Opinions – Advanced BioFuels USA

Biofuel Lobby Sues EPA Over Renewable Fuel Standard Exemptions

by Michael McGrady (Inside Sources) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing a legal challenge from a coalition of biofuel and agriculture industry groups regarding the agency’s proposal for reduced renewable fuel volumes. According to a press release from the coalition, the organizations filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Governors Ask EPA to Clarify Biogenic CO2 Not Regulated under CCA

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Governors representing Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska and North Dakota recently sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler urging the agency to clarify biogenic CO2 is not a pollutant subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act. “We respectively request that you prioritize regulatory reform

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Lufthansa Innovation Hub launches the “Compensaid” Sustainability Platform and Focuses on CO2 Neutral Aviation Fuels

(Lufthansa Group) Travelers can use the new platform to replace the fossil fuel of their flights with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF); Airline passengers can reduce up to 80 percent of their CO2 emissions; “Compensaid” provides a transparent overview of a person’s travel history and associated CO2 emissions across all airlines

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

NFU Writes to Government for Biofuel Policy

(National Farmers Union) The NFU has written to Government ministers calling for E10 – a type of petrol which contains 10% renewable bioethanol – to be introduced by 2020 to help the UK reach its net zero targets. Currently commonplace on UK forecourts is E5 which only contains 5% renewable bioethanol.

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

It’s Time to Rebuild: Farmland as Critical Infrastructure

by Michael A. Fatigati (Vantaggio Renewables/Biofuels Digest) … We believe that one of our nation’s important natural resources, while protected in some ways, is being neglected to our peril and should be re-classified as infrastructure. This segment of infrastructure supplies 95% of the food requirements of our nation. This segment

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Wound up over Waivers

by Alex Guillén (Politico’s Morning Energy) EPA’s internal watchdog is being asked to determine how the agency decided to grant the vast majority of exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard that oil refiners have requested. EPA approved 31 petitions for waivers from the 2018 requirements, while rejecting just six, and

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Dems Fear another Rural Wipeout Will Reelect Trump

By Elena Schneider and Catherine Boudreau (Politico) Pitches by some 2020 candidates aren’t yet translating into a broad conversation about the needs of rural voters. — As Democratic presidential candidates descended on the Iowa State Fair, a plane buzzed overhead, an ominous warning fluttering behind it on a banner: “Focus on

August 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Videos and Presentations Posted from 2019 Congressional Clean Energy Expo and Policy Forum

(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The 22nd Annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forumbrought together 30-40 businesses, trade associations, and government agencies to showcase renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. In every state across the country, these technologies are having a significant impact in business development and

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

NACSAA Webinar Underscores Need for Wider Scale of Global Ag Talks

(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) A NACSAA webinar held last month on what transpired at the June climate talks in Bonn (SB50) underscored the limited approaches to climate smart agriculture under discussion by global representatives. The global conversation about the need to transform agriculture and the food system to

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Addressing Two Objections to My Midwest Ethanol Plan

by Robert Rapier (Forbes) … My proposed solution is for the Midwestern states to band together to provide sufficient state incentives to develop a major Midwest corridor where E85 — a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline — is the primary fuel of choice for consumers. There is enough

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

The Golden Cow – Is India the Place to Be for Biofuels?

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … Is India the cash cow for biofuels? Or even the golden cow? If Aemetis’ recent 200% year over year increase in biodiesel sales is any indication…well, let’s just say we see the value. The market It is estimated that the ethanol market in India

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Facts Not Furor: What the 2020 Candidates Should Be Focused On

by Daniel Gage (ACT News/NGV America) … One candidate said we have less than 10 years to act. Many candidates agree that we don’t have time to wait. So why then are we waiting for large scale light-duty electric vehicle adoption that will take decades? Why are we waiting for medium-

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Report: Trump Ordered Waivers: Ongoing Court Challenges May Be Only Avenue Left for Biofuels

by By Todd Neeley and Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) …The president sided with oil refiners over ethanol producers and corn farmers, just two months after reiterating his support for ethanol at a rally held at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to celebrate the approval of year-round

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

E15, E30, and Blender Pumps May Become Generally Available, but Refinery Exemptions Make the RFS Irrelevant

by Doug Root* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Farm Fest in southern Minnesota is always a forum on the health of the agriculture sector of the economy and biofuels. This year was no exception as Rep. Colin Peterson hosted a listening session with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and six members of

August 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Trade Dispute Affecting Ethanol Production in Midwest

by Andy Knight (The Herald Bulletin) Officials with POET Biorefining in Alexandria are monitoring the ongoing trade dispute between the United States and China, which has resulted in significant tariffs on U.S. ethanol shipments to that country. POET employs more than 40 people in Madison County and, according to the company’s

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

In Iowa, Candidates Are Talking About Farming’s Climate Change Connections Like No Previous Election

by Georgina Gustin (Inside Climate News) About half the candidates have policy proposals or statements addressing climate change impacts on agriculture or farming’s potential as a climate solution. … They also brought an unprecedented focus on agriculture‘s connections with climate change—an issue that’s getting more traction among rural Midwestern voters and farmers in

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Intervention Triggered EPA’s Surprise Biofuel Waiver Decision: Sources

by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) A phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump last week ended a nearly two-month-long review of the nation’s biofuels program, three sources familiar with the matter said, with the White House siding in favor of oil refiners over corn growers. Trump gave Andrew Wheeler, head of the U.S.

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Audio Available from 2019 American Coalition for Ethanol Conference

(Ag News Wire) The 32nd annual American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference is taking place August 14-16, 2019 in Omaha, Nebraska. The event includes a welcome from Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, followed by industry updates and a keynote presentation by new U.S. Grains Council CEO Ryan LeGrand, as well as panels and

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Zimbabwe: Government Revives Jatropha Project As Fuel Crisis Persists

by Leopold Munhende (AllAfrica) Government, desperate to end a recurrent fuel crisis, has revived its Jatropha fuel project abandoned during ex-President Robert Mugabe’s era. Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa revealed this during a Post Cabinet media briefing Wednesday, where she emphasised on the need for alternative sources of fuel to ease the

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

RFA to Australia: Choose Ethanol, Not Petroleum Reserve

(Renewable Fuels Association) In a letter sent today (August 15, 2019), the Renewable Fuels Association encouraged Australia’s energy minister to strongly consider U.S. ethanol imports as a cleaner, more affordable alternative to purchasing oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. According to RFA, opening the Australian market to ethanol imports would

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Low-Carbon Neste MY Renewable Diesel Now Available in Oregon, US

(Neste) With climate change at the forefront of the global conversation, Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel fuel, is making reducing CO2 emissions more accessible to fleet owners in Oregon, US. The company is proud to announce an exclusive partnership with a distributor in Oregon, McCall Companies. Through this partner,

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Mineral Oil Groups Ramp up HVO Production in the EU

(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)/Biodiesel Magazine) Production of hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) in the European Union has picked up pace since 2012. Mineral oil groups, such as Neste, Eni and Total, were the main entities promoting the creation of corresponding capacities. From the perspective of the Union

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Scars Are Beautiful: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo’s Market Perspectives

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Scars are a sign you’ve been there and survived. You overcame. You learned something, maybe the hard way. And Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo, a company that produces low-carbon, renewable, high-performance fuel products, shows us just how beautiful scars can be. Check out his illuminating presentation where

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Available for Viewing: Public Workshop: Low-Carbon Transportation Investments, Strategies, and Outcomes

(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown Climate Center) On Tuesday, July 30, more than 300 community members, transportation, environmental and social justice advocates, business and industry representatives, and state and local officials participated in the Transportation & Climate Initiative workshop on Low-Carbon Transportation Investments, Strategies, and Outcomes in Baltimore, Maryland. At the workshop

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

How to De-Fossilize Your Fleet: Suggestions for Fleet Managers Working on Sustainability Programs

by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Cities, companies, universities, organizations pledge to be 100% renewable (or 50%) by a certain date. But how often does that pledge include renewable transportation energy? I’m guessing just about never. But it doesn’t have to be that way. At conferences, sustainability events, by phone

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Report: India to Use, Produce a Record Volume of Ethanol in 2019

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A report recently filed with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network shows the average ethanol blend rate in India is expected to reach a record 5.8 percent this year, up from the record of 4.1 percent set last year. India currently aims

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

California Clears Final Hurdle for Underground Storage of Biodiesel Blends

(Biofuels International) The state of California in the US has approved the storage of biodiesel blends of up to 20% (B20) in underground storage tanks, removing the final barrier to ensuring the state has access to sufficient volumes of the biofuel. The campaign began over 10 years ago, with the

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Study: Fracking Responsible for Rising Methane Levels in Atmosphere

by Sergio Chapa (Houston Chronicle) Rising levels of the potent greenhouse gas methane in the atmosphere have been linked to emissions produced by the shale oil and natural gas industry, a new study from Cornell University reveals. — In a study published this morning (August 14, 2019) in the European Geosciences

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

How to Fix the Ethanol Industry

by Robert Rapier (Forbes) …In this model, the entities that control the model are the same as those that benefit from it: The Midwestern states that produce essentially all of the nation’s ethanol. The key goal here is to get the federal government out of the position of strongly impacting the market for

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Senator Timothy Wirth (D-CO)

“Public policy to date has put almost the entire burden of the (transportation) sector’s transformation on the nation’s vehicles. Shouldn’t the fuels they burn get equal attention?“ That’s the question asked by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Senator Timothy Wirth (D-CO) in an op-ed in The Hill. READ MORE

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Environmental Advocates Should Take Another Look at Biofuels

by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Sen. Timothy Wirth (D-CO) (The Hill) … But public policy to date has put almost the entire burden of the sector’s transformation on the nation’s vehicles. Shouldn’t the fuels they burn get equal attention? Look at the numbers: Even a rapid transition to electric

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Iowa Farmers Stick With Trump Despite Trade War

by John McCormick and Jesse Naranjo (Wall Street Journal) … “He’s doing the right thing,” said Leo Balk, a fifth-generation farmer who raises corn, soybeans, oats, beef and dairy cows on about 300 acres near New Hampton, Iowa. “It hurts, but his concept is absolutely right.” One of the reasons farmers

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Small Refinery Waivers: Is EPA Breaking The Law?

by Anna-Lisa Laca (Farm Journal’s Ag Pro) For the past two years the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been issuing small refinery hardship waivers, which allow the awarded refiners to forgo blending ethanol with their fuels. Is EPA breaking the law by issuing such waivers? It depends on who you

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

SoCalGas and Electrochaea Announce Commissioning of New Biomethanation Reactor System Pilot Project

(Southern California Gas Co./PR Newswire) Innovative project with U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory converts renewable electricity into renewable methane for storage in existing natural gas pipelines — Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Electrochaea today announced the commissioning of the nation’s first scalable biomethanation reactor system at the U.S. Department of

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Circular Economy Package, European Commission, July 2018

by Liz Gyekye (BioMarket Insights) The European Union (EU)’s landmark ‘Circular Economy Package’ came into force last year. By July 2020, the bloc’s 28 member states will have to incorporate the Package into national law. Some say that this legislation is the most ambitious set of measures ever agreed by the EU to

August 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Florida Ag Producers, Foresters Share Ideas to Deal with Climate Change

(Solutions from the Land) Florida Rep. Kathy Castor told a group of farmers, ranchers and timber producers in her state Monday that responding to a changing climate must be a collaborative effort, drawing together producers, government agencies and academics to develop the steps needed for the agriculture sector to adapt

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Aemetis Cuts Carbon Score of Keyes Ethanol Plant

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Aemetis Inc. released second quarter 2019 financial results Aug. 8. The company reported strong growth for its biodiesel business in India, outlined improvement projects underway at its corn ethanol plant, and discussed planned renewable natural gas (RNG) and cellulosic ethanol production. During an earnings call,

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Jobsites and Machines of the Future: Diesel, Hybrid, Renewable, Connected, Autonomous and Electric

by Allen Schaeffer (Construction Executive/Diesel Technology Forum) … Achieving the U.S. EPA Tier 4 emissions requirements means near-zero particulate matter (PM 2.5) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. This performance is accomplished through a combination of strategies, ranging from selective catalytic reduction and diesel particulate filters to advanced catalysts. No matter

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

33 Million Reasons Why Your Garbage Is Worth More than You Think: Breakthrough, Cox et al Investing, Accelerating Sierra Energy in Waste-to-X Race

(Hydrogen Digest) … In 2015, we reported that the Defense Logistics Agency awarded Sierra Energy a $100,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant $100,000 grant to further explore the production of hydrogen fuel from waste. Sierra Energy’s patented FastOx gasifier converts waste into an energy-dense gas with high hydrogen content. The system’s

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

RNG Continues to Move Passengers on the Big Blue Bus, LAX

(Clean Energy Fuels Corp/Biomass Magazine) The demand for clean, cost-effective renewable natural gas (RNG) as a transportation fuel continues to rise. Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced it has inked contracts to provide its Redeem renewable natural gas (RNG) to power fleets across multiple sectors that include transit, trucking, airports, solid waste and service

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Pete Buttigieg: To Tackle Challenges Like Climate Change, Unlock the Potential of Rural America

by Pete Buttigieg (Des Moines Register) … To empower farmers to confront climate disruption, we will dramatically increase agricultural R&D. As president, I will double these investments over four years, dedicating nearly $50 billion over a decade. With scientists indicating our soil has the astonishing potential to absorb as much

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol Brings down Price of Gasoline at the Pump below Biodiesel in Zimbabwe

by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Zimbabwe, the national broadcasting corporation reports that the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority says prices for gasoline blended with 10% ethanol have fallen below diesel prices at the pump which typically doesn’t happen. Using 150,000 liters per day of domestic ethanol reduces the foreign exchange burden

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Chinese Demand Heats up Brazil’s Ethanol Industry

by Sarita Reed and Vinicius Fontana (China Dialogue) Adding ethanol to Chinese petrol will decrease emissions but could worsen Brazil’s deforestation — There are 332 million cars on the road in China, more than anywhere in the world. Most run on pure petrol, but from next year Chinese fuel companies

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Innovate AND Implement: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to ICM’s Ethanol and Biorefining

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Innovation is great but without implementation, the story ends there. Not so for ICM, a Kanasas-based company that took its small business roots in a farming community and an idea and turned it into 1/3 of the world’s ethanol produced every year by ICM technologies. With

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

FAME Is Fleeting: FAEE as a More Sustainable Option for Biodiesel in the US: Filling the Tank on the Road to the Future

by Ron Cascone and Steven Slome (Nexant/Biofuels Digest) The term “fatty acid methyl ester” or FAME has been synonymous with biodiesel for the better part of the last two decades that have seen its widespread promotion and use. This has been due to the historical low price of methanol, and the

August 14, 2019 Read Full Article

We Have No Idea Yet How to Feed the Planet without Frying It

(Washington Post) … A new and more accurate accounting method enabled one of the researchers, Princeton University’s Tim Searchinger, to calculate that biofuels are actually environmental villains: “Using ethanol or biodiesel contributes two to three times the greenhouse gas emissions of gasoline or diesel over more than 30 years,” he found.

August 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Indonesia Threatens Tariff Hike on EU Dairy in Trade Spat

(Agence France Presses/ RTL Today) Indonesia’s trade minister Friday threatened to impose higher tariffs on EU dairy imports in response to the bloc’s proposed move to hit biodiesel made from palm oil with anti-subsidy duties. The warning could escalate a trade dispute with the European Union after Indonesia — the world’s

August 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Jokowi Wants 30% Biodiesel in Cars as Soon as January Next Year

by Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (Jakarta Post) President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said he wanted to increase the portion of diesel blended with crude palm oil (CPO) from the current 20 percent ( B20 ) to 30 percent ( B30 ) starting January next year and to 50 percent ( B50 ) by the

August 13, 2019 Read Full Article

New Energy Blue Buys Inbicon’s Low-Carbon Fuel Technology

(Oil and Gas 360/New Energy Blue) NewEnergyBlue acquired exclusive rights to Inbicon bio-conversion technology throughout the Americas and will first employ it to turn North Dakota wheat straw into a high-value, carbon-neutral automotive fuel. The technology license was purchased from Ørsted, a Danish green-energy company. Ørsted developed the technology over 15 years at

August 13, 2019 Read Full Article

The Safrinha Subpoena, or, Do They that Soy the Wind Ripen the Whirlwind?

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Today we’re going to relate a detective story which begins with an unexplained and foul stink, and branches off into climate, trade, the eradication of poverty, crop rotation, the politics of the Amazon, the flow vectors of tropical seas, seafloor convection, the future of beach

August 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Coalition Pushes EPA to Reconsider Limits on Higher Ethanol Blends

(Urban Air Initiative) In a joint petition filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals, a broad alliance of ethanol, agriculture, and clean fuel organizations requested judicial review of a recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rulemaking that would limit ethanol blending and restrict the use of blender pumps. The Urban Air Initiative

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

“Just the Bagasse”: UFG Researcher Studies Biofuel Production with Cerrado Fruit Residues

(UFG Journal (Google Translation)) … A research conducted at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG) evaluates the use of fruits as alternative and unconventional sources of natural origin for ethanol production. In addition to testing with jamelão, a plant of Indian origin that has adapted well in several regions of Brazil,

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

The Problem with the Ethanol Industry

by Robert Rapier (Forbes) … The ethanol industry would argue that if refiners weren’t being forced to blend ethanol, they wouldn’t. That’s mostly true. Ethanol has a significantly lower energy content than gasoline, but ethanol is used to increase octane. Thus, refiners would still use it even if they weren’t forced to, but at

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Five Myths about Corn: Actually, It’s Not All Genetically Modified — or Unhealthy.

by Laura Reiley (Washington Post) … MYTH NO. 5 Biofuels derived from corn can help the environment. Ethanol, made by fermenting sugars from corn or sugar cane, contains oxygen that enables a car’s engine to burn fuel more efficiently. It was heralded as the “fuel of the future” by Henry Ford in 1925 —

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

The Real Fuel Issue

by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Washington Post) I was surprised to see in Catherine Rampell’s July 26 op-ed, “The Grand Old Socialist Party,” a line about “big fat federal government subsidies for corn ethanol.” The last tax credit for ethanol, the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, expired in 2011, and it’s

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Small Fuel Retailers Sue Trump EPA over E15 Gasoline Rule – Filing

by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) A group representing the country’s small fuel retailers has filed a lawsuit this week against the Environmental Protection Agency over its rule lifting a ban on the year-round sales of higher ethanol blends of gasoline, a court filing showed on Friday. … In a filing dated Aug.

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Expression of Interest to Be Floated for Procurement of Biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil across 100 Cities

(Government of India Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas) World Biofuel Day is observed every year on 10th of August to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels and highlight the various efforts made by Government in the biofuel sector. Ministry of Petroleum

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Planned Anti-Subsidy Duties on Palm Oil Methyl Ester Ineffective

(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)) The preliminary anti-subsidy duties announced by the EU Commission will not reduce imports of palm oil-based biodiesel. This is the conclusion the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) has drawn from a comparison of 8 per cent and 18 per cent

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Can They? Should They?: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to DOE’s Biofuels in Marine Engines

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The fuels market and demand for jet fuels is big, but what about the marine sector? After all, over 90% of all goods are shipped via marine vessels fueled with high sulfur (3.5 wt.%) heavy residual fuel oil (HFO). Zia Haq, Siva Sivasubramanian, Mark Shmorhun, Mohan

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. Ag Volatility Affects Novozymes: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Novozyme’s First Half of 2019

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Novozymes is a leader in biological solutions focusing on enzymes and microbes. The company just released their report on the first half of 2019 that showed while there was a second quarter improvement, overall the entire first half of 2019 was disappointing in performance, mostly due to

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Strikes Icy Blow to Ag & Biofuels: 31 Waivers Hit Heart of American Farmers and Biofuels

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) EPA might have a new name in some circles – Exemptions for Petroleum Agency – thanks to the 31 small refinery waivers issued on Friday which has the biofuels and agriculture industries reeling after promises made by President Trump to look into why big oil

August 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Just Drop It in!: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo’s Drop-in Hydrocarbons

by Jim Lane (Biofuhttp://radar.weather.gov/radar_lite.php?product=NCR&rid=LWX&loop=yesels Digest) Gevo produces and sells low-carbon, renewable, high-performance fuel products. From ethanol to isobutanol, jet fuel, isooctane, oxygenate blendstocks, and more, Gevo is on a mission to replace fossil based products and decarbonize products for large markets. Tim Cesarek, Executive VP and COO of Gevo gave this

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Managing LCFS Credits and Risk in Uncertain Times

by Michael Newman (Parhelion Underwriting Inc./Biofuels Digest) Trading in the climate finance market – the systems designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – sometimes create areas of uncertainty. The risk of invalidation of credits worry market participants – but insurance risk capital can be used to mitigate these concerns and in

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Patrick Gruber

“This pilot with the City of Seattle has shown the measurable reduction in pollution with a renewable blended fuel,” said Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo. “Imagine replacing the whole gallon of gasoline with low-carbon renewable gasoline that has high performance, yet would reduce pollution and improve air quality more significantly.”

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Gevo’s Renewable Isobutanol Pilot Lowers Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Seattle

(Biofuels International) Low carbon fuel company Gevo has successfully completed the first phase of a trial pilot of fleet vehicles using its low carbon, renewable drop-in isobutanol blended gasoline. The trial, which took place in the City of Seattle in in the US, saw a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Administration Moves to Finalize Weakening of Car Efficiency Standards: The White Houes’s Rule Would Cost the Economy $400 Billion by Midcentury, According to a New Analysis from Energy Innovation.

(GreenTechMedia) An analysis published Wednesday by clean energy advocacy group Energy Innovation found that if the administration does eliminate California’s waiver, costs from the rule change would total $400 billion in 2018 dollars by 2050. By 2035, Energy Innovation projects that transportation emissions will be at least 10 percent higher than

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider Appreciates Ethanol

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Dee Snider, lead singer for Twisted Sister, known for the popular bikers song “Ride To Live, Live To Ride”, served as Captain for the 12th annual Legends Ride at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association and the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground. The “We’re Not Gonna

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

China Dismisses Trump Agri Purchase Claim, Says Honouring Pledges; NDRC Says Claims China Not Buying US Agri Products ‘Groundless’

by Hallie Gu and Tom Daly (Reuters/Zawya) Beijing is honouring its pledges to buy U.S. agricultural products, state media cited China’s state planning body saying, dismissing an accusation from U.S. President Donald Trump that it had not met purchasing promises in the sector. Trump had said on Thursday that Beijing had

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Zero Emission Heavy Fuel Oil: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to GoodFuels’ Marine Biofuels

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) GoodFuels is seeing a fast rise of low carbon marine fuels as a very logical one. The demand. The supply. The environmental impact. Even the economics. It’s all making sense now. In November, GoodFuels completed trials of the world’s first zero emission, ‘drop in’ Heavy Fuel

August 7, 2019 Read Full Article

SAF on the Cusp of Rapid Expansion and Replication: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to CAAFI

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Since 2006, the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) has sought to enhance energy security and environmental sustainability for aviation through the use of alternative jet fuels. CAAFI is a coalition of airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers, energy producers, researchers, international participants and U.S. government agencies.

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Bringing Biodiesel to BHSU

by Alex Portal (Black Hills Pioneer) A local senior at Black Hills State University is pioneering the use of biodiesel fuel on campus. “The idea is to take the cooking oil from A’viands cafeteria, convert it to biodiesel, and then use it to power facilities equipment,” said Nick Pappas, of Spearfish, who

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

UK Government Urged to Utilise Anaerobic Digestion Opportunities to Help Climate

(Bioenergy Insight) The UK Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) is urging the government to maintain momentum on building a more sustainable circular economy. The plea follows new appointments to the cabinet by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, including Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers, and Business, Energy and Industrial Secretary Andrea Leadsom. ABDA

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

European Scientists Call for EU Rethink of “Retrograde” Gene-Editing Legislation

by Katherine Durrell (Food Ingredients First) Scientists across Europe are calling for a rethink on the restriction of genome editing technology by the newly-elected European Parliament and European Commission. The open statement is signed by 126 research institutes and comes exactly one year after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

China Confirms It Is Suspending Agricultural Product Purchases in Response to Trump’s New Tariffs

by Kate Rooney (CNBC) A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce says Chinese companies have stopped purchasing U.S. agricultural products in response to President Trump’s new 10% tariffs on $300 billion of Chinese goods. “This is a serious violation of the meeting between the heads of state of China and the

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Brazil Considers Dropping Barriers to U.S. Ethanol

by Rachel Gamarski and Fabiana Batista (Bloomberg) Decision may be taken before tax-free quota expires end-August; Any tariff on U.S. ethanol would hurt bilateral trade talks — As China turns its back on American ethanol in a lingering trade spat, Brazil is considering opening its doors to U.S. biofuel. — Brazilian authorities are

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA’s Final SAFE Vehicles Rule under OMB Review

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA submitted its final Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks to the White House Office of Management and Budget on Aug. 2. OMB review marks a final stage before the public release of the

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Fuel Blending Guide Will Bring Consistency

by Dave VanderGriend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ICM/Urban Air Initiative) Emissions testing reforms needed to reduce misinformation about ethanol. — … Drivers using E15 know it’s a great fuel, but a simple internet search leaves the average driver with a lot of conflicting information when it comes to the benefits of ethanol. The misinformation

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol Improves Air Quality: Nations around the Globe Need to Follow Brazil, U.S.’s Lead in Ethanol Adoption to Lower GHG Emissions.

by Leticia Phillips (UNICA/Ethanol Producer Magazine) We celebrated World Environment Day on June 5 and, although the date has passed, I believe the theme of this year’s event, air pollution, still deserves our attention. What are we doing locally, nationally or globally to take care of our environment? In Brazil, sugarcane

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

A ‘Golden Triangle’: In Nebraska, Ethanol, Cattle and Agriculture Are Intertwined, with Major Impacts on the State’s Economy.

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) It’s fitting that the Cornhusker State should be an important player in the nation’s ethanol industry. Second only to Iowa in production, Nebraska’s ethanol industry has a big impact on the state’s economy. In addition to a strong corn-growing contingent, Nebraska has an impressive cattle

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

New IPCC Report to Assess the Interaction between Global Warming and Land Use

(Agence-France Presse/FirstPost) The overlapping crises of climate change, mass species extinction, and an unsustainable global food system are on a collision course towards what might best be called an ecological land grab. Coping with each of these problems will require a different way of using of Earth’s lands, and as

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

RNG Stakeholders Speak out on EPA’s 2020 Renewable Fuel Proposal

by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) More than two dozen representatives from the renewable natural gas (RNG) industry spoke at Wednesday’s public hearing in Michigan to provide feedback on 2020 biofuel volumes proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. “The RNG Coalition is the

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Oregon Governor Signs RNG Bill into Law

by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Gov. Kate Brown, D-Ore., has signed into law S.B.98, creating a path for renewable natural gas (RNG) to become an increasing part of the state’s energy supply. NW Natural, a natural gas service company serving Oregon and Washington, worked with legislators to propose S.B.98 to enable

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

How Slime Will Save the World

by Ruth Kassinger (Boston Globe) … We’ve turned algae into killers. But we can change their future and ours. We can harness them to help save the environment we’ve been ravaging. AFTER THE OPEC oil embargo of the mid-1970s caused gas shortages and price hikes, government-funded biologists and engineers across the country began

August 5, 2019 Read Full Article

BP, Rosneft Join German Sustainable Aviation Fuels Initiative

(Biofuels International) The Aviation Initiative for Renewable Energy in Germany (aireg) has welcomed two new members: Rosneft Deutschland and BP Europa. … Oil major Rosneft’s biofuels commitment: “Rosneft Deutschland currently produces around 300,000 tonnes of jet fuel annually and implements into-plane aviation fuel supply in Munich, Berlin-Tegel, and Berlin-Schönefeld airports,” commented Brian Chesterman,

August 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Federal Bill Could Create Biogas Tax Credits, Bolster Organics Infrastructure

by Cole Rosengren (Waste Dive) … The expiration of the ITC benefits in 2016, followed by the expiration of related production tax credits in 2017, are frequently cited as key limitations for financing new biogas infrastructure. While other incentives such as California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard have helped fill the gap for

August 5, 2019 Read Full Article

“I Am Not Charcoal.” – Sincerely, Biochar: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Biochar

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) On a recent Digest webinar, we heard all about biochar. The science. The markets. The technology. The results. The needs. And much more. If you missed The Digest’s webinar then check out the slides that cover all you need to know about biochar. Hugh McLaughlin, PhD,

August 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Euglena Sets Sights as an Olympic Hopeful for Algae-Based Aviation Jet Fuel

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Midorimushi – other than being a cool sounding Ninja name, it’s scientific name is Euglena. No, it’s not the latest superhero in a manga comic. It’s a kind of algae. In a magical sort of hybrid way, it has both plant and animal properties and has

August 5, 2019 Read Full Article

States Sue Trump Administration for Reduced Penalties on Fuel Efficiency

by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) Thirteen states filed suit against the Trump administration Friday, arguing it was breaking the law by cutting penalties for automakers that do not meet Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. The suit, led by California’s and New York’s attorneys general, goes after a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) rule that

August 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Carbon Pricing Proposals in the 116th Congress

by Jason Ye (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions) There are various market-based approaches to pricing carbon (e.g. carbon tax, cap and trade, and a clean energy standard). All of these can reduce emissions cost-effectively while driving clean energy innovation. This factsheet compares six carbon tax and cap-and-dividend proposals introduced in the 116th

August 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Fact Sheet: Fossil Fuel Subsidies: A Closer Look at Tax Breaks and Societal Costs

by Clayton Coleman and Emma Dietz (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) A recent analysis published in Nature Energy found that continuing current fossil fuel subsidies would make it profitable to extract half of all domestic oil reserves. This could increase U.S. oil production by 17 billion barrels over the next few decades and emit

August 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Dennis Lundell: Ethanol Is Vital to Rural America

by Dennis Lundell (The Cap Times) Dear Editor: With the recent move to lift restrictions on E15 by President Trump, the agricultural community has an opportunity to build America’s economy with more renewable biofuels. And that means less reliance on foreign oil, cleaner air and more income in rural communities.

August 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Hydrogen, EV, Biofuel, Clean Diesel All Fuels for Future

(National Road Carriers/Business.Scoop) There will not be one transport fuel for the future hydrogen, electric, biofuel and clean diesel energy will all play a part as the sector transitions to support the Governments goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. — That was the consensus of all the presenters at National

August 2, 2019 Read Full Article

South Dakota Farmers Union Meets with EPA Director to Discuss E30

(South Dakota Farmers Union/Farm Forum) South Dakota Farmers Union, together with leaders from 13 South Dakota agriculture organizations, sat down with Gregory Sopkin, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional administrator for District Eight to discuss challenges facing South Dakota farmers and ranchers, as well as opportunities to be found through expanded

August 2, 2019 Read Full Article

China’s Ethanol Goals Could See Big Increase in Demand

by Sean Pratt (Western Producer) An analyst doesn’t think China will delay implementing its E10 policy until there is adequate domestic capacity because the policy is being driven by a desire to clean up the country’s air before hosting the 2022 Olympics. Moving to a 10 percent gasoline blend by 2020

August 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Senate Biofuel Advocates Want a Piece of Transportation Bill

by Elvina Nawaguna (Roll Call) The bill would set aside $1 billion to build charging and fueling stations for electric-, hydrogen- and natural gas-powered vehicles — A provision in the Senate’s surface transportation bill that would help pay for charging and refilling stations for zero- or low-emissions vehicles should also support more stations for biofuels

August 2, 2019 Read Full Article

(Philippines) Congress to Probe Price, Supply Bottlenecks for Biofuels

by Charmaine A. Tadalan (Business World) The Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Biofuels is set to investigate the biofuel industry over price increases in molasses when the 18th Congress opens its first regular session. Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, chair of the energy committee, said the inquiry will also look into the sugarcane industry’s

August 2, 2019 Read Full Article

The Energy 202: Kamala Harris and Jay Inslee’s New Climate Plans Target ‘Environmental Injustice’

by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) … On Monday, two contenders, Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, released climate plans aimed at ensuring communities already facing an exceptionally large amount of pollution don’t get saddled with any more. The proposals come as environmental groups demand presidential candidates address the socioeconomic

August 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Letter: Protect Renewable Fuels

by Jim Lykam (Quad City Times) I respectfully disagree with Kerry Etringer’s July 18 letter in which he described homegrown ethanol as a “sop” to farmers rather than a “good renewable source of energy.” The truth is that Iowa farmers deserve credit for leading the charge on clean energy. The biofuels we

August 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Biofuel Industry Testifies on Proposed RFS Levels — Small Refinery Exemptions Still Main Point of Contention with Renewable Fuel Producers.

by Jacqui Fatka (Feedstuffs) The Environmental Protection Agency hosted an annual hearing in Ypsilanti, Mich., on next year’s biofuel targets under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Many members of the biofuel industry pushed for higher levels and for the agency to correct demand lost from previous small refinery exemptions. … In his

August 1, 2019 Read Full Article

OFTEC Ireland Urges Government for Carbon Reduction

by Lydia Stevenson (Oil Fired Up) OFTEC Ireland, the body representing the liquid fuel heating industry in Ireland, is urging the Irish Government to take a more realistic approach to reduce carbon emissions where the home heating sector is concerned. … A pivitol aspect of this action plan focuses on the Government

August 1, 2019 Read Full Article

UPDATE 1-Brazil’s JBS Invests in New Biodiesel Plant Amid Clean Fuel Push

By Roberto Samora (Reuters) A unit of Brazil’s JBS SA plans to invest 180 million reais ($47.5 million) to build a biodiesel plant entering service by 2021, as the company looks to cash in on Brazil’s accelerating clean fuel drive, according to a statement on Tuesday. Seara Alimentos, JBS’ processed foods

August 1, 2019 Read Full Article

New York Publishes Proposed Rule to Allow E15 Sales

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The New York Department of Agriculture and Markets published a proposed rule July 24 to allow E15 sales within the state. The move will soon open the nation’s fourth largest gasoline market to sales of the fuel blend. The rulemaking comes nearly a nine years

August 1, 2019 Read Full Article

SAF Update: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to FAA

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Federal Aviation Administration is a governmental body of the United States with powers to regulate all aspects of civil aviation in that nation as well as over its surrounding international waters and have been working on replacing petroleum jet fuel with drop-in renewable alternatives. Dr.

August 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Blazing Pathways through the Clean-Tech and Governmental Wilderness

by Douglas L. Faulkner (The Cleantech Conservative/Leatherstocking LLC/ Biofuels Digest) … (W)e first addressed bio-based plastic research needs; second, we reviewed government regulations preventing the growth of advanced biofuels, a controversial action; then we launched an effort for 2019 for an intensive look at forests of the future and their opportunities for woody

August 1, 2019 Read Full Article

China Uniquely Placed to ‘Green’ Shipping

by Ned Molloy (China Dialogue Ocean) As the world’s largest exporter and shipbuilder, China could pave the way to a carbon-neutral global trading system — The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, said last month that his country’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to stimulate global trade and integration must be “green and

August 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Senate Committee Acknowledges Climate Change in Passing $287 Billion Transportation Bill

by Ashley Halsey III and John Wagner (Washington Post) … The bill got pushback from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), whose state is a major producer of ethanol, the corn-based product that is added to about 98 percent of gasoline. She objected to a provision to promote electric charging stations. “If all

August 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Biofuels Mentioned at Workshop for Mid-Atlantic and Northeast States Transportation & Climate Initiative

by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Along with about 300 state lawmakers, business leaders, transportation experts, and public figures, I met in Baltimore, Maryland, July 30, 2019, at a regional public workshop on developing low-carbon investment strategies and priorities for the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI), a regional partnership for