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
(Algae Industry Magazine) In the aviation biofuels market, as goes Boeing, so goes the industry. Boeing was a founding member of the Algal Biomess Organization (ABO) and is committed to a future of renewable fuels. “Without biofuels we cannot get
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There are no shortage of reasons why high-yield biofuels, particularly microalgae, continue to fascinate practically everyone in the pursuit of alternative energy. Carbon fixation, water remediation, local economic opportunity are among the many offered fruits. But
(American Soybean Association) The American Soybean Association (ASA), joined by other U.S. oilseed producer and industry organizations, has expressed serious concerns to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk about the requirements
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Good news: Advances in processing technology In the past year, we’ve seen costs coming down across the line. Last spring, new cellulosic ethanol enzyme collections appeared from the likes of Novozymes and Genencor, with the
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Twenty-seven percent of Americans expect that gas prices will reach $5 or more a gallon this year and another 37 percent anticipate prices to reach $3.75 to $4 a gallon. Only 8 percent of
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association) ...As a result, many in the industrial meat sector, along with junk food processers and other food manufacturers are once again seeking to blame ethanol for the spike in corn prices and the subsequent
(DuPont) DuPont is uniquely positioned to deliver clean technology opportunities, including both advanced biomaterials and biofuels, DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig F. Binetti told attendees at the Jeffries 11th Annual Clean Technology Conference. “We are meeting the growing demand for reducing dependence
(Diesel Technology Forum) An interesting White Paper by Serj Berelson concludes that the State of California would benefit from implementing new policies to promote the use of diesel and biodiesel-powered vehicles to assist California’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions
(Western Farm Press) A coalition of 34 U.S. governors from Washington to New York to Texas have called on U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to alter the way his department reports the use of corn for ethanol production. They argue
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) Oilseed growers, led by the American Soybean Association (ASA), have raised concerns with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk over the European Union’s (EU) Renewable Energy
By Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck (Reuters/Forexyard) European bioethanol producers will decide by the end of March whether to file a legal complaint with the European Commission over U.S. subsidies, the EU's main bioethanol lobby said. Producers such as Germany's CropEnergies and Spain's
by Marc Chase (NWI Times) Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. expressed reservation at signing a 20-year agreement to commit his city's trash to a process that remains commercially unproven. "I talk to smart people that know what they're talking about, and
by Nathanael Greene (Natural Resources Defense Council Representative) Greene begins by making the point that “long-term environmental imperatives” need to be applied at a global level, and that bioenergy must be an integral part of a sustainable future. Bioenergy needs to
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association/Baltimore Sun) The Sun may have cut back its foreign bureaus, but your editorial writers ("End subsidies for corn-based ethanol," March 14) must still be aware of the turmoil in North Africa and the Middle
(Wallaces Farmer) ...NCGA (National Corn Growers Association) delegates attending the meeting in Tampa, Fla., adopted ethanol policy that states "NCGA supports reforming existing ethanol tax policy. Ideas to replace existing tax law, in the following priority order, should be a variable
by Nigel Hunt (Reuters) Biofuels represent the only way to significantly reduce carbon emissions in road transport fuel and are likely to account for at least 12 percent of supply by 2030, an official with oil giant BP said on Wednesday. "There
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) t may not be sexy, but with higher energy density than ethanol, a wide range of available feedstocks, comparatively low-tech processing and growing evidence of its climate and air quality benefits, biodiesel is here now
By Kevin Hursh (Postmedia News/Montreal Gazette) ...The ethanol industry, particularly in the U.S., is a prime target of those who worry about food prices. About 37 per cent of the American corn crop goes to making ethanol. Cancelling the ethanol incentives
(Solutions from the Land) Sustainable solutions to the challenges of food and energy security, economic development, biodiversity conservation and climate change are the goals of a coalition of resource organizations that was formally announced February 15, 2011. The Solutions from
By Stephanie Dreyer (Growth Energy/RenewableEnergyWorld.com) Smithfield, the world's largest producer and processor of pork, reported record profits this quarter as the global economy continues to recover and exports rise. ...Despite these record earnings, just yesterday the American Meat Institute supported legislation introduced from Senators
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Tom Buis, CEO, Growth Energy: “Anyone who blames ethanol for pain at the pump simply hasn’t looked at the market, where ethanol is historically cheaper than gasoline. In fact, ethanol is the cheapest motor fuel
(IEA Bioenergy) The IEA Bioenergy 2010 Annual Report includes a special feature article 'Algal Biofuels Status and Prospects' prepared by Task 39. The Annual Report also includes a report from the Executive Committee and a detailed progress report on each of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Solazyme announced today the execution of both a joint development agreement and a letter of intent with Dow Chemical, to use Solazyme’s algal oils in next generation, bio-based dielectric insulating fluids key to
by Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa) At a political event in central Iowa last night, former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer promised to end ethanol subsidies if he’s elected president. Roemer’s comment didn’t wow the crowd in the heart of the nation’s
(National Biodiesel Board) Thanks to biodiesel, soybean oil and meal economics favor the livestock industry concludes a study released today. In addition without America’s advanced biofuel in the marketplace higher soybean meal prices could have cost the livestock industry $4.8 billion
by Elana Shor (Greenwire/New York Times) ...Major oil companies, Hartwig added, "make $50 billion a quarter in profits, yet still get billions of dollars of permanent subsidies in the tax code each and every year. Is that a wise
by Michael Kanellos (GreenTechMedia) Enzymes will take off once the cellulosic economy gets moving, says Alan Shaw. ...Codexis meanwhile, has seen its stock go to $10.56, or $2.50 below the IPO price. CEO Alan Shaw, however, says that one has to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Reporter Bob Brooks followed up on the Digest’s story on phosphorus reserves with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, asking about opportunities with and research in aqua farming and salt-water tolerant species. “USDA’s scope is limited to
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) ...“It is irritating to me that we have to read about this all the time, because what it is basically is saying is that the folks advancing this argument either do not understand or do not
by Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind (IndyStar) ...Washington over the years has failed to focus sufficient attention on our oil vulnerability and generate momentum behind substantive, concrete proposals with definable goals. In 1999, former CIA director James Woolsey and I published
by David Hallberg (JournalStar) Regarding "Figuring out the ethanol scam" (Local View, Feb. 26): Next time William Stone should do his homework before he tries to help people with distorted facts. To begin, he should honestly define gasoline for his readers. It
by Mike Doherty (Illinois Farm Bureau/Chicago Tribune) I read your editorial "Burning Dinner" and question your implication that farmers are diverting corn toward fuel production that otherwise would be used to feed a hungry world. First of all, the public should
by Niu Shuping and Li Ran (Reuters) China's largest animal feed producer, New Hope Group, called on the government to stop its anti-dumping investigation against exports of U.S. DDGS, a by-product of corn-based ethanol used to substitute corn by feed
by Gene L. Dodaro (Comptroller General of the United States/US Government Accountability Office) ...Domestic ethanol production: Congress supported domestic ethanol production through a $5.4 billion tax credit program in 2010 and through a renewable fuel standard that applies to transportation fuels used in
by Dawson Williams (Carbon Advisory Services/Biofuels Digest) ...It may be not so long in coming considering the volumes of biotech crops and their lower energy footprints. Should there be a new commodity contract that captures the market value of these
by Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP (Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change/CentreForum) ...Policymakers around the world understand that climate change is real, is happening, and is worth defending ourselves against. ...What does a low carbon economy look like?
by General K. Wesley Clark (Ret.) (Growth Energy/Biofuels Digest) ...(E)very Administration has warned of America’s addiction to foreign oil but none has dealt successfully with it. ... And today we are paying the price. We have seen our military presence in the
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ...(T)he 2011 National Ethanol Conferenceconcluded with a lively panel discussion featuring global ethanol leaders. Those on the panel were (LtoR) George Fitch, Director of theCaribbean Basic Ethanol Producers Association; Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association;
(European Biofuels Technology Platform) The mission of the European Biofuels Technology Platform (EBTP) is to contribute to the development of cost-competitive, world-class biofuels technologies, to the creation of a healthy biofuels industry and to accelerate the deployment of sustainable biofuels
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian) When biofuels match oil on price, production could boom in the developing countries that also have the greatest need to boost food supply The production of biofuels, good thing or not, will be decided by the setting
by Thomas Saidak (Biofuels Digest) In New York, DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig F. Binetti, speaking at the Jeffries 11th Annual Clean Technology Conference, talked about Dupont’s intentions regarding biotechnology and biofuels. Dupont currently estimates the biofuels industry worldwide will
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has scheduled an independent peer review meeting for March 14 to review a draft report it is preparing for Congress which will detail the current and potential future environmental impacts associated
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A unified biofuels policy? The hour is nigh. As Benjamin Franklin was reputed to say at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, a coalition of 90 organizations urged Congress to let the refundable Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) expire and to resist calls for spending on infrastructure for conventional biofuels. The coalition says: “Congress has
by Martin LaMonica (GreenTech) Green-technology proponents need a better way to make their case, according to Arnold Schwarzenegger...The former California governor and movie star gave a keynote talk at the ARPA-E Summit here, alternating between funny one-liners and serious discussion
by Ben Lefebvre and Tom Polansek (Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal) A spike in crude oil prices is boosting already record demand for ethanol as the corn-based fuel additive increasingly becomes cheaper than gasoline. Yet U.S. ethanol producers have all but saturated
(Growth Energy) Today, as Congress returns to Washington, DC, we are sending lawmakers a timely message through a strategic ad campaign: “Say No to OPEC – Say Yes to America.” The ad campaign includes a display ad in Roll Call and
by Andrew Kaiser (OregonLive.com) ...America is addicted to cars. And why shouldn't we be? Cars get us where we want to go quickly and safely. Cars offer enjoyment and, like the clothes we wear, can serve as an outward reflection
by Tim Sklar (Biofuels Digest) ...In Part 3 titled “Quantifying Risk Using Robust Financial Models”, insights are presented as to the how financial modeling can be used in quantifying risk and identifying “Deal Breakers”. In the sub-section titled “The Anatomy
by Robert Rapier (R Squared/Consumer Energy Report) ...When I am asked to comment on a press release, I try to be cautious with my opinions until I have peeled the onion a bit. There are technologies with real potential, and
(GreenAirOnline) According to a report by carbon offsetting company Carbon Retirement, the United Kingdom has earned more than one billion euros ($1.35bn) from the auction of EU Allowances since its first auction in Phase II of the EU Emissions Trading
by Henry Blodget (Huffington Post) ...Over the long term, of course, given a finite supply of oil and ever-increasing demand for it, oil prices are going to keep on rising. And remaining in denial about that -- and postponing the
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Former President Bill Clinton sounded a warning today on the impact that biofuels can have on global food prices and political stability. “We have to become energy independent but we don’t want to do
by Tim Sklar (Biofuels Digest) In Part I of this three part article titled“On Identifying Risks”, discussions were included that focused upon the high risk nature of advanced bio-refinery projects, why financing is hard to obtain what can be done to improve
by Phil Brasher (Des Moines Register) Cutting the deficit is more important than protecting the ethanol industry if it comes to that, says Sen. Chuck Grassley, long the biofuel industry's most powerful ally in Congress. Grassley said Tuesday that he would
by Tim Sklar (Biofuels Digest) ...The purpose of this three-part article is to provide project sponsors and developers of advanced bio-refinery projects with information and guidance in order to improve their prospects for obtaining project financing. It is believed that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The response to all this worry over oil? The United States House of Representatives in a new series of measures just passed, is doing its level best to ensure the failure of the only at-scale,
by William R. Stone, Jr. (Journal Star) ...As an old ranch hand, I've never made much of being an environmentalist, but I support protecting the environment more than most of the rabid environmentalists I've met. So since ethanol became available
by Dan Chapman (AJC/Atlanta Business News) ...One day, the dreamers said, Georgia would turn corn, pine trees, yeast, soy beans, peanut shells — any rapidly grown feed stock — into gasoline for cars or diesel for trucks. Alternative energy factories
by Andrea Shalal-Esa (Reuters) Oil price rises spurred by spreading unrest in the Middle East underscore why the U.S. military should reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, said U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. Every $10 increase in the price of a
by General Wesley Clark (Politico) ...How long chaos continues in that critical corner of that world remains unknown. But one thing is certain: As long as there is chaos and fears of access to Mid East oil upsets the market,
by Mike Casey (Renewable Energy World) The national conversation about wasteful welfare for highly profitable dirty energy corporations has gone from the dramatic statement by the Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency that fossil fuel subsidies are one of the
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Part II: An Interview with Mike Lynch, Managing Director of NASCAR’s Green Initiative When we met with Mike Lynch last week at Daytona Speedway we spoke with him about some of the controversies, such
by Orrie Swayze (Ag Week) America’s corn crop is a miracle crop that, on a sustainable, per-acre basis, grows three times as much grain and creates three times as much soil organic matter by capturing three times as much carbon as
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...(S)till under fire is CARB’s final ruling on the carbon intensity levels given for ethanol and biodiesel. When CARB determined the original levels of corn ethanol, it essentially barred the fuel from qualifying as a low
(CalSTEP) Former Sec Shultz and Panel Cite Skyrocketing State Oil Imports, Price Shocks, Federal Inaction in Report A diverse group of leaders, including President Reagan’s Secretary of State, released a report today that said California would benefit if it took a
by Vinod Khosla (GreenTechMedia) Mr. Khosla comes out swinging at the Wall Street Journal’s take on Range Fuels and biofuels. ...Regarding certain “facts” in the editorial, “The Range Fuels Fiasco” (Review & Outlook, Feb. 10): The WSJ persists in mischaracterizing my relationship
(Renewable Fuels Association) While the rest of the economy slowly recovers, American ethanol production has been an economic success story. With ethanol plants operating and being built in 29 states, the economic benefits of domestic ethanol production are having an
by Mary Rosenthal (Algal Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) ...(T)argeted investments in clean energy technologies like advanced biofuels, including those derived from algae, will grow our country’s economy, foster the creation of new industries, create tens of thousands of jobs in the
by Courtney Blanchard (Telegraph Herald) Senator rejects new criticism of U.S. ethanol policy that comes after reports of low corn reserves. Near record-high corn prices and the lowest reserves in 15 years have reinvigorated the debate over ethanol. U.S. Sen. Chuck
(The Age) Federal independent MP Bob Katter has urged the Australian Workers' Union to help save Queensland's sugar industry from ruin by campaigning for wider ethanol use. "At this point of time in Queensland, the sugar industry is a bigger employer
by Peter Brown (Biofuels Digest) ...Walking the floor at the NBB last week, speaking with exhibitors, buyers and sellers, and the broad Biodiesel community in general, one topic was raised time and again: the parlous state of project financing. While the
by Daniel Looker (Agriculture.com) On a day when Libya teeters on the brink of civil war and cuts oil production, Retired Vice Admiral Denny McGinn takes little comfort from an announcement by the remaining members of OPEC that it will
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...(M)ost of the food vs fuel stories archived on the web were dated either 2008 or 2011, and that many seemed remarkably similar. That’s when it dawned on me that very few people want
by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters) ..."The fact is the industry has pretty much been built," USDA Chief Economist Joe Glauber told reporters on the sidelines of a Commodity Markets Council conference. "This isn't a question of just saying 'cut it off.'
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Essentially, despite rising banking sector profits and good results from stress tests, the bank financing market has not returned for biofuels – the financing source for whom the USDA loan guarantee was developed in the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...From the low points like the closure of the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Aquatic Species Program to highs like 2009′s “Summer of Algae”, aquatic organisms from cyanobacteria to macroalgae have maintained a hold
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The dialogue over the opportunities for biofuels continues to veer, as ever, away from the technology itself, or any emission-reducing or security-enhancing attributes of the fuel – and comes down to two questions. Can biofuels
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/Renewable Energy World) That is the promise of advanced biofuels and the focus to date has been on the technological challenges of producing high quality biofuels in a way that is both sustainable and
by Bill Brandon (Advanced Biofuels USA) On February 10 & 11, about 120 participants gathered in chilly Chicago for the first Municipal Solid Waste to Biofuels Summit presented by the British firm, Eye for Energy. The conference drew participants from
by Nigel Hunt (Reuters) * UK wheat yields seen having potential to rise * EU biofuel expansion seen mainly based on bioethanol * Higher percentage of equity used in financing project Britain can grow enough wheat to supply the needs of food, feed
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) ...“If weather blesses the world with bountiful crops in 2011,” writes Economic Times commodities editor Nidhi Nath Srinivas, “and that’s a giant if, they will first replenish exhausted stocks in the trading pipelines. Globally,
(25 x '25) Last week, USDA reported that surplus corn stocks have hit their lowest point since 1995 and corn prices have risen from $3.50 per bushel in July 2010, to $6.10 in January 2011. Critics of biofuels charge that
by Chris Woodyard (USA Today) Just because General Motors (GM) is touting its Chevrolet Volt electric car technology, it hasn't stopped pursuing other energy alternatives, from hydrogen fuel cells to natural gas, General Motors CEO Dan Akerson said Wednesday. ... •Hydrogen. While "There
by Jenny Mandel (New York Times/Greenwire) Conducting in-depth life-cycle assessments of the environmental impacts of biofuels is complicated, and new research suggests some questions in comparing biofuels to alternatives like petroleum-based fuels will never be answered. Furthermore, one study argues, consumer
by Andrew Restuccia (The Hill/E2Wire) Top Senate Democrats are calling on House Republicans to agree to a plan to eliminate oil industry tax breaks as a means of reducing the deficit. The proposal comes as House Republicans have pledged to cut
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In Washington, there’s chaos this week, as members of the House of Representatives offer dozens, if not hundreds, of amendments to the continuing budget resolution designed to keep the government funded while the country hammers
(Royal Dutch Shell) Shell, February 14, 2011, published Signals and Signposts - a report into future energy scenarios which offers a deeper understanding of global developments and the world's energy supply, use and needs. They help us to make crucial choices in
by Al Maiorino (Public Strategy Group/Algae Industry Magazine) ...Despite the fact that the new plant would generate clean energy, increase the tax revenue and improve the local economy, the community doesn’t seem to understand these benefits. The residents say the
by Tim Searchinger (op ed The Washington Post) ...Agricultural production is keeping up in general with the growing demand for food - but it keeps up with the added demand for biofuels only if growing weather is good. ...Higher fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...RINs- those pesky Renewable Information Numbers that have so many digits they give 140-character tweets on Twitter a run for their money. The bar code of biofuels – the thing that virtually no one understands,
(Algal Biomass Organization) We support the EPA's effort to quantify the potential for algal biomass to serve as a long term, viable option for low carbon fuel and the potential environmental impacts of algae-to-fuel technologies. The authors of the study focused
by Paul Bertorelli (AV Webinsider) ...There are aspects of this story that I find encouraging and some that I find worrisome. Specifically, the sheer amount of research work in this area is staggering. There are probably dozens of processes using just
(Science Daily) A new study by some of the world's top experts on forest governance finds fault with a spate of international accords, and helps explain their failure to stop rampant destruction of the world's most vulnerable forests. The report
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