by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...According to E85prices.com, Iowa E85 fuel is priced just about on the money, compared to gasoline. Overall, E85 gasoline sells for an average of $2.97 per gallon, or 76 percent of the price of E10 gasoline,
By Jonathan Weisman (Wall Street Journal) It was an odd setting for a policy pronouncement, but on the sidewalk outside the Historical Building here, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney embraced ethanol subsidies. It came just days after and blocks from where
(CNN) ...In an interview broadcast Sunday on "CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS," the grandson of the founding king of modern Saudi Arabia said the oil price should be somewhere between $70 and $80 a barrel, rather than the current level of
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) The European Union has set new environmental and labor standards for the crops used to make biofuels there, angering U.S. farmers who worry that such restrictions could spread to other products and countries. The standards
by Ken Field (Financial Post) The myths that smear a superior fuel ...A recent study released by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) states that adding ethanol reduced wholesale gasoline prices by an average of US89¢ per gallon (US24¢/litre)
(Client Earth) The European Commission has been sued, accused of violating European transparency laws. Environmental law organisation ClientEarth, Friends of the Earth Europe (FOEE), FERN and Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) filed the lawsuit following the Commission’s refusal to provide access
by Kevin G. Hall (McClatchy Newspapers) When oil prices hit a record $147 a barrel in July 2008, the Bush administration leaned on Saudi Arabia to pump more crude in hopes that a flood of new crude would drive the
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) ...Luddites and Malthusians have suggested that crop-based biofuels simply can’t provide significant volumes of energy for transportation without starving the world’s poor. ...Of course, these ridiculous charges have been disproven time and time again, and the world’s
(25 x '25) The 25x'25 Alliance recognizes that all sectors must make sacrifices to achieve true reductions in spending and the national deficit. However, draconian cuts to a number ofUSDA renewable energy programs included in a larger farm and food spending billadopted
by Mike McAdams (Biorefining Magazine/Advanced Biofuels Association) I recently had the privilege of testifying before the Energy and Power Subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce and share with its members the incredible progress the advanced biofuels
(BlueGreen Alliance) Economic Study Shows Shifting a Fifth of Plastics Production to Bioplastics Could Create More than 100,000 Jobs; New Markets in Sustainable Chemistry Enable Chemical Industry to Remain Competitive in Global Economy that Requires Cleaner, Safer Production A new study
by Eric Westervelt (NPR) ...And even though it's cheaper, the new 10 percent ethanol gas is not something she'd risk putting into her car, the 32-year-old says. "You bet I'm worried about my car — most of all about the motor,"
by Tom Quaife (Dairy Herd Network) “Pretty amazing,” commented one man standing next to a demonstration model at the Alltech International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium this week in Lexington, Ky. The large-scale model, measuring approximately 4 feet by 4 feet,
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A new report, “Projected Outlook for Next Generation and Alternative Transportation Fuels in California 2010-2030,” has been released. The report concludes that with current investments and advances in alternative fuels over the past several years should
(GreenAirOnline) An aviation sustainability report from the World Economic Forum finds that achieving the industry’s target of halving its carbon emissions by 2050 will be a significant challenge given an 85 per cent CO2 emissions reduction gap. This is despite
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) In a study released by Genencor during the BIO World Congress in Toronto, when U.S. consumers were asked to name a product they considered green, 39 percent of them named ethanol first and 31 percent of Canadian
by Jason Clayworth (Des Moines Register/Juice) What once would have been considered a bold, even politically suicidal, call to do away with ethanol subsidies has become the position of some key industry trade groups, paving the way for candidates like
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Genencor CEO Tjerk de Ruiter says, “As long as they create a mandate, the $1.01 a gallon cellulosic tax credit will help, but could live without it.” Last week, Genencor released a foundational survey on consumer
by Chris Thorne (Growth Energy/NewsOK) letter to editor: Regarding “Corn ethanol is burning up food budgets” (Point of View, May 13): J. Patrick Boyle, president and CEO of the American Meat Institute, misled readers about the real reason behind rising grocery
by Mark Borer (Mansfield News Journal) Letter to Editor: ...Importantly, all of corn's high-value components, protein and fat, are returned to the feed supply. Ethanol production only converts the low-value component of corn, starch, into ethanol. Koschnick's claim that ethanol is
by Eric Ehrmann (Huffington Post) Speculators hedging uncertainty in world energy markets are again making renewable fuels derived from corn, cane sugar and soybeans the drivers of food price inflation, just as they did on the eve of the 2008 economic
(KELOLAND.com) ...High fuel costs are once again fueling the debate about alternative energy sources. And with ethanol one of South Dakota's biggest industries, both politicians and ethanol supporters say now's the time to pump up its benefits. ..."With ethanol 80 cents
(Minnesota Public Radio News) The Assertion: The state and federal government should continue subsidizing ethanol Ethanol's promise as America's path to energy self-sufficiency once seemed strong. But in recent years, that attraction has been tempered. Even supporters of ethanol, such as
by Kevin Bullis (MIT's Technology Review) A new study fuels the debate over the impact of growing crops for fuel. Greenhouse-gas emissions from biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, may be lower than many researchers have estimated, according to a new
by Will Dalen Rice (Earth Science Erratics) ... The ALBC was more of a business conference than it was a technology conference. Many technologies have been able to prove viability in the laboratory. Step two, proving it can work at
by Cole Gustafson (Ethanol Producer Magazine/North Dakota State University) ...Why beets? The Northern Plains is the nation’s lowest-cost producer of sugar due to a favorable growing climate and cold winters that extend feedstock storage and processing. The energy beet industry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In part 3, we look at 12 companies and compare and contrast the Brazilian and US paths to advanced biofuels. Does Brazil have a “must emulate” model? ...What we found is a stable, straightforward system of
by Aaron Karp (ATW) Air Transport Action Group Executive Director Paul Steele said the airline industry failing to achieve its stated goal of a 1.5% improvement in fuel efficiency/carbon dioxide emissions annually through 2020 and CO2-neutral growth beyond 2020 would
by Robert Zubrin (Pajamas Media) Rising food prices are the result of rising oil prices, not a growing market for ethanol. ...There is not a fixed amount of grain in the world. Farmers produce in response to demand. The more customers,
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) The UK Committee on Climate Change, an “independent statutory body which was established under the Climate Change Act (2008),” recently published their recommendations on future renewable energy in the UK, Renewable Energy Review,
(PR NewsWire/Forisk) A new study evaluates the viability of the wood-based transportation fuel sector in the United States. Wood biofuel projects attract strong private and public investment, and advance federal energy policy objectives. Published by Forisk Consulting and the Schiamberg Group,
(GreenAirOnline) An investment of up to $70 billion will be required to meet aviation biofuel targets, and is needed now, said Mitch Hawkins, the CEO of BioJet International, a company that aims to become a leading global feedstock producer and
(Advanced Biofuels Association/PR NewsWire) Sending a significant signal of industry unity to Capitol Hill, the leading advocates of the U.S. biofuels industry sent Congress a message today that urged lawmakers "to stand firm in the face of calls to waive
by Luke Timmerman (Xconomy Seattle) ...Scientists have been working for a long time on various alternatives to fossil fuels as the fundamental unit of energy, without much success. No one person or institute has all the answers here, but
by Will Dalen Rice (Earth Science Erratics) When looking at ways to reduce our energy dependence on foreign countries, biofuels are one solution. In an attempt to learn more about biofuels, I subscribe to and receive a daily newsletter about
(BusinessWire) Hoover Institution Press today released Corn Ethanol: Who Pays? Who Wins? by Ken G. Glozer. In Corn Ethanol, Ken Glozer presents the history, the promises, and the truth about federal corn ethanol policy. The book is based on an in-depth, fact-based
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) Before the advent of cheap petroleum, farmers often had their own “fuel patch” of local oilseed crops that served as feedstock for the biodiesel needed to power pumps, generator sets, tractors and other farm
(Green Car Website) Anti-poverty charity ActionAid has launched a new anti-biofuels campaign targeting Transport Secretary Philip Hammond by using adverts on buses which stop outside his office. The adverts urge Mr Hammond to consider the impacts that biofuels are having in developing countries
by Daryll E. Ray and Harwood D. Schaffer (Daily Yonder) ...As we listen to this debate, the implied assumption is that the sole purpose of farming is to provide food and certainly that has been true for over half a
by Clayton McNeff (Biodiesel Magazine/BioCat Fuels) In the near future, “multifeedstock” and “nonfood-based” will provide the basis for salvation of the U.S. biodiesel industry. This change will occur through necessity and it must occur quickly in order for our industry
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) ...Here are few of the more questionable claims made to an OPIS reporter by lobbyists for NTF (National Turkey Federation): NTF CLAIM: “You cannot compare feed that comes directly from corn and distiller grains.” NTF CLAIM:
Russell W. Stratton, Hsin Min Wong, and James I. Hileman (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) The presence of variability in life cycle analysis (LCA) is inherent due to both inexact LCA procedures and variation of numerical inputs. Variability in LCA
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Biofuels Digest) ...Lost in the drone of mudslinging is a realization that this debate is about 20th century technologies and energy sources. The discussion is about whether or not to develop more oil and other
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In our new three-part series, we look at attitudinal changes powering the huge growth in Brazilian renewable energy. In our last installment of the series “Attitude Before Altitude”, we looked at the rise of consensus on
(Grain Farmers of Ontario) Canadian biofuel is better for the environment than biofuel produced further south- in part due to our different agricultural practices - according to a new study released by the Grain Farmers ofOntario. The report, produced by Dr.
by Denise Ross (The Daily Republic) Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., called for an end to taxpayer subsidies for oil and natural gas companies Wednesday, saying instead the United States should invest in further ethanol production and improving the infrastructure
by Martin Brown (GreenTechMedia) By 2050, for example, the global population is expected to reach 9 billion, and in order to feed all these people, we’ll have to increase the world’s food production by 70 percent. On its own, this 70 percent figure is
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An interview with James Garton, president of Mission Biofuels USA subsidiary. We look at the jatropha 1.0 catastrophe, actual biodiesel capacity in the US, palm biodiesel, the RFS, and more. ...The company broke into the US
by Ivan Castano (Renewable Energy World) Some 5 billion gallons of second-generation biofuels could hit the market in five years, a new research report by consultancy Frost & Sullivan revealed last month. However, analysts say the fledgling sector remains challenged by
by Riggs Eckelberry (Algae Industry Magazine) There’s a big question planners should be asking themselves when they put together an algae production plan: are we trying to meet food-grade requirements for our algae? That critical question drives the overall shape
by Julie Harker (Brownfield) National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson is calling on Congress to end tax subsidies for the oil industry and investing that money, instead, in biofuels. In his letter sent to US House and Senate leaders, Johnson said,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Over the past 12 months, it has become hard to count the number of advanced biofuels companies that are setting up partnerships, or exploring them, in Brazil – but it is in the dozens. Hard
by Stephanie Dreyer (Growth Energy/Renewable Energy World) The Des Moines Register recently reported slow sales of E85 (a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline), indicating a “lack of consumer interest.” One could easily argue that this is not a
by Matthew Lynley (VentureBeat/Reuters) Plug-in electric and hybrid electric vehicles are over-hyped and won’t meet many car companies’ 2020 sales targets, according to global marketing information firm JD Power & Associates. Battery-powered and hybrid-electric cars will only capture around 7.3 percent
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A new report from the Milken Institute, “Turning Plants Into Products: Delivering on the Potential of Industrial Biotechnology,” examines the challenges facing the industrial biotechnology sector and identifies market and policy based responses. In particular, the report
by Lynwood Broaddus (Free Lance Star/Fredericksburg.com) ...The editorial begins, "Ethanol production boosts food prices, steals feed corn for fuel. " One bushel of corn can produce 2.5 gallons of fuel ethanol, 12.4 pounds of 21 percent (protein) feed, 3 pounds of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“How many New York Times readers would know that global biofuels production is 12 times higher than global wind?” on a BTU basis, asks a Digest reader, even allowing for energy consumed in the production
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Imagine filling up the car on a fuel that isn't made from oil but doesn't have the drawbacks of corn ethanol, including its lower energy content and ability to damage older cars or gas
(Committee on Climate Change) The Committee on Climate Change said today, that renewable energy should make a major contribution to decarbonising the UK economy over the next decades. The conclusions are set out in the Committee’s Renewable Energy Review which was
by Daniel Looker (Agriculture.com) ...But when Senator Tom Harkin was asked about his sense of support for the Grassley-Conrad Bill on Thursday, he said that it has some risks. Harkin supports Grassley’s bill, and is one of the original co-sponsors. But
by Tony Logan (Chillicothe Gazette) …If we successfully build this industry, it will create thousands of jobs in small-town Ohio in growing and harvesting biomass, building and operating biofuel refineries and transporting the biofuel to market. Ohio already has 10
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) The Energy Policy Research Foundation (EPRINC) recently released a white paper inexplicably suggesting that the cost of the Federal ethanol program exceeds its benefits by a factor of 3 to 1. Among other debatable claims,
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The California State Assembly Committee on Transportation voted 6-3 on May 2 to defeat a bill that would have repealed the state’s ethanol producer incentive program (CEPIP) and made corn ethanol projects ineligible for
(Renewable Fuel Association) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Growth Energy, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today praised the legislation offered by a bipartisan group of senators, led by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley,
(Bobby Likis/YouTube) Bobby Likis: You've got Ethanol Questions? Here are some Answers from industry leaders in the know, including NORRIS MARSHALL [president and owner of Marshall Engines], FRED BOSSELMAN [president and owner of Bosselman Energy], SCOTT MERRITT [executive director of
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) This was one of the best weeks yet in the Asian biofuels industry. China decided to promote 2G biofuels production and reduce its CO2 emissions by up to 45 percent by 2020. India moved to
(GLG Research) ...Trade is the mechanism that has a better chance of triggering innovation and technological advancement that create markets and improvement in productivity that ultimately leads to lower costs. Subsidies and trade tariff protection only continues to pamper inefficient
by Mary Kissel (Orange County Register) ...Mr. Pope is the chief executive officer of Smithfield Foods Inc., the world's largest pork processor and hog producer by volume. He doesn't mince words when it comes to rapidly rising food prices. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...A study came along this past week from economists at Iowa State University and the University of Wisconsin, that found that if ethanol production came to an immediate halt, the estimated gasoline price increase would be
BEFSCI is reaching out to producers to catalogue and showcase innovative approaches that have been used in sustainable bioenergy initiatives. We want to hear stories, experiences, lessons learned about what made these pioneering activities a success both for the producers and
(Milken Institute Global Conference) With oil prices spiking and concern over climate change growing, biofuels hold tremendous appeal. But they must overcome considerable hurdles. Further process and technology refinements are needed to ensure that biofuels make a significant dent in
by Pete Harrison (Reuters) A divisive European debate over the green credentials of biofuels has stalled investment and threatens the future of some producers, but could also create lucrative opportunities, companies said on Tuesday. After a two-year investigation, the European Commission
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Some ethanol critics go over the top. And maybe, just maybe, the mainstream media is catching on. After all, the story I’m about to comment on was released last week, and hasn’t become headline
by Paul Studebaker (Sustainable Planet) ...It’s too soon to talk about grain-based ethanol in the past tense, but maybe not by much. While ethanol has a place as a bio-based octane enhancer and consequently, as a means to extend oil
(Radio New Zealand) /...Stuart Locke, who heads Waikato University's Institute of Business Studies, says the need to free up land to produce ethanol will put pressure on farmers to house cattle and feed out supplements, rather than graze cows on
by Steen Riisgaard (Huffington Post Green) ...More complicated types of biomass -- corn cobs, wood chips, waste paper -- are far more difficult to turn into energy. But this type of biomass--known as "cellulosic biomass" -- is plentiful and renewable.
by Allison Kilkenny (Huffington Post) This week marked the world premiere of GasHole, a new documentary film (narrated by Peter Gallagher) about the history of oil prices and the future of alternative fuels. Biofuel gossip has been everywhere in the news
(GreenAirOnline) The landmark White Paper on EU transport policy through to 2050, presented recently by the European Commission, unveiled a roadmap for reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent across all transport sectors relative to 1990. However, it now appears
(AllAfrica.com) Jatropha should not replace any crops in arable farms and instead should be cultivated by smallholder farmers as hedges for farms, an expert has warned. Pamoja Inc Co-Director Jonathan Otto said in Dar es Salaam recently that jatropha as a
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Newt Gingrich, who raised eyebrows this winter with his spirited defense of U.S. ethanol policy, received more than $300,000 in consulting fees from an industry trade group in 2009, according to a report by the investigative
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) It was quite a shock to return from the exciting and very sustainability-oriented Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference in Washington, DC to headlines like “Are our biofuel mandates fueling Islamic extremism in Egypt?” Well, no
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Biofuels investing is not for the faint of heart – even high-flyers like Gevo, up more than 33 percent since its debut earlier this year, have been volatile – and a number of small-cap advanced
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Piper Jaffray’s Mike Cox and Mike Ritzenthaler, and Raymond James’ Pavel Molchanov, publish notes on the progress of advanced biofuels following their meetings and presentations at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference. Cox/Ritzenthaler: Does the Path to
by Steven Medina (Biofuels Digest) “He intensively grows corn for ethanol in clay soil that once grew corn for bootleg liquor and a variety of other crops to varying degrees of success, allowing my mother’s family to survive but never
by Bright Owusu (Ghana mma) The time has never been riper for the people of Ghana to speak out about the terrible negligence of consecutive governments who have allowed horrendous land grabs by foreign nationals for the production of questionable
by William McLennan (The Ecologist) Campaigners are outraged over airline Lufthansa and German government funding for jatropha biofuels trial The German government is financing a leading European airline’s biofuel trials despite claims from environmental groups it could cause emissions six time
(The Star Malaysia) Experts predict the majority of the world’s oil fields will reach maximum petroleum extraction capacity in 2020, a state otherwise known as “peak oil”. After this point, a reduction in pressure causes the rate of production to
by Rebecca Baillie (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) With the price of fuel hitting $1.50 a litre, there's a growing push to develop renewable alternatives. Scientists in Australia are part of the global race to develop new biofuels. In fact researchers here
by Heather Thorstensen (AgriNews.com) Four Minnesota farmers were part of a group that traveled to Brazil in March to learn more about indirect land use change, a divisive issue surrounding biofuels. The Minneapolis-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy took a total
by Kelly Brunkhorst (Journal Star /Nebraska Corn Board) J. Patrick Boyle's column, "Corn ethanol: Burning up food budgets," (LJS, April 21) may make a couple of valid points, but he omits many facts that need to be part of the discussion
by Kathleen Ryan (Public News Service) The search for ethanol is devastating one of America's vanishing ecosystems. That's the claim in a new lawsuit filed by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). It accuses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of failing
by Kirsten Korosec (BNET) ...How can maintaining subsidies for the fossil fuels industry, while cutting incentives and funding for cleaner sources, be called anything but corporate welfare? Ironically, one of the stated primary goals of the GOP budget crafted by Rep. Paul
by David Di Martino (The Hill) As far as winning messages go, the national Republicans had one in 2010: It's jobs, stupid. Well, it wasn’t that specifically, but they did hammer the president and the Democrats in Congress for not focusing
by Sam Fleming (The Telegraph) The World Bank has called for the relaxation of laws requiring crops to be blended into petrol, saying that they are contributing to the global food price crisis. Robert Zoellick, the president of the Bank, said
by Robert Sanders (UC Berkeley) A new magazine, Bioenergy Connection, debuts this month to inform the public and stimulate discussion about the future of renewable transportation fuels around the world. Published by the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI), the first issue of
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) ...“The single most important thing that Congress can do for advanced biofuels is to provide a stable policy environment,” Jan Koninckx, DuPont’s global biofuels business director, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
by Jon Birger (Bloomberg) ...Other than water and sunlight, there’s nothing more important to growing corn -- the most-valuable U.S. crop, worth $66.7 billion in 2010 -- than nitrogen. Generous applications of nitrogen fertilizer are essential to the 180-to-200-bushel-an- acre
by Andy Eubank (USDA/Hoosier Ag Today) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently testified before a Senate committee on the effect and influence of biofuels. Testifying before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Vilsack responded to comments and questions about ethanol’s
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Propel Fuels’ CEO Matt Horton explained to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources how the federal government must participate in establishing the alternative fuel infrastructure of the future. “With the primary location of the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...How’s an investor to parse out all these technologies. For many, it’s a case of “you’re making what, from what, using what?” ...Here at the Digest, we think of it as a kind of old fashioned
By Robert Kozak (Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc.) Worldwide Importance of Protein Animal Feed When I began working with sugar beet processors on our beet pulp biofuel sugar process, one of their first questions was, “Will there still be pulp available to
by Dan Froomkin (Huffington Post) A freshman Republican congressman from Wisconsin has broken rank with his GOP colleagues by calling on lawmakers to re-evaulate the multi-billion-dollar subsidies the federal government doles out to already highly-profitable oil and gas companies. Rep. Reid
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Food and environmental lobby groups took their anti-ethanol message to the Capitol Visitors Center April 14, staging a “Corn Ethanol Policy Forum” that included planned remarks from several legislators as well as analysts from
by Mario Osava (Tierramérica/IPS) The mechanisation of sugar cane harvesting, originally aimed at curbing the pollution caused by the burning of cane fields, has resulted in an added bonus: it has helped to improve soil quality, according to growers and
by Tom Buis (Growth Energy/Biofuels Digest) There is no greater hurdle to the expansion of the American biofuels industry than the artificial barriers to the market. Through flawed policy and outdated regulation, these barriers serve as a mandate for the
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The first triennial report on biofuels being drafted for Congress by the U.S. EPA lacks input from industry experts, which could result in negative information being falsely presented as fact to policymakers later this
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, former Senators Trent Lott (R-MS) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND), former National Security Advisor General Jim Jones (Ret.) and former EPA Administrator William K. Reilly announced they will lead the new Bipartisan Policy Center
The latest report from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, Biofuels: ethical issues, is published today. ... The report considers the ethical, social and policy issues raised by biofuels. The rapid adoption of biofuels has been driven by targets and other policy
(Advanced Biofuels Association) A consistent commitment by Congress that avoids the ups and downs of public opinion will be crucial to the success of transforming America's energy policy to cleaner and renewable sources, that's what Michael McAdams, president of the
by Gerry Calhoun (DNJ.com) ...Methanol, processed from natural gas, is an alcohol, like ethanol, but it needs no extensive lands for cultivation, no distillation, no transportation and thus is far more environmentally friendly. Any car that can burn gasoline with
by Matt Hourihan (Innovation Policy Blog) One of the big gaps in federal energy innovation policy has been the lack of overarching vision or strategy to define how to get where we need to go. When the President’s Council of
by Gavin Maguire (Commodities Now/Reuters) Ethanol producers often get much of the blame for driving the price of corn to its current multi-year high levels due to that industry's strong usage of corn to make fuel. But critics overlook the
(Air Transport World) ...(A)bsent major advances in wind and solar technology, the role of fossil fuels in powering the world economy will grow, not shrink, over the coming decades notwithstanding concerns about global warming. The implications for the airline industry
(GreenAirOnline) The public in the year 2050 is informed, understands and is convinced that the aviation sector has made the utmost progress in mitigating its environmental impacts and therefore considers air travel is environmentally sustainable. So says a new
By Michael Gubisch (FlightGlobal) Former Lufthansa chief executive Wolfgang Mayrhuber has called on European aviation industry stakeholders and policy makers to work closer together to make air transport more efficient and to focus on sustainability as a means to maintain the region's
(Global Renewable Fuels Alliance) As the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) gathers in Rome for a council meeting on food security issues, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) has called on delegates to focus on the real driver
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Game changer, breakthrough, revolution, quantum leap. A lot of technologies arrive on the Digest’s doorstep wrapped in one of those descriptors, or another. Sometimes wrapped in all of them. But what are technologies that would really
by Nina Chestney (Reuters) Fossil fuel subsidies worth $312 billion should be realigned to ensure the growth of renewable energy and curb the world's reliance on carbon-intensive fuels, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report. Demand for fossil fuels
by Daniel J. Weiss and Richard W. Caperton (GreenTechMedia) Paul Ryan’s budget proposal eviscerates green technology projects, but leaves massive subsidy loopholes for the oil industry. House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan’s(R-WI) proposed FY 2012 budget resolution is a backward-looking plan
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The Gevo GIFT system – three innovations in one First, its magic bug that indeed, produces isobutanol at a far higher rate, yield and concentration than traditional yeasts. Second, an extraction system that gets the
by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Boeing issued research conducted by Yale University’s School of Environmental Studies that showed significant potential for jatropha-based aviation fuel. The study showed that, if cultivated properly, jatropha could deliver strong environmental and socioeconomic benefits in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Will these biofuels projects make the expected steps towards commercialization? There was a strong response to yesterday’s Top Story about technologies that were approaching make-or-break milestones in 2012. But what about 2011, asked some? What
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) With four decades of experience backing him up, Rathin Datta, chief scientific officer for Coskata Inc. has identified the primary renewable liquid fuel. “There’s no doubt—no technical, thermodynamic or energy or any other doubt—that
by Stu Ellis (FarmGateBlog.com) ...(E)thanol producers who have a pipeline into the export market may find added demand from a variety of nations that need to buy it. At a time when ethanol imports are controversial along with the
by Deepak Rajagopal, G. Hochman, and D. Zilberman (Science Direct) A common assumption in lifecycle assessment (LCA) based estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits (or costs) of renewable fuel such as biofuel is that it simply replaces an energy-equivalent amount of
by David Zilberman, Gal Hochman, and Deepak Rajagopal (AgBioForum) Concern about the possible effects of biofuels on deforestation have led to assigning biofuel producers with the responsibility for the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the indirect land-use changes (ILUC) associated
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “Coming out of graduate school at MIT in the late 1990s,” Biofuel Energy CEO Scott Pearce recalls, “everyone was flooding into technology companies, dot coms, and I went back into the boring energy space. I
by Stephen Lacey (Renewable Energy World) No one knows. And that's what scares some people. ...Tom Allnut, the senior vice president of R&D at the algae start-up Phycal, believes some of the concerns about engineered algae are valid. Given that algae are
by David Beattie (Renewable Energy World Magazine) ...Importantly, and what sets these latest fuels apart from their first-generation predecessors, is the fact that they are produced using feedstock that would normally be classed as waste or non-food. These include parts
by Michael J. Crumb (Associated Press/Forbes) ...Now, they're concerned again as corn prices rose even higher last week following an announcement that U.S. farmers are planting the second largest corn crop since 1944, but it won't be enough to meet
by Josh Cable (Industry Week) The nonprofit Diesel Technology Forum responded to President Obama's energy speech earlier this week by declaring that diesel fuel "can and must be part of our current and future national energy strategy." ..."The diesel engine is
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) A new pseudo-analysis published by the controversial and discredited Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons claims that biofuels expansion is increasing hunger and poverty-related health risks in developing nations. The four-page article was written by
by Will Thurmond (Renewable Energy World/Emerging Markets Online) The following article is an excerpt from a technology, investment, and market study titled Algae 2020, Vol 2 (2011 update) from market research firm Emerging Markets Online. The excerpt provides a summary
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Biofuels Digest) ...This faux debate is as important to future ethanol producers as it is to existing ethanol producers. And those looking to capitalize on starch-based ethanol’s public relations struggles need to be cognizant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, 34 cleantech CEOs, are trying to make sure the DOE doesn’t drop its loan guarantee program despite threats of budget cuts from Congress. Signatories to the letter include Abengoa Bioenergy EVP Christopher
by Rick Barrett (Journal Sentinel) Briggs & Stratton Co. and other engine manufacturers want the government to ensure that current grades of gasoline will remain available when fuel with a higher ethanol content - which could damage engines - is
by John Block (Chicago Tribune) With food prices rising worldwide, some self-styled authorities on agriculture are claiming that producing ethanol in the Midwest causes food riots in the Middle East. Their story is simple: Biofuels are gobbling up the grains that
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A multitude of leading energy trade associations today wrote to Congressional leaders with a request for Congress to maintain support and funding for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) including the Loan Guarantee Program. The program, in
by Eartha Jane Melzer (The Michigan Messenger) Rep. Dan Benishek (R-Crystal Falls) campaigned on cutting federal spending. Now some of his constituents are asking him to keep the U.S. Dept. of Energy from spending $58 million on a project to
by Wesley Clark (Kansas City Star) ...The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City credits agriculture with being at the forefront of the nation’s economic recovery. Unfortunately, the Fed also warns that farm debt is rising to dangerous levels, leaving the
(GreenAirOnline) Sustainability and economics dominated debate at last week’s World Biofuels Market (WBM) event in Rotterdam as airlines gathered to make the case for aviation biofuels commercialisation to a wider biofuels industry audience. In a keynote speech, KLM Managing Director
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Here is dilemma of agricultural prices. Reducing demand, and commodity prices, benefits meat and dairy producers, and oil & gas companies. High prices benefit farmers, and technology companies creating new markets and co-products from land
by Jeff Zueger (Inforum.com) To read Ross Nelson’s column on ethanol (“Ethanol’s promise is empty, “ March 14, Forum), one could come away with the impression that ethanol production is an inefficient and outdated technology. The truth is, ethanol is more
by Rupa Damodaran (Business Times) The European Union is not using environmental non-government organisations as a "fifth column" to help it achieve its Renewable Energy Directive (RED) which places palm oil for biofuel at a disadvantage, says Trade Commissioner Karel
(Congressional Budget Office) The federal government collects revenues from taxes paid by highway users, mostly from those levied on gasoline and diesel fuel, and credits them to the Highway Trust Fund. Those revenues and others are subsequently used for federal spending on
by Stephen Foley (New Zealand Herald) Soaring food inflation is the result of "immoral" policies in the United States which divert crops for use in the production of biofuels instead of food, according to the chairman of one of the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The hottest companies in bioenergy all know it – the name of the game is low-cost sugars, or affordable syngas that competes with natural gas. For those who don’t make or use syngas and need
(Novozymes) General Wesley Clark: retired US Army general, 2004 Democratic Party presidential candidate, and now Co-Chairman of Growth Energy, an ethanol lobbying group. A lot of people, when they think of biofuels – ethanol – have a picture of good grain
by Ricardo Sequeiros Coelho (CoolTheEarth) A report by ActionAid, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Nature Kenya revealed that using biofuels from jatropha results in more greenhouse gas emissions than using oil (PDF). More specifically, taking into
by James Marvin (The Virginia Pilot) ...Off the capes of Virginia, a modern Navy swift boat cuts a wake at more than 50 miles per hour on fuel made from algae and petroleum. High over Maryland's Patuxent River, a Navy
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