tailpipe, which in turn reduces overall toxic emissions. The study was conducted by the University of California Riverside and the University of Wisconsin, Madison and commissioned by the Urban Air Initiative. It was published in
June 7, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There’s been a stream of good news and bad news on the “made in a lab” front in recent weeks. First, the amazing news that Impossible Foods raised a $300 million in its Series E round was led by existing investors Temasek and Horizons Ventures. The fifth
June 4, 2019
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by Doug Durante (Biofuels Digest/Clean Fuels Development Coalition) and Dave VanderGriend (Urban Air Initiative) Floods, horrible chemical fires, and now a barge accident in the port resulting in a chemical spill that further reveals the dirty little secret of gasoline — that it is toxic and can kill you. As CNN and
May 27, 2019
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by Dave VanderGriend (Urban Air Initiative) Now that we are well into the current Congress, it is clear that many new members are riding in on a green wave with a renewed emphasis on climate, carbon and pollution. Committees in the House of Representatives are fighting for attention as they all
May 17, 2019
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(Neste) Neste MY Renewable Jet Fuel has won an award for its role in reducing black carbon emissions in a competition jointly organized by the Climate Leadership Coalition, the Bioenergy Association of Finland, the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, the Finnish Environment Institute, and the Central Association of Chimney Sweeps. The purpose of the competition
May 9, 2019
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(Clean Fuels Development Coalition) The fuel we use in our vehicles may actually be killing us. That’s the conclusion in a new report released today which calls emissions from consumer gasoline one of the biggest health threats facing the American public. The report links a wide range of respiratory and even
May 7, 2019
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by Danilo De Oliveira Pereira (United National Industrial Development Organization) UNIDO is implementing a programme which creates value chains of clean cooking fuels and technologies in several countries. With a “market enabling framework,” the organization is turning the lack of clean cooking fuels into an economic opportunity to incubate new industries manufacturing
April 25, 2019
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(SAE International) Typically ethanol is present in gasoline as a 10% blend by volume (E10), although E15, E85 (51 to 83%), and E0 are also available at selected stations. Numerous studies of tailpipe regulated emissions have been conducted to compare emissions from E10 and E0, and there is a growing body
April 8, 2019
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Researchers tested regular E10 with 10% ethanol to a mid-level blend with 27% ethanol or E27. They found that when splash blending or simply adding ethanol to regular consumer fuel, ethanol lowered particulate matter (PM), CO and CO2. The vehicles were also able to adjust ignition timing and properly control
April 8, 2019
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(Urban Air Initiative) A newly published study finds that most vehicles on the road today can adapt to mid-level ethanol blends, helping cars run more efficiently while reducing greenhouse gas emissions along with other pollutants. The study was conducted by North Carolina State University and commissioned by the Urban Air Initiative. “This study
April 8, 2019
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(University of Minnesota/EurekAlert!) New paper presents how researchers have estimated for the first time the health damages caused by corn production — A new study establishes that environmental damage caused by corn production results in 4,300 premature deaths annually in the United States, representing a monetized cost of $39 billion. The paper,
April 2, 2019
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(Urban Air Initiative) On Sunday, March 17, tanks of toluene and xylene caught fire at Intercontinental Terminal in the Houston, TX area, releasing plumes of black smoke into the air. As a result, incomplete combustion of toluene and xylene combined to form benzene, a known carcinogen. Toluene and xylene are toxic aromatic chemicals added
March 26, 2019
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by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) A recent review of nearly 100 different peer-reviewed vehicle emission studies, by the independent consulting group Future Fuel Strategies, found that there is no consensus in the literature regarding the health effects of ethanol-blended fuel. Despite the fact that ethanol is a cleaner-burning
January 27, 2019
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(University of Saskatchewan) A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team’s quest to extract protein from more than a billion litres of annually produced wastewater (called thin stillage) at Saskatchewan’s ethanol plants has yielded something far more valuable—a compound used in many countries to slow cognition loss in Alzheimer’s patients. That compound
January 25, 2019
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by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Tri-State Livestock News) … Well, let’s hope we don’t see the price at the pumps go up. Instead, let’s use more ethanol. What I’m suggesting is oil companies increase the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline – from the mandatory 10 to 30 percent. And,
January 18, 2019
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(U.S. Grains Council) New information about global market development efforts for U.S. ethanol and the benefits of the biofuel to global customers is now available online at www.grains.org. The United States is the world’s low-cost ethanol producer and captured more than 65 percent of global ethanol trade in the 2017/2018
January 18, 2019
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(Renewable Fuels Association) … Ethanol is providing a cleaner, domestically produced, higher-octane fuel, while offering greater consumer choice at the pump. Let’s break it down. Ethanol is providing greater consumer choice. There are more than 24 million vehicles on U.S. roads today than are flex fuel vehicles, capable of running on
January 4, 2019
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by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act, sponsored by outgoing House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee Chair Shimkus (R-IL), would phase out portions of the Renewable Fuel Standard, replacing it with an octane standard by 2022. As lawmakers have grappled with the competing interests of
December 23, 2018
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(Urban Air Initiative) Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was directed to reduce mobile source air pollution to the greatest degree possible. But a new research project conducted by the Urban Air Initiative found that not only is mobile source air pollution still a significant problem, but
December 18, 2018
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by Craig Willis (EurActiv/Growth Energy) With every passing year, the pathway to a stable climate gets narrower and more difficult to navigate. Meanwhile, the reports from our planet’s top scientists paint an increasingly grim picture of what to expect if the swing in global temperatures cannot be limited to 1.5 degrees
December 13, 2018
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by Dave VanderGriend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ICM/Urban Air Initiative) … Today, at 10 percent of the motor fuel pool, ethanol is displacing the most lethal components in gasoline—toxic, carcinogenic aromatics. When lead was phased out of gasoline, refiners replaced it with an equally dangerous mix of toxic chemicals representing the worst part
November 21, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, researchers for a report published by the Urban Air Initiative contend that “technical data that shows the nation has been exposed to decades of flawed test fuels and flawed driving tests, which in turn means flawed emissions results and mileage claims”. The complete Beyond a
November 13, 2018
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) While oil refiners adding a small percentage of renewable feedstock to their operations sounds simple, the political, economic, technical, societal and market consequences are anything but. In 2007, at the height of the biodiesel boom, ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods announced a partnership to coprocess animal fats
November 6, 2018
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(Urban Air Initiative/Governors’ Biofuels Coalition) … Octane is a necessary component of our fuel, and more of it is needed as car engines become more advanced and efficient. So competition is on the rise for where this octane will come from in order to keep up with new engine designs. There are
October 29, 2018
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(Euclid Infotech Ltd via COMTEX/Futures Trading Charts) At a conference on Propagation and Development of Biofuels held in the morning of September 13 in Ho Chi Minh City, US experts shared valuable information on environmental benefits, energy human and economic use of biofuels. The conference was jointly organized by the Department
September 20, 2018
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The Manhattan Institute looked at “zero emission vehicles” and found: Broad-based adoption of ZEVs will increase overall emissions of sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, and particulates, compared with the same number of new internal combustion engines. The simple fact is that, because of stringent emissions standards and low-sulfur gasoline, new
by Ariana Eunjung Cha (Washington Post) … In a paper published Monday in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension, researchers reported that children of mothers who were exposed in their third trimester to higher levels of fine particulate pollution — the tiny airborne matter that causes haze in many cities around the world
May 15, 2018
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(Manhattan Institute) Many claim that “zero-emissions vehicles” (ZEVs), especially battery-powered electric vehicles, should replace most, if not all, cars and trucks powered by gasoline-burning internal combustion engines. The primary rationale is to reduce air pollution and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. To effect this change, governments are spending billions of dollars to
May 15, 2018
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by Mike Carr (New Energy America/The Hill) Recently, Chet Thompson of American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) testified before Congress and proposed a “fuel neutral” octane standard as a “potential replacement” for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Octane is a fuel characteristic that allows engines to run more efficiently and without “knock.” Refiners use
May 9, 2018
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by Jieyi Lu (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Today, about three billion people still cook and heat their homes with traditional stoves and solid fuels worldwide. These fuels and stoves are major contributors to household air pollution in the developing world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), household air pollution
(Globe Newswire/ Renewable Industries Canada (RICanada) and Advanced Biofuels Canada (ABFC)) Canada’s two largest biofuels stakeholders – Renewable Industries Canada (RICanada) and Advanced Biofuels Canada (ABFC), together representing almost 50 member companies – today released the results of a new study on the economic impact of Canada’s upcoming Clean Fuel Standard
April 30, 2018
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(Urban Air Initiative) Ethanol blends reduce toxic tailpipe emissions by up to 50%, significantly improving air quality and protecting public health according to two new studies. The separate studies were conducted by the North Carolina State University (NCSU) and the University of California Riverside(UCR). The Urban Air Initiative (UAI) commissioned both independent studies to
April 11, 2018
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(Urban Air Initiative) In an effort to rebut erroneous assumptions about ethanol’s health effects in a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club, the Urban Air Initiative submitted an amicus brief describing the health benefits of blending ethanol into gasoline. The Sierra Club sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to
April 6, 2018
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by Steve Roe (Des Moines Register/Little Sioux Corn Processors) … A significant amount of these emissions are coming from our vehicles. For example, toxic aromatic compounds, which include known carcinogens like benzene, are added to gasoline to boost octane. The aromatics escape from tailpipes as tiny particulates that are as dangerous as
March 7, 2018
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by Patrick J. Kiger (HowStuffWorks) … But in recent years, scientists have found increasing evidence of health risks from a part of air pollution that we don’t see, and that isn’t yet regulated under federal air quality standards. In addition to visible emissions, the burning of fossil fuels and other types of
In an Ethanol Producer Magazine article, Urban Air Initiative’s David Hallberg explains how, with proper adherence to Clean Air Act regulations, ethanol can substitute for carcinogens in our fuel. “(I)t is increasingly clear that gasoline exhaust is the primary carrier of the most lethal aromatics that lead to ground-level ozone
January 24, 2018
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by David Hallberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine) (T)he U.S. Department of Energy’s adherence to laws, and a proposal from the Urban Air Initiative to escape the aromatics dilemma. — … Hopefully Pruitt has established a precedent that will apply to one of the most important, yet ignored provisions of the Clean Air
January 24, 2018
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(4-Traders) New calculations show an estimated $1.2 million in health cost savings for Illinois communities where B20 biodiesel fuel is used routinely in diesel vehicles. The calculations come from data submitted by 15 members of the B20 Club, a partnership between the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff program and the American Lung Association in
January 24, 2018
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by Daryl Worthington(Bioenergy Insight) Two major associations for the biomass industry have responded to a study claiming the burning of biomass prematurely kills tens of thousands of people each year. The study was commissioned by FERN, an NGO created in 1995 “to keep track of the European Union’s involvement in forests and coordinate
January 22, 2018
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(United Nations Foundation) Babies born to mothers who cooked with ethanol were born later and heavier — A new study released today by the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, which is hosted at the United Nations Foundation, has found that replacing traditional cookstoves that burn wood and kerosene with clean-burning ethanol cookstoves can have a
January 5, 2018
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(Associated Press) WATCH VIDEO Here
January 3, 2018
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In a special to the Biofuels Digest, South Dakota Farmers Union president, Doug Sombke, pointed out that “Section 202(l) provision (of the Clean Air Act) requires EPA to regulate and reduce toxics in gasoline to the “greatest degree achievable”. In a review of air toxics in 2007 the agency acknowledged that other
January 3, 2018
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by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Biofuels Digest) … I am referring to the mandatory requirements in the Clean Air Act that EPA enforce section 202 (l), the “clean octane” provision designed to reduce the use of toxic aromatic compounds in gasoline. These Mobile Source Air Toxics are derived from a family
by Angela Matua (QNS.com) A new bill passed in the City Council on Dec. 19, 2017 will require that a two-year study be completed to determine how feasible it would be to use renewable fuels and technology to power the city’s ferries. Earlier this year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) We know ethanol emits fewer carbon emissions like particulate matter (PM) than gasoline. In fact, when it comes to particulate matter, a MIT study concluded PM emissions from gasoline (E0) is three times higher than E10. So what is PM? PM is a particulate pollutant and particulate
December 29, 2017
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by Alan Harman (Wards Auto) “These results reinforce the need for public policies to encourage the use of biofuels, as they clearly show that the public loses in health what they save at the pump when opting for gasoline,” researcher Paulo Artaxo says. — When ethanol prices at the pump rise,
September 11, 2017
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by Doug Durante (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Urban Air Institute) … We need more ethanol in gasoline, and in so doing, we will get less drain on our wallets, less toxic aromatics, less carbon, less sulfur, less particulates and fewer related health problems. What makes this so discouraging for all of us who
August 30, 2017
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(ePURE) Newly released report finds that increasing ethanol in petrol helps improve air quality and reduces oil dependency — A new report published by the European Commission highlights several benefits of higher ethanol blends in petrol, including reducing emissions of dangerous pollutants and boosting car engine performance. The study, conducted by
August 30, 2017
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(Biofuels International) A new report from the European Commission highlights several benefits of higher ethanol blends in petrol, including reduced emissions of dangerous pollutants and improvements in car engine performance. Carried out by the ICF for the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Climate, the study looked at the impact of higher
August 29, 2017
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(Prague Daily Monitor) The quality of groundwater worsened last year as against the previous years as experts found the values exceeding the permitted limits in some of the observed substances in 86.8 percent of the monitored wells and springs, the annual report on the state of Czech water management said.
August 23, 2017
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In California, two cofounders of Sugarlogix went from engineering yeast for cellulose based fuel production and refining biofuel fermentation processes to cultivating prebiotic sugars that could be good for your gut. Their goal is to develop prebiotic sugars that feed the good probiotics in your
July 24, 2017
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by Dave VanderGriend (ICM/Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … Plenty of talk circulates around ethanol blends above E10. Clearly, E15 is the next milestone. But as we work to capture ethanol’s octane benefits and its ability to replace some of the most harmful components of gasoline, we know the number should
July 21, 2017
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by Mark Sponsler (Colorado Corn/Journal-Advocate) … Oxygenating gasoline is required under Clean Air Act amendments, and ethanol — with its clean-burning qualities — has long been regarded as the best additive for that. For years, adding 10 percent ethanol to gasoline (or E10) has helped many cities achieve Clean Air requirements
July 20, 2017
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by Daryl Worthington (Biofuels International) New research claims that the concentration of ultrafine particles less than 50 nanometres in diameter, which studies have shown to be harmful to human health, increases in the air when motorists switch from ethanol-to-gasoline. Carried out by Franz M Geiger, a professor of chemistry at
July 20, 2017
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by Timothy Winters (Western New York Energy/Daily Gazette) Ethanol has been used in New York and other Northeastern states for nearly 20 years as the key component in cleaner-burning “reformulated gasoline.” Ethanol-blended gasoline reduces emissions of carbon monoxide, exhaust hydrocarbons that form ozone, particulate emissions (soot) and toxics like benzene that
July 19, 2017
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by Dave VanderGriend (ICM Inc./Wichita Business Journal) I was driving home last week and was surprised to see the price differences on the gas station sign. Regular 87 octane gas was $.40 cheaper than “No Ethanol” 87 octane. Regular 87 has contained 10 percent ethanol in Kansas for almost 10 years
June 12, 2017
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(Deccan Herald) MGRIED shows the way to source raw material from hotels — All Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses running on biodiesel are now grounded. Reason: Fuel procurement problems. But what if a fuel plant comes up right here with tonnes of used, redundant cooking oil supplied by
June 9, 2017
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(Project Gaia) Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals and one of the leading providers globally of cellulosic ethanol production technology, and Project Gaia, a non-profit promoting the use of alcohol fuels (ethanol and methanol) for household energy, announced the donation of approximately 24m3 of cellulosic ethanol from Clariant’s pre-commercial
May 31, 2017
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by Emmanuel Desplechin (Politico/ePURE) Renewable ethanol does more than just decarbonize transport. It also boosts engine efficiency and helps improve air quality. — The European Commission has just told the Belgian government that it needs to do a better job of tackling “serious air pollution problems” from vehicle emissions. That
May 30, 2017
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by RNG Coalition (Biomass Magazine) A new jobs study reveals that deploying trucks fueled by renewable natural gas could create up to 130,000 new jobs and add $14 billion to California’s economy. The ‘RNG Jobs Report’ examines the economic potential of fueling heavy-duty trucks with renewable natural gas produced in California,
May 4, 2017
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by Tom C. Doran (AgriNews Publications) Renewable fuels have come a long way since the first Earth Day 47 years ago, when gasohol was promoted as a way to reduce petroleum use. As part of this year’s observance, Robert White, Renewable Fuels Association vice president of industry relations, reflected on the
May 2, 2017
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by P.J. Huffstutter and Michael Hirtzer (Reuters/Times of India) Wet harvest, slow grain sales encourage growth of toxins; Scope of problem in U.S. grain supply not yet known — A fungus that causes “vomitoxin” has been found in some U.S. corn harvested last year, forcing poultry and pork farmers to test
April 25, 2017
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(High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal) Increasing concerns about trade relations with Mexico spurred Kansas Corn along with the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Department of Commerce to plan a trade mission Mexico to learn about their agricultural industry and build upon the trade relationships formed years ago. Within the
by Monte Shaw (Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Des Moines Register) Growing up on a farm near Shenandoah, using ethanol and biodiesel was a no-brainer. It was simply the right thing to do to support our local economy and environment. … A simple comparison between a traffic circle in Havana, Cuba, (population
April 24, 2017
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by Lizzy Schultz (Energy.AgWired.com) Ethanol has a seat on the ground at one of the largest Earth Day events in the country this weekend – Earth Day Texas, which last year hosted over 130,000 attendees, over 700 exhibitors and more than 250 speakers. Even bigger and better this year, the
April 19, 2017
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(Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Urban Air Initiative is calling the results of a new Coordinating Research Council emissions study “one more example of the biased and flawed testing procedures used to penalize ethanol.” The ethanol advocacy group said Wednesday CRC’s match blending of test fuels fails to recognize how ethanol
March 31, 2017
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(Diesel Technology Forum) With national and international policies moving toward a low-carbon, sustainable future, advanced clean diesel technologies and the emergence of low-emission renewable diesel fuel are leading to the continued growth in diesel’s dominance in the transportation and off-road sectors. In a presentation to the Renewable Diesel Seminar today
March 30, 2017
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(Biofuels Association of Australia) There are early signs that the Biofuels mandate in Queensland is driving interest in biofuels. The industry had been held back by a lack of consumer understanding around the benefits of E10. With more than 400,000 motorists already checking if their car is compatible with E10
March 30, 2017
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(Growth Energy) Growth Energy recently filed comments and exhibits to Canada’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change on the Canadian province of Ontario’s discussion paper, “Developing a Modern Renewable Fuel Standard for Gasoline in Ontario.” The comments focused on the importance of including ethanol in the development of any
March 20, 2017
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by David Tracy (Jalopnik) In 2015, Researchers from MIT, Harvard and Hasselt University (in Belgium) estimated that VW’s 482,000 cheating diesels would lead to an estimated 59 premature deaths in the U.S. Now some of those same researchers have taken a look at the 2.6 million TDIs sold in Germany, and
March 8, 2017
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by Steffen Mueller (University of Illinois at Chicago/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Strategically located ethanol sources cannot be economically replaced. — Carbon dioxide sourced from corn-ethanol plants is not a waste-recovery product but a coproduct that, in many regions, can only be replaced by higher-emitting, less-economical resources. A reduction in U.S. ethanol
February 20, 2017
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by David Hallberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Urban Air Initiative) Candid discussions at the Health Effects Institute offer hope ethanol’s positive emissions profile will be taken seriously, writes a UAI advisor and Siouxland Ethanol board member in the Clearing the Air column … … It was an invitation-only workshop sponsored by the
February 14, 2017
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by Roz Pidcock (Carbon Brief) Replacing traditional wood and coal-burning cookstoves with cleaner technology could trim nearly a tenth of a degree from global temperature and save more than 10 million lives by 2050. This is according to a new study that looks at the benefits for climate and human
by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) The American Lung Association continues to advocate on behalf of the U.S. renewable fuels industry. Association director of communications in Minnesota Robert Moffitt says cleaner burning fuels like ethanol are proven to reduce air pollution. “Ethanol is an oxidizing agent (that) helps gasoline burn cleaner.
January 27, 2017
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by Margo T. Oge (Huffington Post) … Businessmen are always looking for a good return on investment. America’s environmental protections are a steal. The public health benefits of a cleaner environment and a healthier workforce are far greater than the costs of achieving them. By 2020, for example, the benefits
December 22, 2016
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by Jim Talent (Washington Examiner) I am old enough to remember the first energy crisis in the early 1970s. That episode was a tremendous shock for two reasons: Gasoline prices spiked, and Americans realized just how vulnerable our nation had become to the whims of oil ministers on the other
December 12, 2016
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(Nebraska Ethanol Board/KOOL Radio) In 2016, Nebraska drivers will save approximately $17 million by using ethanol-blended gasoline. The savings is based on lower prices for ethanol compared to wholesale gasoline and the state’s projected spark-ignition fuel consumption of 900 million gallons. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, ethanol is
December 7, 2016
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(UPM) UPM has successfully tested Finnish wood-based diesel fuel both in laboratory conditions as well as in traffic. The tests clearly demonstrated that UPM’s renewable diesel, UPM BioVerno, works just like the best diesel fuels. The laboratory tests of renewable UPM BioVerno diesel were conducted in the VTT Technical Research
December 1, 2016
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(Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves) Shifting from a cookstove that burns traditional woodfuel to a stove that uses a cleaner-burning fuel such as ethanol may mitigate cardiovascular health risks in pregnant women, according to a new study led by a team from the University of Chicago. The study, which evaluated
November 25, 2016
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by James Ayre (CleanTechnica) While consumer prices for gasoline in the US are currently rather low, these prices don’t account for the health and societal costs associated with gasoline use. A new study from the American Lung Association in California exploring the environmental impact of gasoline use has attempted to
by Peter Whoriskey (The Washington Post) … Smaller and more powerful than their predecessors, lithium batteries power smartphones and laptop computers and appear destined to become even more essential as companies make much larger ones to power electric cars. The companies making those products promote the bright futuristic possibilities of the “clean”
October 3, 2016
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by Jamie Kitman (Automobile Magazine) “It is “a universal assumption that [ethyl] alcohol in some form will be a constituent of the motor fuel of the future.” — So wrote Scientific American. The year was 1920, and the respected journal was not alone in this belief. In October 1921, less than
October 1, 2016
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by Todd C. Frankel (The Washington Post) … This remote landscape in southern Africa lies at the heart of the world’s mad scramble for cheap cobalt, a mineral essential to the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that power smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles made by companies such as Apple, Samsung and major
September 30, 2016
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by Doug Berven (POET/Boston Herald) Jonah Goldberg’s column parrots the tired talking points of the oil industry (“Research proves ethanol’s only useful to pols,” Sept. 5). Ethanol is a clean-burning, American-made biofuel that is lowering greenhouse gas emissions while improving engine performance for drivers across the country. According to researchers at
September 23, 2016
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(Growth Energy) A September 9 leak in the Colonial pipeline, which supplies gasoline to many states in the southeast and east coast has resulted not only in gasoline shortages, but also price spikes at the pump. As workers act to fix the leak and remediate the environmental consequences of a
September 22, 2016
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The Fuel Economy Rule: An EPA That Won’t See, Hear, or Speak to the Facts
by Doug Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Biofuels Digest) The release of the highly anticipated revision of the Safe Affordable Fuel Efficient Vehicle (SAFE) proposed rule this month was, for the biofuels industry, yet another poke in the eye as the EPA totally ignored reality and continued their long history of taking