by Zack Coleman (The Hill/E2Wire) The biofuels industry is at loggerheads with House Republicans, who are eyeing its funding for elimination in the farm bill. Biomass and biofuels groups warn that the loss of $800 million in guaranteed federal support would
by Ron Miller (Renewable Fuels Association) In these difficult economic times, a recurring question is who should get help and who should stand on their own. With people it's the middle class vs. the 1%. In the corporate world, the
by Mike Breen (The Hill/E2Wire/Truman National Security Project) As a young Lieutenant on my first combat tour, in Iraq, I served on an isolated fighting camp south of Baghdad in an area known as the “Triangle of Death.” My unit
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) Fossil fuels' attacks on mandates, subsidies put renewables at risk A surge in domestic oil and natural gas production and a decline in national political support for grain-fed biofuels threatens to cripple Iowa’s more than
by John Vidal (The Guardian) Indigenous smallholder farmers are being violently evicted as companies move in to satisfy Europe's hunger for biofuels ...Over the next four days, 10 more villages were cleared. By the end of March 2011, around 800 families
by Tammy Klein (Hart Energy/Fuel Fix) ...A Hart Energy study examined mandated ethanol production vs. capability and arrived at this inconvenient truth: The government, through the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, has ordered production of cellulosic biofuels to ramp up to
by Robert J. Johnsen (AOL Energy) The theme of this year's recent Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference was "Go Big, Stay Strong," an allusion to the move of biofuels out of the lab and into commercialization. But the theme emerging from the remarks of
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A coalition of agriculture and bioenergy groups, led by the 25x’25 organization, filed late comments with the U.S. EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on June 28 to draw attention to an aspect of the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The entropy problem in feedstocks In bioenergy, it’s the chief reason, for example, that otherwise perfectly acceptable fruit waste from citrus harvest is a difficult feedstock for energy production. The process for cellulosic conversion was
by David Cronin (New Europe Online) ...The production of biofuels is a central factor behind the grabbing of land in Africa. Yet rather than using food crops, many of the players in this murky game have recently chosen jatropha, a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Brazil, “end fossil fuel subsidies” has emerged as a theme at the Rio+20 Summit is underway, where a flash mob of protesters, organized by Earth Day, 350.org and youth groups attending the summit protested
by Dr. Christoph Weber, CEO JATRO AG, Frankfurt & Mitchell Hawkins, CEO BioJet Corp, Santa Barbara, CA (JATRO/BioJet) Biofuels provide a viable alternative to conventional fuel and enable airlines to reduce their environmental impact. Over the last three years biofuels for aviation have
by Galrahn (Information Dissemination) With the Great Green Fleet putting to sea for the upcoming RIMPAC 2012 exercise, and more specifically now that the USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T AO 187) has 900,000 of super expensive biofuel in her tanks ready
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Early last year, we published a collection of 100 “Fortune Cookies”. It is the zeitgeist of the times, we suppose, that short and peppy sayings that can meet the 140-character Twitter limit ended up being
(GreenAirOnline) A longstanding fight between a coalition of four US environmental groups and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) looks set to continue after the EPA ruled out any short-term decision on whether greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft engines endanger
by Alison Singer (GreenConduct.com) ...To address the shortcomings of current biofuel production, scientists are developing new techniques and feedstocks to enhance sustainable production. Switchgrass, a North American perennial tallgrass, sequesters far more carbon dioxide than corn and other row crops, and
by Andrew Holland (Consumer Energy Report) The RAND corporation recently released a report “Promoting International Energy Security” for the U.S. Air Force that, for the most part, contained the conventional wisdom about oil prices and energy security: in a global
(United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) On the eve of the official opening of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development -- Rio+20, a panel discussion was organized by UNCTAD on exploring new sustainable and socially inclusive biofuels experiences in
(Western Farm Press/Carnegie Institute) The scientific community needs to make a 10-year, $100 billion investment in food and energy security, says Carnegie’s Wolf Frommer and Tom Brutnell of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. The scientific community needs to make a
(Bloomberg) There may be little reason to hope the Rio+20 meeting in Brazil this week will lead to major global action against climate change. World leaders have skipped it. The draft agreement the delegates from 190 countries have written is rightly criticized as weak. Yet it turns
(FarmProgress.com) Ag interest groups filed comments with the National Highway Traffic Safety Council and others Thursday calling for increased incentives for biofuel use. A coalition of agricultural interest groups says proposed new corporate average fuel economy standards could cap and constrain
by Barrie Barber (Stars and Stripes/Dayton Daily News) A top British envoy says the U.S. and the U.K. could collaborate more on the development and use of biofuels in the military to boost both nations’ security and energy interests and
(Belfast Telegraph) European Union support for biofuel production could force the price of food crop staples up by as much as 36% by the end of the decade, a report has warned. Development charity ActionAid warned that the allocation of ever-growing
(MarketWatch) From small-town mayors to President Obama, there is one thing on the minds of all elected officials: putting more Americans back to work. And while recent unemployment numbers have been less than encouraging, the U.S. ethanol industry is bringing
by Mike Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...The economy of Australia is one of the best in the world, but the focus has not been on renewable energy. Interestingly, with all of the mineral resources that Australia has, it is very
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker John Boehner and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, leading environmental, science and advanced biofuels advocates urged Congress today
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) IEA Bioenergy invites feedback as part of a global study on sustainability certification of bioenergy. The main goal of the study is to make recommendations for improving the effectiveness of governance and certification systems to benefit sustainable bioenergy
byRobert Rapier (Christian Science Monitor) In this column energy expert Rapier provides three examples — originating with both Democrats and Republicans and impacting both renewable energy and fossil fuels — of how constantly shifting legislation makes it very difficult to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Attacks from the usual opponents are generally in the form of statements that sound vaguely scientific, or fact-based. Often with a scientist in tow. Beware. Not every person in the business of meat or breakfast
by Meg Cichon (Renewable Energy World) As a proposed ban on military investment and use of biofuels inches closer to fruition in Washington, several groups are speaking out against the bill. Pentagon Budget Bill, H.R. 4310, which recently passed through the
by Greg Martin (AgInfo.net) ...DINEEN: The RFS is under attack in Washington today. I don’t see for a moment that it will be unraveled this year but they will continue to fight next year and they’ll continue to fight in
(GreenAirOnline) Back in 2005, the idea of using biofuels to power commercial and military jets seemed beyond the range of modern science. While suitable for cars and trucks, biofuels offered little hope they could meet the stringent requirements of commercial
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Conditions are ripe for biofuels demand and production to boom in Asia over the next few years, as steady growth in countries such as China, India and Japan will prompt an “astronomical” rise in
by Sara Sorcher (National Journal) Nearly two-thirds of National Journal’s National Security Insiders agree with the military’s push for renewable energy, siding with the Obama administration over some Republicans in Congress who have charged that the Defense Department should not spend
by Guy Chazan (Financial Times) In the world of biofuels, all eyes are on the tiny northern Italian town of Crescentino, site of the world’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which will start production this year. The venture might be small,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, staff members working for least eight US Senators will join a study group aimed at a “seed-to-wheel examination of the US Renewable Fuel Standard,” the Digest has learned. The goal of the study group
by Jen Alic (OilPrice.com) The US Defense Department consumes more energy than any other department or sector in the country, spending around $20 billion annually by some estimates; but ambitious plans to make it the nation’s green leader have been
by Morgan Lee (U-T San Diego) There’s a persistent view that the United States can best compete in the global economy by keeping energy prices low. Amory Lovins is out to prove otherwise by helping private industry, the military and civil
by Andrew Restuccia (The Hill/E2Wire) A bipartisan coalition of former U.S. ambassadors urged President Obama Thursday to drastically cut dependence on foreign oil in order to help reign in the country’s trade deficit. The coalition, known as Diplomatic Council on Energy
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Members of Congress are exchanging dueling fact sheets about corn ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) sent an email last month to members of the House Commerce, and Agriculture and Energy Committees
by Brett Neely (Minnesota Public Radio) U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison introduced legislation Thursday to end all subsidies for fossil fuels. Ellison said the oil, gas and coal industries will get $113 billion worth of government support over the next decade even
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) USDA released its first estimate of the 2012 corn crop--and it is a big one. According to today’s USDA projections, record U.S. corn production of 14.79 billion bushels is expected in 2012. That’s up
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) ...The executive director of the Renewable Fuels Association, Monte Shaw, said AFP should “stop the hypocrisy and to get its facts straight when it comes to ethanol and oil policy.” ...“AFP’s hypocrisy is astounding,” continued
by John Kemp (Reuters COLUMN) Widespread use of alternative motor fuels has been hampered by lack of fuel distribution infrastructure, despite strongly favourable economics for alternatives to gasoline and diesel, and a range of financial incentives offered by U.S. federal
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In Washington, heartbreak came early in the season when the Senate Armed Services Committee has voted to nix the purchase of aviation biofuels, should they cost more than conventional fossil fuels, even at the small
by Ben Caldecott (The Guardian) We need something that can deliver emission reductions from existing fleets of planes – and the solution already exists ...The positive progress on including aviation in Europe's carbon trading scheme this week is welcome, but neither that nor more
by Robert Rapier (Consumer Energy Report) A reader recently called my attention to a new and very interesting presentation from the Department of Energy’s Biomass Program: Biofuels Design Cases The presentation explored the question of whether the U.S. government is spending
by Fred Kaplan (Slate) ...The rationale for barring the Navy from buying the 450,000 gallons of biofuels necessary for the experiment is economic: These fuels are too expensive—about four times more costly than conventional fuels. To hammer home the point, the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New tests conducted at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base have revealed that US warplanes are capable of flying faster and carry more payload on missions, when flying with synthetic fuels, including biofuels, compared to conventional military
(PEW Charitable Trust) ...More than 31 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from their homes over the Memorial Day weekend. With gas averaging $3.67 per gallon, consumer fuel costs will exceed $171 million this weekend alone. If proposed fuel
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics University of Illinois)...The rise in ethanol production has recently run up against what is known as the “blend wall.” Domestic ethanol consumption is almost entirely in the form of low level blends
(BusinessWire) The Advanced Biofuels Association, the Algal Biomass Organization, Airlines for America, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Biotechnology Industry Organization, Growth Energy, and the Pew Charitable Trusts today expressed disappointment that the Senate Armed Services Committee adopted amendments to
(US Department of Agriculture) On June 23, 2010, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a strategic biofuels production report, “A USDA Regional Roadmap to Meeting the Biofuels Goals of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) by 2022” (USDA’s Roadmap). Subsequently, Secretary
by Sean Nicholls (Sydney Morning Herald/New South Wales) THE value of the NSW ethanol mandate has been questioned by the NSW Treasury in documents that describe it of questionable benefit to motorists and a policy that mainly serves to prop
by Margaret Ryan (AOL Energy) While the "food versus fuel" debate has grabbed headlines, biofuels technology worldwide has been accelerating down the learning curve and is at a "tipping point" for commercialization. That was the consensus of an expert panel last week at
(PR NewsWire/Consumer Reports) Nearly three-quarters of drivers would consider an alternative fuel vehicle for their next car ...Some two-thirds of owners surveyed said they expected their next vehicle to get better fuel mileage than the one they're driving now. While gasoline
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The first World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates for 2012, from the US Department of Agriculture, give us an opportunity to review that debate. Let’s go back 10 years ago, before the first Renewable Fuel Standard was
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Emerald Biofuels announced that it will build an 85 million gallonrenewable-diesel refineries at a Dow Chemical site in Plaquemine, Louisiana. The company will use Honeywell’s UOP/Eni EcoFining process technology for the production of Honeywell Green Diesel
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) In a recent editorial, What Keystone Won't Do, the Washington Post mused about “the best way to insulate Americans from oil-price volatility and other drawbacks of oil use,” concluding that it “would be to
by Meg Cichon (Renewable Energy World) The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources released a new set of strict standards for biomass in early May that have the potential to cut subsidies for developing plants. According to these new requirements, all
by Retired Lt. Gen. John Castellaw, USMC, American Security Project (The Hill/Congress Blog) The United States military is the single largest purchaser of petroleum fuel in the world, burning through about 325,000 barrels of fuel per day. Almost all of
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) Minnesota waits until 2013 to bump up the state mandate from 5 to 10 percent biodiesel, instead of this year as scheduled ...Language in the regulations stipulates that before the mandate can be increased to B10
(National Farmers Union) National Farmers Union (NFU) and a coalition of agricultural, conservation, environmental, energy, forestry, hunger, and rural stakeholders sent a letter to Senate leadership today urging them to bring the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012 to the
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...API has legally challenged every step of the U.S. EPA’s approval of E15, claiming that more scientific research should be completed before it is allowed to be used in anything other than flex-fuel infrastructure
by David Brough (Reuters) Global biofuel demand fell in 2011 due to the impact of government requirements and greater incentives in food markets, but usage is set to grow driven by new technologies, commodities house Czarnikow said on Friday. "This comes despite a
(MarketWire) An article in F1000 Biology Reports (http://f1000.com/reports/biology) published today (May 2, 2012) argues that recent advances in knowledge mean that plant-derived biofuels could meet about 30% of the global demand for liquid transportation fuels, drastically reducing the amounts of
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) In 2008 David DuByne helped start and run an algae biodiesel company, Dao Energy, LLC, in Chengdu city of Sichuan Province, in western China. Their concept was to use low cost labor and materials
(FarmingUK.com) Latest government figures reveal that the vast majority of biofuels supplied in the UK are made from imported feedstock, with almost nine out of every 10 litres of foreign origin. The NFU have said that UK biofuel growers have been
(Renewable Fuels Association/BioFuelsChat.com) ...Specifically, (Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob) Dinneen noted two driving factors that have led to refinery shutterings on the East Coast: First, most East Coast refineries cannot process the lower-cost types of crude oil that are increasing
(Hart Energy/PR NewsWire) Hart Energy study insists U.S. production mandates are out of sync with market reality Hart Energy's newly released study, U.S. & Brazil Ethanol Outlook to 2022, finds the United States has vaulted over Brazil to lead the world in the export of ethanol, a
(Wall Street Journal/Governors Biofuels Coalition) Top European Union policy makers will next week be faced with one of Europe's most controversial climate policies, as they consider whether biofuels do more harm than good when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. The
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) A new blend of ethanol and gasoline may soon show up at the gas station pumps -- along with mixed messages on whether it's safe to put it in your vehicle. Motorists driving up to pumps
by Jack Eidt (WilderUtopia) Fossil Fuel Alternatives: Our Way Out of the Heat and Smog ...Institutionally-Supported Industrial Monocrop Supercedes Peasant Agriculture. The search for alternatives to fossil fuels has created a land boom in Latin American-African- and Southeast Asian-produced agrofuels. Sugarcane and
by Dan Morgan (The Globalist) The plant world has a curious way of providing fodder for Republicans in the midst of important elections in the United States. In 1988, the party cast the Democrat's presidential candidate, Michael Dukakis, as an
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) In an interview with Kris Bevill of Ethanol Producer Magazine, John Eichberger, National Association of Convenience Stores vice president of government relations and author of the paper, titled “The Future of Fuels: An Analysis
(25 x '25) Wray, CO Advocate Urges President to Lend More Support to Bioenergy Development, Support Higher Ethanol Blends Mike Bowman, a member of the National 25x'25 Alliance's Steering Committee, met with President Obama today and outlined the Alliance’s recommendations and
(The CLEAN) (The) Civil Society Institute released new survey results that show that the vast majority of Americans are not only ready to grapple with tough energy choices, but also to move toward clean, renewable energy. These results underline the
(Advanced Biofuels Association) Testifying today before the U.S. House Small Business Committee's Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade, Michael McAdams, president, Advanced Biofuels Association – ABFA, said he is, "proud to report to this Committee and to this Congress that America's
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Increasing fuel efficiency standards are expected to shrink U.S. gasoline demand over the coming years while, at the same time, the renewable fuel standard (RFS) will require increasing amounts of alternative fuels to be
(EurActiv) Conventional biofuels like biodiesel increase carbon dioxide emissions and are too expensive to consider as a long-term alternative fuel, a draft EU report says. The study ‘EU Transport GHG [greenhouse gases]: Routes to 2050’ estimates that before indirect effects are counted,
by Paul Douglas (Bloomberg Business Week) When will American business wake up to the scientific reality of climate change? When the common-sense moderate middle wakes up. When pragmatic entrepreneurs and investors realize an intransigent, inflexible and, worst of all, factually incorrect
by Joelle Dent (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...The new boss, acting in the in the person of Brazil, has already wrought what most would consider a miracle by bringing India and Pakistan to the peace table after more than sixty years
(Ethanol Producer Magazine/Renewable Fuels Association) By an overwhelming majority, American voters are supportive of the key federal policy driving renewable fuel innovation in America today – the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In a poll commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Association
(Renewable Fuels Association) Providing flexibility to fuel retailers will be key to the continued growth in availability of higher level ethanol blends like E15 and other renewable fuels, according to Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen in written testimony before
(GreenAir Online) The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), which advises the UK government on national carbon targets, has recommended international aviation and shipping emissions be included in carbon budgets and the UK’s 2050 overall target to reduce emissions 80 per
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...A couple of voices expressed caution, prominent among them, algae’s Doctor No, John Benemann of Benemann Associates, who wanted at the time, “if algae looks good [for fuel], we’re all in trouble.” LiveFuels CEO Lissa
(Platts) Groups on both sides of the issue of increasing the amount of ethanol in the country's gasoline supply agreed Thursday on one point: refiners, blenders and retailers should not be held liable if higher ethanol blends damage vehicle or
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association today announced that it has formed a political action committee (PAC). The Renewable Fuels Association PAC, to be referred to as the Renewable Fuels PAC, will help RFA members support candidates for federal
by Bill McKibben (Los Angeles Times) The last industry in need of a public handout is the fossil-fuel companies. The use of subsidies should follow some basic, rational guidelines. ...The Repeal Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act was a curiously skimpy bill
by Kris Bevill (Ehtanol Producer Magazine) A recently published article in the peer-reviewed Journal of the Royal Society Interface suggests that in order for life cycle analyses (LCA) of biomass-based products such as biofuels to be most accurately calculated, modelers should develop
by Matt Daily (Reuters) Rapid growth in the U.S. biofuels markets has often pitted oil companies against small start-ups seeking a toehold in the gasoline markets, despite the need for both sides to work together, according to industry experts. ..."You're faced
by Steve Tarter (Peoria Journal Star) ...Michael Klare is a professor at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass., and the author of a new book, "The Race for What's Left: The Global Scramble for the World's Last Resources." Ron Miller is the
by Lee Edwards (Virent/The Hill) ...If we really want to succeed in getting off foreign oil, policymakers need to think bigger – they need to think about how we can replace the whole barrel. Currently, the U.S. imports approximately 12 million
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A new petition has been launched today (April 11, 1012) to help encourage the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support biofuels development. The petition is sponsored by Frontiers of Freedom, who says that advanced biofuels allow America
by Peter Byrne (The Energy Report) Believe it or not, industry experts see biofuels accounting for up to 25% of global energy consumption by 2050. With this long-term vision in mind, Mark McHugh, president and CEO of consultancy firm CenAm
by Editorial Board (The Washington Post) Will natural gas hinder the fight against global warming? ...But extracting and transporting all that natural gas, which is mostly methane, also results in fuel leaks. When methane leaks, it has a shorter-lived but much
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hybrids, plug-in electrics struggle to pass the consumer’s “compared to what” test – and how much do those tax credits cost, anyway? ...Take, for example, the trouble with hybrids. We saw a report yesterday that only one in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...How about investing in the world around you? ...What can a leader do? He or she can help you to change your fate, through simple acts of investing your own energy money in your own community,
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Four days of total immersion in advanced biofuels’ language and culture at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference in Washington, DC, 107 presentations, leaves one’s mind spinning and stomach churning. So, in the spirit of
(FarmEnergy.org) More than 100 diverse groups representing agriculture, energy, rural development and conservation called on Congress today (April 5, 2012) to renew and fund core energy programs in the Farm Bill that push forward clean, homegrown energy. These programs advance
(SustainableBusiness.com) Over the past two years, The Climate Bonds Initiative has been creating a new class of bonds that can finance a rapid transition globally to a low-carbon economy. ...Most of the bonds will be bought by institutional investors, but there are plans to
by James Stafford (OilPrice.com) Rising geopolitical tensions and high oil prices are continuing to help renewable energy find favour amongst investors and politicians. Yet how much faith should we place in renewables to make up the shortfall in fossil fuels?
by Steve Everly (Kansas City Star) Ethanol industry pushes for the state to step up from the E10 blend now offered. But automakers warn of engine damage, voided warranties. ...E10 will still be available, and selling E15 won’t be mandatory, but
(Enhanced Online News/Live Science Alley) Today (March 28, 2012), The BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota released a comprehensive white paper detailing the extent and impact of the advanced biofuels and biobased chemicals industry and providing a roadmap for their continued growth
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) joined with seven other biofuel-related organizations to champion the success of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY),
by Ben Geman and Andrew Restuccia (The Hill/E2Wire) The Senate voted 92-4 Monday to begin an election-year floor debate over Democratic legislation to repeal oil-industry tax breaks, a plan that’s unlikely to ultimately pass but provides a platform for partisan
In a letter to Senate Finance Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Ranking Member John Cornyn (R-TX), the Advanced Ethanol Council voiced support for extending key cellulosic ethanol tax provisions set to expire at
by LtGen John G. Castellaw, USMC (Ret.) (25 x '25) ...In spite of claims to the contrary, increased domestic drilling and building pipelines to carry Canadian crude south will not result in energy independence or low fuel prices in either the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, the National Algae Association called on presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich to issue a retraction of statements he made at a campaign speech in Pennsylvania, branding the Speaker’s claim that he contacted the NAA to
by Lisa Depies (GateHouse News Service/Galesburg.com) Retired Gen. Wesley Clark spent 38 years in the U.S. Army protecting America. Today, Clark is working to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil. Clark is co-chairman of Growth Energy, an organization that represents
by John Udovich (Small Cap Network) Among other reasons, higher oil prices since the start of the year have been helping small cap biofuel stocks like Gevo (NASDAQ: GEVO), BioFuel Energy Corp.(NASDAQ: BIOF)and Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM) but can higher oil prices alone sustain their rise?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Two reasons why Queensland’s election stands out. First, the election was also notable for the electoral debut of the rural, populist Katter’s Australian Party, which was formed last year – socially conservative, pro-growth, protectionist,
by Courtney Collen (KSFY.com) ...One Sioux Falls dealership says people are not spending on just any car - they're in the market for Flex-Fuel Vehicles in order to save money. Flex-Fuel Vehicles run on regular gasoline or a blend of up
by Anna Austin (Biomass Power and Thermal Magazine) The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has released its 2012 Farm Bill platform, which provides suggestions to improve some federal bioenergy programs. These include the Repowering Assistance Program and the Biomass Crop Assistance
by Stu Ellis (FarmGateBlog) ...Now the bloom is off the rose. Gasoline demand is down, the blend wall is pushing ethanol demand down, and corn prices are not as strong as they once were. ...He (Bob Wisner, biofuels economist at Iowa
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Sugar prices are booming, good news for producers in Brazil, India and elsewhere, but in Brazil it has created, shall we say, a certain reluctance to maximize ethanol production. Part of the reason for high prices,
By Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) At the March 21 Bioenergy Day on Capitol Hill, discussion focused on the need for a continued Renewable Fuels Standard, reviews of the history of biofuels, assessment of current questioning of biofuels as viable
by John DeCicco (The Energy Collective) If biofuels benefit the climate, it's not when they're burned; those CO2 emissions are the same as from the fossil fuels they replace. Any potential benefit is due to the CO2 uptake when plants are grown.
by José Vitor Bomtempo (Grupo de Economia da Energia) In the previous article, we compared the BP and Shell’s strategies for biofuels. Today we present the case of Petrobras. We have to recall the reasons for the analysis. We start with a
by Andrew DeWitt (The Asia-Pacific Journal) ...The Republicans think they see their chance to throw a wrench in the works. They recently decided to open congressional hearings to try, through focusing on Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, to put a political face on
by Chris Nelder (Smart Planet) The realization that oil prices aren’t about them anymore has been slow to dawn on Americans after a century of being the world’s swing consumers. But the fact is that the world’s developing economies have
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) ... So why, you ask, is the US lagging behind Asia? In the US too, biofuels will create lots of jobs as always happens in new growth industries, and lots of new business startups
by Eric van den Heuve (Edofys) Biofuels might offer opportunities for achieving improved balance of power to the European airlines in their high competitive market. It faces high rivalry and increasing fuel costs due to rising oil prices. Moreover, from
(Business Green) Analyst firm Clean Edge reports 31 per cent increase in market for core renewables technologies during 2011 The global market for solar PV, wind energy, and biofuels grew 31 per cent during 2011 to almost $250bn (£160bn), according to
by Brian Jennings (American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...First, with E15 market ready in many states, the U.S. EPA ought to ensure summer Reid vapor pressure (RVP) limitations do not stand in the way of consumers having access
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...To open up the advanced biofuels session, Green Power asked the Digest to give a short overview on the state of advanced biofuels. In today’s Digest, we’d like to share the highlights from that 15-minute
by Robert Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...In my opinion, the delay in putting a bill on the table is caused by the fact that the ILUC ‘science’ is simply not conclusive. A study by the International Food Policy Research Institute
by Mike Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...In retrospect, the environmental war we have waged against petroleum, is perhaps a war that we should have avoided and instead focused on the real story of ethanol…its economic impact. Arguably, the reason ethanol
by Wayne Lee (Biorefining Magazine/Lee Enterprises Consulting) ...Since renewable fuels do not enjoy the longer-term subsidies and programs of oil, we are back asking Congress and the administration for some stability. ...First, we must understand that, oftentimes, renewable energy advances
by Nadim Chaudhry (Biofuels Digest/Greenpower Conferences) 1500 industry leaders expected to gather in Rotterdam as oil prices, aviation dominate thinking on growth, in 100-leader industry survey. As we gear up for the 2012 World Biofuels Markets event in Rotterdam, March 13-15, we asked
(Midwest Energy News) Military leaders are increasingly connecting the dots between energy, climate and national security issues. We’ve reported here before on the U.S. military’s push to go green with solar, biofuels and other renewable technologies. Across the pond, defense leaders in the United
by Leslie Brooks Suzakamo (TwinCities.com/Pioneer Press) A Colorado green fuels company wants a Minnesota ethanol law that expires at the end of the year to be extended and changed so gasoline can be blended with a new biofuel called butanol
(GreenAirOnline) A bill introduced into the US upper house by Republican Senator John Thune that would prohibit US aircraft operators from participating in the EU ETS has received backing from Senator Claire McCaskill, a Democrat. As the Democrats hold
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...It’s called FCP. You can’t buy it in a dime bag, and you can’t synthesize it from municipal solid waste. It’s not angel-investor dust. It costs a world. ...Doesn’t matter, you make it from one part
by Stu Ellis (FarmGateBlog) Every day supertankers full of $100 per barrel oil are docking at US ports where other supertankers full of $1 per gallon ethanol have just departed for overseas markets. While some folks have trouble understanding the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ol’ Gramps Gingrich gets feisty and forgetful on the stump, mocking Obama for reviving a Reagan Administration program for algal biofuels. Today, we look at the Gingrich Test. ...Speaker Gingrich jumped the shark this week, in
by Danny King (AutoBlogGreen) An ethanol advocacy group has got an unusual message: having 100 percent ethanol is a better way to cut gas prices and dependency on foreign oil than building the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline. E100 Ethanol Group,
by Anne Marie Edwards (DomesticFuel.com) Renewable Energy Group® (REG) has a new policy advocacy website designed to centralize the company’s constituents and rally support for biodiesel policy issues. The new site design allows supporters to sign up for informational updates and alerts and
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Ethanol has been scapegoated for just about every blip in food markets in recent years, but the question of whether that is fact or fabrication was taken on during the recent 17th annual National Ethanol Conference. In keeping
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Dozens of lawmakers have sent letters to the White House calling for an increase in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2013. A bipartisan group of 60 members of Congress on both the Senate side and the House signed letters urging
by Christopher Cundy (Environmental Finance) US rules on ethanol usage will favour Brazilian cane sugar producers and could lead to a surge in imports in the coming years, according to a research note from Rabobank International. However, if Brazilian imports do
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest) BIO’s industrial biotech czar says that governments should resist attempts to derail the commercialization of advanced biofuels, and not be beguiled by the Solyndra Syndrome In 2011, consumers spent a record $481 billion on gasoline ,
(Fleet News) Campaigners have accused the Treasury of ‘not doing its homework’ after analysis by the Save our Sustainable Biodiesel campaign identified a lack of demand for biodiesel certificates, calling into question the Treasury’s plans to switch incentives for used
by Charles Lane (The Washinton Post) OpEd: President Obama boasted at a United Auto Workers conference last week that General Motors was back in business, producing cutting-edge vehicles like the plug-in electric Chevrolet Volt. He even promised to buy one when his time
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In a Feb. 22 press call to discuss rising gas prices, the American Petroleum Institute’s chief economist, John Felmy, blamed crude oil prices for high prices at the pump, and said refinery closures and
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Forest Guild has released its report, “Forest Biomass Retention and Harvesting Guidelines for the Southeast,” identifying how expanding markets for forest bioenergy can enhance forests, while meeting the social and economic needs of
(Renewable Fuels Association) A coalition of national ethanol groups, along with California and Midwest farming groups, filed a brief urging the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a court-ordered injunction on the California Air Resource Board’s low-carbon fuel
by Felicity Carus (Aol Energy) Now that almost all the gasoline in the United States is blended with up to 10% ethanol, producers are looking to export markets and refiners are looking at retooling strategies to tap into the burgeoning second
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Supporters of the Open Fuel Standard Act are still working to get the bill passed into law, which would mandate increasing levels of new vehicles manufactured or sold in the U.S. be flex-fuel capable—able
by Former Sens. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) (Bipartisan Policy Center/The Hill) ...For example, both parties have helped raise fuel efficiency standards. First under President Bush in 2007, then under President Obama in 2010, America has vastly improved
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