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(Clean Fuels Alliance America/Biodiesel Magazine) This past year, states across the country continued to prioritize low-carbon renewable fuels like biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel.Clean Fuels Alliance America worked with state soybean organizations and member organizations to enact new laws that will set a path forward for additional growth
Vermont
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) RNG and it’s companion product biogas have taken the project and sustainable power sectors by storm — there’s project action, fast-developing technology, M&A activity, and policy advances of the first magnitude, in the United States and all around the developed world, What’s up, who’s in
January 24, 2023
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by John Bleasby (Daily Commercial News) … When projected over 10 years between 2022 and 2032, it found considerable advantages with advanced diesel technology, particularly when using renewable biofuels, as compared to an electrification strategy. The study found using low-carbon renewable bio-based diesel fuels available today would result in a three
September 7, 2022
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(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a $200,000 grant to the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA) to support anaerobic digestion technology in 11 states in the Northeast, New England the Mid-Atlantic, including New Jersey and New York. NEWMOA has partnered with the Northeast Recycling
August 31, 2022
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by Marc Heller (E&E News/Climatewire) After almost two decades making power from manure, Jon Patterson is done. The electric generator he installed on his dairy farm in upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region in the late 2000s sits idle while he contemplates more promising ways to make money from the back
August 31, 2022
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(Vermont Law and Graduate School) Manure biogas systems might seem like an easy, profitable, and beneficial method of climate change mitigation in the animal agriculture industry. But what does relying solely on manure biogas leave out of the picture? Globally, animal agriculture contributes approximately 20 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,
August 18, 2022
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(Diesel Technology Forum/Globe Newswire) A new study that evaluates several approaches to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) and other emissions from medium and heavy-duty vehicles from 2022-2032 finds considerable advantages with advanced diesel technology particularly when using renewable biofuels, as compared to an electrification strategy. Medium and heavy-duty trucks operating in 10
July 25, 2022
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by Cole Rosengren (Utlity Dive) • Vanguard Renewables, a Massachusetts-based anaerobic digestion company, has been acquired by a fund managed by BlackRock Real Assets. Vanguard was sold by Vision Ridge Partners, which had invested in the company’s growth since its founding in 2014. According to the Wall Street Journal, the deal
July 22, 2022
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by Currey McCullough (RFD TV) Just this morning (July 19, 2022) on a call with ag reporters, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said he and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar are sending a letter urging the EPA to increase volumes of biodiesel and renewable diesel. “Adding more homegrown fuels to the nation’s
July 20, 2022
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by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The Vermont House of Representatives on March 16 voted 96 to 44 in favor of a bill that aims to implement a Clean Heat Standard to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the state’s thermal sector. The legislation, H. 715, is currently being considered by the
April 5, 2022
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(Environmental Protection Agency) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces the selection of 11 organizations expected to receive a total of approximately $2 million in funding to divert food waste from landfills by expanding anaerobic digester capacity nationwide. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a process in which microorganisms break down organic materials, such as food
March 10, 2022
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by Francine Kiefer (Christian Science Monitor) … beginning Jan. 1, (California) is requiring every city and county to have a program to collect organic waste … and turn it into compost, biofuel, or energy. Several states, and even a few countries, such as France, have some type of law to
December 31, 2021
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(Bioenergy Insight) Researchers at the University of Vermont (UVM) have partnered with Casella Waste Systems to test a new food de-packaging system. One-third of food waste in Vermont is still packaged, creating difficulties when it comes to the mandatory diversion of food waste away from landfills under the state’s new
November 9, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vanguard Renewables sequesters organic waste that could be a dangerous contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and converts it into a powerful source of renewable energy, renewable natural gas. Find out how it works, the role of farms, project inputs and outputs, and more. READ MORE Dairy
August 27, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Just in time for Earth Day today, there is major progress in the manure-only to RNG side of the Biogas business. Vanguard Renewables’ Rick Royston shared this slide guide with new projects in Colorado and Georgia, more on the way, and a powerful new revenue
April 22, 2021
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(VGS/Biomass Magazine) VGS and Appalachian Gap Distillery announced March 3 the distillery has committed to offset half of its natural gas usage with VGS’s first-in-the-nation renewable natural gas (RNG) to produce its quality craft spirits. This announcement is another step in the Company’s progress towards becoming certified by Climate Neutral, a trusted
March 9, 2021
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(Transportation and Climate Initiative) On March 1, TCI state agency staff shared updates on the TCI-P, including a Draft Model Rule and proposed processes for public engagement to ensure that equity, environmental, climate, and transportation justice considerations are at the center of TCI-P development and implementation. Individuals and organizations are encouraged
March 1, 2021
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(Transportation and Climate Initiative of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States) TCI-P will invest $300 million every year to modernize transportation, improve public health and combat climate change — The governors of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and the mayor of the District of Columbia announced today that theirs will be the
December 21, 2020
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(Bioenergy Insight) Vermont Gas Services (VGS) has helped a mead producer to switch to 100% renewable natural gas (RNG) power. Groennfell Meadery’s mead, also known as honey wine, is now being produced using VGS’ first-in-the-nation RNG. The renewable gas is being used to power its custom-designed brewing system to become
November 14, 2020
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(Insider NJ) Groups Push For “Strong Safeguards and Guarantees for Overburdened and Underserved Communities” in 12 TCI States & DC; Need for State Leadership Seen As U.S. Formally Abandons Paris Climate Agreement. — The largest and most diverse collection ever of health, community, business, transportation, environmental and other groups have come
November 12, 2020
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(BioCycle Magazine) Energy Vision, a nonprofit research institute that studies and promotes viable decarbonization technologies for energy and transport, held its 14th Annual Awards on October 9. The awards are presented for leadership and innovation in sustainability to help advance adoption of renewable natural gas (RNG), a low-carbon fuel made from organic
October 16, 2020
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by Nora Goldstein (BioCycle Magazine) Totally enclosed operation is designed to preprocess 250 tons/day of food waste, much of it in packaging. Slurried feedstocks are hauled to dairy farms equipped with AD systems. — In 2015, one of the tours during BioCycle’s 15th Annual Conference on Renewable Energy From Organics Recycling in
October 7, 2020
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(Houston Chronicle) Using current and past Census data, Stacker tracks the way the American farming industry has changed over the past century. Over the past century, American farming has changed dramatically. Crops with long histories like tobacco are still prevalent throughout the South, while many farmers across the country are now
September 5, 2020
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This session is designed for anyone interested in learning more about trucks, construction and farm equipment use in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC. The live session will explore
July 21, 2020
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(Elsevier) Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy, 2nd Edition presents a complete overview of the bioenergy value chain, from feedstock to end products. It examines current and emerging feedstocks and advanced processes and technologies enabling the development of all possible alternative energy sources. Divided into seven parts, bioenergy
June 30, 2020
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by Michael Bates (NGT News) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has adopted a first-in-the-world rule – the Advanced Clean Truck regulation – that requires truck manufacturers to transition from diesel trucks and vans to electric zero-emission trucks beginning in 2024. By 2045, every new truck sold in California will be zero-emission. …
June 30, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cow poop. It’s a problem for farmers across the country, something that has to be dealt with, something that environmentalists and vegetarians often cite as a reason to cut your steak intake, but Vanguard Renewables is capturing the latent methane in animal manure, converting it
April 28, 2020
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by Parris N. Glendening (Washington Post/Smart Growth America’s Leadership Institute) When President Trump attempted to eliminate California’s more stringent fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards for cars and trucks, local elected officials cried foul — and not just in California. Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,
February 27, 2020
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by Allen Best (Energy News) The bill would require large natural gas utilities to source some of their supply from dairies, landfills and other sources. — Colorado would require natural gas utilities to integrate renewable energy under a far-reaching bill introduced in the state legislature. Senate Bill 20-150 would require Public Service
February 19, 2020
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by Robert Kozak* (Advanced Biofuels USA) I think the recent report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, “Are Electric Vehicles Really Better for the Climate? Yes. Here’s Why,” is very misleading for the following reasons: 1) it misuses the concept of “national average” greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electrical production
February 14, 2020
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The states participating in the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) have released a Draft Memorandum of Understanding to establish a regional cap and invest program to transition to a more sustainable, resilient, low carbon transportation sector. Also released were initial projections of the potential economic and public health benefits such
January 29, 2020
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by Kavya Balaraman (Utility Dive) The California Energy Commission (CEC) is putting up to $11 million on the table for developers of energy storage technologies other than lithium-ion batteries, according to a solicitation launched last month. The agency is looking for one group of projects based on emerging customer-side storage
January 9, 2020
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by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Modeling by Georgetown Climate Center’s Transportation and Climate Initiative of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States released Tuesday showed potential for greenhouse gas emissions reduction, pollution reduction, job creation and public health benefits. The anticipated program is designed around auctions of credits by member states
December 18, 2019
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(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown Climate Center) The bipartisan group of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic jurisdictions that make up the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) today invited public input on a new draft proposal for a regional program to establish a cap on global warming pollution from transportation fuels and invest millions
December 17, 2019
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(Iogen) Threemile Canyon Farms’ Oregon facility is steadily producing renewable natural gas — Iogen Corporation would like to congratulate Threemile Canyon Farms and Equilibrium for the successful opening and operation of Oregon’s only dairy manure renewable natural gas production facility – one of the largest in the US. The facility,
December 5, 2019
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(Office of Representative Peter Welch (D-VT)) Bill would phase out corn ethanol mandate, reverse tide of habitat destruction, and boost the mandate for advanced biofuels that reduce greenhouse gases — Today (November 14, 2019), Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) introduced companion bills in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S.
November 15, 2019
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(Bioenergy Insight) Eight biogas projects received awards from the American Biogas Council (ABC) for their ‘outstanding performance and contribution’ to the industry. The winners were announced at the Biogas Industry Awards and Dinner during the BioCycle REFOR19 event in Wisconsin, US on 29 October. Five projects received a 2019 Project
November 5, 2019
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by Nichola Groom (Reuters) … (Joey) Airoso is tapping into a growing market among U.S. utilities for so-called renewable natural gas, or biomethane, that is being driven by the fight against climate change. For farmers, it is a way to get ahead of a wave of greenhouse gas regulation and make
October 24, 2019
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by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) “Nothing has been decided yet about the treatment of biofuels” or renewable fuels in the proposed program to cap transportation emissions in 13 Northeastern US jurisdictions, according to the chair of the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) Leadership and Workgroup, Kathleen Theoharides, Secretary, Massachusetts Executive
October 2, 2019
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(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown Climate Center) Jurisdictions participating in the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) have made available a framework for a draft regional policy proposal to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from transportation, and are encouraging interested individuals and organizations to provide feedback on the draft framework through the TCI portal. This high-level framework
October 1, 2019
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(New England Fuel Institute /Biodiesel Magazine) The Northeast’s heating oil industry has resolved to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2050. This ambitious goal was set at the Northeast Industry Summit held during the 2019 Heating & Energizing America Trade Show at the Rhode Island Convention Center. The industry’s resolution
September 18, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Vermont, representatives from Vanguard Renewables, Middlebury College, Vermont Gas, Goodrich Farm, and the State of Vermont were on hand the other day to celebrate the official groundbreaking for the largest anaerobic digester east of the Mississippi, with Middlebury will be the primary consumer of the
September 17, 2019
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(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown Climate Center) On Tuesday, July 30, more than 300 community members, transportation, environmental and social justice advocates, business and industry representatives, and state and local officials participated in the Transportation & Climate Initiative workshop on Low-Carbon Transportation Investments, Strategies, and Outcomes in Baltimore, Maryland. At the workshop
August 15, 2019
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by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) Thirteen states filed suit against the Trump administration Friday, arguing it was breaking the law by cutting penalties for automakers that do not meet Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. The suit, led by California’s and New York’s attorneys general, goes after a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) rule that
August 5, 2019
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by Jonathan Mingle (Yale Environment 360) For decades, small-scale biogas systems have collected methane from landfills, sewage plants, and farms. Now, in Europe and the U.S., the growth of this renewable form of natural gas is taking off as businesses capture large amounts of methane from manure, food waste, and other
July 31, 2019
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by Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) The opposition to one of President Trump’s most consequential regulatory rollbacks — a plan to weaken pollution standards for automobiles nationwide — widened on Tuesday when 24 governors, including three Republicans, urged the president to abandon his plan. The governors’ plea adds to a chorus of criticism from an unlikely mix
July 10, 2019
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(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative ) SAJF Deployment Projects Florida, Alabama, Georgia Several developments in Alabama and Florida will enhance opportunities for the Southeast Partnership for Advance Renewables from Carinata (SPARC), a USDA Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP). The Alabama Department of Economic Development and Community Affairs (ADECA) has issued an RFP
January 29, 2019
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by Jim Dickrell (Dairy Herd) … The Fosters were also the first in the state, in the early 1980s, to install and operate a methane digester. And in 1992, they formed Vermont Natural Ag Products Inc. (VNAP) to compost manure and other agricultural residuals to produce some two dozen compost soil
January 16, 2019
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The Renewable Fuels Association, in partnership with TRANSCAER®, will host ethanol safety seminars in Vermont and Mississippi this month. All of the seminars are free to attend, but registration is limited. Certificates of Completion will be awarded to attendees at the completion of the course. The seminars are designed for
January 3, 2019
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Nine States and D.C. to Design Regional Approach to Cap Greenhouse Gas Pollution from Transportation
(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown University Climate Center) A coalition of nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia today announced their intent to design a new regional low-carbon transportation policy proposal that would cap and reduce carbon emissions from the combustion of transportation fuels, and invest proceeds from the
December 18, 2018
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by Joshua S Hill (CleanTechnica) The global divestment movement has celebrated an important milestone this week as it now boasts more than 1,000 institutions around the world worth almost $8 trillion which have committed to divesting from fossil fuels. Global grassroots climate movement 350.org announced on Thursday that, with the announcement
December 17, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Rep. Nydia Velázquez , the presumptive incoming chairwoman of the Small Business Committee, became the latest House Democrat to back the Green New Deal on Tuesday. “We cannot delay when it comes to addressing this existential threat to our planet,” she tweeted. “Water-adjacent cities, especially
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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(Georgetown Climate Center) In November 2017, member jurisdictions from the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) began a public conversation inviting stakeholder input on the opportunities, challenges, and benefits of a modern, low-carbon transportation system, and what policies catalyzing these benefits might look like. Between March and August 2018, TCI hosted a series of
November 14, 2018
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by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Voters in Washington state on Tuesday rejected a proposed carbon tax that would have been the first such levy in the nation. The policy would have been an effort to fight climate change by mandating that companies using or selling fossil fuels pay taxes equal to $15 per metric ton
November 7, 2018
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by Bill Keba* (Advanced Biofuels USA) October 2, 2018, Annapolis, Maryland. Inside the Doubletree Inn, it was as hectic as the traffic on Route 50. Eightyfive paid attendees were gathering, registering, networking, and hurriedly settling in for the 9:15 start of this workshop titled Opportunities and Challenges in Anaerobic Digestion:
October 11, 2018
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by Raphael Orlove (Jalopnik) Our emissions standards are probably the biggest booster to automotive performance in the past half century, making our cars not only more eco-friendly but more powerful, too. Trump has been trying to cut it all down, but now California and 16 other states suing to stop him. … …
May 1, 2018
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by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) A coalition led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the California Air Resources board has announced plans to sue the U.S. EPA over its failure to enforce existing landfill methane regulations. The coalition announced its plans on March 23 when it submitted a 60-day notice of
April 11, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ag-Grid Energy has a vision to convert agricultural and organic waste into renewable energy, compost and support local area practices that lead us towards a sustainable environment. The company intends to finance, build, own (jointly), operate the waste to energy conversion facilities in US, and has
March 19, 2018
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On March 8, Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., introduced companion bills that aim to dismantle the Renewable Fuel Standard and sunset blending obligations for conventional, advanced, cellulosic, and biomass-based diesel fuels. The acts, titled the “Growing Renewable Energy through Existing and
March 9, 2018
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(Vermont Law School) SHAPE ENERGY POLICY–Learn how to use the law to shape policies that encourage energy efficiency, advance renewable energy, and promote energy security and justice. The legal system will critically affect how humanity meets the challenge of energy and environmental issues. In the private sector, in government policy and
February 14, 2018
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by Natasha Geiling (ThinkProgress) Currently only one state in the country has an economy-wide cap on carbon. These states want to change that — Lawmakers from nine states announced on Wednesday that they would be forming a coalition to help pass carbon pricing at the local level, citing the importance of state-level policies
February 1, 2018
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by Pete Kolbenschlag (Post Independent/Citizen Telegram) … Rep. Welch from Vermont is leading an effort to rethink ethanol, and to lead Congress to fix this broken policy. Colorado’s congressional delegation should join in this effort before more land goes under the plow, before more waters become plagued with toxic algae, and before
January 17, 2018
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(WCAX) The cold and snowy weather has the state’s network of snowmobile trails is buzzing, but riders say ethanol continues to damage their engines. … (Congressman Peter) Welch (D-VT) is promising to continue efforts to eliminate ethanol from gasoline. The federal government requires gas to contain 10 percent ethanol. Corn-based ethanol
January 12, 2018
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by Gerald B. Silverman (Bloomberg) Motor fuel could be the next target for controlling greenhouse gas emissions in the Northeast, as seven states that have already clamped down on power plants train their sights on the transportation sector. The states are considering a new cap-and-trade program modeled after the Regional Greenhouse
by Tamara Scully (Country Folks) The next big thing in alternative energy may be pretty small. Algae, which are aquatic, single-celled organisms, produce oxygen while consuming carbon dioxide. Nitrogen, phosphorous and other nutrients which can degrade our waterways, plus sunlight and carbon dioxide, provide algae with a steady diet. From that
December 26, 2017
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(Union of Concerned Scientistst) Statement by Ken Kimmell, Union of Concerned Scientists — Leading environmental, health, scientific and business organizations today applauded the announcement by seven states and Washington, D.C. of plans to develop a regional policy to reduce carbon pollution from the transportation sector. The move was endorsed today by the
(New England Power Generators Association) NEPGA letter – with the Acadia Center, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club and Union of Concerned Scientists – calling for a regional approach to lowering transportation emissions in a market based manner. READ MORE Excerpts from letter: We, the New England Power Generators Association and regional
(Motor Week) … Black bear biodiesel takes waste cooking oil from area restaurants and resorts, and recycles it into biodiesel. In 2016, they collected 100,000 gallons of used oil. Renewable biodiesel can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 75 percent. Working with Vermont clean cities and other partners, the hope is
March 7, 2017
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by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) Half of U.S. states blended more than 10 percent ethanol, RFA’s president and CEO points out in his View from the Hill column — Reps. Bill Flores, R-Texas, and Peter Welch, D-Vt., introduced legislation during the last Congress that would cap ethanol blends in
January 25, 2017
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by John D. Forcier (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) Most trash and recycled waste materials are being processed on a regional basis to maximize the economy of scale. There have been various attempts to gather and process organic waste materials utilizing similar methods, but the challenges are far from resolved.
January 3, 2017
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(Vermont Business Magazine) … Welch (Representative Peter Welch (D-VT)) will reintroduce the bipartisan Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Reform Act, which will reform the corn ethanol mandate while continuing to promote advanced biofuels, as well as the bipartisan Food and Fuel Consumer Protection Act, which would cap the maximum volume of
December 14, 2016
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(Center for American Progress) Carbon taxes and emissions trading systems, once considered political moonshots in the battle to combat carbon emissions, have found purchase in Canada, Mexico, and parts of the United States, raising the possibility that carbon pricing could span the continent. The Center for American Progress released an
November 4, 2016
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by Karen Batra (Biotech Now) As the House Committee on Appropriations marks up the FY2017 agriculture spending bill, the Committee is considering $3 million for consumer education and outreach to “promote understanding and acceptance of” biotechnology, a joint effort by the FDA and the USDA. In a letter sent April 18
April 25, 2016
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(Vermont Public Service Board/Biomass Magazine) The Vermont Public Service Board recently authorized the construction and operation of a renewable natural gas (RNG) facility on a farm in Salisbury, Vermont. The project will use primarily manure, corn silage, and brewery waste to produce pipeline-grade natural gas for sale to Middlebury College and
April 25, 2016
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(University of Vermont) A new era of clean BioEnergy solutions is beginning to emerge now. Clean sustainable Bioenergy such as Bio-Electricity and Biogas production from Dairy manure and Food Waste streams is becoming a well-known phenomenon. Pellets made from wood or grass biomass are commercially available at stores for heating
April 8, 2016
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by Peter Vail and Dallas Burtraw (Resources for the Future) As the political likelihood of passing comprehensive national climate policy has remained low, many states have taken up the mantle. This devolution of climate policy has been further reinforced by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) efforts to regulate carbon dioxide from
March 21, 2016
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New Resource for Farmers: A Legal and Regulatory Overview of On-Farm Biodiesel Production in Vermont
(VTDigger.org) Vermont Law School research commissioned by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund will help reach biodiesel goals of Vermont’s Comprehensive Energy Plan — A new report, On-Farm Biodiesel Production in Vermont: Legal and Regulatory Overview, conducted by the Institute for Energy and the Environment (IEE) at Vermont Law School reviews
February 29, 2016
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(White Mountain Biodiesel) NBB member White Mountain Biodiesel, LLC announced today that it has begun the expansion of its plant in North Haverhill, NH. The expansion, which will occur over the next two years, will include a 10,000 square foot addition to its existing facility and the installation of 1,186,000
February 29, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Food vs Fuel, biofuels causing corn planting to skyrocket, low oil prices killing off renewable fuels, the subsidy myth, the emissions myth, the “people won’t buy the fuels” myth, and the Insanity myth. … In the world of renewable fuels, there are 7 widely held
December 23, 2015
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by Jeff Plungis (Bloomberg) Batteries generate power less efficiently as temperatures drop. — … The trouble is, except for Oregon, none of the states have California’s temperate weather. The batteries used by the greener cars generate electricity from chemical reactions that work less efficiently as temperatures drop. In tests conducted by the
December 7, 2015
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by Brooke Coleman (Advanced Biofuels Business Council/Times Argus) In “Ethanol is a bad deal for Vt.” (online Nov. 21), a group called the American Council for Capital Formation argues that ethanol is a bad deal for Vermonters economically and environmentally. The allegations sound compelling, but Vermonters need to understand that these
December 2, 2015
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by Eric Blaisdell (Rutland Herald) Black Bear Biodiesel recently ended its first season selling environmentally friendly fuel on a high note, thanks to the transgressions of a German automaker, and it could open back up earlier and stay open later in the coming years thanks to a new permit. Black
November 30, 2015
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by David Banks ( American Council for Capital Formation/Times Argus) Not a single gallon of fuel ethanol is produced in Vermont, and almost none of the corn harvested in the state is used for commercial purposes, according to USDA data. … The television spots sponsored by the American Council for
(Fuels America/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Fuels America is announcing a significant television campaign today calling out Rep. Peter Welch (VT-AL) for signing on to a Congressional letter that was authored by oil industry lobbyists. The first phase of the campaign includes 250 GRPs in the Burlington media market for one week. The
November 13, 2015
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by Devin Henry (The Hill) A group opposing the federal ethanol mandate has extended its advertising campaign against the rule into several corn-growing states. The American Council for Capital Formation (ACCF), a D.C.-based free market group, is hitting the airwaves in Indiana on Tuesday with an ad warning about the
November 11, 2015
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(Center for Regulatory Solutions) … How have the RFS and federal corn consumption mandates impacted non-corn states, and the small businesses struggling to stay competitive in the global economy? According to a new study commissioned by the Center for Regulatory Solutions (CRS), a project of the Small Business and
November 10, 2015
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by Shannon Young (MassLive) A Washington D.C.-based group launched a television ad campaign in Boston this week that takes aim at the federal corn ethanol mandates and calls on congressional lawmakers to end them. The 30-second ad, sponsored by American Council for Capital Formation, contends that while the mandates were
November 9, 2015
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UVM’s Bioenergy Professional Certificate provides alternative approaches to traditional energy sources in Biofuels, including: Liquid Biofuels (seed-based biodiesel; bioethanol; algae-biofuels) Solid Biofuels (wood and grass energy) Biogas (farm-based energy) This Certificate Program offers college graduates, farmers, teachers,and entrepreneurs technical exposure to Biofuels science and technology topics that address environmental, economic, social, and other Biofuels-related issues. Depleting
August 11, 2015
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Registration open for FALL 2015 1. ONLINE: Bioenergy Professional Certificate via Continuing and Distance Education 2. ON CAMPUS::UVM campus and throughout Vermont. See info below: Register for Varibale Academic Credit: (2 to 4 College Credits for NR 285 – J- 95467 OR TRC 295 – A – 95426 Advanced special
August 11, 2015
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by Rachel Carter (Daily Yonder) After learning to make biofuel to use on his own farm, John Williamson has expanded his business to help others create their own energy. For Williamson, there’s a diversified income stream. For his neighbors, there’s new access to renewable energy. John Williamson, the owner and
July 28, 2015
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by Eric Blaisdell (Times Argus) After two years of legal battles and obstacles, Black Bear Biodiesel will be open for business Saturday. … Once the ground thawed this spring, he said pumps were installed. Local woodworker Ben Graham also built a timber frame canopy over the pumps, which Malloy said is
June 17, 2015
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Semesters::Fall Location::UVM campus and throughout Vermont Register for Varibale Academic Credit: (0 to 4 College Credits for NR 285 – J- 95467 OR TRC 295 – A – 95426 Advanced special topics in natural resource planning beyond the scope of existing formal courses Attributes: Also approved for Graduate Credit Meetings: twice
June 8, 2015
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by Steven Mufson (The Washington Post originally posted December 2013; includes 2015 updates) A divestment movement is marching across U.S. college campuses, borrowing tactics from the 1980s anti-apartheid campaign and using them against oil, gas and coal companies to fight climate change. Students are teaming with investment advisers to convince
April 16, 2015
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(vtdigger.org/TH Malloy and Sons) Jim Malloy, of Plainfield, Vermont, is being recognized for his contributions to reducing the use of petroleum fuel in the transportation sector. His business, TH Malloy and Sons in Newport, Rhode Island, is being recognized with the New England Northern Star Award as one of the
April 13, 2015
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By Osaretin Omorodion* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Falling oil prices is a popular topic amongst conversations spawning all over the U.S. Many base their opinions on the relief that this price drop has given their wallets. Many applaud the policies behind increased domestic oil production which is one of the factors
(Elsevier) Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels examines all current and emerging feedstocks and the advanced processes and technologies enabling the development of their end products, ranging from solid (wood energy, grass energy, and other biomass) to liquid (biodiesel from oil seed crops, algae biofuel, waste-oil, ethanol etc.) and gaseous/electric (biogas, syngas,
December 4, 2014
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … To complement the efforts of our Sponsors and CAAFI Executive Director Steve Csonka my focus is on implementing State initiatives on the East Coast in partnership with USDA / DOE and our highly focused an energetic “farm to fly 2.0″ State focals, local feedstock providers,
November 21, 2014
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(Green Mountain Power) GMP collaborates on Innovative Farm-to-Energy Biodiesel Test Beautiful fields of sunflowers growing in Newbury and Shaftsbury will have an unusual future: the flowers’ seeds will be converted to biodiesel and livestock feed. The fuel will be used in Green Mountain Power’s fleet of vehicles and for building
September 18, 2014
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by Kathryn Flagg (Seven Days Vermont) … While Vallee’s Red Store sits vacant, Black Bear Biodiesel is gearing up to open its doors — and pump its first gallons of recycled vegetable oil — later this month. It will be the first location in Vermont to offer 100 percent biodiesel, known
July 10, 2014
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(Vermont Bioenergy Initiative) A new report evaluating grass biomass energy as a potential heating fuel has been released. Grass Energy in Vermont and the Northeast summarizes current research on the agronomy and usage potential of grass as a biofuel, and points to next steps for the region to fully commercialize this opportunity.
June 14, 2014
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(Vermont Technical College) Vermont Business Leader Urges State to Keep Momentum on Energy Goals Vermont Tech announced today that David Blittersdorf, well-known renewable energy entrepreneur and president and Chief Executive Officer of Williston-based AllEarth Renewables, has committed $120,000 to support the launch of the college’s new Renewable Energy bachelor’s degree
May 13, 2014
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by Julian Hattem (The Hill RegWatch) Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) took to Washington’s streets on Thursday to push for the reform of a government biofuel program. … On Thursday, he posted a picture of himself on Twitter riding a pedal-powered vehicle with a large sign calling for the program’s reform. What do
December 6, 2013
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The mission of this program is to provide hands-on instruction in all possible bioenergy areas outlined below, support generation of related skilled workforce and stimulate bioenergy production : * LIQUID BIOFUELS (transportation fuels; home-heating oil; biodiesel from oil seeds & waste vegetable oil; ethanol; algae-biofuel); * SOLID BIOFUELS (woody biomass;
November 22, 2013
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(Office of Representative Jim Costa (D-CA 16th)) Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Steve Womack (R-AR), and Peter Welch (D-VT) released the following statement today regarding the introduction of the RFS Reform Act in the U.S. House of Representatives: “The RFS debate is no longer just a debate about
October 22, 2013
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by Rachel Carter (The Examiner) …State Line Biofuels operates a 120,000 gallon/year (300 gallon per batch capacity) biodiesel production facility, providing biofuel and livestock meal for on-farm use. The production capacity of State Line Biofuels can additionally serve oilseed pressing and biodiesel production needs of 10-15 farms within a 30 mile radius, encompassing
October 21, 2013
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by John Herrick (VTDigger.org) Waste from dairy farms and beer breweries could provide the necessary ingredients to grow algae-based biofuels, leaders of a project designed to research this technology said on Tuesday. Matt Cota, executive director of the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded
October 2, 2013
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SUBJECT: Biomass to Biofuels course: 4 credits Fall 2013 starting August 26th Biomass to Biofuels course, 2013 Fall Semester, University of Vermont – a complete Bio Renewable Energy Program 4 Credits, August 26, 2013 to December 4, 2013 (Wednesdays & Fridays 12:00pm to 3:00pm; (No classes during the regular breaks
(25 x ’25) A series of short videos covering five years of Vermont Bioenergy Initiative projects and the farms and people involved are now up and available to watch on YouTube. The initiative is a project launched by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, an organization created by the Vermont Legislature
April 24, 2013
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by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry reacted swiftly to the so-called RFS Reform Act, legislation introduced April 10 in the U.S. House of Representatives, which they said would gut the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The bill, introduced by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., Rep.
April 11, 2013
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(Vermont Bioenergy) Vermont researchers and entrepreneurs demonstrate their innovations in algae to biofuel R&D in the Northeast WATCH VIDEO
March 12, 2013
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(BusinessWire) Radio Lifeline, a non-profit based in the US, announces the launch of the Black Earth Project, a new initiative designed to help farmers mitigate the growing effects of climate change. Radio Lifeline’s partner in this project is re:char, a leading developer of small-scale biochar technologies, based in Kenya. Major funding for the Black Earth
February 19, 2013
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(EconMatters/Business Insider) … But it looks like what may be good for the environment, is actually bad news for the government. You see, for each gallon of gasoline or diesel we gas up in our cars, there’s a portion of tax that goes to the state government to fund the
January 25, 2013
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4 Credits, January 25, 2013 to April 26, 2013 (Fridays & Saturdays 1:00PM – 4:30PM; some Saturdays field trips might start AM; no classes during the regular breaks/holidays, plus 2 weeks self-study for the course project; final exam in May) ; Location: UVM campus & throughout Vermont for field trips/hands
November 12, 2012
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(ACORE) The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) released the 2012 edition of its report, Renewable Energy in the 50 States, as an interactive, online resource. Compiling updated financial data, resource potentials, market and policy information in one easily-accessed, online format, the report is intended to be an executive summary
November 12, 2012
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(Bourne’s Energy) Bourne’s Energy announces the grand opening of their local biofuel blending facility that produces cleaner and greener fuel for vehicles and home heating. Bourne’s Energy is thrilled to announce a new milestone in Vermont’s green energy history with the grand opening of the first local biofuel blending plant in the central
October 24, 2012
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(Pennsylvania State University) The Northeast could help lead the way to a renewable-energy-based economy by utilizing marginal and abandoned land to grow energy crops such as perennial grasses and fast-growing woody plants. That’s the goal of a new research and education project led by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and supported
October 16, 2012
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(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced payments for 125 advanced Biofuel producers across the country to support the production and expansion of advanced biofuels from a wide variety of non-food sources, including waste products. “Advanced biofuels are a key component of President Obama’s ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy
July 31, 2012
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by Jim Kinney (Gazette) A company that runs recycling centers all over the country has researchers in UMass’ biofuels program thinking trash can to gas can. ReCommunity Recycling has committed $635,000 to the Institute for Massachusetts Biofuels Research, also known as TIMBR, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in hopes
June 11, 2012
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by Bill McKibben (Los Angeles Times) The last industry in need of a public handout is the fossil-fuel companies. The use of subsidies should follow some basic, rational guidelines. …The Repeal Big Oil Tax Subsidies Act was a curiously skimpy bill that targeted only oil companies, and just the five
April 18, 2012
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by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) A new study released today by the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) indicates that a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states could result in doubling gasoline prices and other negative economic impacts. The study, “Analysis of the Economic Impact of a Regional Low Carbon Fuel Standard
March 27, 2012
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by Kelly Madsen (IowaStateDaily.com) The Iowa State University-led Cenusa Bioenergy project works to develop a biofuel with both a Midwestern and environmental focus. Through a five-year, $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the project will develop a holistic plan to create
March 26, 2012
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by Mat McDermott (TreeHugger) We just learned, based on IEA calculations, if all fossil fuel subsidies were eliminated it would result in greenhouse gas emission cuts deep enough to get us halfway to preventing dangerous climate change. Indeed, cutting fossil fuel subsidies has been publicly mulled over for some time, with scant little
January 27, 2012
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(Iowa State University) Now, an Iowa State University-based study over the next five years will examine whether a single, coordinated production system can address all of these concerns while making profits for producers. A multi-state, interdisciplinary team led by Ken Moore, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in the Department of
January 19, 2012
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(University of Vermont) Depleting fossil fuel reserves and adverse affects of fluctuating oil prices have renewed interest in alternative and sustainable sources of energy. The University of Vermont is actively involved in this area through research and instruction. Experts in following areas will provide hands-on instruction in various biofuels including:
November 9, 2011
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by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) The biodiesel and oilheat industries have a long-standing history working alongside each other respectively serving the home heating needs of their customers, particularly in the Northeast, and delivering clean-burning Bioheat was the sentiment echoed by keynote presenters during the one-day Northeast Bioheat Workshop held in
October 13, 2011
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by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The market for biodiesel-blended heating oil is growing swiftly as oilheat dealers look for ways to green their offerings and supply a product that offers comparable economic benefits to natural gas. The lack of proper storage and blending infrastructure in some Northeast markets, however, may
September 26, 2011
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Roger Rainville is ahead of the curve when it comes to reducing costs on his farm near Alburgh, Vermont. …Rainville first got interested in oilseed production when University of Vermont Extension approached him about growing canola seed on his farm. Initially, Rainville thought the canola could provide a good source
July 28, 2011
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by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Whoever thought of inviting “degree and non-degree seeking students, farmers, budding entrepreneurs, teachers (interested in developing curriculum, or projects at school or college levels) and others” to a university course on biomass to biofuels? Anju L. Dahiya , Ph.D., did in 2009 as Research
June 20, 2011
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(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) Vermont continues the momentum for clean air policies in the North East by passing a requirement for renewable, cleaner-burning biodiesel to be used in home heating oil throughout the state. …The broad-based energy legislation establishes low sulfur and biodiesel requirements for all heating oil sold in
May 27, 2011
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Dates: September 2 to October 8, 2011 Days/Time: Fridays & Saturdays 1:00PM – 4:30PM; 2 of the Saturday field trips from 8:30am to 1:30 Location: UVM campus & throughout Vermont Lead Instructor: Lead Instructor Anju Dahiya Register for Academic Credit: (4 College Credits for ENSC 285, NR 285, or PSS 295) Or Email or
May 20, 2011
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(VermontBiz.com) Saint Michael’s College biologist Dr Mark Lubkowitz and his students join a team of researchers from the University of Missouri, University of Florida, Purdue University and the University Nebraska-Lincoln, on a five-year project to study the genes that control the movement of carbohydrates in corn. Saint Michael’s and the
March 24, 2011
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Course Description: Depleting fossil fuel reserves and adverse affects of fluctuating oil prices have renewed interest in alternative and sustainable sources of energy. The University of Vermont is actively involved in this area through research and instruction. Experts in following areas will provide hands-on instruction in various biofuels including: LIQUID
March 13, 2011
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(USDA) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced new investments in 33 states to support the production and usage of advanced biofuels. Vilsack highlighted these projects as ways the Obama Administration is working to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil by creating alternative energy sources and promoting economic development and
January 21, 2011
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Press Release: Advanced Biofuels USA Files Comments on Transportation and Climate Initiative: Calls for Extension of Program to Aviation, Trains, Marine/Maritime, Agriculture, Rocket Launches and Natural Gas
(Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA suggests an expansion of transportation emissions reduction in the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) proposed Draft Model Rule (TCI-P) in public comments filed today. Currently, the proposed emission reduction program is limited to on-road fossil-derived motor gasoline and diesel fuel. Advanced Biofuels USA argues