by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) A friendly meeting at the White House with former secretary of State James Baker and fellow Republicans pushing a carbon tax has underscored the increasingly tense relationship between President Donald Trump's moderate and hardline
by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) National Farmers Union called for the U.S. EPA to open the market to higher blends of ethanol in a landmark resolution passed during the group’s annual meeting held last week in San Diego. "National Farmers
(Ethanol Producer Magazine) Nearly two dozen U.S. senators have signed a letter advising President Trump not to change the federal biofuels program's longtime compliance protocol. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., today led 23 senators in a bipartisan
by Zachary Mider and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Special adviser to president urges change in EPA rule; ‘It’s bothersome that one guy can control RIN markets’ -- Carl Icahn, the billionaire investor and adviser to President Donald Trump, said he’s betting
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s up at the DOE? Bioenergy Technologies Office Director Jonathan Male answered the question in this update, given at ABLC 2017 in Washington. In this deck, he looks at milestones ahead, programs, goals and challenges.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Good-bye ARPA-E, DOE, Loan Guarantee program, Energy Star, OPIC, USTDA, NEA, and the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program. Even Big Bird gets the guillotine. In Washington, the White House released its budget requests for 2018,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the High Octane Alliance called the Trump Administration’s recall the fuel economy rule “an important first step in achieving realistic reductions in fuel consumption.” Alliance Chairman Tom Daschle said the recall was necessary due
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy recently filed comments and exhibits to Canada’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change on the Canadian province of Ontario’s discussion paper, “Developing a Modern Renewable Fuel Standard for Gasoline in Ontario.” The comments focused on the
by Sandeep Chaturvedi (Biodiesel Association of India/Financial Express) Rapidly increasing vehicular pollution and complete neglect by the authorities to take pollution-reduction measures over the past few decades have resulted in deterioration of ambient air quality across the country. A recent
by Chris Mooney (The Washington Post) President Trump has moved to fill just one of 46 key science and technology positions that help the government counter risks ranging from chemical and biological attacks to rising seas, a Washington Post analysis has found. The
by Celia DuBose (California Biodiesel Alliance/Biodiesel Magazine) Jennifer Case, chair of the California Biodiesel Alliance, ended her opening address at the sixth annual California Biodiesel Conference March 1 in Sacramento with one simple message: The world of biodiesel is trending up.
(Government of Canada/CNW) Investments support Canadian-based technologies and create opportunities for businesses to grow and contribute to clean economic growth. -- Technology and the innovation it helps promote are key to the future of Canada's economy. This is why the
(Office of Congressman Bob Goodlatte) (R-Va 6)) Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Steve Womack (R-Ark.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) released the following statement today after reintroducing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Reform Act (H.R. 1315): “The Renewable Fuel Standard
(VnExpress) After years failing to promote ethanol blended fuel, the government makes a big move. After more than two years failing to promote a locally-produced biofuel product in major cities, Vietnam has announced an even more ambitious plan: a national switch. The
by Liz Gyekye (Bioenergy Insight) More than 125 academics have joined the International Energy Agency Bioenergy Technology Collaboration Programme (IEA Bioenergy) slamming Chatham House’s recent report on bioenergy, calling it ‘misleading. The group of academics from across the world and the IEA
(Bergeson & Campbell) On March 9, 2017, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) published a report entitled Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology, prepared by the Committee on Future Biotechnology Products and Opportunities to Enhance Capabilities
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe/National Renewable Energy Laboratory) The reports tracks the status of non-starch alcohol and renewable hydrocarbon projects. What it is: Publicly available annual report summarizing U.S. advanced biorefinery projects and global trends in the deployment of commercial technologies as of year-end
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) ... Glenn Coffee and Crystal Coon, through their firm, Coffee Group, filed paperwork this week with Congress to represent Oklahoma-based gasoline station and convenience store owner QuikTrip Corp. on issues related to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Pruitt
by Hannah Black and Sarantis Michalopoulos (EurActiv) In sectors like aviation where decarbonisation options are limited, there is a strategic advantage in encouraging the use of biofuels, a European Commission official has said. The aviation sector is dependent on liquid fuels
by Joe Ryan (Bloomberg) Draft statement encourages private funding for climate change; Previous communique emphasized strong government support -- Finance ministers for the U.S., China, Germany and other members of the Group of 20 economies may scale back a robust
by Ryan Beene (Bloomberg) Regulator report shows U.S. fleet to fall below mileage target; Results may feed debate over Obama auto-efficiency standards -- Cars and light trucks from the 2016 model year will be the first to fall short of U.S.
by Tinashe Makichi (The Herald/AllAfrica) Government has liberalised local ethanol production as the country's sole producer, Green Fuel has constantly failed to provide adequate supplies especially during the rainy season rains. The current inadequate supplies of ethanol from Green Fuel last
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There’s a biorefinery initiative in Canada’s Atlantic region (first initiated in Nova Scotia but expanding regionally). A partnership between Emera, Innovacorp, and the Federal and Provincial governments, are aimed at creating the necessary conditions to attract and host a
(Norwalk Reflector) ... Progressive policies for a strong farm safety net, increased funding for agricultural export programs, ambitious global trade negotiations, an aggressive support for biodiesel policies and robust funding for agricultural research and conservation programs will guide the American Soybean
(Energy Market Research/Furion Analytics Research and Consulting LLP/WhaTech) ... Several countries across the world are are busy procuring biodiesel equipment in an effort scale-up their biofuel energy supply. Hence, the Biodiesel Market is in a tremendous position to register a significant
by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EurActiv) MEPs adopted a report on Thursday (9 March) urging the European Commission to phase out the use of palm oil as a component of biodiesel by 2020 “at the latest”. In November, the European Commission presented its draft
(NewsInEnglish.no) Plans by the Norwegian government to mandate usage of much more biofuel, as another so-called “green” measure that helped secure last year’s state budget compromise, may end up backfiring as little more than a budget bluff. New statistics suggest
(Public Citizen) Carl Icahn and His Businesses Haven’t Registered As Lobbyists Yet Continue to Influence Government Policy -- Icahn Enterprises, CVR Energy and their related affiliates appear to be in violation of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA), according
by Joseph Shin (The Korea Bizwire) “Ttong-bonwi-hwapae” literally translates into “poop standard currency.” And the government is investing 10 billion won ($8.65 million) over the next five years to turn this human waste-to-currency idea into reality in South Korean towns
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Major announcement: New ICM cellulosic fuels project. Major announcement: Licella JV for supercritical fuels & chemicals Major announcement: New $112M Sofinnova renewable chemicals venture fund Industry Horizons: Presentations from Amyris, Capricorn Venture Partners, Ginkgo BioWorks, Raymond James ABLC Financing &
(International Civil Aviation Organization) The 36-State ICAO Council has adopted a new aircraft CO2 emissions standard which will reduce the impact of aviation greenhouse gas emissions on the global climate. Contained in a new Volume III to Annex 16 of the Chicago
by Liam Dillon (Los Angeles Times) ... The state has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. To do so, Southern Californians will have to drive nearly 12% less by that date than they did
by Alex Kasprak (Snopes) EPA administrator Pruitt told CNBC that he does not agree that carbon dioxide is "a primary contributor to the global warming that we see," arguing that scientists are still debating the issue. ... While climate science is, indeed,
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Biofuels Digest's Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference started with an afternoon ABLC Feedstock Summit at the US Department of Agriculture. Three points jumped out. The value of the farmers/growers perspective of biofuels; rethinking the value
by Koh Jun Lin (Malaysiakini) Malaysia has not done enough research on palm oil derived biodiesel although Malaysian palm oil companies are well-poised to take advantage it, according to economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram. Countries such as Cuba, Brazil, the US and
by Joshua T. Bledsoe and Max Friedman (Latham & Watkins LLP/Biodiesel Magazine) Two related cases, advancing in parallel, have the potential to upend California’s low carbon fuel standard (LCFS), whether via full suspension of the LCFS or carving out diesel
by Jennifer A Dlouhy, Ari Natter, and Bill Allison (Bloomberg) Investor Carl Icahn is also unpaid adviser to White House; Value of Icahn CVR Energy stake grew after biofuel deal -- Carl Icahn’s stake in a Texas refiner grew by as
(National Biodiesel Board) Industry Leaders Showcase biodiesel benefits with key influencers -- When it comes to American biodiesel, jobs and economic opportunities are the hot tickets. In town from across the nation, biodiesel industry leaders are meeting with key influencers
by James Osborne (Fuel Fix) Peter Thiel, the technology investor and adviser to President Donald Trump, questioned the global push towards restricting carbon emissions as “group think” while speaking Tuesday at the energy conference CERAWeek by IHS Markit. “I’m not sure
(Argus Media) No one profits from credits used to track compliance with US biofuel mandates, Motiva chief executive Dan Romasko said today, wading into a controversy that has split the industry. Refinery margins rise and fall to offset the cost of
by Chris Prentice (Reuters/Yahoo!) A government watchdog group, Public Citizen, said on Wednesday it will ask lawmakers to investigate whether billionaire investor Carl Icahn should have been subject to lobbying disclosure laws when he advised President Donald Trump to overhaul
by David Tracy (Jalopnik) In 2015, Researchers from MIT, Harvard and Hasselt University (in Belgium) estimated that VW’s 482,000 cheating diesels would lead to an estimated 59 premature deaths in the U.S. Now some of those same researchers have taken a
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Thailand, the National Rice Policy Committee agreed to open another round of bidding for rotten rice on March 23 for 3.66 million metric tons. The rotten rice is allowed for industrial uses including biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At ABLC 2017 in Washington, the Digest presented its annual State of the Advanced Bioeconomy presentation, including a look at 21 technologies and companies to watch in 2017. “Opening with our annual industry survey on business confidence, we then
by Jonathan H. Harsch (Agri-Pulse) Ethanol already supplies over 10 percent of the U.S. gasoline market and the fuel’s share is growing. Yet Congressman Bill Flores, who wants to see ethanol capped at 9.7 percent of the market, is holding back on
by Douglas L. Faulkner (Biofuels Digest) Robert McNally, the author of the new, critically-acclaimed book, “Crude Volatility: The History and the Future of Boom-Bust Oil Prices”, believes that global oil markets are entering an epic, structural shift to a protracted new
by Susan Olson (BioCycle Magazine) Because of an all-time high waiver credit value paired with strong advanced RIN prices, renewable natural gas could fetch $35/MMBtu in 2017. Since 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has mandated the blending of renewable fuels
(Bioenergy Insight) US-based science and engineering centre Argonne National Laboratory has developed technology that synergistically uses two waste biomass streams to generate two bioproducts and enhance the process of anaerobic digestion (AD). According to the organisation, the digestion of wastewater can
(Bioenergy Insight) There has been excessive use of land for bioenergy crops in Germany which has led to a loss of species, according to the German environment minister Barbara Hendricks. Hendricks, speaking to the magazine Mehrwert, included energy as part of
by Carlos Calvo Ambel (Transport & Environment/EurActiv) ... Sustainable feedstocks available for the production of non-land using biofuels, made of waste and residues, are limited and other sectors want to use them as well. Some advanced biofuels, such as those derived from
by Coral Davenport (New York Times) The Trump administration is expected to begin rolling back stringent federal regulations on vehicle pollution that contributes to global warming, essentially marking a U-turn to efforts to force the American auto industry to produce more
(Office of Congressman Adrian Smith) Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) reintroduced legislation today to broaden fuel choices for retailers and consumers by expanding the existing waiver of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations related to the Reid
by Carlos Correa (CW6 San Diego) The City of San Diego is making the switch in an effort to reduce greenhouse gases. They have now switched the fuel used by all fire engines. They’re changing from diesel to renewable diesel, in the
by Mike Hughlett (Star Tribune) With production on the rise, there's anxiety over unknown policy shifts. -- ... While there are positive indicators for 2017 — corn prices are forecast to be stable and the federal mandate for ethanol production
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) The Governors' Biofuels Coalition on Monday asked President Donald Trump to support a number of changes to federal law to support biofuels production. In a letter signed by Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, chairman of
by Maina Waruru (Thomson Reuters Foundation) Growing use of electric vehicles around the world is helping lower climate changing emissions, but some means of transport will be hard to electrify, particularly air travel and shipping, energy experts say. To “decarbonise” those,
by Krysti Shallenberger (Utility Dive) ... At stake is funding for the Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy, more commonly known as ARPA-E. Created in 2007 as a technology incubator under the purview of the Department of Energy, ARPA-E’s mission is to drive innovation
(Union of Concerned Scientists) According to news reports, the Trump administration is seeking a 17 percent budget cut for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, one of the country’s premier scientific institutions, whose research is vital for our economy and
(FG Insight) Vivergo Fuels, which converts 1.1m tonnes of feed-grade wheat a year into bioethanol, has said it could face closure if the Government ploughs on with plans to restrict crop-based biofuels in petrol. The UK must ensure 10 per cent
(Ethanol Producer Magazine) A bipartisan trio of Senators introduced a bill today that would extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver to ethanol blends above 10 percent, a move that would give E15 year-round market presence. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Joe
by Darren Fishell (Bangor Daily News) The company EMEP LLC wants to buy the shuttered East Millinocket paper mill to build a biorefinery that it said would be a centerpiece of a larger $240 million plan for biomass energy parks
(The Sun) From Uche Usim, Abuja -- When the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, assumed office in 2015, one of the programmes he highlighted the Muhammadu Buhari administration would face headlong was biofuels production which he described
by Paul Winters (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/The Wichita Eagle) Kansans deserve a clear picture of the Renewable Fuel Standard’s future, and a recent letter did the RFS a disservice (“Winners, losers in U.S. fuel policy,” Feb. 17 Letters to the Editor). Though
by Andy Eubank (Hoosier Ag Today) Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly (D) joined Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to introduce the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act last week, a bill that would effectively allow the sale of
by Chris Prentis and Jennifer Ablan (Reuters/Yahoo!Finance) The head of the Renewable Fuels Association says billionaire investor Carl Icahn told him last week President Donald Trump was about to issue an order overhauling the U.S. biofuels program - something both
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Carl Icahn was the administration official who called Bob Dinneen, CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, and told him an executive order changing the Renewable Fuel Standard is on the way, Dinneen told Reuters. Dinneen
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ABLC guests heard Governor Paul LePage from Maine invite all of us to his beautiful Northern state that has many existing and promising biomass projects and even backyard farms that grow tomatoes year round
(FutureMetrics) Providing misleading, inaccurate, and sometime outright fiction as facts could be called propaganda. With overtones of Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, the term "alternative facts" has recently been coined. Either way, it is information that is biased and misleading that is
(Biofuels International) Growth Energy has released economic analysis that it says “identifies numerous problems” associated with changing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) point of obligation. The US ethanol trade body strongly supports EPA’s proposed denial to move the point of obligation. “Changing the
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Amid an animated discussion of policy issues, one item gained the support of all five panelists: publication of the Renewable Fuels Standard renewable volume obligations for 2017 and 2018 by June, on schedule. Moderated by
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) This morning at the "Defense Production Act (DPA) Advanced Drop-in Biofuels Production Project Round 2 Industry Roundtable" held at the US Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC, Zia Haq, Senior Analyst and DPA Coordinator
(U.S. Department of Energy) With joint funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Strategic Programs, Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), and Vehicle Technologies Office, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) published a report titled Analyzing the Impacts of a Biogas-to-Electricity
by Michael McAdams (Biomass Magazine) ... First, we must finalize the 2017 renewable volume obligation (RVO) rule for the RFS program. Second, we must push for the 2018 mandates to be published before the Nov. 30 deadline to send a strong
(Biofuels Journal) Biodiesel production is expanding in Iowa, and proactive state policies have played a pivotal role in keeping the state’s title as the national leading producer. In advance of its annual Biodiesel Day on the Hill, the Iowa Biodiesel Board
by Scott Goss (Delaware Online/The News Journal) An appeal of DNREC's decision to approve the Delaware City Refinery's planned Ethanol Marketing Project failed Monday before it could begin. The Coastal Zone Industrial Control Board voted 5-1 to toss the case, ruling the
(Bioenergy Insight) The Scottish Tenant Farmers Association (SFTA) is repeating its warning to the UK government that the "headlong drive to produce renewable energy from by-products of the distilling industry through anaerobic digesters and biomass plants will cause severe damage
by Anna Hirtenstein (Bloomberg/Renewable Energy World) The U.K. government’s view of biomass as a carbon-neutral energy source is a “flawed assumption,” according to report from Chatham House. The U.K. counts emissions from the supply chain that produces and delivers wood pellets
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) (R)umors of a deal surfaced between the Renewable Fuels Association and Carl Icahn, shifting renewable fuel obligations away from oil refiners, in return for Icahn’s support for a Reid Vapor Pressure waiver for E15 ethanol that
by Lauren Novak (The Advertiser/News.com.au) Growing and manufacturing hemp for industrial purposes, such as cosmetics, clothing or construction materials, will be allowed in South Australia now the State Government has thrown its support behind a Greens proposal. The change will bring
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The comment period for the U.S. EPA’s rule revisions to the renewable fuel standard (RFS) have closed, with 254 comments posted to regulations.gov regarding the Renewables Enhancements and Growth Support Rule, dubbed REGS. ... In its
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... The main argument of the petitioners is that they are paying for millions of dollars of RINs to meet their RFS obligations, and that this is somehow unfair and inequitable. Yet, a review
(PTI/The Financial Express) The Centre will soon come out with policies on the second-generation ethanol as well as methanol, non-conventional fuel resources, which will bring down the crude import bill by Rs 1 lakh crore, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said
by Jeff Broin (POET/Journal Gazette) ... Plummeting farm income, falling land values and depressed commodity prices over the last few years threaten to undo the prosperity of the previous decade. All indicators point to farms in trouble. • Net farm income is projected
by Andrew Follett (The Daily Caller News Foundation) Members of the Conservative Political Action Conference panel “Energy Rationing: The Tragic, Unintended Consequences,” argued the federal ethanol mandate isn’t benefiting the regions of the country it’s supposed to. ... America supports ethanol via
by Josh Pedrick (Platts) The US ethanol market is ready to stand without support from government regulations and the Renewable Fuel Standard should be repealed, Chet Thompson, president of the American Fuel and Petrochemicals Manufacturers organization, said this week in an
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Below50 is an initiative that brings businesses together with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Roundtable for Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) and Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) to promote the best-of-breed of sustainable fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) So there’s this gap, say researchers at Utrecht University in their report on aviation biofuels, between the emission goals that airlines have set themselves (call this, carbon-neutral growth), and what is going to be achieved
by Stephen Rapundalo (Morning Consult/MichBio) The United States Department of Agriculture just dropped a truth bomb. According to the agency’s new landmark report, the carbon benefits associated with homegrown ethanol have far surpassed previous expectations and continue to improve thanks
(GreenAir Online) The European Parliament has voted to increase the ambition of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for the next phase of the scheme starting in 2021, which includes tightening the emissions cap of the aviation sector. The sector
(GreenAir Online) Although sustainable alternative fuels are key to meeting the aviation sector’s long-term emissions goals, supportive government policies are required to bring these fuels to global deployment. This was a central theme of last week’s ICAO Seminar on Alternative
by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EurActiv) If the EU wants to avoid a U-turn on advanced biofuels, then it has come up with a “clear and robust” sustainability framework that will provide policy certainty and investment security, biofuel expert Laura Buffet said
(Propel Fuels/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Propel Fuels, the nation’s leading retailer of E85 Flex Fuel, welcomed the 2017 National Ethanol Conference to California, America’s largest E85 market. Having cracked the code to high volume E85 sales, Propel sells more than 500
by Timothy P. Carney (Washington Examiner) ... Ethanol mandate champions, such as Obama Agriculture Secretary and former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack started worrying aloud in December that Trump might abandon the ethanol mandate. The letter President Trump just sent to the National
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) ... Now, representatives of two ag groups previously at odds over the RFS say they have moved on. The reason, they say, is that the 5 billion bushels of corn demand created by U.S.
by Rory Carroll (Reuters) Democratic state senators in California on Thursday unveiled a series of bills designed to freeze in place Obama administration-era environmental regulations in the event the Trump administration moves to weaken them. The bills, collectively known as the
by Joe Carroll (Bloomberg) Darren Woods makes first blog post since succeeding Tillerson; Comment mirror’s former CEO’s long-standing position on levy -- In his first blog post since succeeding Rex Tillerson, the new head of Exxon Mobil Corp. focused on climate
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Looking to better understand the outlook for the US ethanol industry, but lack the time to wade through the entire 40-page Ethanol Outlook 2017 from RFA (which is right here, for download, in complete form)? Well,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Also appearing this week from the The Urban Air Initiative and several partners were filed comments with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that disrupts the agency’s current rationale for controlling ethanol blends under the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Let’s look at the letter behind the headlines. “Rest assured that your president and this administration values the importance of renewable fuels to America’s economy and to our energy independence. As I emphasized throughout my campaign,
by Robert Walton (Utility Dive) The Sierra Club says six states have proposed legislation this year that would add to the cost of owning an electric vehicle, worrying clean energy advocates who say owning emissions-free vehicles should be incentivized rather
(Low Carbon Fuels Coalition) Massachusetts is currently conducting a rulemaking that could provide the basis for a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) type program in Massachusetts. The Low Carbon Fuels Coalition (LCFC) has been actively participating in the rulemaking and
(Green Car Congress) UNICA, Brazil’s Sugarcane Industry Association, has noted with potential concern that a current EPA proposal that would allow, among other things, biofuel producers to partially process renewable feedstocks at one facility and further process them into renewable
(Neutral Fuels) Recycling waste dairy products to help meet Dubai ' s Zero Waste target -- After two years of research into new and improved ways to create biofuels, Neutral Fuels has become the first company to successfully use butter, cream
by Brady Dennis and Steven Mufson (The Washington Post) In his previous role as Oklahoma’s attorney general, the Environmental Protection Agency’s new administrator regularly huddled with fossil fuel firms and electric utilities about how to combat federal environmental regulations and spoke to
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Reporters covering the National Ethanol Conference in San Diego had questions about a number of topics when given the opportunity to have a press “scrum” with Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen. The first questions
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Though there is angst in rural America about the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard and agriculture trade in particular, the leader of the nation's largest ethanol interest group told an ethanol industry
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) A U.S. biofuels lobbying group on Tuesday said it is seeking to work with longtime rival the oil industry to fight the threat to both from subsidies for electric vehicles. The two industries have been at loggerheads
by Rachel Gantz (Renwable Fuels Association) Today (February 17, 2017), five Senators, led by Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), sent a letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, asking him to address EPA’s volatility regulation that makes it more difficult to sell ethanol blends
(NATSO/PR Newswire) Truck Drivers, Railroads, Highway Users, Renewable Fuel Groups and Fuel Retailers Unified in Opposition to Fuel Program Changes -- As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) public comment period on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) closes today, NATSO is
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Trump sent a letter to the National Ethanol Conference Tuesday again reiterating support for renewable fuels and the Renewable Fuel Standard, Pro's Eric Wolff reports. "Rest assured that your president and this administration value
By Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) A bipartisan group of lawmakers have begun discussing how to craft a compromise to update the decade-old rules governing the nation's biofuel market and hope to draft a bill this summer, Pro's Eric Wolff
by Lydia Lam (Straits Times) Singapore plans to implement a carbon tax from 2019, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced in Parliament on Monday (Feb 20) as part of his Budget 2017 speech. Mr Heng also announced adjustments to two vehicle
by Mike Schoonveld (Outdoor News) ... The new administration ran on a plank of rolling back or eliminating federal regulations. It would make sense for the Renewable Fuel Standards’ ethanol mandate to be one of the first to go. Groups representing boaters,
(Bloomberg) Europe’s promise to lower greenhouse-gas emissions looked bright a dozen years ago, when its leaders created the first big market for trading carbon permits. Sadly, though, its system has failed to encourage investment in clean technology and appreciably lower
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In June 2011, the Secretaries of Agriculture, Energy, and Navy signed MOU to commit $510M (up to $170M from each agency) to produce hydrocarbon jet and diesel biofuels in the near-term. This initiative sought to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (S)omething less than $200 million has been so far positively and affordably earmarked by lenders to revolutionize the entire supply chain of US air transportation fuels. Which is to say, you can just about get
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Farm Bill’s Energy Title provides loans and grants to farmers, ranchers and small businesses to encourage investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and the production of renewable bioproducts such as fuels
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry sees one-pound waiver for E15 as a no-brainer. -- Perplexed about why E15 does not get a one-pound waiver? That’s a sign you clearly understand the issue, says Monte Shaw, Iowa
by Don Siefkes (E100 Ethanol Group/Biofuels Digest) In an unpublished letter to the Wall Street Journal, Don Siefkes, Executive Director of the E100 Ethanol Group writes: Regarding Mike Spector’s Feb. 13 article, “Biggest Driver of Cleaner-Car Rules …,” Ms. Mary Nichols, Chairwoman
by Robinson Meyer (The Atlantic) There’s just one problem: other Republicans. ... But in an unregulated market, there’s no mechanism to keep people from emitting carbon dioxide, because it is cheap. So, et voilà, you invent just such a mechanism. You
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) In comments submitted this week on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support (REGS) rule, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) said the proposal fails to address key regulatory barriers that are constraining growth
(Phys.Org) A new study published last week in the journal Environmental Research Letters by researchers at the University of Puerto Rico offers the first regional look at lands being converted to palm oil plantations in Latin America. Palm oil is
by Chris Sugiduno (Maui News) ... MECO’s updated Power Supply Improvement Plan calls for Molokai to reach the renewable energy benchmark by 2020, with Lanai completing it by 2030 and Maui by 2040. The plan submitted to the state Public Utilities
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... “We have a slogan in the renewable fuels family that says ‘Don’t mess with the RFS,’” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “Let me make this perfectly clear: changing the point of obligation is
by Brady Dennis (The Washington Post) Scott Pruitt, who as Oklahoma’s attorney general spent years suing the Environmental Protection Agency over its efforts to regulate various forms of pollution, was confirmed Friday as the agency’s next administrator. Pruitt cleared the Senate
(RightsAndResources.org) Experts at Dakar event point to a significant cause of investment losses, work stoppages and violence across Africa: the failure of governments and companies to respect the land rights of indigenous and local communities Sixty-three percent of disputes related to
(International Energy Agency) Bioenergy is the largest source of renewable energy today, providing heat and electricity, as well as transport fuels. Yet, more so than for other low‑carbon energy technologies, the complex and multi‑faceted supply chains of bioenergy projects call
by Merle Pochop (Argus Leader) ... Currently, stakeholders have a say in how the current RFS is operated through their congressional delegates since the program is overseen by federal lawmakers. However, in 2022, the RFS will be handed over entirely to the
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer/AgFax) In a point-by-point answer to a number of plaintiffs who filed suit challenging how the Renewable Fuel Standard is implemented, attorneys for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contend in a legal brief filed on
by David Shepardson, Timothy Gardner and Richard Valdmanis (Reuters) Staff at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been told that President Donald Trump is preparing a handful of executive orders to reshape the agency, to be signed once a new administrator
by Maximilian Heath (Reuters) Argentina in the next two to three years could double the proportion of ethanol used in gasoline from the current 12 percent of the blend, a government official told Reuters. If the government goes forward with the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But there’s something so cool in that technology that we can’t take our eyes off the company and its progress, even though looking at the balance sheet can feel like watching a car crash in slow
by Alister Doyle (Reuters) Investors and insurers with more than $2.8 trillion in assets under management on Wednesday called on the Group of 20 economies to phase out fossil fuel subsidies by 2020 despite U.S. doubts about climate change. G20 nations
(Kearney Hub) ... Across the United States, about 70 percent of all gasoline burned in everyday vehicles like cars and light trucks is blended with ethanol, and of that ethanol, about 2 billion gallons is produced by the state’s 25 plants
by Rick Fox (Ohio Ethanol Producers Association/The Courier) ... Back in 1996, well before the Renewable Fuel Standard was ever implemented, corn was $3.67 a bushel. Today it is $3.64 a bushel. Why? Thanks to technology and improvements in farming practices, farmers are
by Tim Meko and Laris Karklis (The Washington Post) There are more than 900,000 active oil and gas wells in the United States, and more than 130,000 have been drilled since 2010, according to Drillinginfo, a company that provides data and
by David Hallberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Urban Air Initiative) Candid discussions at the Health Effects Institute offer hope ethanol's positive emissions profile will be taken seriously, writes a UAI advisor and Siouxland Ethanol board member in the Clearing the Air column
by Meadhbh Bolger (Friends of the Earth Europe/EurActiv) It took years for politicians to wake up to the destructive impact of biofuels, in no small part because of their green-sounding name. With bioplastics we risk falling into the same trap,
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) A biofuels group and two petroleum interest groups have asked a federal appeals court to review the final 2017-2018 biodiesel volumes in the Renewable Fuels Standard published in the Federal Register. A handful of
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Senate Democrats are investigating the role that President Trump’s adviser Carl Icahn is playing in setting the administration’s ethanol policy. The Democrats are concerned that Icahn, a prolific investor whose holding company owns more than 80
by Nicolas Loris (DownsizingGovernment.org/The Heritage Foundation) ... The problem is not with the voluntary use of biofuels in the marketplace, but rather policies that mandate and subsidize biofuels. ... Congress should end its intervention in the biofuels industry. It should terminate subsidies
(AFP/China Post) The air transportation sector is turning slowly toward sustainable fuels as part of the global fight against climate change. But adoption has been delayed due to a lack of incentives and low oil prices. ... Even partially replacing jet fuel with
by Jessie Stolark (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) The Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in the Office of Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy (EERE), released its updated strategic plan in January. Revised every five years, the strategic plan refreshes and
(National Corn Growers Association) Members of the National Corn Growers Association’s Ethanol Action Team (ETHAT) gathered last week in Savannah, Ga. to review programs aimed at expanding demand for corn ethanol. “Our agenda covered topics from fuel dispenser infrastructure to
(BoatUS) Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is asking its more than half-million members – and any recreational boat owner concerned with having a safe fuel supply – to petition the new Trump administration and Congress to reform
by Chris Lusvardi (Herald & Review) Legislation introduced in Springfield could boost efforts to attract bio-based businesses to Decatur and Central Illinois. The legislation introduced by state Sens. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, and Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, would provide incentives to
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The comment periods on two U.S. EPA proposals that impact the renewable fuel standard (RFS) close later this month. Members of the public have until Feb. 16 to weigh in on the agency’s proposed
(International Institute for Sustainable Development/PressReleasePoint) A complete removal of subsidies for the production of fossil fuels today would result in a steady decline in greenhouse gas emissions between now and 2050 as more oil, gas and coal is left in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This past week, a group headed by former Secretaries of State George Shultz and Jim Baker proposed dramatically to introduce a $40 per ton carbon tax in order to address the rising threat from global
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Ethanol exports are in the news this week. First we heard about record net ethanol exports for 2016 in a new report from the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), followed quickly by an industry letter to President
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