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by Simone Pfuderer, Grant Davies, Ian Mitchell (Food and Farming Analysis, Defra) This paper is part of a larger body of work that aims to shed more light on what led to the high agricultural commodity prices in 2008. The paper first looks at of some of the specifics of
Sustainability
April 6, 2010
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“Global trade and environmental impact of the EU biofuels mandate” is the title of a study finalised by the International Food Policy Research Institute this 25 March 2010. The report is one of four studies commissioned by the European Commission in response to the Council and Parliament’s request to examine
April 6, 2010
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by Mackinnon Lawrence (Biofuels Digest) …Genomics research can be applied to energy crops to select for sequencing based on relevance to the DOE missions. Projects focus on one of three key aspects: the development of biofuel feedstocks; the identification of enzymes that can effectively break down plant fibers into sugar;
April 2, 2010
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by Mokagedi Gaotlhobogwe (MmegiOnline) Coal-rich Botswana has announced its ambitious plans to reduce carbon emissions by setting up a 50 million-litre per year bio-diesel processing plant to be fed from jatropha (oil seed) plantations by 2012. The project will be funded from the National Petroleum Fund… Already efforts to acquire at
March 29, 2010
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by Eric Petermann (The Journal-Standard) Furst-McNess has started a new business that markets a by-product of ethanol production, dry distillers’ grain, for use as a feed supplement for livestock, and has already established a relationship that exports that product to Asia. The company is leasing the former CSI building in
March 29, 2010
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World deforestation, mainly the conversion of tropical forests to agricultural land, has decreased over the past ten years but continues at an alarmingly high rate in many countries, FAO announced today. Globally, around 13 million hectares of forests were converted to other uses or lost through natural causes each year
March 26, 2010
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Under the Clean Air Act Section 211(o), as amended by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), the Environmental Protection Agency is required to promulgate regulations implementing changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard program. The revised statutory requirements specify the volumes of cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced
March 26, 2010
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(Reuters) …The European Union appears to be backtracking on its biofuels policy with a new study showing that more than 5.6 percent of biofuel in road fuels can damage the environment. EU leaders agreed in 2008 that 10 percent of transport fuels should come from renewable sources by 2020. …Experts
March 26, 2010
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by Rowena Mason (Telegraph) The world’s oil reserves have been exaggerated by up to a third, according to Sir David King, the Government’s former chief scientist, who has warned of shortages and price spikes within years. The scientist and researchers from Oxford University argue that official figures are inflated because
March 25, 2010
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by Philip Brasher (DesMoinesRegister.com) The National Research Council is digging into the economic and environmental impact of biofuels, but the results of the congressionally mandated study won’t be known until next year. That means the results won’t be known until long after the EPA says it’s going to decide whether
March 23, 2010
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The livestock sector can lead the agricultural economy to higher net farm income, assuming the farm economy benefits from a recovering general U.S. economy. That analysis tops a 2010 baseline report prepared by the University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI). The 66-page report was delivered to the
March 23, 2010
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SG Biofuels, a sustainable plant oil company specializing in the development of Jatropha as a low-cost, sustainable source of oil, today announced it has developed the first large-scale Jatropha community-farming initiative in Central America and entered into the first project with the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) to test and
March 23, 2010
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“At almost 80 million strong, the NASCAR fan base can be an incredible force on a real threat that is upon all of us and impacts our future.” — Frank Cicci, Get Green Racing Owner Meet Todd Bodine – Get Green Racing Driver Look for Todd, the 2006 Camping World
March 22, 2010
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The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance responded today to a report produced for the International Energy Forum to be discussed this month at their meeting in Cancun, Mexico. The report, co-written by the former Secretary General of the OPEC oil cartel, criticized biofuels while ignoring the overwhelming evidence on the devastating
March 22, 2010
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by Claude Mandil and Adnan Shihab-Eldin (International Energy Forum) Biofuels production, driven by the potential to contribute to energy security, climate change mitigation and rural development, has experienced rapid growth in recent years. Several countries have initiated policies to support biofuel development, production and use in the transportation sector. However,
March 22, 2010
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by (National Defense Magazine) The secretary of the Navy’s announcement last fall of several initiatives to wean the sea service off fossil fuels has generated excitement but also some trepidation among energy researchers and defense contractors. Much of the hope for reducing the Navy’s oil dependency rests on the shoulders
March 18, 2010
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Jack Oswald, CEO, SynGest: “One of the things worth pointing out about most algae approaches, is that they rely on large sources of CO2. These will come from our existing fossil fuel sources such as coal-fired power plants. It is critical to remind ourselves that
March 18, 2010
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Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Germany, Dr. Jurgen Ringbeck, Senior Partner of Booz & Co said “Fuel is strategic, and there is an argument that can be made that an energy monopoly will be dominating the aviation industry.” Dr. Ringbeck was speaking at ITB, the leading travel trade conference, which
March 18, 2010
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…Industrial biotechnology is one such sector. Even though the sector is still in it’s infancy, it globally avoids the creation of 33 million tonnes of CO2 each year through various applications, without taking ethanol use into consideration, whilst globally emitting 2 million tonnes of CO2. With this report, WWF
March 17, 2010
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by Per Dahlen (Portelet Asia and Biofuels Digest) “Saudi Arabia is the largest crude oil producer in the world and produces some 11 million barrels per day. Southeast Asia has the potential of producing 14 million barrels per day of renewable biofuels in an environmentally and socially responsible manner,” reports Singapore-based
March 17, 2010
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In 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation requiring the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Protection to conduct an economic impact analysis on the effects of granting financial incentives to energy producers who use woody biomass as fuel, including an analysis of the
March 16, 2010
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At least 20% of the energy needs in Europe can be met by bioenergy from sustainable agriculture without compromising food safety and security. Key sustainability issues such as the use of water and maintenance of biodiversity can be respected. In fact, bioenergy could even bolster food security. These are the
March 16, 2010
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by John Vidal (The Guardian; The Observer) …The farm manager shows us millions of tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables being grown in 500m rows in computer controlled conditions. Spanish engineers are building the steel structure, Dutch technology minimises water use from two bore-holes and 1,000 women pick and pack 50 tonnes of
March 16, 2010
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by Heather Thorstensen (AgriNews.com) John Sheehan of the University of Minnesota says the debate on biofuels should shift from food versus fuel to how land is used globally for biofuel production and other purposes. “We need to not look at land use as a biofuels problem, we need to look
March 16, 2010
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(ETA) The environmental impact of clearing forests to make way for biofuel crops is such that using fossil fuel in cars is better for the environment than biofuels made from crops such as palm oil. Under the minimum sustainability standard set by the European Commission, biofuel should reduce emissions by
March 2, 2010
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(European Bioethanol Fuel Association) “Meals per Gallons”, a publication against biofuels recently produced by ActionAid, is based largely on unfounded claims, disputed data and one-sided arguments says eBio, the European Bioehtanol Industry Association. “In particular, the report paints biofuels as the villain responsible for world hunger, in total ignorance of undisputed
March 1, 2010
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by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Since the provisions of the RFS were written into the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 without a realistic funding provision, RFS and RFS2 are, as a practical matter, “Sense of the Congress” provisions stating accepted aspirations. In reality: 1) market
February 25, 2010
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(DTN Ethanol Center) President Barack Obama will continue championing biofuels as a job creator, said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack when he spoke to members of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition on Monday. Vilsack is hopeful for a positive decision on higher ethanol blends soon. …USDA continues advocating for EPA to
February 24, 2010
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by Niall O’Keeffe (FlightGlobal) Both of the major commercial airframers have joined forces with industry peers to pursue new biofuel research initiatives, reflecting an intensification of concern about future availability of alternative fuels in the quantities required by aviation. In January, Qatar Airways revealed plans to work with Airbus and
February 23, 2010
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by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) At least one ethanol industry representative has been appointed to an expert work group attempting to assess the true carbon footprint of all fuel sources under the California’s proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard. POET Senior Vice President of Science and Technology Mark Stowers has been appointed
February 23, 2010
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(Environment News Service) The risk that biofuel crops will become invasive and outcompete native species is increasing as more advanced biofuel crops are planted, according to new research into this previously neglected but potentially costly problem. A new report by the nonprofit International Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN,
February 22, 2010
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by Oil Price (iStockAnalyst) …additives and substitutes such as biofuels will play an ever-increasing role by stretching beleaguered production quotas. As market forces and rising prices drive this technology to the forefront, one of the richest potential production areas has been totally overlooked by investors up to now – Central
February 22, 2010
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Palm oil from South-East Asia, sugarcane from Brazil and sweet sorghum in China are the most sustainable energy crops at present. Maize from the US and wheat in Europe have a much more negative environmental impact. This conclusion was drawn by the Plant Production Systems chair group, after testing nine
February 22, 2010
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Our industry produced a record 10.6 billion gallons of ethanol in 2009. Efficiency enhancements and innovations in production combined with improved farming techniques allowed us to achieve this record with existing corn acreage and reduced process water. As we look to the future, the industry faces challenges that can
February 19, 2010
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(EurActiv.com) Industry is on track to ensure “carbon-neutral growth” in the aviation sector from 2020, but strengthened European Union support for research and development (R&D) is vital to help manufacturers deliver the green technologies required, François Gayet, secretary-general of the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), told EurActiv
February 19, 2010
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(GreenAirOnline.com) Although not commercially viable yet, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) offers a strong financial, as well as environmental, incentive for the adoption of jet biofuels, says a new report by EQ2. Based on industry assumptions of 15% and 30% consumption of biofuels in 2020 and 2030 respectively,
February 18, 2010
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by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) …(S)aid Sarah Dunham of the EPA, the EPA received real data during the comment period that helped shape the rule, including indirect land use change (ILUC). “I can safely say that this is the area where we got more comment than any other.” …The
February 18, 2010
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by Lisa Hare (Yankton Press & Dakotan) The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent final ruling on the national Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was met with mixed responses by farm state politicians and organizational leaders. “This is a good news/bad news announcement for American agriculture producers,” Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) stated
February 18, 2010
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(TheBioenergySite) Daimler AG has started a new project for the cultivation of the biodiesel raw material jatropha in the south of India and the seedlings for the first 100 hectares have been planted. The company is supporting several village communities in the state of Tamil Nadu with funds and
February 17, 2010
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by John Vidal (The Guardian) EU companies have taken millions of acres of land out of foodproduction in Africa, central America and Asia to grow biofuels for transport, according to development campaigners. The consequences of European biofuel targets, said the report by ActionAid, could be up to 100 million more
February 17, 2010
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by Gregor Heard (FarmOnline) THEY’RE back – after being flavour of the month in the middle years of the decade, renewable fuels were knocked out of the water over the past three years, and consigned to the scrap-heap by many. A combination of rising grain prices, falling oil prices and
February 17, 2010
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(New York Times) letters to editor Re “Sensible Rules for Ethanol” (editorial, Feb. 11): While American corn farmers are pleased the Environmental Protection Agency recognizes that corn ethanol offers significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions compared with gasoline, we disagree strongly with its dependence on — and your support for —
February 17, 2010
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Jonathan Fahey (Forbes.com) It is becoming ever more apparent that there is one big squishy variable in the calculations that determine whether biofuels help the planet or help destroy it. That variable is called the indirect land use charge (sic), and the U.S. and Europe are coming up with very
February 17, 2010
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by Douglas Fischer (Scientific American) The Obama administration last week gave the green light to corn ethanol as a low-carbon renewable fuel – in apparent contradiction to California’s declaration last summer that the biofuel’s carbon footprint was too big to help the state mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Regulators and policy
February 17, 2010
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(OPIS) The New York Times is praising U.S. EPA for including the international indirect land use change (ILUC) calculation in its lifecycle greenhouse gas reduction threshold as part of the finalized expanded renewable fuels standard (RFS2), issued last week. …In response, several ethanol groups vehemently and swiftly defended their industry,
February 16, 2010
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by James Kanter(New York Times)…In a memorandum, Jean-Luc Demarty, the top civil servant in the agriculture department at the European Commission, wrote to a colleague in December that “an unguided use of I.L.U.C. would kill biofuels in the E.U.” His words suggest that most of the models in the studies
February 16, 2010
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David M. Lapola, Ruediger Schaldach, Joseph Alcamo, Alberte Bondeau, Jennifer Koch, Christina Koelking, and Joerg A. Priess (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) Abstract: The planned expansion of biofuel plantations in Brazil could potentially cause both direct and indirect land-use changes (e.g., biofuel plantations replace rangelands, which replace forests).
February 15, 2010
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(Central Valley Business Times) The mass production of biofuels could be a major step toward eliminating dependence on fossil fuels, but a number of factors have stood in the way, including the argument against using productive agricultural land for fuel instead of food and the cutting of natural forests for
February 15, 2010
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by C. Boyden Gray (Washington Times) Little noticed outside a small policy community, an issue has quietly arisen in recent years that, while seemingly technical, has the potential to derail the nation’s attempts to address the issues of energy security and the environment. The issue is how or whether to
February 15, 2010
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The study “2nd Generation Biofuels and Trade“ explores the potential supply and demand of 2nd generation biofuels up until 2030, and discusses various impacts on biofuel trade, ranging from cost advantages over shipping capacities and routes to policy impacts. It is an explorative study, highlighting the possible effects of large
February 11, 2010
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by Catherine Saillant (Los Angeles Times) Members of the Southern California Assn. of Governments reject $11 million in federal stimulus money to set up 55 stations throughout the Southland. They say ethanol causes environmental problems. A regional panel Thursday turned down nearly $11 million in federal stimulus dollars targeted to
February 11, 2010
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by Campbell Wood (Business Lexington) Horse farm managers across the Bluegrass have their eyes on Keeneland’s proposed bio-fuel project. … The problem being what to do daily with tons upon tons of muck, a mixture of about 97 percent straw and three percent horse manure from over 40 Keeneland barns
February 10, 2010
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by Neil Winton (Detroit News) It’s a bit like those old Looney Tunes cartoons, when the Road Runner races off a cliff and it takes a little while for gravity to establish its case for the inevitable swift vertical descent. How else can you explain the fact that investors still
February 10, 2010
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by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) I’ve taken to adding “fun” to the quartet sung by many when speaking of the uses served by our crop land and forests: food, feed, fiber and fuel. The song began as a duet (food vs. fuel) and moved to a trio when people
Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson (MN) issued the following statement on Renewable Fuel Standard regulations announced by the Obama Administration today. “Typical of most decisions made in Washington, there is some good and some bad in the Renewable Fuel Standard final rule announced today. I am pleased that ethanol
February 3, 2010
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President Barack Obama announced a series of steps his Administration is taking as part of its comprehensive strategy to enhance American energy independence while building a foundation for a new clean energy economy, and its promise of new industries and millions of jobs. At a meeting with a bipartisan group
February 3, 2010
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Following on the heels of the Forest Guild Membership and Policy Committee’s unanimous approval on November 10, 2009, the professional membership has voted overwhelmingly to approve the Forest Guild Biomass Policy Statement. This statement will represent the Forest Guild policy on a variety of key issues including the promise and
February 2, 2010
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by Darrel Good (University of Illinois and Cattle Network) …Planting decisions for individual crops in the spring of 2010 will be influenced by a number of factors. These include relative crop prices, prospects for net returns for completing crops, and spring weather conditions. There is some concern that the late
February 2, 2010
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by Nidhi Nath Srinivas (The Economic Times) Indian biodiesel companies always wanted to be players in the global green fuel market. Most are 100% export units. But a near-death experience over the last one year has now made the sector start singing a different tune. The new theme song is
February 1, 2010
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The simple formula we’ve learned in recent years – forests remove the greenhouse gas CO2 from the atmosphere; therefore forests prevent global warming – may not be quite as simple as we thought. Forests can directly absorb and retain heat, and, in at least one type of forest, these effects
January 29, 2010
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Scientists have found a way to increase fermentable sugar stores in plants which could lead to plant biomass being easier to convert into eco-friendly sustainable biofuels. Their research is highlighted in the latest issue of Business, the quarterly highlights magazine of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). …To
January 29, 2010
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The Algal Biomass Organization, challenged the conclusions of a published report in Environmental Science and Technology claiming that “conventional crops have lower environmental impacts than algae in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and water.” The report was based upon obsolete data and grossly outdated business models, and overlooked tremendous improvements
January 29, 2010
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by Joanna Schroeder (domesticfuels.com) One of the biggest challenges for our country lies in the issue of how to create effective public policies that will grow the biofuels industry and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Dr. Antonio Bento, associate professor in the Applied Economics and Management Program at Cornell
January 25, 2010
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Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Electrification Coalition, an industry group composed of Cisco, Pacific Gas and Electric, NRG Energy, Nissan, and various investment bankers among others, wants to spend $124 billion dollars of US taxpayer money to put 1,000,000 electric cars on the road by 2018. That’s $124,000
January 24, 2010
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by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has analyzed a new report out from the National Wildlife Federation on “Corn Ethanol and Wildlife” and found it lacking in accuracy. … The RFA analysis concludes that “selective and questionable use of data, unclear research methods, and emotional arguments cast
January 22, 2010
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(National Wildlife Federation) A new report shows how government incentives for corn ethanol are driving farmers to shift land into corn production, resulting in significant decreases in grassland bird populations throughout the fragile Prairie Pothole Region. The study analyzes the current and potential impacts of increased corn ethanol production on
January 22, 2010
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by Don Hofstrand (Agricultural Marketing Resource Center) Crop residue, traditionally considered as “trash” or agricultural waste, is increasingly being viewed as a valuable resource. Corn stalks, corn cobs, wheat straw and other leftovers from grain production are now being viewed as a resource with economic value. If the current trend
January 22, 2010
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by Michael Kannellos (GreenTechMedia) Take marginal land, fish waste and a plant that’s not currently cultivated for human purposes and what do you get? Hopefully jet fuel. The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Honeywell UOP, Boeing and Ethiad Airways announced a project on the eve of the World Future
January 22, 2010
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Homegrown energy could reduce millions of pounds of nutrients from entering the Chesapeake Bay’s streams, creeks and rivers and create more than 18,000 jobs in the region, according to a new report released by the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Chesapeake Biofuel Policies: Balancing Energy, Economy and
January 22, 2010
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Washington College teamed up with Tri Gas & Oil Company out of Federalsburg, MD, and New Generation Biofuels from Columbia, MD, to test NGB’s biofuel in one of the College’s boilers. The College uses approximately 100,000 gallons of #2 heating oil (diesel fuel) in one of its boilers per year,
January 22, 2010
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(Newswise) With many companies investing heavily in algae-based biofuels, researchers from the University of Virginia’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering have found there are significant environmental hurdles to overcome before fuel production ramps up. They propose using wastewater as a solution to some of these challenges. …The U.Va. research,
January 22, 2010
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(Pangea Quarterly Newsletter) … In 2009, PANGEA staff spent a great deal of time looking at the food vs. fuel controversy and working to find ways to re-frame the discussion into one of food and fuel co-production. The year ahead will see us continuing to focus on the food and
January 21, 2010
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Camelina has been much in the news of late, as a biofuels feedstock of strong promise, because of its position as one of the few “sustainable, affordable, reliable, available” feedstocks suitable for aviation biofuels. Two major camelina developers – Great Plains and Sustainable Oils – have
January 21, 2010
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(GreenAirOnline.com) A major study to investigate the technical and financial feasibility of a biorefinery plant to supply Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport with 50,000 tonnes of jet biofuel per year has been completed. The project was initiated and part-financed by LFV, which operates Sweden’s airports and air navigation service, and has substantial
January 20, 2010
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by Will Thurmond (Biofuels Digest) As industry and governments enter a new decade and contemplate the outcome of the December, 2009 Copenhagen treaty, the ‘big picture’ on biofuels continues to get lost in the rhetoric of sustainability in Brussels and Washington. The European Union and the United States are the
January 20, 2010
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by Phillip Ewing (Navy Times) … Navy scientists will be able to use the Department of Agriculture’s knowledge of corn, algae and other biofuels to help develop the alternatives the fleet needs if it is to meet (Navy Secretary Ray) Mabus’ goals. Although chemists already are producing synthetic fuels that
January 18, 2010
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by Wolfgang Knorr, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK (Geophysical Research Letters) Several recent studies have highlighted the possibility that the oceans and terrestrial ecosystems have started loosing part of their ability to sequester a large proportion of the anthropogenic CO2 emissions. This is an important claim,
January 18, 2010
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by Amy Westervelt (Solve Climate) There was a sense of deja vu in the biofuels sector this week when U.S. Energy Secretary Chu announced nearly $80 million in funding for research and development of algae-based fuels. The dream of turning pond scum into diesel began with a similar flood of
January 18, 2010
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Comments by Brent Erickson, Executive Vice President, Industrial and Environmental Section of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) to the California Environmental Protection Agency and Air Resources Board (January 11, 2010): … The essence of the cap-and-trade program is the establishment of an aggregate cap on GHG emissions from all covered
January 18, 2010
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… “The Government of Ontario has recognized the need to move the Province to the forefront of the commercialization of chemicals, fuels, fibres and energy that can be produced from forests,” added Lorne Morrow, Chief Executive Officer for CRIBE. “There is a significant opportunity to move products derived from the
January 11, 2010
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As scientists scramble to develop ways to generate enormous amounts of energy from cleaner-burning, renewable fuels to replace coal and oil, promising agricultural crops such as switchgrass have made headlines. But selecting the plants from which to make energy is just part of the challenge. Systems to handle huge volumes
January 11, 2010
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Qatar Airways, Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) and Qatar Petroleum (QP) announced today that they will jointly carry out engineering, economic analysis and move into the development of sustainable bio jet fuel that will also look into ways for production and supply, with the support of Airbus. The ground-breaking
January 11, 2010
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by Bill Belden (Prairie Lands Bio-Products, Inc.) This presentation at the 4th Cellulosic Ethanol Summit describes developing a sustainable “fuel,” i.e., “feedstock” supply for biofuels and biomass-to-energy projects. Prairie Lands Bio-Products, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization with a current membership of close to 60 switchgrass growers. The presentation focuses on knowledge
January 9, 2010
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ISO will develop an International Standard to address sustainability issues linked to bioenergy. The standard will be produced by a new ISO project committee, ISO/PC 248, Sustainability criteria for bioenergy. ISO/PC 248 will bring together international expertise and state-of-the-art best practice to discuss the social, economic and environmental aspects of
January 8, 2010
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The search for cheap sugars … affects almost every company working on the ethanol platform (really, everyone there except the gasification technologies such as Coskata). It also impacts those like LS9, Amyris and Virent that use “magic bugs” or catalytic reforming to transform sugars into renewable
January 8, 2010
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by Emeka Ezekiel (The Punch) Cassava Agro Industries Services Limited has concluded plans to invest N300bn in the development of a new technology that will produce kerosene for domestic use from local cassava. Chairman of Pan African Cassava Initiative and Managing Director of the company, Mr. Boma Anga, …said that
January 8, 2010
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(China Knowledge) China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corp or COFCO Group, China’s largest food processing, manufacturer and trader, put China’s first non-grain ethanol project into operation in Beihai, Guangxi Province at the end of last year, sources reported. Ethanol will be produced from a plant called cassava. Beihai has
January 8, 2010
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(New Rules Project) Does it take more energy to make ethanol than is contained in ethanol? That question continues to haunt the ethanol industry even after nearly 30 years of expanding production. Over the years more than 20 scientific studies have examined the question. This document contains links to the
January 6, 2010
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by Elizabeth Rosenthal (New York Times) In 2002 Responsible Travel became one of the first travel companies to offer customers the option of buying so-called carbon offsets to counter the planet-warming emissions generated by their airline flights. But last month Responsible Travel canceled the program, saying that while it might
January 4, 2010
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Governors of 11 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states today took the next step toward developing a regional Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) by signing a Memorandum of Understanding that commits their states to continued participation in a regional effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fuels for vehicles and other uses. A LCFS
January 3, 2010
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(Reuters) China has agreed to lower the tariff on imports of ethanol to 5 percent from the previous 30 percent, which traders said could open the door for imports of fuel ethanol from countries like Brazil. …Brazil, the world’s largest ethanol exporter, has been pushing China to import Brazilian-made fuel ethanol
January 2, 2010
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by Mark Coulton (The Australian) … Carbon neutrality may be achievable without resorting to a hefty new tax if the government employed a skerrick of the initiative and ingenuity shown by the team at Townsville’s James Cook University. … This year I visited the university’s 5000sq m algae farm and
January 2, 2010
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(Environmental Leader) Although electric vehicles show higher non-climate damages than many other technologies, they will not be significantly cleaner than cars powered by fossil fuels until they rely less on electricity produced from coal-fired power plants, according to new research from the National Research Council, reports Reuters. Despite the finding,
December 29, 2009
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by Stephen Power (Wall Street Journal) Two groups representing ethanol producers asked a federal court on Thursday to strike down a California rule that calls for a reduction in the carbon content of fuels sold in that state, saying the measure violates the Constitution and jeopardizes the nationwide market for
December 29, 2009
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(EnvironmentalExpert.com) Australia’s bioenergy industry – which uses biomass for heat, power (bioelectricity) and liquid fuels (biofuels) – is relatively small. However, in the future it has very significant growth potential, driven by the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to secure future fuel supply. During the conference, the Rural
December 29, 2009
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by C. Neal Stewart, Jr. (Sun Grant Initiative) This presentation reviews the benefits and challenges of using switchgrass as a biofuels feedstock. It includes good graphs of cell wall structures, maps of biomass crop potential in the US and discussions of technical as well as social/political issues. READ MORE
December 29, 2009
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by John A. Mathews and Hao Tan, (Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia) While debate on biofuels and bioenergy generally has sparked controversy over claimed greenhouse gas emissions benefits available with a switch to biomass, these claims have generally not taken into account indirect land use changes. Carbon emissions from land that is
December 28, 2009
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To encourage suppliers to source sustainable biofuels, the RFA requires fuel suppliers claiming Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates to submit monthly reports on the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) saving and the sustainability of the biofuels they supply. Reporting is also seen by the Government as an essential ‘stepping stone’ towards a
December 28, 2009
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by Joseph Milton (Financial Times) … The prospect of a second generation of biofuels, derived from waste materials rather than food crops or palm oil, has recently been raised. It is this new generation which the consultation by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics aims to explore. Second generation biofuel production
December 28, 2009
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by Emmanuel Sulle and Fred Nelson (Tanzania Natural Resource Forum’s Forestry Working Group and the International Institute for Environment and Development) In recent years, biofuels have rapidly emerged as a major issue for agricultural development, energy policy, and natural resource management. Growing demand for biofuels is being driven by recent
December 28, 2009
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(EurActiv) EU rules for calculating indirect land-use changes caused by biofuel production would not be legitimate without an internationally-accepted methodology, a group of developing countries has told the European Commission. The warning was sent to Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs on 15 December, questioning the EU executive’s quest for a methodology
December 28, 2009
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by David Shepardson (Detroit News) Audi’s top U.S. executive said here Monday that political leaders have “fallen in love” with electric vehicles even though widespread use may be two decades away. At a speech at the National Press Club, Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen reiterated his belief that
December 15, 2009
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Bioenergy includes any kind of chemical energy accumulated through photosynthetic processes in organic plant matter (i.e., biomass). Example sources of bioenergy include dedicated energy crops (short rotation wood, perennial grasses), agricultural and forestry products and wastes, biogas resulting from the anaerobic decomposition of organic waste and other farming waste, charcoal,
December 15, 2009
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Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the launch of a new initiative to promote clean energy technologies in developing countries. Secretary Chu also welcomed progress under the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) and invited his counterparts in MEF and other countries to a first-ever Clean Energy Ministerial next
December 15, 2009
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by Yong Jiang and Scott M. Swinton (International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology) Advanced biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol are of great interest in the USA. With agriculture being the major source of feedstock for advanced biofuels, how farmers would respond to markets and policy incentives in providing such
December 11, 2009
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by Yan Ma, et al. (International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology) Sustained growth in agricultural productivity has become an ideal model and a political goal of agricultural development in China. Local participation is essential for the implementation of sustainable agriculture strategy. We conducted a case study in Hailun
December 11, 2009
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Just in time for the critical climate talks now underway in Copenhagen, new data once again confirms the significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from global biofuels production. Prepared by (S&T)2 Consultants Inc., an internationally recognized energy and environmental consulting firm, the report demonstrates that world biofuels production in 2009 has
December 11, 2009
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Mission NewEnergy Limited (“Mission”) a biodiesel refiner and one of the world’s largest Jatropha plantation companies by acreage announced that it has entered into a binding five-year biodiesel Supply Agreement with Valero Marketing and Supply Company, a subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation (“Valero”), a fortune 500 hundred company and the
December 11, 2009
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by Jon Vomhof (Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal) … “Ethanol, I think, is going to be a global commodity in the not too distant future, and as that future unfolds, it’s in everyone’s best interest to have some common standards around what is the common definition of ethanol like we have
December 11, 2009
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by Linus Atarah (IPS) As Finnish energy major Neste Oil scales up production of its ‘green’ diesel NExBTL, environmental activists fear that more land will go under palm oil plantations at the expense of Southeast Asia’s threatened rainforests. Palm oil is the main feedstock that goes into the production of
December 10, 2009
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The Brazilian National Plan on Climate Change, launched in December 2008, comprises a set of over one hundred actions and programs to reduce carbon emissions across different sectors of the Brazilian economy. The two main tactics emphasized in the plan — measures to tackle deforestation and promote the use of
December 9, 2009
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(Economic Times, Reuters) A United Nations panel has approved the inclusion of biofuels in a global scheme to reduce cargon emissions, a move that should boost investments in such projects, a Brazilian government official said on Friday. “The United Nations has just approved liquid biofuels methodology as a basis for
December 9, 2009
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by Tom Young (Business Green) The world’s biggest refinery for making biofuels from wheat was unveiled at Wilton on Teeside yesterday, as the company behind the giant facility confirmed production will begin before Christmas. The £250m Ensus plant will turn wheat into transport fuel, animal feed and usable carbon dioxide
December 9, 2009
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by Halima Abdallah (East African) The National Forestry Research Institute has embarked on a project to test the viability of biodiesel from jatropha, a drought resistant crop. According to a senior researcher at the institute, Dr Peter Kiwuso, they planted jatropha three months ago, and from it they will find
December 7, 2009
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by Susanne Retka Schill (Biodiesel Magazine) The driver for biofuels usage is not limited to the United States and Europe, but is also growing in the Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions, according to Tammy Klein, executive director of global biofuels services for Hart Energy Consulting. She spoke about the global
December 4, 2009
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by (Biofuels Digest) …Here is an under funded grad student (with a mechanical engineering degree from Northern Illinois University) who, while working part time, put together a system that will produce bio-diesel fuel from basic waste by-products found on campus, waste that would normally have to be disposed of at
December 4, 2009
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The Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Initiative (SECCI) and the Structured and Corporate Finance Department (SCF) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have created the IDB Biofuels Sustainability Scorecard based on the sustainability criteria of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB). The primary objective of the Scorecard is to encourage
December 4, 2009
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by Robert P. Walzer (New York Times) A Brazilian start-up is testing the possibility of implementing a large-scale biofuels project using jatropha, a family of hardy, succulent plants. The company, BioVentures Brasil, is getting $1 million from the InterAmerican Development Bank for a pilot project on about seven hectares (17
December 4, 2009
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The extent to which increased biofuels production will affect the nation’s water resources depends on the type of feedstock selected and how and where it is grown. … (N)ext generation feedstocks have not yet been grown on a commercial scale and therefore their actual effects on water resources are not
December 4, 2009
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by Joel Hood (Chicago Tribune) Some time ago, Brian Sievers picked up a crazy notion that one simple idea might just change the world. So for the last two school years, the popular science teacher at Thornridge High School in Dolton has been putting that theory to the test. First
December 3, 2009
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by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Purdue University has been awarded a $933,000 USDA grant to conduct analysis of the global impacts of second-generation biofuels. According to Tom Hertel, ag economics professor at Purdue University and project co-investigator, the team’s research will be a continuation of previous work conducted policy
December 3, 2009
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by Rod Nickel (Reuters) Canadian ethanol emits 62 percent less greenhouse gas than conventional fuel, taking into consideration all stages of the fuel’s production from planting a crop to burning the fuel, a new report prepared for Canada’s biofuel industry said. The results rebut a key argument against producing biofuels,
December 3, 2009
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by Bryan M. Jenkins, Chris Somerville, James J. Stapleton (California Agriculture) Biofuels — fuels derived from plant materials and other kinds of biomass — have ridden a rollercoaster of public debate. When Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on U.S. energy supplies in 2005, biofuels came into prominence as a homegrown alternative
December 3, 2009
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by Stephen R. Kaffka (California Agriculture) The use of crops and crop residues as feedstocks for biofuels increases domestic and global supplies, creates new industries, and may result in reduced greenhouse-gas emissions. Uncertainty about the best crop and residue sources, technologies for manufacture, future public policy, and the global supply
December 3, 2009
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by Deepak Rajagopal, Steven Sexton, Gal Hochman, David Roland-Holst, David Zilberman (California Agriculture) Biofuels have been criticized for raising food prices and reducing food production. While biofuels have rightly been blamed for contributing to reduced food security at a time of record-high food prices in 2008, they have not been
December 3, 2009
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by Steven Sexton, Deepak Rajagopal, Gal Hochman, David Zilberman, David Roland-Holst (California Agriculture) The biofuel industry has received billions of dollars in support from governments around the world, as political leaders respond to new environmental and energy-security imperatives. However, a growing body of research highlights nontrivial costs associated with biofuel
by Charles E. Wyman, Bin Yang (California Agriculture) Cellulosic biomass, which includes agricultural and forestry residues and woody and herbaceous plants, is the only low-cost resource that can support the sustainable production of liquid fuels on a large enough scale to significantly address our transportation energy needs. The biological conversion
December 3, 2009
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by Bryan M. Jenkins, Robert B. Williams, Nathan Parker, Peter Tittmann, Quinn Hart, Martha C. Gildart, Steve Kaffka, Bruce R. Hartsough, Peter Dempster (California Agrigulture) Biomass constitutes a major renewable energy resource for California, with more than 30 million tons per year of in-state production estimated to be available on
December 2, 2009
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…I’m here to talk about the role of advanced biofuels and why at BP we believe we need to get them into the market sooner. We believe this is necessary if biofuels are to fulfil their potential. Biofuels have a great future in the long term – but only if
November 30, 2009
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(GreenAirOnline) A conference held by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) concluded last week in Rio de Janeiro with the formation of the Global Framework on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (GFAAF). It will take the form of a continually updated document on the ICAO website that will share information, best
… The scale of denial is breathtaking. For as Heinberg’s analysis makes depressingly clear, there will be NO combination of alternative energy solutions that might enable the long term continuation of economic growth, or of industrial societies in their present form and scale. Ultimately the solutions we desperately seek will
November 22, 2009
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by Kevin Clark (Sunderland Echo) The move to electric vehicles being spearheaded on Wearside could lead to a rise in greenhouses gases, claims a new report. The Environmental Transport Association (ETA), which campaigns for sustainable transport, says a move to zero-emission vehicles has to be matched with changes to the
November 22, 2009
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(FarmOnline, Australia) Higher productivity per acre among those US farmers providing feedstock for ethanol will meet the increased demand for petrol-ethanol blends this year. Those familiar with the US agriculture sector’s long history of productivity and efficiency have maintained that increased demand for grain can be readily met through increases
November 22, 2009
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(Marketwire) The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its 2009 World Energy Outlook, which confirms the growing need for low carbon biofuels to increase global energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) relative to petroleum. The extensive annual report was unequivocal with respect to the need for a rapid transition
November 13, 2009
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(Environmental Investigation Agency) Field investigations by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Telapak reveal that ill-prepared indigenous Papuan communities are being enticed, tricked and sometimes coerced into releasing large swathes of forested land to powerful conglomerates, backed by overseas investors and facilitated by the central and provincial governments. Management of
November 11, 2009
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As bioenergy policies are increasingly being adopted by governments, it is important for decision makers to have the most up to date information on the science and debate surrounding modern bioenergy. UNEP is responding to this need by hosting a series of issue papers designed to provide an overview of
November 11, 2009
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The algae biofuels industry is comprised of many pathways to produce fuels from algae and is developing rapidly, with most companies operating in “stealth” mode. This makes measuring progress toward the promise of algae extremely difficult. Given the thousands of different algal strains, multitude of cultivation and harvest methods, wide
November 11, 2009
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From July of next year, fuel suppliers in Ireland will have to include an average of 4% biofuels (fuels derived from sustainable sources) in their annual fuel sales. The Obligation will be on the companies in question and at no cost to the taxpayer. The biofuels used must produce 35% less
November 10, 2009
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by David Adam (Guardian) The carbon dioxide emissions caused by the destruction of tropical forests have been significantly overestimated, according to a new study. The work could undermine attempts to pay poor countries to protect forests as a cost-effective way to tackle global warming. The loss of forests in countries
November 10, 2009
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Most land-use changes occurring in the continental United States reduce vegetative cover and raise regional surface temperatures, says a new study by scientists at the University of Maryland, Purdue University, and the University of Colorado in Boulder. The study, which will appear in the Royal Meteorological Society’s International Journal of
November 6, 2009
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by Chris Kraul (LA Times) Who could resent the attention being showered on electric cars? Stylish and clean, they’re the darling of the renewable-energy crowd, which is hailing the scheduled rollout of several e-powered models next year as a major blow against global warming. Well, Eduardo Leao, for one. He’s executive
November 6, 2009
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by Christine Costello, et al. (Environmental Science and Technology) Many studies have compared corn-based ethanol to cellulosic ethanol on a per unit basis and have generally concluded that cellulosic ethanol will result in fewer environmental consequences, including nitrate (NO3−) output. This study takes a system-wide approach in considering the NO3− output
November 5, 2009
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The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) today responded to a report on biofuels produced by the United Nation’s International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management. The report, “Towards Sustainable Production and Use of Resources: Assessing Biofuels”, asserts that more research and development is needed to assess the life-cycle impacts and benefits
November 4, 2009
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Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley: Biofuels and the Environmental Protection Agency Thursday, October 29, 2009 … The first issue I’m speaking about relates to the EPA’s proposal to penalize biofuels for greenhouse gas emissions from supposed changes in international land use. I know President Obama is aware of
October 30, 2009
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(Novozymes) … “The article in Science overlooks one important fact: Biofuels recycle atmospheric carbon while fossil fuels release carbon that has been stored underground for millions of years. In the transport sector, biofuels are the only viable alternative to fossil fuels on the short and medium term. Advanced biofuels made
October 28, 2009
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by Juliet Eliperin (Washington Post) More than a decade ago in the northeast corner of Bolivia, a group of polluters and environmentalists joined forces in the first large-scale experiment to curb climate change with a strategy that promised to suit their competing interests: compensating for greenhouse gas emissions by preserving
October 28, 2009
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by Jerry M. Melillo, et al. (Science Express) A global biofuels program will lead to intense pressures on land supply and can increase greenhouse gas emissions from land-use changes. Using linked economic and terrestrial biogeochemistry models, we examine direct and indirect effects of possible land-use changes from an expanded global
October 27, 2009
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by Harry deGorter and David R. Just (Policy Analysis, Cato Institute) The federal “sustainability standard” requires ethanol to emit at least 20 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) than gasoline. Recent rulings by California and the Environmental Protection Agency, however, have cast doubt on the methodology of the sustainability calculus and whether
October 25, 2009
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(Science Daily) Converting the rubbish that fills the world’s landfills into biofuel may be the answer to both the growing energy crisis and to tackling carbon emissions, claim scientists in Singapore and Switzerland. New research published in Global Change Biology: Bioenergy, reveals how replacing gasoline with biofuel from processed waste
October 24, 2009
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(Reuters) Biodiesel is better than ever at harnessing the power of the sun and turning it into fuel. In fact, a study shows the fuel is returning more than four times the energy that it takes to make biodiesel. Newly published research from the University of Idaho and U.S. Department
October 24, 2009
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