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by Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) When the Trump administration laid out a plan this year that would eventually allow cars to emit more pollution, automakers, the obvious winners from the proposal, balked. The changes, they said, went too far even for them. But it turns out that there was a hidden
California
December 14, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) focuses on several bioproducts for R&D and has been assessing the value proposition of biofuels for marine engines. Zia Haq and Jim Spaeth, both from the U.S. DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, gave individual presentations at ABLC Global
December 14, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) When the world’s leaders for sustainable aviation fuels have a general meeting the week before the COP24 global climate sessions (this year in Poland), you can bet that the focus will be breaking the “You Can Have Two out of Three Conundrum” of aviation fuels. Which
December 13, 2018
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(Biofuels International) The ongoing legal dispute between renewable fuels and chemicals company Aemetis and cellulosic and biorefining technology company Edeniq has “many years of litigation ahead”, according to Aemetis Chairman and CEO Eric McAfee. In a statement issued last week, Edeniq announced that Aemetis’ claims had been dismissed on summary judgement
December 13, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In California, Zymergen has raised over $400 million in Series C funding led by returning investor SoftBank Vision Fund. The round welcomes new investors Goldman Sachs and Hanwha Asset Management, as well as returning investors, DCVC (Data Collective), True Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, DFJ
December 13, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Craig Crowder, fleet manager for the city of Beverly Hills, Calif., is reporting better performance and reduced maintenance since switching to renewable diesel. In June 2013, Crowder decided to start switching from petroleum-based, ultra-low-sulfur diesel to Neste MY Renewable Diesel. Today, his fleet of 445 vehicles
December 11, 2018
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by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Ohio corn farmer Fred Yoder returned late Friday from a frustrating week in Poland listening to foreign ministers and others talk about what they think farmers globally must do to address climate change. As chairman of the North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance, Yoder
December 11, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Iowa, white smoke has emerged from the REGI conclave: Tesoro EVP and former Sapphire Energy CEO C.J. Warner has been named chief exec of Renewable Energy Group, at a pivotal moment for biodiesel in Washington and around the world and amidst a boom for renewable diesel
December 7, 2018
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The Social Innovation Summit is an annual event that represents a global convening of black swans and wayward thinkers. Where most bring together luminaries to explore the next big idea, we bring together those hungry not just to talk about the next big thing, but to build it. Let’s be
December 6, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Today (December 4, 2028) the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition) commenced the North American renewable natural gas (RNG) industry’s annual conference program in Dana Point, Calif., by celebrating industry growth and recognizing 12 companies for their development roles in eight of the RNG production
December 6, 2018
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(SkyNRG) Shell, World Energy and SkyNRG have initiated the supply of sustainable aviation fuel to three major airlines at San Francisco Airport following the strategic collaboration announced in May which involved fuel suppliers, airlines, and airport agencies. Shell Aviation and SkyNRG have commenced the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to
December 6, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) 18 Trucking, a construction trucking services company based in Hayward, Calif., is reporting reductions in maintenance costs and less downtime for its fleet after switching to Neste MY Renewable Diesel. Neste MY is a low-carbon fuel produced from 100% renewable and sustainable raw materials, primarily wastes
December 5, 2018
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by Adele Peters (Fast Company) At a steel mill outside Beijing, reactors attached to the building capture emissions from the factory. Those waste gases can then be turned into fuel. LanzaTech, a biotech startup that designed a way to turn those emissions into ethanol, recently blended that ethanol into jet fuel that powered
December 5, 2018
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by Marianne Lavelle (Inside Climate News) Democratic election victories raised the odds of climate change policies succeeding, activists and analysts say. A national plan was also just floated in Congress. — At least seven state governments are poised at the brink of putting a price on climate-warming carbon emissions within the next
December 3, 2018
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by Ana Ionova and Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Brazilian sugar companies are increasing their capacity to produce ethanol in the face of depressed global sugar prices and government policies expected to boost demand for the biofuel. A shift to ethanol in the 2018-19 season slashed Brazil’s sugar output by 9 million tonnes to
December 3, 2018
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by Katie Peikes (Iowa Public Radio) … The Republican congressman says he’d like to see his legislation in the farm bill that would keep states from regulating production standards for agricultural products sold in interstate commerce by other states. King drafted that legislation nearly a decade ago. He says California was
November 27, 2018
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by Timothy Cama (The Hill) A federal court won’t dismiss a challenge by Democratic states and green groups to a key part of the Trump administration’s plan to roll back car fuel efficiency and emissions standards. At issue is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) April determination that the Obama administration’s plan to make
November 26, 2018
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by Cliff Gladstein (ACT News) Dairy industry to discuss topic at the Dairy Sustainability Summit next week in Sacramento. — The California dairy industry is the nation’s largest, producing about 18.5 percent of all of the milk and dairy products consumed in the United States, …. Two sectors, however, which have not enjoyed
November 24, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, we are now seeing project flow projecting a sustainable $7.63 price for renewable diesel in the California market, where the Low Carbon Fuel Standard stacks on top of the RIN values from the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. That’s market value, not subsidy. Though some
November 21, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Anaergia is the world leader in solving waste problems by recovering energy, water, and fertilizer from virtually any waste stream. While Anaergia was built on the foundations of highly capable and experienced acquisitions, focused investments on innovation and execution capabilities allow us to deliver facilities that
November 20, 2018
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by Curt Epstein (AIN Online) In the wake of the multi-organizational release of the Business Aviation Guide to the Use of Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuel at EBACE in May, the industry has announced the next step in the effort to educate general aviation about the fuel this week at NBAA 2018. As part
November 18, 2018
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by Graham Noyes (OurEnergyPolicy.org/Noyes Law Corporation) In October, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reaffirmed the leading role that bioenergy continues to play in decarbonization. IEA Executive Director, Dr. Fatih Barol, pointedly stated, “Modern bioenergy is the overlooked giant of the renewable energy field… We expect modern bioenergy will continue to lead the field,
November 18, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) ROUSH CleanTech has announced that its 0.02 grams per brake horsepower-hour engine can operate on renewable propane. The company claims it is the first available engine for renewable propane that brings the emissions level to near-zero, as defined by California Air Resources Board (CARB). “When commercial
November 15, 2018
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(Greenbelt Resources Corporation/Globe Newswire) Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC: GRCO) (Greenbelt) has announced commencing Phase 1 of the “California BioEthanol Project,” a three-phased initiative to convert Greenbelt’s Commercial Scale Testing Facility into a commercial-scale production biorefinery. Upon Phase 1 completion, the biorefinery will produce approximately 1.37 million pounds of protein concentrate and 75,000
November 14, 2018
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by Steve Hanson and Neil Agarwal (U.S. Energy Information Administration) … Renewable diesel net supply to California’s fuel market has increased since the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program went into effect in 2011, reaching 100 million gallons during the second quarter of 2018, or 10.1% of the total diesel supplied
November 14, 2018
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … We are talking about the green stuff that grows in ponds and floats on the surface of water, often mistaken for algae. Why is this green goodness so good? Duckweed, also referred to as lemna or its scientific name lemnoideae, is high in protein
November 14, 2018
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California Clean Air Day is a multifaceted program that unites people to action. Individuals, companies, government entities and communities all pledge to do at least one thing to clean the air. Clean Air Day is all about engaging in fun, positive activities to make a big impact. Over 100,000 Californians across the state
November 12, 2018
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Join Coalition for Clean Air as we present our most prestigious honors at our signature California Air Quality Awards in Los Angeles. Sponsor an event where we have honored such distinguished leaders as CARB Vice Chair Sandra Berg and SQAQMD Chairman Dr. Bill Burke READ MORE
November 12, 2018
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Join Coalition for Clean Air in Sacramento for a lively conversation on strengthening California’s climate protection policies. Sponsor an evening of meeting fellow business leaders, advocates and policy makers at the exclusive Sutter Club on February 27th. READ MORE
November 12, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT Journal) Ecology, a transportation and logistics company in California, has switched its fleet of more than 600 trucks to run on Neste MY Renewable Diesel and is reporting cleaner fuel filters, fewer maintenance problems and reductions in tailpipe emissions. According to Neste, Ecology is one of the
November 9, 2018
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by David Shepardson (Reuters) California clean air regulators will hold talks next Tuesday with their federal counterparts and the White House over Trump administration efforts to stop Sacramento from adopting tighter vehicle emissions rules than Washington, a spokesman for the state confirmed on Thursday. The video conference meeting will be the
November 9, 2018
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by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Major automakers are pushing the Trump administration to abandon its plan to roll back climate change rules for cars. Companies had emphatically encouraged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) to undo the Obama administration’s plans to ratchet up greenhouse gas emissions and
November 8, 2018
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by Paolo Corvo (Clariant/Biofuels Digest) Clariant sunliquid technology delivers low carbon intensity score of 15 gCO2/MJ for the cellulosic ethanol produced using sunliquid technology from agricultural residues feedstock such as corn stover and wheat straw which is more than 6 times lower than the carbon intensity of gasoline(1). The carbon intensity score also
November 7, 2018
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(Diesel Technology Forum) As U.S. cities continue to expand, the drive to provide essential services with a minimal environmental footprint while working within a budget will be challenging. — … Today, alternatives to diesel exist, and others are still on the drawing board. For some applications, diesel is the only technology available. For
November 6, 2018
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Cyclotron Road is a fellowship program affiliated with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that supports leading entrepreneurial scientists as they advance a project with the potential for global impact. Since 2015, more than $15 million has been awarded to 41 fellows who have gone on to generate more than $75
November 6, 2018
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by Matt Carr (Algae Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) Algae-derived products and technologies are on the cusp of changing nearly everything. Algae will transform how we eat; will make the materials in your shoes more sustainable; provide fuel for vehicles and planes; recycle greenhouse gases and deliver many more products that have yet to be commercialized. … There is a
November 6, 2018
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) While oil refiners adding a small percentage of renewable feedstock to their operations sounds simple, the political, economic, technical, societal and market consequences are anything but. In 2007, at the height of the biodiesel boom, ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods announced a partnership to coprocess animal fats
November 6, 2018
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine spotlights a producer whose recent acquisition fulfills increased feedstock demand, a consulting firm that assists in market entry and production efficiencies, and the expansion of one of today’s fastest-growing biodiesel refiners. — BioJoe Renwick, founder and co-owner of Winnsboro, South Carolina-based Green Energy Biofuel, is
November 6, 2018
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) California-based biodiesel producer Crimson Renewable Energy LP has acquired SeQuential, a vertically integrated biodiesel producer based in Oregon. With the acquisition, Crimson will gain increased feedstock supply options for its biodiesel production facility in Bakersfield, California, and expand its ability to supply ultra-low carbon biodiesel to
November 6, 2018
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … Phillips 66 and REG’s announcement about a new renewable diesel plant on the U.S. West Coast planned for 2021 comes after a notable increase in refineries that are being converted and changed over to renewable diesel. Change is good, especially in this case. … While it was
November 5, 2018
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(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) Poplar saplings being grown at the University of California Davis are not expected to survive the rigorous conditions simulating prolonged droughts and heat waves that are being imposed on them. But they are helping a team of researchers make ones that can. Poplar provides a
November 2, 2018
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by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) … Automotive manufacturers are expressing interest in raising the minimum octane level of the U.S. gasoline pool as a low-cost compliance option for increasing fuel efficiency. Until now, all MPG gains in the passenger vehicle fleet have been accomplished through engine and vehicle
November 2, 2018
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SAVE THE DATE Our annual conference gives you the opportunity to connect with the industry’s leadership. We hope to see you there!! READ MORE
November 2, 2018
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by Todd Campbell (California Natural Gas Vehicle Partnership/ACT News) … Some of the top waste collection companies in the country have taken note of this unsettling trend, and have set out to pioneer innovation that would mitigate our population’s impact on the environment while making our air cleaner to breathe. Two
November 2, 2018
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by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) California is coming out swinging in its official response to one of the Trump administration’s most consequential attempts at rolling back regulations to date — to freeze fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks through 2026. In a 400-page comment on the proposed rule that will be filed
November 1, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, World Energy announced a $350 million investment over the next two years to complete the conversion of its Paramount, California facility into one of the cleanest fuel refineries in the world. The project will enable World Energy Paramount to process 306 million gallons annually.
October 31, 2018
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(Commercial Alternative Aviation Fuel Initiative) Congratulations go out to Bryan Sherbacow and the Team at AltAir Fuels! The company has won another Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy contract for the Rocky Mountain West Coast solicitation. The amount of the contract award is for 58 million gallons of a 30% blend of
October 29, 2018
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The summit is an international conference, networking and deal-making event for agribusinesses, solution providers, entrepreneurs and investors. Our goal is to accelerate the commercialization of advanced agricultural technologies by generating global partnerships and collaborations. READ MORE
October 26, 2018
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by Jeffrey Tomich (E&E News Energywire) State utility regulators across the Midwest are revving up their interest in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. And the petroleum industry and its allies are urging them to hit the brakes. The American Petroleum Institute, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, and Americans for Prosperity have all weighed
October 25, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Turlock Scavenger, a waste collection and recycling company in central California, has switched its fleet of diesel engine vehicles to run on Neste MY Renewable Diesel and is reporting significant reductions in maintenance costs. Founded in 1935, Turlock Scavenger provides residential waste services to more than
October 25, 2018
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(World Energy/Globe Newswire) $350 million investment will result in 306 million gallons of annual production — World Energy, a global leader in low-carbon transportation fuels production, announced today a $350 million investment over the next two years to complete the conversion of its Paramount, California facility into one of the cleanest
October 25, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) At its annual awards reception in New York City last week, Energy Vision, a national nonprofit that researches and promotes low-carbon energy and transportation strategies, presented awards for entities helping speed the adoption of renewable natural gas (RNG). The 2018 Energy Vision awardees are as follows: The City
October 25, 2018
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by Chris Bliley (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … Automakers are responding by making smaller, higher-compression engines that demand higher octane. Improved engines are the first step toward achieving mid-level ethanol blends such as E25 and E30. … E30 would improve fuel economy standards, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other harmful
October 24, 2018
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by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In the U.S. ethanol industry, three plants are under construction, while a fourth makes its way through the permitting process. — In an industry with more than 200 existing plants, four new projects is a small figure. Greenfield ethanol plant development is in a lull,
October 24, 2018
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by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Two ethanol producers are adopting quite different innovative technologies to add value to their corn oil—one making biodiesel with supercritical methods, the other making renewable diesel. East Kansas Agri-Energy’s renewable diesel plant has been operational for about a year, after taking months to work
October 24, 2018
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(Office of Senator Dianne Feinstein) Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today was joined by 22 senators in calling on the Trump administration to end its challenge of California’s authority to set vehicle emission standards. The senators represent states that follow California’s standards. “The changes you have proposed to this carefully negotiated program are
October 24, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Then, seaport waterfront was teeming with ships, cargo, terminals, rail connections, power, water supply — not to mention rats, raw sewage, saloons, flophouses and itinerant sailors. Because oil supply came into the seaports, that’s where the wagon trade lived, that’s where the roads led, that’s
October 24, 2018
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by Meghan Gordon (S&P Global Platts) The US Environmental Protection Agency aims to adopt final rules for fuel economy standards by March and year-round sales of higher ethanol blends by May, according to a fall regulatory agenda released Wednesday by the Trump administration. The fuel economy rule is expected to increase
October 18, 2018
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by Theresa Duque (University of California Berkeley) A bacterium named Moorella thermoacetica won’t work for free. But UC Berkeley researchers have figured out it has an appetite for gold. And in exchange for this special treat, the bacterium has revealed a more efficient path to producing solar fuels through artificial photosynthesis. M.
October 10, 2018
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by Matt Thomposon (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … Three years ago, (Wayne) Rylant helped launch an annual company-wide food drive, donating 4,638 pounds of food to local food banks, food pantries and other charities in the communities where Pacific Ethanol has a presence. This year, the company is poised to donate 22,139 pounds.
October 9, 2018
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by Laura Shields (Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Improving poplar biomass production under stress conditions — … Stresses, such as high temperatures and a lack of freshwater, can cause reduced crop growth or even complete loss. The rising frequency of these stressful periods inspires a race to find more tolerant plants.
October 8, 2018
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(California Air Resources Board) This event is intended to communicate staff guidance as well as solicit stakeholder feedback related to fuel pathway applications under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) Regulation involving facilities that co-process both petroleum-derived and non-petroleum-derived feedstocks in the same units. The meeting will be held at the
October 5, 2018
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by Deborah Newtburn and Karen Kaplan (Los Angeles Times) … Frances Arnold, a biochemical engineer at Caltech, was awarded half of the $1.01-million prize for her pioneering experiments in the field known as directed evolution. The other half of the prize was split between George P. Smith of the University of Missouri in
October 5, 2018
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(Diesel Technology Forum) … Use of renewable diesel fuel – not electrification or natural gas – in California is the primary means by which the state is achieving its low carbon fuel mandates, as well as its progress toward the global climate action plan. “Fortunately, established technologies like diesel are
October 3, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 42’s goal is to contribute to the development and deployment of integrated biorefineries as part of highly efficient sustainable value chains (co-)producing food/feed ingredients, chemicals, materials, fuels, power and/or heat out of sustainably sourced biomass (wood, crops, residues, etc.) as base for a global
October 2, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From California comes the happy news that Sylavatex CEO Virginia Klausmeier is expecting a new child in a couple of weeks, and that the significant scale-up taking place in that department is paired with the news that Sylvatex and Trucent have succeeded in a scale up
October 2, 2018
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by Steve Scauzillo (San Gabriel Valley Tribune/The Sun) … But in about 190 stations in California, there exists an alternative: One lone, usually green-colored nozzle delivering E-85, an alcohol blend accepted in 1.3 million “flexible-fuel” vehicles on California roads today. At 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, E85 fuel packs
October 1, 2018
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by Darius Dixon (Politico’s Morning Energy) The California Air Resources Board on Friday approved a rule warning automakers that they will have to meet the current greenhouse gas emissions standards in California and its allied states, even after the Trump administration rolls back the federal rules. The so-called “deemed to
October 1, 2018
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by Mike Lewis (Pearson Fuels/Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Sept. 21, California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed AB 558, a California bill authored by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva that was designed to better leverage California’s fleet of flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs). The measure would have required the California Air Resources Board to recommend non-fiscal policies to
September 29, 2018
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Join us for the 7th Annual OPIS LCFS & Carbon Markets Workshop — 3 days of recognized industry experts providing key insights, comprehensive market and rulemaking updates. Join us for one or both events to boost your knowledge and improve your market position in these rapidly evolving environmental compliance markets.
September 27, 2018
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by Tom Krisher adn Sudhin Thanawala (Associated Press) Automakers sought flexibility while environmental groups blasted the Trump administration’s proposal to roll back fuel economy standards at a public hearing on the plan in the industry’s backyard. At the hearing Tuesday in Dearborn, Michigan, home to Ford Motor Co. and just miles
September 26, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Energy/Joint Genome Institute/Phys.Org) … For the highly polyploid sugarcane, an international team of researchers has successfully assembled a first monoploid reference sequence using a targeted approach that focused on the gene rich part of the genome by harnessing information from a sequenced related species – sorghum. Sugarcane produces
September 26, 2018
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The National Biodiesel Conference & Expo is the place to see and be seen in the world of biodiesel. Now is your chance to claim your spot at the 2019 conference in San Diego—where all the key players will come together for a week of learning, networking, and discovery. This
September 25, 2018
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A biorefinery that will produce 16 MMgy of cellulosic ethanol and 120,000 of lignin pellets is set to break ground in Spiritwood, North Dakota, in the spring of 2019. The facility, under development by New Energy Blue, will feature Inbicon technology. The proposed plant, known
September 25, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) On Thursday, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that requires state regulators to open a proceeding to consider funding biomethane interconnection infrastructure through a gas corporation’s utility rates. The bill, A.B.3187, was authored by Assemblymember Tim Grayson and sponsored by the Coalition for Renewable
September 25, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Renewable natural gas (RNG) stakeholders will gather in Los Angeles on Oct. 2 to share the keys to successful biomethane development. Utilities Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) and national nonprofit Energy Vision will jointly host the free one-day conference, “The Power
September 25, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) United Airlines has committed to reducing its own greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions 50% by 2050, further strengthening the carrier’s ambition to be “the world’s most environmentally conscious airline.” United’s pledge to reduce GHG emissions by 50% relative to 2005 represents the equivalent of removing 4.5 million vehicles
September 25, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Berkeley legend Jay Keasling gave this illuminating overview of the promise and progress of a new company in the Keasling universe, Constructive Biology. READ MORE
September 24, 2018
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by Roger Gilroy (Transport Topics) Diesel fuel still has a large role to play in achieving greater emissions reductions in heavy-duty trucks, experts said during a recent conference in San Francisco. Separately, they urged more in-use testing of engines to verify the gains, and increased use of renewable diesel, which is
September 18, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) For the first time, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will begin offering renewable natural gas (RNG) at its fueling stations. The Sempra Energy utility, which is based out of Los Angeles, will soon use RNG at its 25 utility-owned natural gas vehicle (NGV) fueling stations across its
September 18, 2018
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by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Just a few blocks from the commotion and crowds at the Global Climate Action Summit, biofuel advocates gathered Thursday to champion more low-carbon fuel standards that could take the country’s biofuels industry in new directions. While the climate summit focused on all the various
September 17, 2018
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(Red and White Fleet/PR NewsWire) The Red and White Fleet, a San Francisco ferry business operating on San Francisco Bay for over 126 years, announced today the newest addition to its fleet, the Enhydra. The Enhydra, a tribute to the California sea otter, will be the first aluminum hulled, lithium-Ion battery plug-in hybrid vessel built in the U.S.A. Thomas C.
September 17, 2018
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Carinata is proving that it is a feedstock to be reckoned with, a compelling catalyst for change, with the latest news that Agrisoma, United Airlines and World Energy came together for the longest transatlantic biojet flight yet. Lots of biofuel flights have been happening over the
September 17, 2018
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by Tim Albrecht (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … The LCFS is administered by the California Air Resources Board and uses a market-based cap-and-trade approach to ultimately lower GHG emissions, says Jessica Buckley, senior environmental scientist for RTP Environmental Associates Inc. “California essentially created this program to create a market for low-carbon fuels and
September 14, 2018
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by Justin Bachman (Bloomberg) For years, airlines have experimented with biofuels, aiming to reduce both carbon emissions and their reliance on fossil fuels. It’s been a turbulent journey buffeted by inconsistent investment and the periodic lure of cheap oil. But several major carriers are planning larger-scale usage of biofuel in 2019 and 2020, including JetBlue Airways Corp. and
September 14, 2018
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Renewable Fuels Foundation (RFF), Pacific Ethanol, and Aemetis co-sponsored a new internship this year at the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for a college student to learn more about low-carbon cellulosic biofuels and their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The RFF is the research and educational arm
September 14, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Annually, commercial aviation helps drive nearly $1.5 trillion in U.S. economic activity and more than 10 million U.S. jobs. Airlines for America (A4A) vigorously advocates on behalf of the American airline industry as a model of safety, customer service and environmental responsibility and as the
September 13, 2018
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by Bryan Sherbacow (World Energy) … To understand a low carbon fuel standard, it’s best to look at California as an example. California is one of two states (neighboring state, Oregon, is the other) to enact a low carbon fuel standard. Typically, these state policies set a limit to the amount of
September 13, 2018
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At SynBioBeta 2018, you’ll join our growing community of inspired scientists, entrepreneurs, academics, investors, policy makers and pioneers using synthetic biology to build better, more sustainable, ways to Feed, Fuel, and Heal the World. SynBioBeta is the leading community of entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and enthusiasts devoted to the responsible growth
September 7, 2018
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by Steve Vander Griend (Clean Fuels Development Coalition) Adding ethanol to gasoline improves it in every way. It lowers carbon, reduces common air pollutants for smog formation, lessens CO2 emissions, reduces sulfur content, and provides clean octane as a replacement for toxic aromatics. In short it makes gasoline significantly better
September 6, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the selection of 36 projects totaling $80 million to support early-stage bioenergy research and development (R&D). This R&D will enable cost-competitive, drop-in renewable hydrocarbon fuels, bio-based products, and power from non-food biomass and waste feedstocks. This work supports the Department
September 4, 2018
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by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) In a rare moment of unity, biofuels, environmental and other groups are calling on the California Air Resources Board to change a new provision in its low-carbon fuel standard, that the groups say would give hydrogen electric vehicle fuels an advantage over biofuels and
September 4, 2018
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by Cliff Gladstein (ACT News) … One of the best, easiest and most cost-effective ways to reduce methane emissions from dairies is to divert manure to lagoon anaerobic digesters, clean the biogas that is produced to pipeline quality, and inject it into the grid where it can be used as a transportation fuel. When
September 1, 2018
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by Bruce Lieberman (Yale Climate Connections) They think nutrients in farm runoff could feed algae for biofuel. — When fertilizer and pesticides run off farmland, they can contaminate waterways with nutrient pollution. Davis: “A classic example is the Mississippi Basin.” That’s Ryan Davis of Sandia National Laboratories. He says a lot of
August 30, 2018
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by Helena Bottemiller Evich, Catherine Boudreau and Liz Crampton (Politico) The Trump administration on Monday detailed how it will dole out $6.3 billion in aid to assist farmers stung by retaliatory tariffs — and it’s already sparking backlash from some sectors where industry leaders say growers won’t get their fair share.
August 28, 2018
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Aug. 17, the owners of nearly 60 anaerobic digestion (AD) projects sent a letter to President Trump asking him to tell the U.S. EPA to prioritize the development of an electric pathway under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The letter cites efforts by members of
August 28, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) California Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna and Barbara Lee urged Gov. Jerry Brown in a letter to put an end to new fossil fuel projects in the state. They call on him to put into place a transition plan to end California’s existing oil and gas
August 24, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy)EPA will no longer hold public hearings in Washington, D.C., Detroit and Los Angeles on the administration’s proposed freeze of Obama-era fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks, Bloomberg Environment reports. Instead the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will hold two public
August 23, 2018
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Just over a year ago the future of B20 in California was uncertain, thanks to in-use requirements of the Alternative Diesel Fuels regulation, but as we’ve seen so many times, the biodiesel industry shone in the face of adversity. The advent of the Alternative Diesel Fuels
August 22, 2018
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TheRNG 2018 Conference, the premier executive conference for the North American renewable natural gas industry, will be held December 3 – 6 at the Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point – the crown jewel of Southern California’s Orange County. Interested in supporting North America’s renewable natural gas industry, while directly marketing to 300 or more executives
August 22, 2018
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(Joint Genome Institute) … A diverse group of plant-produced organic compounds, terpenes play key roles in plant growth, defense, and environmental interactions. Terpenes are also economically important because of their use in industrial materials, pharmaceutical products, and as biofuel precursors. Collectively, hundreds of terpene compounds have been characterized from eucalypts, a
August 22, 2018
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by April Baumgarten (Grand Forks Herald) A Grand Forks biorefinery that will turn sugar beet waste into ethanol will break ground this week. City, state and economic leaders are expected to speak Wednesday at the ceremony for the Red River Biorefinery, an 80,000-square-foot facility that will convert more than 500,000 metric
August 22, 2018
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by Cliff Gladstein (GNA/ACT News) … It warrants digging a little deeper into the increase in emissions from the transportation sector. Transportation is the largest single source of GHG emissions in California, spewing 39.5% of the state’s total GHG emissions into the atmosphere. Not only is the mass of transportation
August 17, 2018
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(Bay Ship and Yacht Co./NGV Journal) Bay Ship and Yacht Co., based in Alameda, California, has won a contract to build the first hydrogen fuel cell passenger vessel in the U.S.A. for Golden Gate Zero Emission Marine (GGZEM), a Bay Area company on a mission to eliminate maritime pollution. The vessel
August 17, 2018
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Earnings Season: as Novozymes, DSM, Amyris, Gevo, Corbion, and Aemetis Report, Who’s up, Who’s down?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In today’s Digest, let’s look at trends driving the industry’s results at scale — and while money is not the measure of all progress, it is the ultimate yardstick and especially for companies that have reached industrial scale. So, let’s look at Q2 earnings statements now
August 17, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking these on a weekly basis to keep pace with the
August 16, 2018
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Aemetis Inc. released second quarter financial results on Aug. 9, reporting increased revenues and gross margins. The company also reported process being made with its Riverbank cellulosic ethanol plant, including engineering, environmental permitting and EPC project milestones. “Record gasoline demand in the second quarter helped
August 15, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Energy/Phys.Org) To improve biofuel production, scientists must understand the fundamental interactions that lead to the expression of key traits in plants and microbes. To understand these interactions, scientists are using different layers of information (about the relationships between genes, and between genes and phenotypes) combined with new
August 15, 2018
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Pacific Ethanol Inc. released second quarter financial results on Aug. 9, reporting a slight increase in net sales. The company also discussed how current trade barriers and the U.S. EPA’s administration of the Renewable Fuel Standard are reducing short-term demand for ethanol. “Even with
August 14, 2018
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(NGV Journal) Wisconsin-based Ponderosa Dairy has partnered with … DTE Energy and Rev LNG LLC to break ground on a state of the art natural gas processing facility at the Pagel Farm in Kewaunee. The new plant will create renewable natural gas that is generated by cow manure. It will
August 13, 2018
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by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Some chemicals used to speed up the breakdown of plants for production of biofuels like ethanol are poison to the yeasts that turn the plant sugars into fuel. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and several Department of Energy laboratories have identified two changes to
August 13, 2018
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by Aldo Svaldi (Denver Post) Advanced energy job gains slowed last year, but should recover in 2018 — Mention alternative energy, and rooftop solar panels and electric vehicles may come to mind. But in Colorado, a disproportionate share of jobs in that emerging part of the economy are tied to wind
August 13, 2018
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by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, Andeavor announced a project to convert the Dickinson Refinery to process 12,000 barrels per day of renewable feedstocks, including soybean oil and distillers corn oil, into renewable diesel fuel. The project is expected to be completed in late 2020 and is subject to permitting and
August 13, 2018
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … “About 1.3 billion tons of food is lost or wasted every year – an estimated one in three mouthfuls of food every day,” according to Alessandro Demaio, Chief Executive Officer of the Norway-based EAT, an international NGO engaged in the fight against hunger. “In poorer nations,
August 13, 2018
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(CNGVC/NGV Journal) As the California Legislature reconvenes for its final 2018 session, the California NGV Coalition (CNGVC) has high hopes for legislation benefiting alternative fuels industries. One bill—AB 2061, which supports clean trucks—is likely to pass the Legislature. Passage of a second bill, SB 1440, which encourages biomethane development, is also
August 10, 2018
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by David R. Baker (San Francisco Chronicle) A California program to fight climate change may now add more to the cost of gasoline than the state gas-tax increase that many voters want to repeal. The Low Carbon Fuel Standard, designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions from fuel, now adds 12 to 14 cents per
August 10, 2018
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(Neste US Inc./Biomass Magazine) Pohl & Holmes Inc., a Hughson, California-based almond hulling and shelling services provider, recently switched their vehicles to running exclusively on Neste MY Renewable Diesel. Pohl & Holmes provides California almond growers with quality hulling and shelling services, providing both in-shell and shelled almond processing. Their advanced
August 10, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: REGI) is a leading provider of cleaner, lower carbon intensity products and services. The company is a major international producer of biomass-based diesel, a developer of renewable chemicals and North America’s largest producer of advanced biofuel. REG utilizes an integrated procurement,
August 10, 2018
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(Pacific Ethanol/Globe Newswire) Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX), announced today the completion of a 5-megawatt solar power system at its 40 million gallon capacity per year ethanol plant in Madera, California. The system is online and generating power. Initial operations are at 3.5 megawatts and will increase to 5 megawatts upon
August 9, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s up with biogas? The U.S. market has lagged in the development of biogas facilities because of the low cost of electricity, natural gas and vehicle fuels derived from petroleum. The passing of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
August 9, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has announced new grant funding for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LNNL) and Stanford School of Engineering’s Spormann Laboratory to conduct new power-to-gas research. The two entities will also receive $800,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy. SoCalGas will provide co-funding of
August 7, 2018
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by Lisa Steyn (Buisness Live) Government incentives spur the JSE-listed firm to transform cow manure into natural gas at dairy farm in California — JSE-listed Montauk Energy has struck a deal with a dairy farm in California where it will for the first time transform cow manure into natural gas. The company
August 3, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Trump administration’s proposed freeze of vehicle fuel efficiency standards sought by the Obama administration and plan to end California’s power to enforce its own rules has placed the spotlight squarely on the state, where its political leaders are vowing an all-out fight . California
August 3, 2018
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today welcomed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) request for public comments on how high octane fuels could facilitate engine efficiency improvements and reduced emissions under 2021-2026 fuel economy and tailpipe GHG standards for light-duty automobiles (CAFE/GHG). The solicitation for comments on high
August 2, 2018
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(Environmental Protection Agency) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) propose to amend certain existing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and greenhouse gas emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks and establish new standards, covering model years 2021 through 2026. Public Comments: The EPA docket
August 2, 2018
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by Brady Dennis, Michael Laris and Juliet Eilperin (The Washington Post) The Trump administration on Thursday announced plans to freeze fuel efficiency requirements for the nation’s cars and trucks through 2026 — a massive regulatory rollback likely to spur a legal battle with California and other states, as well as create potential upheaval in the
August 2, 2018
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by Cliff Gladstein (GNA/ACT News) In early July 2018, renewable natural gas (RNG) began to flow into Southern California’s natural gas distribution system from a state-of-the-art high solid anaerobic digester (HSAD) in Perris, California, that processes organic waste that would otherwise have been sent to a landfill. Because the waste will no longer
August 1, 2018
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The Global Climate Action Summit will bring leaders and people together from around the world to “Take Ambition to the Next Level.” It will be a moment to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of states, regions, cities, companies, investors and citizens with respect to climate action. It will also be a
August 1, 2018
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(Wärtsilä/Biomass Magazine) The technology group Wärtsilä has reached an agreement to acquire Puregas Solutions, the Sweden-based provider of turnkey biogas upgrading solutions. Puregas is a leading player in its field with subsidiary companies in Germany, Denmark, the U.K., and the USA. The company utilizes a unique CApure process to convert raw
August 1, 2018
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by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler confirmed to senators Wednesday that the Trump administration this week will release a proposal to weaken Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. Wheeler, in his first testimony before Congress since replacing Scott Pruitt, said he hopes to come up with a “50-state
August 1, 2018
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(Waste Today) Vista Unified School District says its 53-bus fleet’s performance has already improved. Vista Unified School District (VUSD), a public school district based in San Diego County, California, has switched its fleet of 53 school buses to run on MY renewable diesel from Neste, with U.S. headquarters in Houston. VUSD is the
July 31, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has a key project called Co-Optima, which aims to determine key fuel properties that enable improved engine efficiency, provide key science to enable high efficiency combustion modes, and capitalize on unique properties available from bio-blendstocks. Within that project is an emphasis
July 31, 2018
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by Catherine Clifford (CNBC) A bacteria found in the gut of a rabbit can now help cars run in a more eco-friendly way. The bacteria, identified by biotech start-up LanzaTech, helps turn factory carbon emissions, a.k.a. pollution, into ethanol …. … “While there are many sustainable sources of sugar-derived ethanol … it’s not enough
July 30, 2018
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by Alex Guillén (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Trump administration is expected to formally roll back vehicle fuel economy and emissions requirements later this week, and a draft version of the EPA-NHTSA rule posted Friday evening by The New York Times offers up details that confirm the many of the changes previously
July 30, 2018
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by Tom DiChristopher (CNBC) A federal judge dismissed New York’s lawsuit against five big oil and gas companies for their role in climate change. New York argued the companies should compensate the city for the cost of mitigating the effects of global warming. U.S. District Court Judge John F. Keenan ruled that problems associated
July 23, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy)Mark your calendars, readers. An EPA official told E&E News that the Trump administration will propose its plans for weakening Obama-era clean car standards next week. The plan will provide several options for public comment, but will stop short of revoking states’ ability to set
July 20, 2018
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by Todd Campbell (ACT News/California Natural Gas Vehicle Partnership) Is natural gas renewable? What is renewable natural gas? Is renewable natural gas a fossil fuel? To those of us in the industry, these questions may sound like no-brainers. However, I have found myself at events or in casual conversation where these
July 20, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Established in 2013, AltAir Fuels was created to produce low carbon fuels and chemicals derived from sustainable feedstock. For its first commercial project, AltAir partnered with Alon Energy USA to use its existing refinery in Paramount, California retooling idled refining equipment to increase the nation’s energy
July 20, 2018
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(Ballard Power Systems) Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLDP) today announced that El Dorado National fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs), powered by Ballard FCveloCity®-HD modules, have successfully completed rigorous testing at The Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center under a program established by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) (https://www.revgroup.com/news-single/enc-hydrogen-fuel-cell-transit-bus-altoona-testing).
July 20, 2018
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( Clean Energy Fuels Corp/Biomass Magazine) Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced that Brookhaven, New York, a municipality that moved away from diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG) 10 years ago, has extended Clean Energy’s contract for another five years. Brookhaven is taking its sustainability efforts to a new level by becoming
July 18, 2018
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by David R. Baker (San Francisco Chronicle) … Emissions from transportation — cars, trucks, trains, planes and ships — keep rising. And since transportation accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector, that must change if the state hopes to meet its future global warming goals. … For all
July 17, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) …In today’s Digest, wool without the sheep, fuels from water and C)2, bacteria-powered solar cells, spectral imagery in the sky, artificial intelligence in the crop field, sugar-based straws and more, ready for you now at The Digest online. #1 Sheep-free wool nabs PETA prize … #2
(Bioenergy Insight) The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) has issued a report assessing specifications for biomethane in California common carrier pipelines. According to CCST, the report shows changes that could allow biomethane to be used “safely and economically” in California’s renewable energy portfolio. Titled ‘Biomethane in California Common Carrier
July 17, 2018
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(California Air Resources Board) Emissions down 13% since their 2004 peak while economy grew 26% — … The transportation sector, the state’s largest source of greenhouse gases, saw a 2 percent increase in emissions in 2016 because of increased fuel consumption. But the state also saw cars and trucks use a record
July 16, 2018
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(SoCalGas/NGV Journal) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), Canadian natural gas utility Énergir, and French utilities GRDF and GRTgaz announced a new collaboration aimed at advancing the research and development of renewable natural gas and technologies such as power-to-gas. The collaboration will focus on research and development, public policy, and outreach. The
July 12, 2018
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California Urges Trump Administration to Abandon Fuel Rule Plan
by David Shepardson (Reuters) California’s top air regulator urged the Trump administration on Sunday to abandon a plan to freeze fuel efficiency standards through 2026, as automakers urged state and federal regulators to reach agreement to extend nationwide rules. Mary Nichols, who chairs the state’s Air Resources Board, asked the U.S.