by Jon H. Harsch (Agri-Pulse) ...Energy Committee Chair Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. pointed to the EIA forecast that after peaking in 2005-06, U.S. oil imports should continue to decline – showing that the U.S. has already reduced its dependence on imports.
by Samihah Zaman (Gulfnews) More production aids development There is currently no need to worry that increasing biofuel crops for transport purposes will create food shortages and food price rises in the world, a panel in the capital heard yesterday. Instead,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Codexis yesterday announced a stunning 29% increase in revenue, ...What’s driving the numbers in Redwood City? ”We achieved our technical milestones with Shell, we made our first shipments of two important enzymes to Merck and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...A large number of leading companies, and industry associations, reported that they had had no contact with the RAND report team. There have been allegations that the RAND team, either through naivete or deliberately, ignored projects
by Robert Rapier (Consumer Energy Report/R Squared Energy Blog) The just-issued RAND report Alternative Fuels for Military Applications has generated quite a bit of controversy. However, in my opinion many of the news stories covering the report got the gist of
by Dana Blankenhorn (Renewable Energy World) ...There are 17 elements classified as Rare Earths. Rare Earths aren't really rare. It's just rare to find them in commercial-grade ore. China has lots of Rare Earths, and as part of its export-oriented economic
(Farm Futures) RFA says there are tradeoffs in any energy decisions. ...Renewable Fuels Association spokesman Matt Hartwig says it's also become a double-edged sword for ethanol. On the one hand he says the U.S. can say thanks but no thanks to
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) In compliance with Section 204 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to report to Congress every three years on the environmental and resource conservation
(AgWired.com) President Obama made some folks in the ag industry happy with his State of the Union (SOTU) address Tuesday talking about the importance of both biofuels and free trade agreements. Corn farmers and representatives of the renewable fuels industry were especially pleased
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania was never a believer in ethanol, biodiesel and other forms of renewable energy until one devastating day in American history. “I looked at this issue differently, until 9/11,” ...Santorum believes that domestic production
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Wall Street Journal) letter to editor Regarding your editorial "Amber Waves of Ethanol" (Jan. 22): Ethanol production today is as much about feed as it is about fuel. One out of every three bushels of corn entering
by Ben Geman (The Hill) The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s agenda this year includes new scrutiny of ethanol. A spokesperson for committee Democrats said a hearing is in the offing but hasn’t been scheduled yet. Whenever it occurs, the session
by Darren Samuelsohn (Politico) ... In his State of the Union speech last Tuesday, Obama cracked a smile as he repeated a call he’s made the past two years for the elimination of billions of dollars in tax breaks for oil companies.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, the Wall Street Journal launched a bitter counterattack this week on former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, after Gingrich remarked, at a meeting of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association that “Obviously big urban
by Kathie Obradovich (Des Moines Register) Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is mulling a 2012 run for president, called on President Obama to use his State of the Union speech tonight to make the American energy production a “major
[caption id="attachment_16299" align="alignleft" width="300"] Warren Brown, automotive columnist for the Washington Post, discusses Congressman Roscoe Bartlett's Open Fuel legislation with Astrid Dorner, US Correspondent for Handelsblatt, Lisa Lyons Wright, Energy and Stem Cell Legislative Assistant and Press Secretary for Congressman
by Ben Geman (The Hill/E2Wire) The ethanol industry is quickly attacking a draft EPA study that details a slew of ecological harms that could accompany increased biofuels production. “EPA’s failure to provide this report in any context with the environmental degradation done
(US Environmental Protection Agency) The "Biofuels and the Environment: The First Triennial Report to Congress (External Review Draft)" (EPA/600/R-10/183A) report, prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA’s Office of Research and Development, is the first report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Last week [after previously exiting their investment in Choren, a Fischer-Tropsch technology based in Germany] Shell announced that it will will exit its shareholding in Cellana, a joint venture between Shell and HR Biopetroleum. Today,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...California remains the heartland of technological innovation and there is no place on earth where ideas go farther, faster, and find more support from academia, the science establishment, and venture capitalists. (Let us not mix
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) ...The potential for some green jobs, especially in biofuels, is dependent on technologies and processes that haven't proved economical. Ethanol giant Poet LLC wants to produce fuel from corncobs, a form of cellulose, as
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The USDA tells us that more than 500 biorefineries will be need to be built between now and 2022 in the United States to meet the added requirements for advanced biofuels. With those refineries costing
(The Independent) Pressure on Opec, which has a vested interest in a high oil price, offers no long-term solution Is the world on the brink of another ruinous oil shock? The International Energy Agency (IEA), which speaks for the big industrialised consumers
(Sugar Industry) Praj Industries, a small cap company provides turnkey plants and equipments for fermentation and distillation systems used in bio fuels processing, primarily which are ethanol related. Sabyasachi Ganguly, Analyst, Indiabulls Securities and author of a report on how
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced a new piece of legislation today, called the “Biofuels Market Expansion Act of 2011.” The bill, if passed, would ensure an increasing number of automobiles in the U.S. be flexible
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...We hereby sentence the authors to a one-year subscription to Biofuels Digest. We continue to sound the alarm on “studies” that are, in essence, reviews of peer-reviewed literature reviews and interviews with secondary sources. It’s the
(Advanced Biofuels Association) ABFA President Michael McAdams responded to the RAND Corporation’s release today of results of its study, Alternative Fuels for Military Applications: “Shame on the RAND Corporation as it does a great disservice to itself and our nation by
(Algal Biomass Organization) Today, the RAND Corporation published a study and accompanying press release calling into question the effectiveness of renewable fuels for military use. The report can be found here:http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2011/RAND_MG969.pdf A copy of the press release can be found here:http://www.rand.org/news/press/2011/01/25.html It is
(RAND Corporation) If the U.S. military increases its use of alternative fuels, there will be no direct benefit to the nation's armed forces, according to a new RAND Corporation study. Any benefits from investment in alternative fuels by the U.S. Department of
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) ...What is lacking is the infrastructure to get that ethanol to the consumer. Juan Sesmero, Asst. Professor of Ag Economics at Purdue, says improving the infrastructure is key to ethanol‘s future, “Improving the
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Biofuels Digest) ...While some would choose to ignore reality, the nation can produce more ethanol sustainably using grains like corn, wheat and barley. ...The nation can also produce significant volumes of renewable fuel from non-grain
by Vinod Khosla (Green Tech Media) Part 1: Production technologies: where are we? The financial crisis of 2008 set back a number of projects and slowed actual construction of pilot and demo plants like it did in all industries, be
Editorial (Tampa Bay Online) ...Grassley's backing of the 45-cent-per-gallon tax credit for ethanol blended with gasoline is based, we suspect, less on contributions from corn farmers than on the fact that most Iowa voters like it. There's an important lesson here
by Andy Obermueller (Seeking Alpha/Street Authority) ...As prices at the pump inch higher, the United States will again begin to look seriously at alternative fuels. For some, this will mean electric vehicles, but for most, the question will be:
(25 x'25) The belief that the ethanol industry is entering a new era is nearly universal. As Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President Bob Dinneen put it this week, “new challenges to ethanol policies will be mounted from within the new
(Clean Fuels Foundation) The Ethanol Across America education campaign released the latest in its series of Issue Briefs today on the Economic Impacts of Ethanol Production that illustrates the significant benefits of ethanol production to the U.S. economy. The Brief
by Vinod Khosla (GreenTechMedia) Given the likely continued dominance of the internal combustion engine, cellulosic and sugar-derived fuels offer one of the lowest risk advances to quickly and affordably achieve low-carbon transportation. Furthermore, substituting higher value bio-chemicals for petro-chemicals, will
by Porter J. Martin and Gregory J. Lynch (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Can ethanol survive without these supports? I believe the answer is yes, if we take steps to plan now. Why? Because we have seen ethanol producers start to
(BusinessWire/Accenture) China could lead the race to roll out electric vehicles and will deploy new transport technologies at scale more quickly than the United States, according to a report by Accenture that compares the two countries. But the US could
by Robyn L. Minor (Bowling Green Daily News) Officials studying logistical challenges facing biofuel progress With gas prices in December seeing the biggest jump in 18 months, consideration of alternative fuel development moves to the forefront. “Gas price certainly reinvigorates the conversation,”
by Robert Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) It took the European Commission several stakeholder meetings, two public consultations and many more economic modelling studies to conclude that the indirect land use change (ILUC) effects of biofuel demand are not that obvious.
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...When the Renewable Fuels Association was formed in late 1980, America was producing just 175 million gallons of ethanol per year. Today, the industry produces more than 13 billion gallons annually,
(Michigan State University) Most college students in the United States do not grasp the scientific basis of the carbon cycle – an essential skill in understanding the causes and consequences of climate change, according to research published in the January
(Pacific Rim BioEnergy) Note: This is an update from an earlier post. The earlier post outlined the concepts but did not have any specific details. This post utilizes current figures and displays the economic principals based on those current figures. The
by Dina Fine Maron (ClimateWire/New York Times) ...U.S. EPA figures indicate that in the second half of 2010, not a drop of cellulosic ethanol -- a much-touted fuel that taps the sugars from farm wastes and other non-food sources of
by Todd Neeley (The Progressive Farmer) ...(P)ressure from rising corn prices at the start of 2011 is expected to test ethanol producers' ability to manage risk. ...Rabobank said ethanol would remain profitable with corn prices above $7 a bushel.
by Mary Rosenthal (Algal Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) ...The federal government must follow its long history of investing in national energy initiatives. ...Recently, any call for increased government funding or involvement in this nascent industry has been met with criticism or
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The American Farm Bureau Federation is supporting a new direction in biofuels policy away from the blenders tax credit and toward increasing infrastructure. “The whole discussion has been evolving within the industry and within the Congress,” said AFBF President
by Josh Garrett (HeatingOil.com) ...Fitful economic recovery in the US and around the world, looming fights over financial and environmental regulation, and the continuing advancement of alternative fuel technologies are certain to make 2011 an interesting and eventful year for
by Stephanie Dreyer (Renewable Energy World/Growth Energy) ...The cost of crude is a major inflator of grocery prices, because transportation, manufacturing and packaging cost more as oil prices go up. In 2009, when diesel was $2.67 a gallon, the cost
by Daniel Looker (Agriculture.com) To farmers who pioneered the ethanol industry, the goal was creating another market for corn. To retired General Wesley Clark, it’s about patriotism and national security. Clark, who is co-chairman of the ethanol lobbying group, Growth Energy,
(Global Renewable Fuels Alliance) This week the International Energy Agency (IEA) issued a wakeup call to the world that high oil prices pose a threat to the stability of an already fragile recovering global economy. The IEA went on to
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...Yet while we lament about high energy costs, we downright howl over the higher costs of alternative energy and try to push today’s development aside for future progress and cost competitiveness. Let’s talk about cost parity for a
by Derek Thompson (The Atlantic) ...(E)xpensive oil is poisonous to an oil-driven economy. Every severe oil spike in the last 50 years has been followed by a deep recession. ...The United States imported $400 billion of oil in 2008, nearly 3
by John Petersen (Renewable Energy World) ...The dirty little secret of plug-in vehicles is that they'll all charge their batteries with inherently dirty night-time power and be responsible for more CO2 emissions than a fuel efficient Prius-class HEV that costs
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US economy is just now showing signs of revival, and already we are seeing signs of runaway oil and grain prices that may bring unwanted inflation and dangerous instability hardly before the recovery has
(India Transport Portal) While biofuels are being considered as the alternative fuel for the vehicles in number of countries, they are not the sustainable option as the fuel for automobiles in India, said Jairam Ramesh, Environment Minister of Indian Union
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...#1 It’s a breakthrough year for Asian biofuels science and technology. Many scientific and technological developments that simmered away in Asian labs and pilot plants in 2010 are set to burst on the scene
by Robert Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) In Europe, much more than in the United States, green (but not just) non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are engaged loudly and aggressively in the biofuel debate. For several years now, a number of NGOs have
by Brooke Coleman (NewFuelsAlliance/Biofuels Digest) ...(W)hat’s good and what needs to be fixed in the LCFS? Where should the biofuels industry be happy, be hopeful, or be hopping mad? Brooke Coleman of the New Fuels Alliance – who knows this better
(Renewable Fuels Association) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed label for E15 (15% ethanol/85% gasoline) “will do little, if anything, to promote the successful introduction of a new fuel to the marketplace” the Renewable Fuels Association wrote in comments
(Growth Energy) In formal comments submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday, Growth Energy proposed a new label for E15 (a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline) that will more accurately provide consumers with the
by Christopher Klug (Tiny Green Bubble) ...According to the Renewable Fuels Association data, the United States produced and used approximately 10.6 billion gallons of ethanol in 2009, making the US the largest producer of ethanol in the world. (Renewable Fuels
by Christopher Klug (Tiny Green Bubble) In the United States, domestic ethanol production and motor fuel additives are becoming more and more common. However, a bevy of misinformation campaigns surround the use of resources for these clean energy initiatives. These
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...In December 2010, Forisk Consulting released a study titled, “Economic and Regional Impact Analysis of the Treatment of Biomass Energy Under the EPA Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule.” According to NAFO, the study found that the U.S.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...For our 2010 batch of predictions, we give ourselves 6 marks out of 10. We gave ourselves 1 full mark for predicting the spread of Low Carbon Fuel Standard activity, the boom in renewable chemicals, a
(State Journal-Register) ...As a former secretary of agriculture, I know that continuing to encourage the ethanol industry is good for rural America and the entire nation. Ethanol generates jobs, preserves the environment, and protects our energy security. With some 17 percent
by Nicholas Zeman (Associated Content/Yahoo!) Asia's Largest Ag-Firm Discusses the Global Biodiesel Market ...New Diesel Magazine spoke with an official from Wilmar, on the condition of anonymity, about the implementation of the EU's Renewable Energy Directive and the efforts to ensure
by Katie Fehrenbacher (New York Times/GigaOM) Biofuels took a step away from the limelight in 2010, replaced by the buzz surrounding electric vehicles. But there were still a variety of policy decisions, and economic milestones that made the sector interesting
by George Will (The Washington Post) Cowlitz County in Washington state ...approved construction of a coal export terminal from which millions of tons of U.S. coal could be shipped to Asia annually. Both Oregon and Washington are curtailing the coal-fired generation
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) According to former president of Shell Oil, John Hofmeister, Americans will be paying $5 per gallon for gas by 2012 due to growing demand for oil, tighter supplies and inadequate responses by the U.S. government. His
(Khabrein) A new Swiss Study by the federal office of power and environment assured that the so-called "second generation of Biofuels" has good chances for the environment and development as well. "Second generation biofuels impress, because of the characteristic that raw materials
by Mychal Wilmes (Agri News/Post-Bulletin) ...The conservative and liberal think-alikes want to kill the ethanol tax credit for different reasons. The liberals say that ethanol, at best, is environmentally neutral. The conservatives argue is that the tax credit is a
(The Forum of Fargo-Morehead) The use of a specialized sugar beet to produce ethanol could be a breakthrough in weaning the industry off corn. An announcement a few days ago of plans to build a small-scale beets-to-ethanol plant in North
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The technologies are, in many cases, ready to scale. Coskata CEO Bill Roe declared a year ago now that “Coskata is open for business, ready to scale,” but the financiers we have heard about are asking
by Mark Sweney (The Guardian) A complaint to the advertising watchdog by Guardian columnist and environmental campaigner George Monbiot has caused a national press ad claiming biofuels offer a sustainable alternative to oil to be banned. The national press campaign, by the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biofuels Digest reports that 80 percent of bioenergy executives are more optimistic both about their organization’s prospects for growth and industry growth, than 12 months ago, and that confidence about industry growth prospects has jumped 11
by Bill Jones (San Francisco Chronicle) ...Separating fact from fiction in the ethanol debate is not easy. "Food versus fuel" is a nice catch phrase, but worldwide, biofuel production accounts for less than 1 percent of total agricultural acreage. Corn ethanol
by Jessica Naudziunas (NPR / KBIA / Harvest Public Media) ...Starting next season, NASCAR will use a 15 percent ethanol-gas blend. It has a bit more ethanol than E10, which many gas stations today offer as regular fuel. This year,
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Cellulosic ethanol costs rapidly decline, barriers are surmountable The race to commercial viability for cellulosic ethanol may be coming to a close, according to a Boston Consulting Group report. Alternative energy technologies are poised to
by Michael Devine (Biodiesel Magazine) ...Now more than ever, the oilheat industry must recreate its brand image. Integrating biodiesel into the existing petroleum infrastructure provides the oilheat marketer a new, improved liquid fuel for the existing oilheat consumer. In this
(Biodiesel Magazine) ...(Ed) Hegland, (soybean grower from Minnesota, served as the NBB chairman for the past 3 years): One thing discussed at the November board meeting was the need to re-launch and redefine biodiesel as an advanced biofuel, rather than
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The USDA’s Sarah Biddleman speaks in terms of “standing up a biofuels industry” like a pop-up children’s book, in that all the pieces have to rise up, in the right way, all at once. ... Is the
by Frank Morris (NPR / KCUR) ... Factoring in dramatic technical advances in both fields, most researchers figure that corn ethanol now delivers an energy gain — of about 40 percent. "But that's not really good enough," says Kovarik. "What we need is
by Matt Cunningham (How Stuff Works) ...The myriad of factors that go into the food-versus-biofuel equation are complex and vary from situation to situation. While one region's farming infrastructure, climate and fuel use may make it an ideal place to
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) How will the new leadership impact ethanol policies? Some strong ethanol advocates lost in the November election, including Earl Pomeroy and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, acknowledges Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association. Many more
by Ben Lefebvre (Wall Street Journal) Several major U.S. oil refiners said Tuesday that they won't sell gasoline containing 15% ethanol despite recent government authorization for fuel makers to start distributing the fuel blend. Valero Energy Corp., Marathon Oil Corp. and Tesoro
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) The ethanol industry needs to stop its infighting to preserve its government support beyond next year, says Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Ia. "We can't stand any more division within biofuels," said Grassley, who led a successful fight
by Jonathan Fahey (AP/Salt Lake City Tribune) ... After seven decades of mostly uninterrupted growth, U.S. gasoline demand is at the start of a long-term decline. By 2030, Americans will burn at least 20 percent less gasoline than today, experts say,
by Steve Gelsi and Jeffry Bartash (MarketWatch) Blend of 15% ethanol may cause problems, group warns A trade group that includes automotive giants Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. has joined forces with other vehicle and engine makers to sound a
by Charles Abbott and Timothy Gardner (Reuters) U.S. ethanol makers face a battle over reforming subsidies next year after current incentives are rolled over in the tax package signed into law by President Barack Obama on Friday. The new law extends the
by Adrian Higgins (The Washington Post) ...But a push to add another 50 percent to the ethanol content of some automobile fuel has opened a barrel of worms. Automakers say they don't know how it will affect their cars; power-equipment
by John Funk (The Cleveland Plain Dealer) Americans who are upset about $3 gasoline won't like the latest long-term projection from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Over the next 25 years, even as the nation's thirst for oil lessens, global demand for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...This week in Honolulu, Chris Tindal of the US Navy joined advanced biofuels CEOs Jason Pyle of Sapphire Energy and Jonathan Wolfson of Solazyme at BIO’s Pacific Rim Summit, to discuss the scope and scale
(Global Renewable Fuels Alliance) The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is calling on the UN’s Climate Change Conference in Cancun to do what could not be done in Copenhagen and recognize biofuels as a viable alternative to fossil fuels that offer
by Jim Presswood (Switchboard) The tax bill agreed to last Thursday by Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell contains an energy package that would cause substantial environmental harm. ...The bill extends a 50 cent per gallon tax credit for liquid coal transportation
by Suzanne Bohan (Contra Costa Times/Center for Genetics and Society) Stanford University researcher Thomas Jaramillo is overseeing a million-dollar research project that explores ways to create liquid fuel from sunlight and carbon dioxide. A Stanford colleague, Yi Cui, has nearly $2 million
by Raymond J. Learsy (Huffington Post) In a classic example and contender for the Alfred E. Neuman "I Don't Get It" prize of the year the New York Times' editorial page of December 9th outdid itself. First we had a dissertation on
by Vinod Khosla (Foreign Policy) ...A mid-2009 report by the reinsurance giant Swiss Re found that climate change could shave off anywhere from 1 to 12 percent of GDP in many countries thanks to shifting climate zones, floods, droughts, and
by Steve Maddox (The Hill) ...Although conventional, corn-based ethanol is not the darling of the environmental movement, it does have certain national security benefits that cannot be overlooked. And the next generation of biofuels being developed across the country offer
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Honolulu, much of the leadership of the advanced biofuels and renewables chemicals industries have gathered this week at BIO’s Pacific Rim Summit. ...(W)hat are the key trends? Here are 11 that the Digest spotted. 1.
by Alan Anderson (Newsvine) The ruling by Judge Jeffrey White on Nov. 30 ordering that the current rootstock for producing Roundup Ready sugar beet seeds be removed from the ground should be made into a positive. The Center for Food Safety,
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) The Cancun climate summit in Mexico kicked off last week at the same time as a “Cablegate” revelation that motorists buying fossil fuels at the pump are unwittingly funding terrorism in their own countries. The
by Marion Davis (Stockholm Environment Insitute) ...SEI researchers are part of a large, collaborative project led by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and funded by the European Commission to gauge the impact of bioenergy development on forests in
by Terry McDonald (EnergyBoom) ...The EPA agrees with the (U.S. Energy Information Agency) that biomass is a renewable fuel with no impact on the environment: “Although the burning of biomass also produces carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas, it is considered
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Shockers in the 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy Our picks for most underrated company? American Process at #97 and Fiberight at #85 got short shrift from the voters this year, and Targeted Growth has an outstanding story
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, renewable fuels and chemicals developer Amyris took the #1 spot in the 2010-11 “50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy” rankings, published today in Biofuels Digest, the online daily bioenergy news service. Solazyme (#2), POET (#3), LS9
by Bryan Walsh (Time/CNN) ...But what if you could adapt biofuels to use our current infrastructure, not the other way around? That's what a handful of biotech companies are doing right now. Startups like Amyris and LS9 are using the tools
(Newsweek) Republican Sens. Jim DeMint of South Carolina and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma were Tea Partiers before the term existed. ...Now they've found a new, eminently worthy target: The 7 billion taxpayer dollars that annually go to subsidize the production of corn-based
by John Upton (The Bay Citizen) A proposal to convert a rendering facility in southeastern San Francisco into a biodiesel manufacturing plant was approved Tuesday by the Port of San Francisco. ...Under the plan, animal and food waste that is currently turned
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) Letter to the Editor, Chicago Tribune, Re: Dennis Byrne’s column “Time to stand up to ethanol interests.” ...First, Byrne’s facts and figures are accurate for the tax credits for domestic ethanol and the renewable fuels standards
(International Business Times) Farmers in this iron-roof village in Sierra Leone say they didn't know what they were getting into when they leased their land for a biofuel crop they now fear threatens their food harvests. Addax Bioenergy, part of privately-owned Swiss
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Yet the farm sector has become, in the wake of ethanol, a rare shining star in the sputtering US economy. Cleantech investors are pouring funds into bio-based investments that are getting shatteringly close to price
(Ceres) Energy crop developer Ceres, Inc. reports that growers are ready and willing to produce biomass for biopower and advanced biofuels, and have the land to do so. A company survey of U.S. growers showed that 71% of respondents were very
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The European Commission released the results this month of a biotechnology report that explores public perceptions of biotechnology, including biofuels. Over all, the Eurobarometer survey found that 80 percent of Europeans are either in favor
by Greg Sargent (The Washington Post/The Plum Line) It looks like Chuck Grassley is not happy with fellow GOP senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn for calling on Congress to let billions in ethanol subsidies expire this year. ...Now Grassley has
by Greg Sargent (Washington Post/Plum Line) Fresh off a big victory over the GOP establishment on earmarks, conservative GOP senators are opening up a new front in the battle on government spending that could be similar to the earmarks standoff: They
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) Now he tells us: Al Gore was for grain ethanol before he was against it. Speaking at a green energy business conference in Athens, the former vice president declared “it is not good policy to have
by Gerard Wynn (Reuters) Former vice-president Al Gore said support for corn-based ethanol in the United States was "not a good policy", weeks before tax credits are up for renewal. U.S. blending tax breaks for ethanol make it profitable for refiners to
by Stacy Feldman ( SolveClimate/Reuters) With over 100 start-ups hard at work, industry predicts it can deliver success in under a decade if granted production tax credits ...The head of the 170-member Algal Biomass Organization (ABO), Mary Rosenthal, predicts the fledgling fuel
(Platts) A decision this week by California regulators to lower corn-based ethanol's so-called indirect land use penalty is good for that product's demand, but timing of the change is not, the Renewable Fuels Association said Friday. California is in the midst
by Bob Hague (Wisconsin Radio Network) ...Madison based environmental consultant Brett Hulsey said it’s important to realize that while corn-based ethanol is subsidized, it’s not as if petroleum based gasoline isn’t. “Depending on who you listen to, it’s subsidized anywhere from
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) Earlier this week, Iowa State University Professor Bruce Babcock released a policy brief entitled “Impact of Ethanol, Corn, and Livestock from Imminent U.S. Policy Decisions.” Much of this analysis is predicated on anticipated fears
by Bracken Hendricks, Lisbeth Kaufman, Ken Berlin, Monty Humble, Reed Hundt, Alex Kragie, Gerry Waldron (Center for American Progress) ... Congress must move immediately to reduce the cost of clean energy and remove infrastructure and regulatory barriers to its deployment so that
by Christopher G. Standlee (Abengoa Energy/The Hill's Congress Blog) ...(T)here is bipartisan support for answering an urgent national challenge: replacing imported high-pollution petroleum with clean-burning American biofuels. ...There is bipartisan support for biofuels because their development, production and use serve great
by Mike Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In a thinly veiled attempt to further line their pockets, the meat and poultry industry, and the grocery and convenience store associations, are once again trying to stop the advance of ethanol use in
by Eric Evarts (Consumer Reports) ...Overall, 63 percent expect to get a significant increase in fuel economy, regardless of the type of vehicle they buy. Only 67 percent said they are considering a traditional gasoline engine in their next new-car
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In contrast to the “five years away” and subsidy-driven discussions that framed advanced biofuels conversations just two years ago, CEOs are widely reporting that they expect their companies to reach commercial scale within 12-36 months,
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) A study making its way around the Agriculture Department raises doubts about the prospects for biofuels made from crop residue and other types of plant cellulose and calls for shifting the focus of government
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Houston Chronicle) Letter to Editor ...The Chronicle says natural gas from shale deserves federal subsidies for production, but says ethanol doesn't because it requires too much water to produce. The water needs of fracking and
by Aureon Kwolek (E-100-4) ...Today’s gasoline engines are not currently designed to exploit the attributes of ethanol and blends of ethanol-water, which already carry most of the oxygen required for combustion. Mainstream engine specifications (including spark plugs) are optimized for
(New Energy and Fuel) ...The U.S. is closing in on the million barrel per day milestone. Cheers in some sections, groans in others, but for America, slashing off the equivalent of 750,000 b/d of imported oil is a good thing. Most
by Gary Clark and Rachel Ziemba (Forbes) Doctor Doom: With Congress gridlocked, the U.S. may put the brakes on biofuels support. Following the Republican Party's capture of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections, U.S. policy on the use of biofuels for
by Harry Seamans, Ben Thorp and Masood Akhtar (Bioenergy Deployment Consortium, Inc./Biofuels Digest) The Pulp and Paper Industry (PPI) can play a major role in addressing three national issues our nation is currently confronting: • jobs, • energy independence, and • the health of our
by Kerry A. Dolan (Forbes) Billions of dollars have been poured into alternative energy technologies and companies in the past several years. The four areas most likely to reach cost competitiveness over the next decade? Advanced biofuels, onshore wind, solar photovoltaic
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) That the Houston Chronicle would be anti-ethanol is not surprising to anyone. It is Houston, Texas, after all. But that the editorial board would play fast and loose with the “facts” they use to support
by Oliver Wright (The Independent) Britain is signed up to a European guarantee to source 10 per cent of its transport fuel from renewable sources, such as biofuels, within the next 10 years. But ministers have said that the policy is
(Algae Industry Magazine) Algae are an agricultural product and algae producers should consider the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) guidelines developed in Europe and Asia as well as the US guidelines for genetic engineering (GE) of agricultural products. ... While algaculture will
by Philip Brasher (Zanesville Times Recorder) Motorists will use just a fraction of the next-generation biofuels in 2011 that Congress intended, and even that small amount depends on a single project in Iowa that isn't ready yet. ... Cellulose and algae are
by Stephen E.F. Brown (San Francisco Business Times) Oil supplies are likely to run out 90 years before there are viable alternative fuels readily available, according to a study from U.C. Davis. Researchers Debbie Niemeier and Nataliya Malyshkina found that oil is
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) In a letter hand (delivered) to President Obama this week, RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen urged the Obama Administration to maintain its commitment to the commercialization of cellulosic ethanol and other advanced biofuels. The RFA letter is
by Paul Hanley (The StarPhoenix) ...Today, algal growth is being looked at as a new source of biofuel. Biofuel -- fuel made from new plants (corn, canola, sugar cane) instead of old plants (petroleum) -- already makes up a small but
(BioBusiness Alliance) The BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota announces the release of Minnesota’s Forest Biomass Value Chain: A System Dynamics Analysis. The paper is the result of a yearlong project involving over 100 experts in the forestry community to develop a
(TransWorldNews) Growth in world biofuel demand will continue to expand at a rapid double-digit annual pace, reaching 121 million metric tons in 2014. Bioethanol will experience the greatest gains, as continued steady growth in the large North American market will be
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Biofuels targets in the European Union could raise emissions of greenhouse gases because forests and wetlands will be destroyed to grow the crops necessary, nine environmental groups said in a study. ...The EU aims to get 10 percent
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Washington, the Obama Administration developed and has been debating an option to kill the Section 1705 DOE Loan Guarantee program, and transfer remaining funds to a pool for Section 1603 investment tax credits that, as currently
by Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest-Asia) “Why wait for top-down solutions? Providing energy in a bottom-up way instead has a lot to recommend it. There is no need to wait for politicians or utilities to act. The technology is is rapidly falling
(Friends of the Earth) A report released today by Friends of the Earth demonstrates the ways in which the biofuels industry influences legislation through lobbying expenditures and campaign contributions. The report, entitled “Buying Bills: How the Biofuels Industry Influences Congress to Waste
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... 1. The bottom line: moderately positive for biofuels. One of the few areas where Republicans and Democrats agree on priorities is the importance of reforming US energy policy, and biofuels enjoy bipartisan support, especially advanced
by Paul R. Woodin (OregonLive.com/Community Renewable Energy Association) ...One of the topics sure to be front and center next year will be the topic of federal and state incentives for the renewable energy industry. Opponents will proclaim they should be
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