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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Noone wants to be negative…unless they are talking about carbon negative of course. The aviation industry has been all abuzz about lowering their carbon footprints for years, then carbon neutral, now carbon negative. According to Gevo’s Timothy Cesarek, EVP & Chief Commercial Officer, the carbon footprint
Opinions
December 14, 2019
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The Kodak Moment: The World’s Airlines Consider Their Low-Carbon Options in an Era of Flight-Shaming
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Now, the airlines were just about the first customers to clamor for advanced biofuels. In 2006, Richard Altman of the recently-formed Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative showed up at one of the earliest advanced biofuels events, and when he laid out the intent of the
December 14, 2019
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by Cristina Suárez and Guillermo Cid (Vox Europ) Spain, like many other European countries, has a palm oil problem and it is nothing to do with food. The EU is going to ban the use of the crop in biofuels but Spain continues to import millions of tonnes from countries
December 13, 2019
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(Bioenergy Insight) Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) fleet owners in Finland and Sweden see an environment-focused mindset as a permanent phenomenon, according to a recent survey commissioned by Gasum. The survey results revealed customers’ environmental expectations have increased in both countries, and 82% of HGV fleet owners believe this is not a
December 13, 2019
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(Neste) You may not have heard the name Ulla Kiiski. But the Finnish scientist’s breakthroughs in inventing renewable, non-fossil diesel are poised to go down in history. “Resilience against difficult odds runs in my blood,” she tells journalist Ninni Sandelius as we kick off our series interviewing the innovative people leading
December 13, 2019
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by Natasha Beilstein and Dr. Lei Zhu (EcoEngineers/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol producers need to reduce their CI score — and quickly: A low carbon fuel supply scenario analysis — As the value of the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credit lingers around $200 per credit and the U.S. Renewable
December 13, 2019
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(Selectra) On 23 September 2019, World leaders and other key players came together in the Global Climate Action Summit 2019 to accelerate moves to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Find out here what calls were made for global climate action and the agreed outcomes for a better future.
December 13, 2019
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(City of Seville) Seville will be the starting point and the national benchmark for the debate about the use of natural gas and biomethane, as it is the first headquarters of the #miciudadatodogas (my city running all on natural gas) initiative that will travel Spanish cities committed to sustainability with natural
December 13, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land) The global climate negotiating sessions in Madrid come to a close this week, and producer advocates remain gratified that delegates to the talks have demonstrated a growing acceptance of the agricultural sector’s role in addressing the climate crisis. As SfL steering committee member Ray Gaesser pointed
December 13, 2019
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(China Dialogue/Future Fuel Strategies) … But the positive changes have been more than negated by growth in demand for unsustainable palm oil from other markets. No country plays a larger role than China, the chief destination for Indonesian exports and among the top consumers of palm oil. Imports of palm oil into
December 13, 2019
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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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by Mark Weinraub and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) … (Indiana farmer Paul) Hodgen’s troubles reflect the increasing difficulties faced by America’s corn farmers as a meltdown in the ethanol industry hits the corn market – adding strains to farmers already facing poor weather and the U.S. trade war with China. Some 13
December 13, 2019
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by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EURACTIV.com) The EU should look at how countries across the world promote biofuels in their national policies and, following the announcement of the Green Deal, basically “revisit” the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) on road transport decarbonisation, a biofuel expert told EURACTIV.com. “Capping conventional biofuels is not in
December 13, 2019
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(Biotechnology Innovation Organization) The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) has submitted comments to the Office of Science Technology and Policy (OSTP) on the bioeconomy, explaining the critical role America’s biotechnology industry plays in feeding, fueling, and healing the world. The comments were recently highlighted by Tom DiLenge, president of BIO’s Advocacy, Law & Public Policy
December 13, 2019
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by M Razi RahmanSuharto (Antara News) The Indonesian government should formulate a roadmap for the use of 30 percent blended biodiesel (B30) in the maritime and fishery sector since it will have a wide-ranging impact on maritime aspects, an executive stated. “The vast majority of business agents engaged in the
December 13, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … For sure, Britain has historic opportunities in the bioecononmy to take a leadership position by jettisoning the worst of the EU restrictions and adopting new measures to add value to British agriculture, increase British food and energy security, and decarbonize its economy. The EU
December 13, 2019
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(European Commission) The European Commission today presented The European Green Deal – a roadmap for making the EU’s economy sustainableby turning climate and environmental challenges into opportunities across all policy areas and making the transition just and inclusive for all. President Ursula von der Leyen said: ‘The European Green Deal is our new growth strategy – for
December 12, 2019
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(Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Punjab, India) The Hinduja Group on Wednesday offered to help Punjab in addressing the stubble burning problem by lifting all the paddy straw from the fields for use in ethanol plants. The offer came during a meeting between Chairman of Hinduja Group, Prakash Hinduja, with
December 12, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) European countries are threatening to impose tariffs on goods from countries like the United States that have failed to match their climate change policies. … A PAGE OUT OF THE TRUMP PROTECTIONIST PLAYBOOK: European countries worried their plans to cut greenhouse gases will
December 12, 2019
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(The Illinois Soybean Association/Biodiesel Magazine) The village of Carol Stream, Illinois, is a new member of the B20 Club in recognition of the municipality’s work to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality for its residents. The B20 Club is a partnership between the Illinois Soybean Association checkoff program and the American Lung Association that recognizes Illinois-based fleets committed
December 11, 2019
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(Advanced Biofuels Canada) Factsheet addresses key findings and corrects commentary — Advanced Biofuels Canada (ABFC) has released a factsheet to summarize the outcomes of the BC Utility Commission inquiry into high fuel prices in BC, and to address inaccurate commentary about fuel regulatory costs in the province. The Panel of three commissioners released
December 11, 2019
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(Our Transportation Future) Two-Thirds of Registered Voters Support Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Distributors Paying for Pollution; Survey Covers Seven States in Region: CT, MD, MA, NJ, NY, PA and VA. — A new survey from MassINC Polling Group shows that 66 percent of voters in seven Eastern states (Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey,
December 11, 2019
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(World Wildlife Fund) The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) today launches the report The Role of Sustainable Biofuels in the Decarbonisation of Shipping: The findings of an inquiry into the sustainability and availability of biofuels for shipping at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) currently underway in Madrid. Outlining the findings of an
December 11, 2019
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by Gabe Schneider (MinnPost) In August, Corn Plus, one of the oldest biofuel plants in the state of Minnesota, closed. Forty employees lost their jobs. The reasons for a slump in the biofuels industry are many, but one stands out: a Trump administration policy allowing a substantial number of gasoline refineries
December 11, 2019
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(CNBC/Reuters) … The government also has a plan for minibuses, a common form of cheap transport across Egypt. Under the scheme, 142,000 minibuses would be converted and another 88,000 old diesel minibuses replaced with biofuel equivalents over the next three years, while more than 350 fueling stations would be built.
December 11, 2019
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(International Air Transport Association) The International Air Transport Association (IATA) asked the European Union to support aviation’s energy transition to sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) as part of the bloc’s Green Deal, being launched tomorrow. “Aviation has high hopes for the European Commission’s Green Deal. We want to be part of Europe’s
December 11, 2019
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(World Biogas Association) -If all barriers were removed, the biogas industry could abate up to 4bn tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually, representing at least 12% of today’s global emissions, by 2030. -Today only 2% of the feedstock available globally to produce biogas is captured and recycled. -At the COP25 meeting,
December 11, 2019
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by Lefteris Karagiannopoulos (Reuters) Airlines are confident of having sufficient supplies of biofuel-infused jet fuel to comply with a Norway requirement which takes effect next year, although they warn of additional costs. From January, jet fuel suppliers in Norway must blend 0.5% of biofuel in all their aviation fuel, a policy
December 11, 2019
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(Malay Mail/Bernama) Crude palm oil (CPO) prices would be able to sustain its current upward momentum if governments, particularly those from the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), could coordinate allocation increases under the biodiesel mandates, says palm oil expert Dr James Fry. Fry, who is also the chairman of
December 11, 2019
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by Wilda Asmarini, Bernadette Christina Munthe and Fransiska Nangoy (Reuters) Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer, plans to implement a biodiesel program with 40% bio-content (B40) between 2021 and 2022, a government official said on Tuesday. From January, Southeast Asia’s largest economy is set to bring in biodiesel with 30%
December 11, 2019
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(Ohio’s Country Journal) Executives from 11 national trade associations sent a letter to House and Senate leaders, highlighting the urgent need for Congress to extend the expired biodiesel tax incentive before the end of the year. The association executives state in the letter, “There is broad bipartisan support for the biodiesel
December 11, 2019
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(Growth Energy) Today, Growth Energy, the nation’s largest ethanol association, hailed the announcement of a long-awaited deal on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on trade. The USMCA modernizes the previous trade pact, strengthens the trade relationship between these North American nations, and provides critical market access for U.S. agriculture. Following the announcement,
December 10, 2019
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(Growth Energy) Growth Energy, the nation’s largest association of biofuel producers, released a new report demonstrating how claims on the Renewable Fuel Standard’s (RFS) alleged impact on endangered species “relies on unsupported assumptions and speculation.” The report was authored by Ramboll, a global research and management firm specializing in sustainable development, at the
December 10, 2019
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by David Shepardson (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his administration will finalize its rollback of Obama-era vehicle emissions standards next year and expected it would provoke a new legal challenge by California. … Trump said on Friday that the dispute was over “a tiny amount of
December 10, 2019
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by Yuthana Praiwan (Bangkok Post) The Energy Fund Administration Institute (EFAI) says the reduced retail price for gasohol E85 will end some time in 2020, as this fuel has not been embraced by motorists over the past decade. The EFAI is also considering terminating subsidies for gasohol and biodiesel within three
December 10, 2019
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Full Committee Oversight Hearing of IMO 2020 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building 10:00 AM The hearing will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. EST in Room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. The purpose of the hearing is to examine the upcoming implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s new global sulfur standard for marine
December 10, 2019
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(Denton Daily) State-run oil company Ltd (BPCL) plans to commission its second generation (2G) bio-refinery at Odisha’s district by December 2020. The project will see an investment of Rs 10 billion and the foundation stone for the refinery will be laid on October 10 by Odisha governor Ganeshi Lal and Union minister
December 10, 2019
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(Mediterranean Shipping Company) MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is pleased to announce that the company has started to use biofuel in its vessels calling in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Following successful trials with biofuel blends earlier this year, MSC has decided to continue bunkering responsibly sourced biofuel blends on a routine basis.
December 10, 2019
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(CNN Business) All United Airlines flights leaving Los Angeles International Airport benefit from a portion of renewable fuel, but for airlines to use biofuels at scale, governments will need to step in. WATCH VIDEO
December 10, 2019
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by Jeffrey Rissman (Forbes/Energy Innovation) … Assuming power grid infrastructure and urban planning can keep pace with organic demand, without substantial additional policy intervention, transportation emissions from light-duty vehicles are projected to steadily decline more than half by 2050 (Figure 2). This decline comes as consumers increasingly favor electric vehicles (EVs) for their falling prices, lower
December 9, 2019
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by Samantha Oller (CSP Daily News) New York has become the latest state to legalize the sale of E15. On Nov. 20, the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets finalized a rule that enables sales of the 15% ethanol/85% gasoline fuel blend. The state had made a previous, failed attempt to legalize E15
December 9, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land) … SfL Steering Committee member Ray Gaesser, an Iowa corn and soybean producer, and SfL President Ernie Shea appeared on the panel, which focused on climate change and the agriculture sector. They spoke of the role farmers are playing in addressing climate change, sharing with those
December 9, 2019
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by Philip Blenkinsop (Reuters) The European Union confirmed tariffs on Indonesian biodiesel imports on Monday to counter what it sees as unfair subsidies, the latest blow to producers after the bloc ruled that palm oil should be phased out of renewable transport fuels. In the conclusion to a case that has
December 9, 2019
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by Jason O’Day (Daily Iowan) … Pumping gasoline with 10, 15, or 85 percent of a slightly less distilled version of the drink is bad for the health of your vehicle. It corrodes the gas tank and fuel line, especially in cars manufactured before 2001. Grain alcohol isn’t just bad
December 9, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The debate of who rules – ethanol or gasoline – has been going on seemingly forever. Why does this debate drive everyone nuts? Which has the lower energy density? Which has the lower mileage? Does range really matter? What’s octane worth? Is there an octane sweet
December 9, 2019
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(Biorenewable Deployment Consortium) The Biorenewable Deployment Consortium tracks global developments in the biobased Industries. Several key trends have emerged over the last decade: 1. The development of biobased products will vary widely by region on a worldwide basis, and national policy will continue to be a driver of emerging industries,
December 9, 2019
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(House Energy & Commerce Committee Republicans) “There are bipartisan bills in Congress that we could pass right now to ensure the United States remains a global leader in emissions reduction, economic productivity, and clean energy production, all at once.” That’s what Energy and Commerce Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) said in September, calling on Democrats
December 9, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) A meeting last June in Newburg, Md., represented a change for U.S. farmers, Pro’s Helena Bottemiller Evich reports . The event was hosted by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, a group made up of the heavyweights in American agriculture. It brought together three
December 9, 2019
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by Bill Zobel (Trillium/ACT News) Will the looming IMO 2020 sulfur regulation impact domestic diesel prices? How on-road fleets can turn to domestically produced fuels to avoid price volatility. — There’s much debate about how the upcoming International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulation on sulfur emissions, going into effect on January 1st,
December 6, 2019
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(Deutsche Post DHL Group) Over the next 10 to 20 years, sustainable fuels will play a critical role in efforts to reduce the impact of transport on the climate. This white paper offers an overview of the current discussion surrounding sustainable fuels and identifies the types of fuels and technologies
December 6, 2019
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by Sune Tjalfe Thomsen and Henning Jørgensen (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) 1. Status of transportation biofuel industry in Denmark In Denmark, a considerable part of the total energy demand is derived from renewable sources. In 2017, 26% of Denmark’s primary energy production of 658 PJ was from renewable energies (54%
December 6, 2019
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by Mahmood Ebadian, Jim McMillan and Jack Saddler (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) … Task 39’s main focus remains on drop-in biofuels for heavy duty transport, i.e., transport sectors where substantial electrification isn’t foreseen in the near-to-mid-term. It is recognized that beyond on-going technical innovation, effective policies will have to
December 6, 2019
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Renewable Fuels Association told world leaders meeting this week in Madrid that low-carbon ethanol is an economical and proven solution for fighting global climate change. RFA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Kelly Davis is attending the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP25) with a small delegation of U.S. farm
December 6, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land/Ethanol Europe) In the light of alarming oil industry forecasts[1] of continued growth in the world’s fleet of gasoline and diesel road vehicles to 2040 and beyond (to upwards of two billion vehicles from 1.2 billion today), ethanol sector advocates pressed government leaders at COP 25 today to further
December 6, 2019
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(Sunrise Movement) This page will be updated with other Democratic candidates’ scores in the coming months. Please speak out and let every candidate know you want them to adopt all of these policies. It is vital for every candidate to fully adopt the policies and messaging framework set out in
December 6, 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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(U.S. Grains Council) As the ink dries on the final signatures needed for the new U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) is celebrating improved access to the Japanese market and more than 50 years of partnership with one of the largest and most loyal customers of U.S. coarse grains
December 6, 2019
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byAhmad Rafiq (Temp.co) … The former governor of Jakarta (Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or known as Ahok) was officially named a chief commissioner of Pertamina by State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Erick Thohir on November 25. … The board of commissioners, he mentioned, would continuously push for the development of biofuel production.
December 6, 2019
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(Illinois Soybean Association) Illinois Farm Families® has released the first episode in their new docuseries highlighting farmer sustainability practices. This engaging storytelling video is focused on biofuels made from Illinois corn and soybeans. It presents the perspectives of farmer Elliott Uphoff and American Lung Association Vice President Angela Tin to help
December 6, 2019
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by Don Siefkes (E100 Ethanol Group/Biofuels Digest) … This is what we did with DDT and Freon 11. We banned them over a period of years application by application, but didn’t specify what had to take their place. We left that solution up to farmers, chemical companies, and consumers. It’s foolish
December 6, 2019
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by Mark A. Bradford, Chelsea J. Carey, Lesley Atwood, Deborah Bossio, Eli P. Fenichel, Sasha Gennet, Joseph Fargione, Jonathan R. B. Fisher, Emma Fuller, Daniel A. Kane, Johannes Lehmann, Emily E. Oldfield, Elsa M. Ordway, Joseph Rudek, Jonathan Sanderman & Stephen A. Wood (Nature Sustainability) Soil-based initiatives to mitigate climate
December 5, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land) … Representatives from the North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (NACSAA), a farmer-led platform for North American agricultural partners facilitated by Solutions from the Land, have been attending and contributing to the global discussions for the last two years. With this seat at the table, NACSAA delegates are promoting
December 5, 2019
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Insights about the most promising industrial crops grown on marginal land. MAGIC aims to promote the sustainable development of resource-efficient and economically profitable industrial crops grown on marginal lands, considering that industrial crops can provide valuable resources for high added value products and bioenergy. To achieve that, an up-to-date database of
December 5, 2019
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By Dan Crisler (Watertown Public Opinion) The South Dakota government plans to lead the charge in persuading the nation to adopt E30, Gov. Kristi Noem said Wednesday afternoon. Noem made that declaration to Glacial Lakes Energy shareholders, who convened for an annual meeting at the Codington County Extension Complex. READ
December 5, 2019
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by Jennifer Jacobs, Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Mario Parker (Bloomberg News/Transport Topics) White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow is developing a new plan to bolster biofuel-blending requirements after ethanol allies in politically important farm states complained the current proposal doesn’t do enough to compensate for waivers exempting some small refineries from
December 5, 2019
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(Moody’s Investor Service) -Increasing demand for ethanol will help producers to sustain margins; -Implementation of RenovaBio in 2020 will increase Brazil´s ethanol price competitiveness — Rising ethanol consumption and the implementation in 2020 of RenovaBio, a federal program to curb carbon emissions by 10% in 2028, in line with the UN
December 5, 2019
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(Iogen) Threemile Canyon Farms’ Oregon facility is steadily producing renewable natural gas — Iogen Corporation would like to congratulate Threemile Canyon Farms and Equilibrium for the successful opening and operation of Oregon’s only dairy manure renewable natural gas production facility – one of the largest in the US. The facility,
December 5, 2019
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(Eni) This will be the world’s first example of semi-industrial non-food being cultivated in a pre-desert area to generate of sustainable Biofuels — Eni and the SNDP (Societè National de Distribution des Petroles AGIL SpA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Tunisian Ministry of Industry, in the presence of the
December 5, 2019
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by Michael Newman (Parhelion Underwriting Inc./Biofuels Digest) 2018 saw the shipping industry take its first steps towards addressing the challenge of climate change when, at its 72nd session in April, IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) adopted an initial strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping by at least
December 5, 2019
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by Liz Gyekye (BioMarket Insights) … Biome Bioplastics CEO Paul Mines said that the discussion around plastics isn’t solely about its end of life but its start of life. He also said that the production of oil-based plastics was hugely carbon intensive. Citing a Nature Climate Change report published earlier this year, Mines
December 5, 2019
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by Tux Turkel (Press Herald) Wind and other renewables produce excess power that could be used in the state’s natural gas pipeline system. — … The transmission lines connecting Maine’s far-flung renewable generators to the regional electric grid sometimes are too weak to carry all their power. When that happens, grid
December 4, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Nel ASA is a Norwegian company based in Oslo. Nel is a global company providing solutions for the production, storage and distribution of hydrogen from renewable energy sources. Nel is listed in the OBX Index of the Oslo Stock Exchange. The largest shareholder is Clearstream Banking
December 4, 2019
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by Sergio Meana (Argus Media) Drivers in Mexico are using high concentrations of ethanol in their tanks as a direct, cheaper substitute of gasoline despite blends over 10pc being illegal, conventional fuel retailers said. Retailers in often informal street-side outlets advertise ethanol on e-commerce platforms such as Facebook Marketplace. They claim it
December 4, 2019
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(Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)) Klobuchar has spent months calling for an end to the harm caused by abuse of hardship waivers — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led a public comment letter last week to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler expressing concern over the proposed supplemental
December 4, 2019
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by Samantha Wright (Independent Commodity Intelligence Service) As hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) use grows in Europe, with more expansions anticipated in the next few years, questions are arising as to its impact on the traditional biodiesel market and the wider oleochemicals industry. It is likely that the rise of HVO use
December 4, 2019
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by Jayashree Bhosale (Economic Times) The food ministry’s latest notification allowing India’s sugar producers to convert surplus stocks into ethanol to be blended with petrol comes as an additional support measure for the industry. However, mills in Uttar Pradesh, the top sugar-producing state, are not keen on converting old stocks
December 4, 2019
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by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Gov. Kim Reynolds gave a boost Tuesday to Iowa’s renewable fuels industry, requiring that all new state-owned diesel-powered vehicles — from cars and trucks to snowplows and graders — be able to use at least 20% biodiesel. Reynolds signed the executive order at the Iowa Farm
December 4, 2019
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(ADVANCEFUEL) Policy and governments set ambitious climate and energy targets for the transport sector both on EU level, such as the revised Renewable Energy Directive, and international level, such as the 2015 Paris Agreement. Renewable fuels are among the most viable options to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport
December 4, 2019
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by Steve Hanley (Clean Technica) There is nothing inherently wrong with internal combustion engines. The problem is the fuels we use to run them emit billions of tons of greenhouse gases every year, gases which cause the Earth to get hotter. The byproducts from burning gasoline or diesel fuel account for
December 4, 2019
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(Trucking Info) … As part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration’s attempt to combat climate change, California has banned the purchase of gasoline-fueled vehicles by government groups, according to the Sacramento Bee. The state fleet includes about 51,000 cars and trucks, according to the governor’s office. As of last year, more than 3,000 of
December 4, 2019
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by John Gallagher (Freight Waves) Former vice president and Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden is promoting a “new generation” of low-carbon trucking, shipping and aviation technologies through a plan to invest $400 billion over 10 years in a federal clean energy research program. The proposal is part of a 10-year, $3 trillion
December 4, 2019
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(UFOP/Biodiesel Magazine) The public rarely questions where raw materials for fossil fuels come from when filling their fuel tanks. It’s a far different story when it comes to biofuels: With the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive, the requirements for sustainability criteria, greenhouse gas reduction and documentation obligations have been further tightened.
December 4, 2019
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(U.S. Grains Council/Ethanol Producer Magazine) With six members along to share their expertise, the U.S. Grains Council conducted a robust, week-long roadshow through Spain and Portugal in October to promote U.S. sorghum and containerized dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) to key importers and trading companies involved in the Spanish and
December 3, 2019
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(ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … A study by sustainable energy consultancy E4tech looked at scenarios involving countries adopting petrol blends with up to 20 percent renewable ethanol. It found that under two potential 2030 scenarios of increased demand for renewable ethanol—one with a mix of E10 and E20 and another maximum-demand scenario with
December 3, 2019
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by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A recently released report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service says that while Thailand has relied on domestic ethanol production, the country could benefit from importing ethanol and other biofuels. While the country allows imports of ethanol for industrial use, the country
December 3, 2019
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by Larry Lee (Browfield Ag News) A Wisconsin ethanol producer says the new state law eliminating the need for separate hoses to dispense E15 was overdue. Erik Huschitt is the CEO and General Manager for Badger State Ethanol, and he is also the Board President for the Wisconsin BioFuels Association. He
December 3, 2019
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by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EURACTIV.com) This article is part of our special report COP25: Is transport decarbonisation pragmatic enough?. Until electrification of transport is fully in place, ethanol could be used as a “bridge” to make fuels cleaner, US farmers told EURACTIV.com on the sidelines of the COP25 in Madrid. “In the US,
December 3, 2019
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(Consumer Reports) Rolling back fuel economy requirements down to 1.5% annual increases would raise net cost per vehicle by $2,100 — As the federal government reportedly moves closer to finalizing plans to weaken fuel economy and vehicle emissions standards, Consumer Reports has analyzed several likely scenarios, including the recently-reported possibility of
December 3, 2019
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by Preeti Bhagat and Sampad Nandy (Cogencis) he commerce ministry has turned down a request by the US to reduce the import duty on de-natured ethanol entering the country to protect the domestic sugar and potable industry, as well as farmers, two senior government officials said. Not just farmers, even state governments
December 3, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As the International Renewable Energy Agency observed of the next decades, “transport and industry will still require combustible fuels for many purposes,” and those “needs could be met with hydrogen, which itself can be produced using renewable power.” The opportunity is threefold, IRENA predicts: Industry for
December 3, 2019
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by Philipp Stratmann (Velocys/Biofuels Digest) At this year’s ABLC Next Conference in San Francisco Velocys presented on the opportunity to produce negative emission fuels at our planned Bayou Fuels facility in Natchez, Mississippi. Whilst we were not the only company presenting on advanced biofuel products at the conference, our integration of
December 3, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Out of thousands of eligible organizations, who will make the Hot 50– who will get your vote? In Florida, The Digest announced the official opening of voting for the 50 Hottest Companies in the Advanced Bioeconomy for 2020. Voting Rules Voting is open to all registered
December 3, 2019
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(Bioenergy Insight) A sludge tanker powered by bio-CNG (compressed natural gas) from CNG Fuels has completed a successful trial with UK firm GENeco, Wessex Water’s renewable energy company. The truck runs on 100% renewable and sustainable biomethane which is derived from waste and approved under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
December 3, 2019
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(ECO-GATE/NGV Journal) The European ECO-GATE Consortium, co-financed by the European Union and led by NEDGIA, the gas distributor of the Naturgy group, has initiated test injection and distribution of the renewable gas generated at the Butarque wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the NEDGIA distribution network. Butarque’s renewable gas project has the
December 2, 2019
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Germany, the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) published their 8th annual report on the evaluation and progress of biomass fuels and biofuels in Germany, and also on the flow of goods to other countries. This Evaluation and Progress Report intends to inform both the
December 2, 2019
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by Norman Harsono (Jakarta Post) Biodiesel industry stakeholders have completed a five-month road test, whereby 11 vehicles were driven up to 50,000 kilometers using 30 percent blended biodiesel (B30), as the government is set to mandate the biofuel usage starting early next year. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, as the
December 2, 2019
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Ethanol is better for your health and “What a difference a year makes.” That’s what Douglas Durante, Executive Director of Clean Fuels Development Coalition told the audience recently at the World Ethanol and Biofuels conference in Brussels. The latest on how ethanol grows in this seemingly conflicting universe, trends that
December 2, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As Hüseyin Turan Arat of İskenderun Technical University and Meryem Gizem Sürer observed in a recent paper, “With the increasing world population and the energy consumption, the aviation industry has led the technology and researches to alternative and/or renewable energy sources depending on the risk of
December 2, 2019
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(Medicine Hat News) The company that plans to include Medicine Hat in a network of biodiesel refineries in Alberta has signed a long-term agreement with Canadian Pacific Railway to use at least 2.5 million scrap rail ties as feedstock. Cielo Waste Solutions announced the supply agreement on Thursday morning and says
November 29, 2019
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by Claire Asher (South Africa Today/Mongabay) -Sugarcane crop production in Brazil may need to expand by up to 5 million hectares by 2030 to meet a rising demand for ethanol biofuels, according to computer models that compared the impact of different economic, social, and policy scenarios on increased ethanol production. -The
November 29, 2019
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(South African Airways) South African Airways (SAA) and its wholly-owned subsidiary and low cost carrier, Mango Airlines, made history in 2016 as the first two airlines in Africa to operate commercial flights respectively, which were powered by sustainable aviation fuel produced from Sunchem’s nicotine-free tobacco plant, Solaris. That momentous occasion
November 29, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s Black Friday today but do you remember the black diesel of the old days? We’ve come a long way from that and ethanol is great for many vehicles and applications, but how about heavy-duty diesel transportation? What about the 99% of semi-trucks that use
November 29, 2019
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(American Coalition for Ethanol) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) submitted comments today to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its proposed supplemental rulemaking to the 2020 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). ACE CEO Brian Jennings detailed three areas in which the proposal falls short in ACE’s written
November 29, 2019
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(Office of Governor Tim Walz) Governor Tim Walz, Chair of the National Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced the following appointments to the Governor’s Council on Biofuels. Walz recently established the Governor’s Council on Biofuels by Executive Order 19-35 to recommend proposals to foster growth in the biofuels industry and
November 28, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez called on the IRS’ watchdog to open an investigation into potentially fraudulent claims for the tax credit to capture carbon, known as 45Q. In a letter dated Nov. 19 to Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George,
November 28, 2019
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by Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Spain’s engineering group Acciona SA was selected to build Latin America’s first plant to produce advanced biofuels HVO and SPK in a project that will use technology from U.S. firms Honeywell UOP and Crown Iron Works, Brazil’s ECB Group said on Monday. ECB plans to build the
November 27, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A note to my readers: a few weeks back, I was asked to give some remarks at a private meeting of venture capitalists and technology pioneers on the future of wellness, nutrition, agriculture, biotechnology and innovation. I decided to focus on the capture of value, and
November 27, 2019
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(Diesel Technology Forum) … As more governors look to California for leadership on climate change, they should look to what’s working in California…and it doesn’t have to do with electric cars, but with use of low-carbon renewable biofuels in internal combustion engines. Newly elected governors are turning to California for
November 26, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land) Iowa agriculture, business, academic, government and conservation leaders met in Des Moines on Monday in a forum that began an exploration of the impacts that extreme weather events and changing climatic conditions are having on the state’s agriculture sector. More importantly, those participating in the event
November 26, 2019
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by Jacques Moss (knect365) Paulo Corte-Real Neves is Ethanol & Oil Products Trading Director at Raizen, a leading Brazilian sugarcane producer jointly owned by Cosan and Royal Dutch Shell. We sat down with him at the World Ethanol & Biofuels conference to discuss the RenovaBio programme, California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard and
November 26, 2019
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(Renewable Fuels Association) A new analysis of vehicle owner’s manuals and warranty statements by the Renewable Fuels Association reveals that nearly all new 2020 automobiles are explicitly approved by the manufacturer to use gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol (E15). However, RFA’s annual review also shows automakers are offering far fewer model
November 26, 2019
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(United Nations Environment Programme) As the world strives to cut greenhouse gas emissions and limit climate change, it is crucial to track progress towards globally agreed climate goals. For a decade, UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report has compared where greenhouse gas emissions are heading against where they need to be, and highlighted
November 26, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “The measure of how disruptive Synthetic Biology is lies in the applications, the use cases and relevance to consumers,”according to Checkerspot which uses biology and chemistry to generate novel building blocks. Their ingredients include custom oils like tri-, di- and mono-glycerides, proteins and peptides, micronutrients, and
November 26, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The commercialization of algae has several challenges, but Lieve M. Laurens from National Renewable Energy Laboratory gave this illuminating presentation at the DOE’s BETO 2019 Project Peer Review that details how they are trying to reduce the cost of algal biofuels by increasing intrinsic algal biomass
November 26, 2019
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(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) today submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis an extensive set of policy recommendations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change. “The Select Committee’s work is establishing a critical foundation of information and
November 25, 2019
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(Press and Journal) The farmers’ union has called for an urgent derogation on the inclusion of biofuel in diesel after insisting farmers and crofters are facing a crisis because of serious issues with agricultural machinery. Farmers, hauliers, fuel suppliers and distributors attended a meeting with Petroineos, the only crude oil refinery
November 25, 2019
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by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) This past Saturday, a media outlet called THE ATLANTIC published an anti-ethanol editorial titled “STOP THE ETHANOL MADNESS.” … The following is my rebuttal to him and THE ATLANTIC: Dear Editors – The anti-ethanol editorial written by Mario Loyola, “STOP THE ETHANOL MADNESS,” is highly
November 25, 2019
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(Governors’ Biofuels Coalition) Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem Say Poisonous Aromatics Put Our Health at Risk — In a letter to President Trump today, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem asked him to enforce a provision of the Clean Air Act that
November 25, 2019
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by Stephanie Kelly, Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The White House has asked Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley’s office for input on the administration’s latest proposal to boost the ethanol market in 2020, according to two sources familiar with the matter on Friday, after a flurry of conversations between President Donald Trump and corn-state
November 25, 2019
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(Biofuels International) The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) has teamed up with the Low Carbon Fuels Coalition (LCFC) to drive adoption of low carbon fuel policies in the US. Under the new joint initiative, both organisations will work to advance policies that support green energy solutions to decarbonise transportation, a sector
November 25, 2019
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(International Renewable Energy Agency) Advanced liquid biofuels are a key part of low-carbon transport development to meet emission-reduction targets and international climate commitments. Liquid biofuels, requiring minimal changes to fuel distribution infrastructure or the transport fleet, can be deployed rapidly to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study from the International
November 25, 2019
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by Ian Morse (Washington Post) Now, a growing appetite for electric vehicles is creating new demand for nickel, whose chemical derivatives are increasingly used in cathodes of lithium-ion batteries. But the push for clean energy is coming at an environmental cost to forests and fisheries in one of the world’s most biodiverse
November 25, 2019
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, co-sponsor of the Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Act (H.R. 2089), is scheduled to visit Rio Valley Biofuels, a biodiesel production facility in El Paso, Texas, on Nov. 26. Escobar serves Texas’ 16th District, the seat previously held by former Democratic presidential candidate
November 25, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Methane – we all know there’s too much of it and much of it comes from farting and pooping cows. But Calgren has been doing something about that for years, before cow manure memes became cool. Calgren turns dairy manure biogas into biofuels as well as
November 22, 2019
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by David Iaconangelo (E&E News/Governors’ Biofuels Coalition) … The future of transportation may be less electric and less shared than some think, and millennials won’t change that, according to a study published yesterday by the MIT Energy Initiative. The initiative’s engineers, economists and transportation planners spent three years investigating how technology,
November 21, 2019
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by Meghan Gordon (S&P Global Platts) Adoption will be slow as retailers add pumps, tanks; RFA sees up to 50 million gallons in new demand in first year; E15 still banned in larger fuel market California — With New York state allowing E15 sales as of Wednesday, ethanol makers see the
November 21, 2019
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by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) In another response to EPA’s actions regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard, POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC announced Tuesday the company will “pause” production of cellulosic ethanol at its Project Liberty plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels is a 50-50 joint venture between Royal DSM and
November 21, 2019
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(The Fence Post/The Hagstrom Report) Farmers need the Trump administration to stabilize the biofuels market and Congress to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade, Farm Credit Administration Chairman and CEO Glen Smith told the House Agriculture Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit Subcommittee today. Asked by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson,
November 21, 2019
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by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Three-fourths of Iowa’s registered Republicans back President Donald Trump’s approach to trade with China, and half say his tariffs have done more to help than harm Iowa agribusiness, a new Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows. The poll includes 502 registered Republicans who do not plan to caucus
November 21, 2019
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by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures Chairman Mike Thompson (CA-05) and Committee Democrats released a discussion draft of the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act. This draft legislation is a comprehensive approach to tackling climate change by using the
November 21, 2019
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“American farming should be one of the key pillars of how we combat climate change,” candidate, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said during the November 20 debate. “I believe that the quest for the carbon negative farm could be as big a symbol of dealing with climate change as the electric car
November 21, 2019
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(Our Daily Planet) Two hours, ten candidates, four moderators, and less than 10 minutes of serious discussion of climate change in the Democratic Debate last night. Only four of the ten candidates were asked a direct question or given a chance to provide a significant follow-up response on the issue that
November 21, 2019
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by Chuck Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) During a visit to the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) annual convention on Friday, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue was asked about EPA’s supplemental proposal to account for small refinery exemptions and to address the concerns of the industry that it is insufficient. “I want to put it
November 19, 2019
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by Zoltan Kish (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) … At the same time, we have a tremendous business opportunity to convert waste into usable sustainable products. According to a market study report prepared by Market Insights Reports, the smart waste management market was valued at $1.41 billion (USD) in 2018 and is expected to reach
November 19, 2019
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by Richard Nemec (Natural Gas Intel) The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Tuesday upheld the federal government’s waivers for small refineries, which allows them to not include minimum renewables volumes in their transportation fuels to the chagrin of renewable natural gas (RNG) stakeholders. A group
November 18, 2019
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) A group of United States senators asked President Donald Trump in a letter on Friday to make sure an EPA proposal to account for small-refinery exemptions to the Renewable Fuel Standard will account for actual gallons waived. The letter is signed by Sens. Charles Grassley,
November 18, 2019
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by Elizabeth Pineau (Reuters) France’s parliament on Friday voted to remove tax breaks for the use of palm oil as a biofuel, a day after a ruling in favour of maintaining the advantage led to howls of protests from environmentalists. A large majority of members present voted against a government-backed proposal
November 18, 2019
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by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Maryland’s Commission on Climate Change advises the state’s Governor and General Assembly “on ways to mitigate the causes of, prepare for, and adapt to the consequences of climate change.” The MCCC is chaired by Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles and consists of
November 18, 2019
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by Brady Dennis and Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) Lawsuit marks the latest in an escalating fight over one of the nation’s biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. — California and 22 other states sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday, asking a federal court to block the Trump administration from
November 16, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land) The testimony of SfL Co-Chair Fred Yoder before the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (HSCCC) two weeks ago represented an early opportunity for farmers, ranchers and forestland owners to advance proven, pragmatic and practical solutions that produce win/win outcomes for those who work the land
November 15, 2019
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(Clay County News) On Oct. 23, the Flint Hills Resources Fairmont ethanol plant hosted representatives from the U.S. Grains Council, the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Ethanol Board, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and a delegation of feed ingredients buyers from Taiwan. The Taiwanese buyers were in the United States as part
November 15, 2019
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by Clair L. Jarvis: … Perhaps the most interesting thing about the expansion of the biofuels industry — as a share of the fuel market and a lobbying power — is that the general public hasn’t really noticed. Compared with fracking or coal, biofuels aren’t the subject of many policy reports
November 15, 2019
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(U.S. Department of Energy Energy Information Administration) … The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandates the amount of renewable fuels refineres must blend into the U.S. transportation fuel supply. As part of the RFS program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can grant annual waivers to some petroleum refineries, called small refinery exemptions (SREs), which
November 15, 2019
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(Office of Representative Peter Welch (D-VT)) Bill would phase out corn ethanol mandate, reverse tide of habitat destruction, and boost the mandate for advanced biofuels that reduce greenhouse gases — Today (November 14, 2019), Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) introduced companion bills in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S.
November 15, 2019
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by Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Brazil is poised to increase for the second time in less than a year the minimum amount of biodiesel to be blended into diesel fuel and to follow up with increases of 1 percentage point a year up to 2023, which in turn should boost demand for
November 15, 2019
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by Naira Hofmeister (Mongabay) -Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has signed a decree revoking a zoning regulation for the sugarcane industry, effectively allowing for cultivation of the crop in the Amazon and other areas of primary forest. -The measure is controversial because it wasn’t requested by the industry, which, under the
November 15, 2019
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More than 11,700 Comments Filed on EPA’s SRE Proposal
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The public comment period of U.S. EPA’s supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking that addresses the agency’s plan to reallocate future Renewable Fuel Standard volumes lost to small refinery exemptions (SREs) closed Nov. 29. More than 11,700 comments were filed on the proposal, according to data