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
(The Bioenergy Site) The African Center for Biosafety (ACB) has issued a statement to express concerns over the possibility of the inclusion of maize in a revision of South Africa’s biofuels policy. ACB was prompted into action by an announcement made by
by Charles Lane (The Washington Post) ...The pitch is lyrical, almost religious. It asks consumers to make an economic and technological leap of faith - just as both GM and the firm's biggest backer, the Obama administration, have invested, financially,
by Bob Dinneen (The Hill/Renewable Fuels Association) Given the latest news from two government reports, we need to start changing the “drill baby drill” chant to “distill baby distill.” One study, from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory recently
(The Economist) Biofuels are back. This time they might even work. MAKE something people want to buy at a price they can afford. Hardly a revolutionary business strategy, but one that the American biofuels industry has, to date, eschewed. Now a new
(Growth Energy) For the November/December issue of Washington Monthly magazine, Growth Energy Co-Chair General Wesley K. Clark wrote an in-depth examination of the costs of our nation’s addiction to foreign oil, and the opportunity for ethanol to help strengthen our national
by Tom Philpott (Gist) ...Not surprisingly, according to a Reuters account of Vilsack's speech, the USDA chief barely mentioned corn ethanol. Instead, he fixated on "assistance, from field to filling station, to bring next-generation biofuels to market." That means cellulosic
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Pike Research released a report projecting the growth of algal fuel production to only 61 million gallons per year by 2020. Interestingly, the Pike Group projected an overall value of $1.3 billion, or more than $20
by Stephanie Dreyer (Renewable Energy World/Growth Energy) ...You have one nutritionist with Tyson Foods speaking about the great value of DDGs (Dried Distillers Grains) as a feed for livestock. And then another expert takes it a step further, saying that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...for several years we have been tracking the growing complexity and size of the partnerships and strategic investments in bioenergy, as the industry inches towards the commercialization of advanced biofuels. It was partnership that funded the
Dean Taylor (Des Moines Register/Iowa Corn Growers Association) ...Iowa farmers have made measurable progress in conservation and water quality. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, farmers' use of nitrogen and phosphorus per bushel has been drastically reduced over the
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) Ethanol prices have strengthened over the past several months in response to higher corn prices and growing ethanol demand. Some have attempted to single out the escalation in ethanol prices as a primary driver of
by Michael Kanellos and Jim Imbler (Green Tech Media) To help this industry thrive, governments need to develop and implement a strategy that will last decades, argues Zeachem CEO Jim Imbler. the advanced biofuels industry is determined to commercialize and stand on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A new Biofuels Digest report found that states that produced enough energy to meet their internal demand for gasoline maintained growth rates 2.5 times above the national average, and either completely avoided the 2007-09 recession
by Jim Nussell (The Washington Times) letter to editor Tuesday's Washington Times editorial "Administration caves to Big Corn" (Comment & Analysis) ignores the hidden costs of our addiction to foreign oil and what moving to higher blends of ethanol could mean
(The Citizen Reporter) Tanzania urgently needs to put in place a policy framework to guide biofuel crops production and stave off the danger of serious food shortages in communities around biofuel plantations, a new study has warned. “The government of is on
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) California’s clean energy initiatives and businesses are at a crossroads, pending the outcome of Proposition 23 on the November ballot. Should the proposition succeed, it would suspend California’s 2006 history-making climate bill, AB32, which mandates,
by Bill Moore (Reuters/EV World) In September, the Center for New American Security (CNAS) issued a 36-page study entitled Fueling the Future Force: Preparing the Department of Defense for a Post-Petroleum Era (PDF). ...Why the urgency and why get off of
(Reuters) * Biofuel demand, tight supplies supporting corn prices * Corn rising to 2008 levels rekindles food vs fuel debate ...But this month's corn market rally to highs near $6 per bushel was driven more by the U.S. Agriculture Department's lower corn
by John Hamer (Biofuels Digest/Burrill & Co.) One might ask, “What do next-gen biofuel companies offer the biotech investor ?” 1. Well known products. ... Biotech’s make high risk products... 2. Early revenue and earlier profits. ...biotech drug development is a long process with
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In the long term, major oil companies like Shell and ExxonMobil see global transition in the 30-40 percent range by 2050. That may sound like small potatoes. Voters, project developers, and politicians would like to see
by Fred Kaplan (Slate) How the military's shift to renewable fuel could lower the entire nation's energy costs. ...The Navy is also experimenting with fuel made from algae. And the Air Force is planning to convert its entire fleet of airplanes to
by Darren Goode (The Hill) There is strong support for using wind farms and other sources of renewable energy in the U.S. and the largest European countries but little appetite for paying much for it, according to a new poll. People
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) (T)he Digest spent time this week with Gary Luce, CEO of Terrabon, whose advanced biofuels technology converts MSW and other residues into drop-in biogasoline, renewable diesel and jet fuel. The company, which has attracted investment from Waste
by Jeremy Susac (Orlando Sentinel) ...Older boat motors and fuel systems were not designed for ethanol use. But, ethanol-blended fuels can still be successful in marine applications. ...So, what's a boater to do?Check the owner's manual — the vast majority of
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) U.S. farmers will continue to produce an abundance of food and feed for both the domestic and international markets. This was an often repeated message at the Export Exchange, a conference focused on connecting
(BioTechNOW) Congress urged to restore funding to DOE Loan Guarantee Program Growth of clean energy has been stifled, biofuel advocacy groups maintain, by a lack of funding and shortcomings in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Guarantee Program for advanced biofuels. DOE established
by Kwok W. Wan (Reuters) Biofuel could cut plane carbon emissions by 20 pct by 2030. Aviation biofuel costs similar to jet fuel. Biofuels have a growing role to play in cutting carbon emission in the aviation sector and could save airlines
by Bob Meyer (Brownfield Ag News) ...The American Coalition for Ethanol, Growth Energy, Renewable Fuels Association and National Corn Growers issued a joint statement noting “Global coarse grain supplies are nearly unchanged, the USDA reports with lower U.S. supplies offset
by Mark Edwards (Algae Industry Magazine) ...The 2010 Algae World Europe Industry Survey was conducted in association with the Centre for Management Technology and 2nd Algae World Europe 2010 Conference in Brussels. The 2010 Algae World Survey follows the 2009
(BusinessWire) American Biofuels Now is a broad coalition of local (Tampa, Florida) biofuels producers, trade and environmental organizations, academics, and energy users who want smart, comprehensive policies to support the development of American Biofuels Now. America Biofuels Now wants a homegrown solution
By Cindy O’Connor (Advanced Biofuels USA)The Washington DC, September 30 briefing topic was why the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) should not be renewed. The first speaker, Dr. Harry de Goerter, Cato Fellow and Professor, Applied Economics and Management, Cornell
by Darren Goode (The Hill) Texas lawmakers in both parties are seeking legal protection for oil refiners and others that fear exposure to costly lawsuits if EPA allows an increase in the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline. ...The Texas lawmakers
by Robert Montgomery (ESPNOutdoors) Clogged carburetors, crumbling components, ruptured fuel lines. Boats stalled at sea, lives put at risk, and thousands spent on repairs. That's the legacy of gasoline with 10 percent ethanol (E10) used to power marine engines. ...That's but one
(FollowTheScience.org) More than 22,000 Americans have e-mailed President Obama urging him to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from approving a 50 percent increase in the amount of ethanol in gasoline until comprehensive, independent and objective scientific testing can show that higher
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) Sometime in the coming days, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to announce a partial waiver decision allowing the use of E15 in light duty vehicles with a model year (MY) of 2007 or
by David Gold (RenewableEnergyWorld.com) ...While stimulus supporters and the press love to focus on the selection of award winners for grants and loans, funds appropriated but sitting in the U.S. Treasury have zero potential to stimulate the economy irrespective of
by Roland Hiederer, Fabien Ramos, et al. (European Commission Joint Research Centre) This study implements a new methodology developed by the JRC IES and IE for estimating changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soil and above- and below-ground biomass resulting
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) A Bloomberg story today warned that deficit hawks in Congress – and potentially those that might be elected this fall – are targeting ethanol as an example of wasteful government spending. ...Our government spends
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...We have spoken to farmers, local business owners, environmentalists, community development officials, engine developers, scientists, policy makers, producers, investors, lenders, blenders, wholesalers, retailers, and end users. We have visited development projects on four continents. We have
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) The Truman National Security Project has released its 2010 Fuel Scorecard and ethanol scores near the top of the list as viable fuel options for the future. Based on several factors that affect America’s security including instability of
Interview of BIO's Brent Erickson by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...BE: I have been a little bit disappointed in the Obama administration. When he was in the Senate he as very pro-biofuels. He had to choose his priorities, and that
(AFP) The head of the world's biggest airline association, IATA, berated the oil industry and governments on Friday for investing "peanuts" in cleaner biofuels. "Biofuels could break the tyranny of oil and lift millions from poverty along with providing a sustainable fuel
by Marc Katz (Dayton Daily News) ...“Ethanol is not the (total) answer,” said John DiMartini, Ethanol Marketing Manager of The Andersons, which has a plant in Greenville. “But together (with other alternative fuels) we can put a severe dent in
by John Voelcker (GreenCarReports.com) We've written before about just how worried automakers are at proposals by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to increase the ethanol content of pump gasoline from 10 to 12 or even 15 percent. They fear it will damage
by Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest Asia) There’s blast furnace heat but little light so far in the debate on the UK biofuels target for 2020. Some advisors have urged that the current target of 10 percent be halved or entirely
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Documents filed with the SEC confirm what many voices in the industry have been saying about the Amyris, Gevo and PetroAlgae IPOs – they are “financing events” to fund these companies’ yawning capital requirements rather
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering equating biogenic carbon emissions with fossil fuel emissions under the Tailoring Rule, which requires the accounting and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2). Biogenic
by Alex Morales (Bloomberg) Biofuels made from plant waste and municipal trash rather than food crops could replace more than half of gasoline used in the European Union by 2020, industry analyst Bloomberg New Energy Finance said today. The 27-nation bloc could
by John Davis (DomesticFuel) The next generation of biofuels must be developed in conjunction with advanced combustion engines, if there is to be long-term success of those biofuels. That word comes from researchers at the Sandia National Laboratories. The recommendations were made following
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The Navy’s long term strategy is to supply 50% of its energy from renewables by 2020. How much is that? Well, statistics on energy consumption from the Department Energy Supply Center (DESC) generally are DoD-wide, but
by Gal Luft (Foreign Policy) The Middle Eastern oil cartel celebrates its 50th anniversary this week. Here's how to keep it from running our lives for another half-century. ...To weaken OPEC we must change the playing field altogether -- we must
by Lewis Reynolds (Politics Daily) America doesn't have to depend on overseas sources for one of its most vital national needs. A move toward energy independence, aside from creating as many as 14 million new jobs, can help rebuild our
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels) In November 2009, the RSB Steering Board approved Version One of the RSB Principles & Criteria (P&Cs) and the Certification System for pilot testing after public regional outreaches and extensive consultation of the RSB Chambers. While
by Lori Montgomery (The Washington Post) ... The senator is a strong advocate of responsible budgeting and has long called for increasing the gas tax, the traditional financing source for the nation's roadways. He said he mentioned that in his phone
by Paul Post (The Saratogan) ...For local dairy producers, one of the most pressing concerns is ethanol production that drives up corn prices — hurting small family farms in the process. ..."We’ve got a big problem in the ethanol industry," (House
(JCOnline) ...But a new study from Purdue University, funded by the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, suggests that farmers will have to make more money off corn cobs than is currently available to cover their costs and actually turn a profit
by Anna Austin and Lisa Gibson (Biomass Magazine) ...Director of the Northeast Regional New Fuels Alliance Andrew Schuyler, who followed Cleaves, explained some policies the organization has been working on, primarily the development of a Low Carbon Fuel Standard similar
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian) ...When fuel-efficiency measures and switches to lower-carbon transport such as trains and coaches are included, the report for investors predicts that the market will be worth $677bn (£440bn) a year in 2020 – up from
by Michael Stein (Maui Magazine) Advocates say biofuels could save big agriculture in the Islands, and reduce Hawaii’s unsustainable dependence on imported oil. Are we willing to pay the price? ...But over the past decade, Maui has lost Pioneer Mill sugar
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) You may not have noticed, but hedge and index fund investors have quietly returned to the agricultural commodities market in droves over the past few weeks. With the stock market continuing to flounder, these
By Patricia Monahan (Capitol Weekly) This year we’ve had no shortage of examples of why we need to move away from fossil fuels, from the oil disaster in the Gulf and continued dependence on Middle Eastern oil to the record-hot temperatures
Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...The push against approving E15 has heated up in recent weeks. The U.S. EPA delayed the E15 decision until sometime this fall and industry groups on both sides of the issue have been waiting on
by George Sterzinger (Renewable Energy Policy Project/Dissent Magazine) ...Advanced biofuels in particular have the potential to change the coastal economies for the better. In 2005 and in 2007 Congress committed to providing 20 percent of transportation fuels, or 36 billion gallons
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...We see the battle over rural development flashing at other points around the globe, but nowhere so starkly do we have a choice between the War on Poverty and the War on Carbon as we see
by Jim DiPeso (The Daily Green) The hidden health threat (and $100 billion annual cost) in the gasoline we pump into our cars. ...China supplanted the U.S. as the biggest energy consuming country in the world. China's growth, along with India's,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, a federal election last week which resulted in a hung parliament may find that the choice of government depends on biofuels policy. According to Digest sources and local reports, a trio of independent,
(Friends of the Earth International) The African continent is increasingly being seen as a source of agricultural land and natural resources for the rest of the world. National governments and private companies are obtaining access to land across the continent
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Blue Marble’s effervescent CEO Kelly Ogilvie, well known on the renewables circuit for his high-energy presentations over the years, took us through the math. “Over the past 18 months,” he said, “while we have been developing
by Nidhi Subbaraman (MIT Technology Review) ...The company announced plans to build one of the first commercial-scale cellulosic-ethanol plants, in Kinross, MI; it would be able to produce 80 million gallons per year. But as of the summer of 2010, Mascoma had
by Sasha Lyutse (Natural Resources Defense Council) ... As a result, the VEETC has not only concentrated the ethanol industry in just a handful of states, but siphoned scarce resources away from more competitive biofuel technologies that create far less pollution
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) A variable subsidy for ethanol producers could cost the government less and provide more security for producers than current fixed rates, according to a Purdue University study. A variable subsidy rate would insulate producers
by Stephanie Dreyer (Growth Energy/RenewableEnergyWorld.com) Ethanol has been the Oil Industry’s favorite target for years. Big Oil has argued that the ethanol industry can't compete with gasoline without taxpayer support. Ironically, a recent study by the American Petroleum Institute concluded
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In a note at CO2science.org, a trio of authors contend: “There simply is not enough freshwater on the face of the earth to make the production of biofuels a viable and significant alternative to the
by Chuck Woodside (Journal Star) In a recent speech about energy, President Barack Obama said: "If we refuse to take into account the full costs of our fossil fuel addiction -- if we don't factor in the environmental costs and the
by Yans Felippe Geckler (IPS News) Brazil has begun a counterattack on the European Union's measures for certifying crop-based fuels, which could lead to import barriers for this energy source coming from the South American giant. ...The EU's certification requirements for
(Algae Industry Magazine) An article by Rene H. Wijffels and Maria J. Barbosa, of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, published in the current edition of Science Journal, details the challenges and opportunities of algal biofuel development from a European perspective.
(Ag Professional) ...Concerns about net energy and greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to its effect on food and feed pricing are driving researchers at the Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of Illinois and at the University of California Berkeley
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But even were the US EPA to approve E15 ethanol blending, there are some other significant walls and thresholds to keep in mind. Here are the Digest’s Top 10. 1. The $60 oil parity wall. At the
edited by Reid Lifset (Journal of Industrial Ecology) Includes Corn Ethanol Articles Related to Debate over Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Corn-Ethanol The Journal of Industrial Ecology is pleased to make the following articles on the greenhouse gas emissions from corn-ethanol freely available
by Joe Irvin (Capitol Weekly) This week, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) convened a group of experts to discuss issues related to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) that was approved last year. The Expert Working Group has been
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) Francis Thicke of Fairfield, the Democratic candidate for Iowa agriculture secretary, used his State Fair Soapbox speech Wednesday to call for a "new vision" for Iowa agriculture based on renewable fuels, ecologically sustainable production
by Elton Robinson (Southeast Farm Press) ...It’s not what President Barack Obama has been saying in recent speeches that worried several market analysts speaking at the Brock Decision 2010 Seminar in Memphis. It’s what he hasn’t been saying. In speeches outlining
by Robert Rapier (Consumer Energy Report/R Squared Energy Blog) ...Reader Paul Nash came up with a specific plan... Specific Recommendations Scrap the VEETC (since there is a mandate already and it expires at the end of 2010). Maintain a producer’s credit for cellulosic
by David Fridley (Post Carbon Institute) excerpt: Unlike conventional fossil fuels, where nature provided energy over millions of years to convert biomass into energy-dense solids, liquids, and gases--requiring only extraction and transportation technolgy for us to mobilize them--alternative energy depends
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...A significant number of voices in the community continue to caution that algal biofuels are 10 years away, or likely to arrive at commercial scale only in the waning years of the existing Renewable Fuel
by John M. Sawyer and Michael C. Sawyer (The Daily News) ...Corn ethanol is not responsible for destruction of forest land. Total U.S. crop acres are actually declining, total U.S. land devoted to crops will be 346 million acres in
by John D. Graham (Lexington Herald-Leader/McClatchy-Tribune) Editorial ...Due to large swings in oil prices, which are partly manipulated by OPEC, a domestic ethanol industry wouldn't survive without government support. Countries with strong ethanol industries such as Brazil have pro-ethanol policies. ...Now is
(People's Daily) China's industrial experts are advising the government to halt projects making ethanol bio-fuel with corn, as the projects are pushing up corn prices and sparking food security concerns. Zhao Youshan, director of the Commercial Petroleum Flow Committee (CPFC) under
byGen. Wesley K. Clark (Ret.) (New York Times) Letter to Editor: ...The consequences include not only huge environmental risks, but a $300 billion-a-year drain from our economy to pay for imported petroleum. Growth Energy’s Fueling Freedom plan would redirect the ethanol
Peter Jamison (SF Weekly) ...The Examiner reported this morning that a facility that renders bones and fat from slaughtered animals into oil is moving to upgrade its facilities to make biodiesel from animal parts, as well as from used cooking
By Audrey McAvoy (AP) The federal government has turned to a 130-year-old Hawaii sugar grower for help in powering the Navy and weaning the nation off a heavy reliance on fossil fuels. It will spend at least $10 million over the next
by Richard Keller (Cattle Network) As renewable fuels continues to be something that people of the world support in general, there also continues to be those complaints that crop production and land use for fuels is inappropriate when so much
by Don Siefkes (E100 Ethanol Group/Des Moines Register) The recent oil platform blowout in the Gulf of Mexico shows the madness of the United States continuing to use 140 billion gallons of gasoline a year to power our light duty
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) At this year’s American Coalition for Ethanol Conference & Trade Show, two speakers gave particularly strong arguments for chipping away at the power and monopoly of Big Oil. It just so happens that Anne
by Brent Erickson (BIO/New York Times) Letter to Editor: The refundable investment tax credit for wind, solar and geothermal energy proved the right policy at the right time to mobilize investment. ...Parity in tax policies would send a signal to
(National Academies of Science) Expanding Biofuel Production: Sustainability and the Transition to Advanced Biofuels: Summary of a Workshop (2010) While energy prices, energy security, and climate change are front and center in the national media, these issues are often framed to
by Darrin Ihnen (The Hill/National Corn Growers Association) ...Unfortunately, many of the articles we’re seeing don’t get the facts quite right. The New York Times, for example, asserts that the Renewable Fuel Standard mandates the U.S. production of up to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Larry Nitz, GM’s executive director of hybrid and electric powertrain engineering, described ethanol as the the best short-term solution. GM has sold 5.5 million flex-fuel vehicles to date. “If the fuel was available at a competitive
(Algae Industry Magazine) As Congress takes action on critical tax incentive packages, leading advanced biofuel trade associations reemphasized the importance of advanced biofuels as promising opportunities for the United States to reduce its reliance on oil and create green jobs. The
(Renewable Fuels Association) Further analysis of EPA’s Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) reveals more errors in the agency’s calculation of corn ethanol and other biofuels’ carbon intensity, according to new analysis by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). In a letter to EPA
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“Investors constantly ask us the simple question,” says AE Biofuels CEO Eric McAfee, “ If the EPA is not enforcing the cellulosic ethanol mandate and only providing a few months of forward visibility each year, how
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Back in 2008 the death watch began on Imperium Renewables. Though its 100 Mgy multi-feedstock plant in Grays Harbor was, at the time, the largest and most modern biodiesel facility in the US, the company lost its
(Washington Post) Editorial: PRESIDENT OBAMA was back in Michigan recently, breaking ground on a plant that will make batteries for the Volt, the plug-in hybrid electric car forthcoming from government-owned General Motors. The Energy Department paid half the factory's $300 million
(AP) BP's catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is fueling opposition to the University of California, Berkeley's research partnership with the British company, with activists on the famously liberal campus demanding a severing of ties. The oil giant gave UC
(Renewable Fuels Association) A newly released report from the Development Prospects Group at the World Bank, conludes that “…the effect of biofuels on food prices has not been as large as originally thought, but that the use of commodities by
(Heinrich Böll Stiftung North America) In cooperation with 25x’25, the Heinrich Böll Stiftung North America hosted a transatlantic roundtable discussion on its new report Beyond Biofuels: Renewable Energy Opportunities for U.S. Farmers. As farmers struggle with increasing energy costs and decreasing
by Tiffany Hsu (Los Angeles Times) Big Oil: the patron saint of biofuels? Petroleum companies -- and their pocketbooks -- have been working their way into the biofuels industry in recent years. Wisconsin-based Virent Energy Systems Inc. said in June that it
(Growth Energy) The New York Times’ July 29th Editorial “Energy Subsidies – Good and Bad,” mischaracterizes Growth Energy’s proposal to open the American transportation fuels market and fails to acknowledge the technological advancements that have made ethanol production cleaner and more
by Jim Lane (Biomass Digest) Following the all-but-certain defeat of a renewal of the ethanol tax credit, left-wing environmental activists, confederated into the National Anti-Biomass Incineration and Forest Protection Campaign, are making a move to destabilize support for biomass-based power generation. At
by Alvin L. Moser (St. Augustine Record) Editor: The editorial in the July 27 issue of The St. Auustine Record from The Chicago Tribune misses the whole point of adding ethanol to gasoline. Of course cost is important, but what
by Joe Ruff (Omaha World Herald) It's time for the federal government to move beyond offering tax credits to companies that combine ethanol with gasoline, said the CEO of the fourth-largest ethanol producer in the country. Instead, he said, government incentives are
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is far from over on discrediting biofuels as part of their mandated policy known as the Low Carbon Fuels Standard (LCFS). For the past year, the ethanol industry has been
(Renewable Fuels Association) In its editorial ("It's time to end the excessive subsidies for corn ethanol," 7/24/2010), the Post failed to provide its readers any context, misled them about the nature of U.S. ethanol production, and offered no alternative to
(EurekAlert) Policies needed to address potential conflicts, but report views bioenergy as crucial to 'unlocking Africa's latent potential'. Crops can be produced for bioenergy on a significant scale in west, eastern and southern Africa without doing damage to food production or
by Jay Heflin (The Hill) A new study by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development shows a reduction in the ethanol tax credit proposed by the House Ways and Means Committee and removing tariffs on the fuel will have a
by Brooke Coleman (Biofuels Digest/New Fuels Alliance) Securing Foreign Oil is the title of Adam Liska’s and Richard Perrin’s recent article in Environment Magazine detailing why military emissions should be included in the carbon intensity (CI) values of petroleum fuels. The
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