By Brian Deese and Jason Furman (The Washington Post/senior adviser to President Obama/Council of Economic Advisers) ... A new report this week by the Council of Economic Advisers documents that this drop in consumption is one of the biggest surprises in
by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) Minnesota Senator Al Franken calls the revised Renewable Fuels Standard an improvement from EPA’s proposal two years ago but still a step backwards for the industry. Franken tells Brownfield he went right to President Obama after
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) Renewable fuels could be an issue in the race for the White House as indecisive voters in Iowa look for a way to whittle down a crowded field of Republican candidates, trade groups and polling
by Susanna Twidale and Barbara Lewis (Reuters) * Renewable energy to account for 15.3 percent in 2014 * France, Malta, Belgium and Spain also need to boost efforts * Transport challenge proving difficult (Adds reaction, detail on transport sector) The European
(ePURE) On the occasion of its annual general assembly, the European renewable ethanol association (ePURE) has today released its annual 2015 State of the Industry Report. The annual report offers a comprehensive look at the European ethanol industry, its market and policy
(Paultan.org) Following BMW Malaysia announcing it found “technical challenges” running its diesel engines on B10 biodiesel (10% palm-based biodiesel/90% petroleum diesel blend, will reportedly be implemented nationwide by October), and that its engines can take up to B7, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia,
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (FarmDocDaily) .. In our first farmdoc daily article (June 3, 2015) after the release of the (RVO) proposal, we analyzed whether the renewable (ethanol) mandates proposed by the EPA, while lower than statutory levels, were still
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On June 15, the USDA’s Office of Procurement and Property Management published two final rules in the Federal Register related to biobased products. One rule amends regulations concerning the voluntary labeling program for biobased products,
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On June 17, Fuels America hosted a press call during which American farmers and representatives of the biofuel industry discussed how legislative changes to the renewable fuel standard (RFS) would threaten America’s security, consumers, climate
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) U.S. EPA Acting Assistant Administrator Janet McCabe fielded dozens of hard questions and endured heavy scrutiny during a June 18 hearing held to discuss the agency’s management of the federal renewable fuel standard (RFS). Chairing the hearing
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) The lowest oil prices in over six years have fueled a resurgence in U.S. gasoline use in recent months as more Americans take to the road. Demand is expected to climb 1.5 percent this year to nearly
by David Morgan (Planet Ark) U.S. cars and light trucks will become more fuel efficient and safer -- but also more expensive -- by the end of the next decade, as a result of increasingly stringent environmental standards, a new research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Washington, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the release of a new report that shows the U.S. biobased industry in 2013 contributed four million jobs and $369 billion to the US economy. He also announced changes under
by Devin Henry (The Hill) Global warming is happening, human activity is causing it and more needs to be done, especially by the world’s governments and policymakers, to stop it, Pope Francis writes in his landmark encyclical on the environment,
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) The following are key excerpts from Pope Francis' Encyclical, “Laudato Si,” or “Praised Be,” in which he calls for renewable fuel use, energy efficiency, transition from harmful, smoky cooking fuels that foster deforestation, and other
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) NASCAR fans are serving as an important source for support of ethanol and letting the Obama Administration know their displeasure over the government’s proposal on how much of the green fuel is to be mixed into
Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in 2011 and this summer the rulemaking for the new act might finally be complete. Because it includes safety of animal food as well as human food,
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA has announced its intent to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) to assess the potential environmental consequences associated with proposed discretionary changes to the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. A public comment
(US Department of Agriculture) 2014 Farm Bill provisions will expand opportunities in the biobased sector by promoting advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals, and biobased product manufacturing efforts Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the release of a new report that shows the
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) Iowa's congressional delegation asked the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday to hold a hearing in the state about the agency's recent proposal lowering how much ethanol must be blended into the gasoline supply through
by Russell Hubbard (World-Herald) Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said on the last day of his European trade mission that federal rulings on ethanol mandates are obstructing the expansion of a growing Danish company with a substantial Cornhusker State presence. Novozymes, a
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) Oil companies ultimately recover their costs of complying with the U.S. biofuels program, according to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analysis that marks the regulator's clearest challenge yet to a key criticism of the policy. The report,
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) Oil traders are rushing to import ethanol from Brazil for the first time this year after U.S. regulators moved to increase use of advanced biofuel, opening a wide spread in the niche biofuel credits market. The premium
(Australian Associated Press/The Guardian) Queensland premier visits Pentagon in trade mission to US and says navy’s goal to shift to renewable energy could aid industry at home -- The US navy could help create a thriving biofuels industry in regional Queensland,
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On June 11, Fuels America hosted a conference call to discuss a memo from the U.S. EPA that demonstrates the renewable fuel standard (RFS) does not increase—and, in fact, works to decrease—retail gas prices. ... Geoff
by Kent Bushman (Salt Lake Tribune/Utah Farmers Union) ... And the news just keeps getting better, as new technologies are increasing ethanol yields while improving efficiencies and allowing ethanol biorefineries to make better use of natural resources. In fact, over the past
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, the Queensland state government has released the Towards a clean energy economy: achieving a biofuel mandate for Queensland discussion paper, which outlines key issues associated with the proposed mandate and provides details on the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Iowa, America’s Renewable Future (ARF) has publicly released a diverse coalition of partners that includes Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, Iowa Corn Growers, Growth Energy, and POET among many others. ARF released the following statement: “We
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA’s May 29 proposed renewable volume obligations (RVO) is under scrutiny by University of Illinois economists in recent FarmDocDaily posts. Jonathan Coppess examines the argument that EPA appears to be turning the
by Jennifer Yachnin (E&E/Governor's Wind Energy Coalition) Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Saturday pitched an aggressive commitment to promoting renewable energy, vowing to make the United States a “clean energy superpower” if she wins election to the White House
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Governors' Biofuels Coalition held a briefing examining the current state and potential future of the transportation fuel supply. While combustion engines are more efficient and cleaner
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) In the world of renewable jet fuel, hopes that the Environmental Protection Agency's finding that greenhouse gases from aircraft pose a risk to human health might lead to incentives for development and use of aviation
(My Sunshine Coast) KAP member for Mount Isa Rob Katter will be working hard at the bowsers tomorrow morning (June 9, 2015), pumping discount Ethanol fuel for Brisbane motorists to put to the test. Fueling up with Minister Mark Bailey and
by Valerie Volcovici (Planet Ark) Agency announces an Aug. 11 hearing, a 60-day window for the public to weigh in -- The Obama administration on Wednesday released a scientific finding that greenhouse gases from aircraft pose a risk to human health,
by Bill Brandon and Richard Ezike (Biofuels Digest) The debate touting butanol over ethanol as a ‘better’ fuel component has gone on for quite some time in biofuel circles. Those who support butanol point to three key factors: • Butanol has
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA recently published a notice in the Federal Register soliciting public comments on a proposed information collection request (ICR) related to the voluntary renewable identification number (RIN) quality assurance program under the
by Jan Koninckx (Des Moines Register/DuPont) ... With the vast majority of gas pumps only delivering gasoline that is a 10 percent ethanol blend (E10), consumers have been locked out of buying higher blends of renewable fuels. For blends like E15 and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Iowa, the state legislature passed legislation that allows E15 infrastructure investments to become eligible for Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure grants. Previously, the infrastructure program funds were only available for blender pumps and dispensers offering E85.
by Bill McKibben (350.org/The Washington Post) ... Exxon Mobil wouldn’t invest in renewable energy, ( Exxon Mobil CEO Rex) Tillerson said, because clean technologies don’t make enough money and rely on government mandates that were (remarkable choice of words) “not sustainable.” He
by Anna Yukhananov (Reuters) Governments around the world charge prices for energy that do not account for its harmful environmental, health and other side effects, amounting to a $5.3 trillion "post-tax" subsidy this year, the International Monetary Fund said in a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Sweden, St1 Biofuels Oy delivered its first Etanolix plant to North European Bio Tech Oy (NEB) in Gothenburg, which recycles feedstocks such as biowaste and process residue from local bakeries and bread from shops
(California Air Resources Board) At its July 2015 hearing, the California Air Resources Board (Board) will consider the re-adoption of the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Among the staff proposals the Board will be considering is the adoption of
(Diesel Technology Forum) Public funding provided over many years to incentivize the purchase of alternatives to diesel for heavy-duty trucks has barely made a small dent in introducing these alternatives into the vehicle population. Yet one alternative fuel is making
by Tony Moore (The Age) The Queensland Government wants to boost the proportion of sugarcane-derived ethanol in petrol sales from 1.2 per cent to 2 per cent by July 2016, as a catalyst to a $1.8 billion bio-refining industry. It wants to
(WNAX) National Corn Grower Association members are concerned with the recent volume proposal put out by the Environmental Protection Agency for the Renewable Fuel Standard. NCGA leaders say with their proposal, the EPA has cut 3.75 billion gallons of corn
by Brian West (Oak Ridge National Laboratory/AmazonAWS.com) Presentation for Hudson Institute Conference, "Fueling American Growth" May 7, 2015 READ MORE and MORE (SAE)
by Geoff Cooper (Des Moines Register) Letter to Editor: The Environmental Working Group’s claim that ethanol is worse for the climate than the Keystone pipeline is like saying apple juice is worse for the human body than arsenic. The Department of Energy’s
by Chuck Grassley (The Iowa Republican) ... Consumers like biofuels. The idea of a homegrown product that reduces emissions harmful to the environment and brings the United States freedom from volatile oil-producing countries is appealing. The EPA should know this. Instead, the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Anna Rath, CEO, NexSteppe; Jim Greenwood, CEO, BIO; and Dario Giordano, CEO, Beta Renewables step onto the stage at the World Bioenergy Leadership Forum in Seville to look at what’s next in feedstock, processing technology,
by Greg Norman (Mongabay.com) ... Cross River State, a coastal jurisdiction in southeastern Nigeria, still bears the marks of the country's agricultural heritage when it was the world's largest palm oil producer. That lasted until the late 1960s, when Malaysia and Indonesia
by Douglas Faulkner (Biofuels Digest) ... It’s easy now to forget that not too long ago the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush Administrations, joined by supportive Congresses, pursued the goal of ending our reliance on ever-growing imports of oil through
by Valerie Volcovici (Planet Ark/Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans as soon as Friday to determine whether carbon dioxide from aircraft endangers public health, a first step to regulating emissions from the aviation sector, sources familiar with the rulemaking
(TruckingInfo.com) Nebraska's Gov. Pete Ricketts has approved legislation that will establish a new program offering rebates for alternative-fuel vehicle conversions, according to documents from the state legislature. The legislation (L.B. 581), called the Nebraska Clean-Burning Motor Fuel Development Act, will allocate
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Portrait of a breakout: Amyris, Cosan JV launches “next generation of revolutionary oils” touting “unmatched value” and “unbeatable economics” ... Novvi’s 100 percent renewable PAO is a clean, direct replacement for conventional Group IV PAO base oils
by Ronnie Shows (The Daily Caller) As the first legislator to introduce a biofuels bill in the Mississippi State House, I am deeply concerned that the Obama administration is making a huge mistake when it comes to determining the United
by Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) Expansion in the U.S. ethanol industry, stuck in neutral for more than a year as the government debated biofuel blending requirements, is now likely to come to a screeching halt. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Consumer-driven changes peck their way up the food chain to distillers grains producers. ... The move to minimize or eliminate nontherapeutic use of antibiotics in meat production is a response to the increasing
by Ben Geman (National Journal) Natural-gas profits have Shell and BP, among others, calling for increased use of carbon-emissions fees ahead of a make-or-break climate summit in Paris. Six oil and gas giants based in Europe have delivered an unusual joint
by Joby Warrick (The Washington Post) ... Soaring demand for this woody fuel has led to the construction of more than two dozen pellet factories in the Southeast in the past decade, along with special port facilities in Virginia and Georgia
(Task 39 Newsletter) General introduction - A fossil free energy supply by 2050 -- In 2012, the Danish parliament decided on a new climate act, which calls for an energy supply totally free of fossil fuels by 2050. This goal
(Shift the Subsidies, Natural Resources Defense Council, Oil Change International, and World Wide Fund for Nature) Over the last eight years, as the scope of the climate crisis has deepened, nations of the world and particularly of the G20 and G7,
by Terence Creamer (Engineering News) ... For Illovo, meanwhile, electricity generation forms part of a larger downstream diversification strategy, designed to lower the group’s reliance on sugar prices. Besides power, the JSE-listed group is also moving to expand its ethanol production
by Paul Zorner and Martin Sabarsky (Star Advertiser) A decade ago, Hawaii made a commitment to producing and using more renewable fuels, for cleaner air, a cleaner environment, reduced dependence on oil and greater local economic security. It was then
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “EPA continues to assert authority under the general waiver provision to reduce biofuel volumes based on available infrastructure,” says BIO. “This is a point that will have to be litigated. It goes against Congressional intent.” In
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest up to $100 million in a Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership to support the infrastructure needed to make more renewable fuel options available
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) regrets that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in releasing renewable fuel volumes for 2014, 2015 and 2016, artificially caps renewable fuels at under 10 percent of the U.S.
by Mark Drajem (Bloomberg Business) Companies that make fuel from corn stalks or landfill gas say a federal program designed to help them has a loophole that is discouraging buyers. ... In addition, producers have been pushing the Environmental Protection Agency to close
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to inject $100 million in funding to get more ethanol at the gas pump, according to two industry sources, the latest push to get beyond a "blend wall" that
(Office of Congressman Collin Peterson) House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson today said the Renewable Fuels Standards (RFS) released today by the EPA will set back production of domestic renewable fuels and hurts the rural economy. Peterson’s statement is
(Environmental Protection Agency) Today the EPA announced proposed volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, and also proposed volume requirements for biomass-based diesel for 2017. The proposal would boost renewable fuel
(25 x '25) EPA's proposed biofuel blending requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, which were issued today, are, for the most, part a major disappointment and could, if not revised, make the
by Mark Drajem and Mario Parker (Bloomberg) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday proposed cutting quotas for the use of renewable fuels, lowering the mandate for corn ethanol this year and next from the 15 billion gallons set by
by Hilary Clinton (The Gazette) ... Domestic renewable fuel production has expanded by more than 350 percent over the past decade with enough supply in the market today to fuel more than 30 million cars. And today U.S. biofuels companies not
(Clean Technica) The global fossil fuel divestment campaign continues apace, with the University of Hawaii agreeing to divest from coal, oil, and gas companies, making it the largest university to do so. The University of Hawaii Board of Regents voted this
(Union of Concerned Scientists) The emissions and efficiency standards for vehicles have been a big success, according to a new analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Ten percent of new passenger cars and trucks sold today already meet
(Menthes Energies/Biodiesel Magazine) Methes Energies International Ltd. announced May 19 that it will start offering epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and natural polyol from its Sombra, Ontario, biodiesel facility. Both of these biobased products help address growing global demand for the
(Biofuels International) Palm oil is predominantly consumed for food applications, however in the last decade palm oil consumption for biofuels has increased considerably. According to Frost & Sullivan, global palm oil production is expected to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth
(University of Eastern Finland) ... Seita Romppanen presents in her doctoral dissertation that the European Union (EU) regulatory framework for biofuels has the potential to address its climate, energy and environmental objectives, but only if it is carefully tailored and
(Renewable Fuels Association) Retail gasoline prices from 2013 through the first quarter of 2015 were unaffected by prices for “RIN credits” (Renewable Identification Numbers) that are used to demonstrate compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), according to a new
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) submitted comments today to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressing support for a proposed legal agreement that sets specific deadlines for establishing Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Digest’s guide to the links between terror, petroleum dependence, economic stability, and military build-ups, as nations bear down in pursuit of energy security. In March 2014, Truman National Security Project executive director Mike Breen warned,
by Jeff Green/Angela Greiling Keane (Bloomberg) In a 2009 executive order, the president had called for 1 million plug-in vehicles on the road by 2015, but poor sales and lower gas prices have intervened. President Barack Obama's long-standing goal to have
by Charles Komanoff (Carbon Tax Center) It is true that the stroke of the presidential pen with which Barack Obama last week granted Shell Oil Corp. permission to drill off Alaska’s Arctic Coast cannot also put into force a U.S.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From remarks by Antonio De Palmas — president, Boeing Italy, at the World Bioenergy Leadership Forum ... Aviation is 2% of all 2010 CO2e emissions, expected to grow to 3.5% by 2030. We cannot accept
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... How does the European renewable fuels industry look at itself? Too focused on survival instead of growth? Too focused on sector competition instead of the transparency on carbon that leads to policy stability? Not focused
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Denmark, Novozymes and partners including the FAO, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), Bloomberg New Energy Finance, Carbon War Room, KLM and the UN Foundation announced the launch of a multi-stakeholder coalition to scale up
(Business Standard) The Road Transport and Highways Ministry today issued notification for mass emission standards for flex-fuel ethanol E85 and ED95, a move aimed at encouraging manufacturers make vehicles running on bio-ethanol. The Ministry has notified the test requirements for Type
(ABC Rural) The head of Queensland's only sorghum biorefinery says a mandate on ethanol in fuel is essential for the future of his business. It comes as the agriculture sector is shaping up for another round of fighting between two key
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) UN FAO, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, Carbon War Room, KLM, Novozymes and the UN Foundation partner to scale up the development and deployment of sustainable bioenergy solutions to meet the global need
(Argus Media) Ecuador's President Rafael Correa issued a decree that orders the gradual roll out of a 10pc ethanol blend nationwide, using the Argus US Gulf Coast ethanol price as an index. ... The Ecopais plan is aimed at reducing Ecuador´s growing
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) After a period of incredible profitability, leaders in the ethanol industry are better positioned for thinner margins. In an industry ruled by volatility, it’s important for producers to position themselves to take advantage of favorable
by Mary Landers (Florida Times/Union/Jacksonville.com) Kinder Morgan cites increased highway safety and possibly lower gasoline prices in region -- In an 11th-hour effort to show its Palmetto Pipeline is needed in Georgia, energy giant Kinder Morgan last week filed an addendum
by Robert Pore (The Independent) Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Adrian Smith are being applauded for their support of a a bill to expand the volatility waiver for blends of American Ethanol up to 15 percent (E15), ultimately increasing consumers’
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, has introduced legislation that aims to ensure emissions generated from sustainably harvested biomass would be considered carbon neutral under the U.S. EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan. The bill, known as “The
by Anne Weismann (Roll Call/ Campaign for Accountability) On June 1, the Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to release its new plan for implementing the Renewable Fuel Standard. ... When the number finally comes out, the American people might find out
by Jaclyn Brandt (Fierce Energy) Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has been working to increase the use of biomass in his state and the country, and has introduced another bill with the goal of improving technologies for woody biomass. The bill, the
(Diesel Technology Forum) Uncertainty Over Amount of Methane Emissions & Diesel Technology Efficiency Warrant Further Examination A new study published today said that switching from diesel to natural gas in heavy-duty trucks could worsen and accelerate negative climate impacts unless methane
(National Biodiesel Board) America’s advanced biofuel, biodiesel, is an alternative energy success story. It’s powering vehicles from coast to coast and replacing more than 1 billion gallons of petroleum every year. And to celebrate biodiesel’s benefits that touch cities and
by Linh Ta (Des Moines Register) ... One of the things that's helped rural small towns and farmers, particularly in Iowa, is the Renewable Fuel Standard, (former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick) Santorum said. By using ethanol to create independent energy and stable prices,
by Damian Carrington (The Guardian) ‘Shocking’ revelation finds $5.3tn subsidy estimate for 2015 is greater than the total health spending of all the world’s governments -- Fossil fuel companies are benefitting from global subsidies of $5.3tn (£3.4tn) a year, equivalent to $10m
(National Biodiesel Board) Change allows for more high quality Advanced Biofuel in Military Operations -- The Defense Logistics Agency took a major step forward in ensuring high quality biodiesel can be used seamlessly in military bases across the country. DLA, the
by Corrine Young and Michele Jalbert (Renewable Chemicals and Advanced Materials Alliance (re:chem)/Biofuels Digest) ... Program changes garnered in the most recent Farm Bill reauthorization have, for the first time, broadened the loan guarantee program to include renewable chemicals and biobased products
by Osaretin Omorodion* (Advanced Biofuels USA) During late March 2015, the US Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) offered what amounted to a seminar for the public consisting of a series of presentations from industry professionals and researchers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s the latest with such projects such as Frontline BioEnergy, Myriant, POET-DSM, INEOS Bio, Sapphire Energy, Abengoa, Haldor Topsoe, UOP. ZeaChem, Mercurius, and American Process, among others? In Washington this June 25th, the Department of Energy
(American Council on Renewable Energy) ACORE Brings Together Biofuel Industry to Publish Comments Addressing RFS Rules -- Industry leaders and ACORE members take up issues with co-location requirements under the RFS which impede advanced biofuels development. Today, the American Council On Renewable
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) In a May 8 letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Senators Markey and Warren, both Democrats from Massachusetts, question the value of bioenergy, energy sourced from cellulosic and woody material, primarily wood waste from the
by Jeff Jeffrey (Triangle Business Journal) With crude oil prices hovering around $60 per barrel, policymakers may not feel as much pressure to embrace renewable forms of energy. But bioenergy experts say it would be a mistake for NorthCarolina to step
(SCOPE) Bioenergy & Sustainability is a collective effort with contributions from 137 researchers of 82 institutions in 24 countries. The volume is the outcome of an assessment that included a meeting held at UNESCO, Paris, in December 2013. Fifty experts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Electrics, fuel cell vehicles, smart cars, biofuels for road and sky, and greening the grid come under the microscope Down Under. In Sydney this week, a number of US and Australian leaders gathered at the
(World Bank) Getting to zero net emissions and stabilizing climate change starts with planning for the long-term future and not stopping at short-term goals. It means getting prices right as part of a broad policy package that can trigger changes in
(US DOE Energy Information Administration) In 2014, U.S. fuel ethanol production reached 14.3 billion gallons of ethanol fuel, the highest level ever. The growth in U.S. fuel ethanol production has outpaced growth in corn consumed as feedstock—as the industry has
(Algae Biomass Organization) Addition of just 12 words could accelerate pace of large scale, emissions reducing algae projects at fossil fired power plants -- The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the US algae industry, today applauded new legislation
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ... Joining Sen. Heitkamp were Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Al Franken (D-MN), as well as biodiesel producers, who also stressed how the uncertainty caused by EPA’s misguided
by Anne Steckel (The Hill/National Biodiesel Board) ... Specifically, the Energy Independence and Security Act was passed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush because they all understood that our addiction to
(Marketwatch/Aemetis) Aemetis, Inc. AMTX, -1.03% an advanced renewable fuels and biochemicals company, today announced that biodiesel sales activity is accelerating in India with truck operators in the logistics industry. Aemetis has expanded sales activity in India since January 2015 when the
by Linda Ensor (Business Day Live) ... The diversification plans included using sugar cane to produce bio-ethanol and to generate renewable electricity. This would also improve the long term viability of the industry, chairman of the South African Sugar Association Rolf Lütge
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... ODEQ is the regulatory agency that oversees the Oregon Clean Fuels Program, Oregon’s version of the low carbon fuel standards. The program’s goal is to reduce the carbon intensity of Oregon’s transportation fuels by
by Scott Waldman (Capital New York) ... The Department of Environmental Conservation released the 2,000-page final Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement for fracking, which opponents and proponents around the country have been awaiting since Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a ban on fracking
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine/Ethanol Producer Magazine) On May 12, representatives of two biofuel trade organizations discussed the choice the White House and U.S. EPA face in proposing upcoming renewable volume requirements (RVOs) under the renewable fuel standard. Bob Dinneen, president
by Wendy Culverwell (Portland Business Journal) A Eugene biofuel company that converts used cooking oil into fuel is in expansion mode thanks to Oregon’s Clean Fuels program. SeQuential Pacific Biofuels expanded its production capacity in anticipation the new law will
Amanda Peterka (E&E Publishing) ... Refiners aren't buying cellulosic fuel credits through the renewable fuel standard program for what the company produces. And so Quad County has received as much as $600,000 less than expected for its wares -- a shortfall
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) ... Over the past few months, privately held retailers Kum & Go and Sheetz have become the first significant chains to announce plans to start selling E15, a gasoline with 15 percent of ethanol, 50 percent more
by Damian Carrington and Harry Davies (The Guardian/MSN.com) The world’s biggest and most profitable fossil fuel companies are receiving huge and rising subsidies from US taxpayers, a practice slammed as absurd by a presidential candidate given the threat of climate change.
by Robbie Blake (Friends of the Earth/Inter Press Service News Agency) Last week, the European Union reached a momentous decision to finally agree a reform to its disastrous biofuels legislation, signalling Europe’s U-turn on the burning of crops for biofuels. In
(Renault Trucks) Renault Trucks and the Rave group presented Airbus with the keys to their new fleet of six Euro 6 Biodiesel vehicles on Tuesday 5 May. Rave won the invitation to tender launched by the aircraft manufacturer in Toulouse with
(Radio Prague) In a dramatic about turn, finance minister Andrej Babiš says he now wants to halt tax support for biofuel from July. He has been stung by charges that prolonging support puts him in a clear conflict of interest
by John Siciliano (The Examiner) The Environmental Protection Agency's attempts to get its flagship renewable fuel program back on track is coming at a price for the biofuel industry it has sought to support. In the nearly two years that the EPA
(PaperAge) Södra and Statkraft have signed a cooperation agreement to start a jointly-owned company for the future production of biofuel at the former Tofte pulp mill in Norway. The company will be named Silva Green Fuel AS, and will be 49-percent
by Dave Dreeszen (Sioux City Journal) Durham (Debi Durham, the state's economic development director), a former Siouxland Chamber of Commerce president, is championing legislation that would set aside up to $15 million in tax credits per year to encourage ethanol and biodiesel
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Europe, E4tech has just completed a new study, ‘From the Sugar Platform to biofuels and biochemicals’ for the European Commission (DG ENER), a comprehensive evidence base for policymakers and industry. The report found that the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, news arrives from Joule that the company’s CO2-recycled ethanol meets US and European fuel specifications. No one is dying of surprise that they would do so, but getting Joule fuels registered for commercial
by Sara Stefanini and Kalina Oroshakoff (Politico.EU) The Tories victory in the UK general election creates worries that the country will not reach its 2020 renewable energy targets. ... The cost of closing that gap in the next five years may be
By Tim Searchinger and Lyndon Estes (The Washington Post/Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs) In recent years, as governments have begun to protect tropical forests because of the carbon they store, other vast tropical ecosystems have
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... And while not a major focus of the report, the QER contains language pertaining to biofuels and bioenergy which give some hints as to the top-level goals for DOE for biofuels and biomass power. ... The
by Kathie Obradovich (Des Moines Register) In his first trip to Iowa as an official presidential candidate, Republican Ben Carson waded into the shark-infested ethanol issue up to his neck and then did a leisurely lap around the climate change
(American Coalition for Ethanol) ACE ad highlights how RFS is an example of policy done right. Capitalizing on President Barack Obama’s visit to Watertown, South Dakota, the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) placed a full page advertisement in the May
(E&ETV/OnPoint) ... Anne Steckel, vice president of federal affairs at the National Biodiesel Board, discusses the challenges facing the industry as it awaits EPA's decision and talks about why she believes the industry can meet increased volume requirements. ... Senator Heidi Heitkamp wrote
John M. Urbanchuk and Stuart D. Norvell (Agriculture and Biofuels Consulting, LLP/ Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) From the farm to the fuel pump, the ethanol industry is a vital component of Minnesota’s economy. Ethanol plants provide jobs and income not only for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development(DEED)is the state’s principal economic development agency. ... My role as the industry specialist with DEED is to continue to expand Minnesota’s bioindustrial cluster through strategies that include: 1. Providing
by Kym Agius (ABC) Motorist lobby group RACQ has done an about turn to finally support an ethanol mandate across Queensland's fuel supply. All political parties in Parliament on Wednesday supported a motion setting an 'intention' to introduce the mandate, but
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Alaska Airlines ups the ante in the search for sustainable, affordable jet fuels. In Colorado, Gevo and Alaska Airlines announced a strategic alliance to purchase Gevo’s renewable jet fuel and fly the first-ever commercial flight on
By Olivia Garnett (ABC) After a lull in demand, Australia's biggest market for tallow is slowly cranking up again. Inedible tallow is rendered livestock fat and offal that demands big dollars in Singapore, where it is converted into biodiesel. "It's the pieces
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) The Obama administration is conducting the last step in its review of proposed annual ethanol blending mandates for three separate years. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent the proposal, which has not been revealed publicly,
(Daily Mercury) The Queensland government has recommitted to ethanol and biofuels with the announcement of a discussion paper looking to boost the industry. Energy Minister Mark Bailey was at Wilmar BioEthanol site earlier today to make the announcement. Although Mr Bailey said it
(Norwegian University of Science and Technology/Phys.Org) The oil industry believes biodiesel is not to blame for problems that Norwegian car owners are experiencing. But the nature of the fuel means that it has to be handled differently than regular petroleum-based
(National Biodiesel Board) Biodiesel fans, we need your help. Producers of America's first advanced biofuel to reach full commercial distribution have been left in limbo since rumors surfaced in 2013 that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was planning to scale
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) There has been a great deal of conversation around the speech I recently gave at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. I would like to further explain some of the key
By Bob Cleaves (Biomass Magazine) Biomass Power Association President Bob Cleaves discusses ongoing policy and regulatory discussions affecting the industry. ... In late March, we testified at the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board meeting to review the Framework for Assessing Biogenic CO2
by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) A cutting-edge waste-to-energy venture at an Oregon landfill will channel flared gas into ethanol production, and potentially other renewable fuels if future markets are favorable. ... At Knott Landfill in Bend, Oregon, Waste to Energy Group is hoping
By Udeme Clement (Vanguard) Dr. Babatunde Obada is Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Global Biofuels Limited, a biofuels company in Nigeria. He speaks on the passage of 2015 Budget by the Senate without allocation for fuel subsidy, recurring
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