What You Can Do – Advanced BioFuels USA

Klobuchar Pledges to Roll Back Refinery Exemptions if Elected

by John Herath (Farm Journal Ag Web) If elected president, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) plans to immediately roll back all of the small refinery exemptions made to the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). Klobuchar made the pledge on the AgriTalk Radio show talking with host, Chip Flory. “We have 137 things

January 24, 2020 Read Full Article

The Democratic Party’s Choice for President: The Digest’s Endorsement–Amy Klobuchar

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … We need “idealism without illusion”, as President John F. Kennedy once defined it. … For that task, there is no better leader we’ve seen on the Democratic side this season than Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who was the runaway winner in our most

January 23, 2020 Read Full Article

Growing Biodiesel Industry Benefits Soybean Farmers

by Amie Simpson (Brownfield Ag News) … Greg Anderson, a board member for the National Biodiesel Board, says more feedstock is needed because of the growth in the industry and soybean oil has been the primary feedstock for biodiesel since its inception. … “I like it because I’m using my

January 22, 2020 Read Full Article

Grassley: New WOTUS Coming This Week, Trump Got No Applause on Ethanol

(Hagstrom Report/Fence Post) … In a call to rural reporters, Grassley (Senator Charles Grassley R-IA) noted that he continues to warn the Trump administration that farmers are watching the management of the Renewable Fuel Standard and that he had heard Trump got a warm welcome when he spoke at the

January 22, 2020 Read Full Article

Are Presidential Candidates Listening to the Biofuels Industry?

by Ben Nuelle (AgriPulse) Biofuel industry advocates say they’re pleased with how the Democratic presidential candidates are talking about ethanol and biodiesel in Iowa, although most of the campaigns haven’t provided specifics about how they would increase demand. READ MORE Trump to farmers: Your ‘best days’ are ahead (AgriPulse) Trump

January 22, 2020 Read Full Article

Student Scientists Shine at National Biodiesel Conference

(National Biodiesel Board) Industry professional see the difference students are making in biodiesel — Student scientists showcased dynamic campus biodiesel programs and research during the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in Tampa, Florida this week. From leading biodiesel production on campus to conducting research that could help shape the industry, student scientists are

January 22, 2020 Read Full Article

Investing in Consumer ‘Proximity’ to Produce Biodiesel from UCO

by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EURACTIV.com) A Greek company says it has found a way to collect much more effectively used cooking oil for biodiesel production: by making it easier for consumers to find nearby collection points and avoid simply pouring the used oil down their kitchen sink. In 2019, Prasino Ladi (Green

January 20, 2020 Read Full Article

Bloomberg Unveils Climate Plan for Cleaner Cars

(Reuters/Yahoo!) U.S. presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg on Friday unveiled a plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks, calling for all new vehicles in the U.S. to be electric by the year 2035. … His plan involves making electric vehicles more accessible to low-income families with a program called

January 20, 2020 Read Full Article

New York Seeking Input on Transportation and Climate – February Meetings

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 20, 2020 Read Full Article

Taco Bell and Perdue Biopackaging, iPhone Plant-Based Case, Castor Straws, Cabbage Lamps, and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of January 17th

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Kermit the Frog said “It’s not easy being green,” but these innovations might just change that and make it easier than ever to support a biobased economy. From a 100% compostable plant-based iPhone case, to Taco Bell’s look at fiber packaging and Perdue’s new biodegradable cornstarch-based

January 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Minnesota Youth Climate Justice Summit — February 26, 2020 — St. Paul, MN

The Youth Climate Justice Summit is a chance for youth to experience first-hand how to participate in government. Meet with MN Legislators that represent your district to talk with them about why we care about climate change and social justice. It is also a chance for you to meet youth

January 16, 2020 Read Full Article

7th Dem Debate Finally Takes a Real Crack at Climate

(Our Daily Planet) So we finally got a primary debate where there was a somewhat robust conversation about climate change! One of the most important moments of the debate was when Senator Bernie Sanders was asked to stay on the topic of trade and he answered that trade and climate change

January 15, 2020 Read Full Article

Senator Amy Klobuchar Campaigns in Iowa Ahead of Democratic Debate

by Melody Mercado (WHOTV) … (Senator Amy) Klobuchar is claiming a home field advantage for next week’s Democratic debate in Iowa. She says she is looking forward to bringing rural issues to the debate such as the closings of biodiesel and ethanol plants in the region. Klobuchar says the issues in

January 13, 2020 Read Full Article

University Campus in California Switches to Renewable Diesel, Reducing Carbon Footprint

(Biofuels International) By converting its fleet to renewable diesel fuel, the University of California, Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz) has significantly reduced its carbon footprint. Campus vehicles, which include student shuttles and other fleet vehicles, used around 72,000 gallons of diesel in 2019, according to fleet manager Theo Diamantopoulos. He

January 9, 2020 Read Full Article

OPINION: Fostering Innovation with Biofuels — Biofuels Curriculum

by Emily Skor (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) …At Growth Energy, we share that commitment to community and are excited to invest our philanthropic time and money into the next generation through biofuels education and advocacy training in the classroom. Through our partnership with National FFA and the National Association of

January 9, 2020 Read Full Article

Stanford Global Energy Heroes Competition Application DEADLINE: January 31, 2020

(Stanford University) Stanford Global Energy Heroes is a competition to recognize young people around the world who are creating sustainable energy solutions to benefit their communities. Share your solution in a three-minute video to compete for one of three $20,000 cash prizes plus a trip to the 2020 Stanford Global Energy Forum. Open to anyone ages 18-30

January 6, 2020 Read Full Article

NYC Is Heating up with America’s Advanced Biofuel

(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) NYC requires all city fleet vehicles and equipment to use B20 biodiesel from April through November, and B5 from December through March. However, biodiesel has performed so successfully that the city has started some B20 use year-round. … In fact, NYC vehicles used more than 2

January 6, 2020 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Dave VanderGriend

“Locally, a chain of convenience stores has installed blender pumps selling mid-level blends in addition to E10 and E85. Consumers are responding by purchasing nearly as much E30 as E10, resulting in 2.5 times more ethanol sales compared to E10-only retailers.” Dave VanderGriend laments that this is apparently illegal according

December 31, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — from “Santa Goes Green”

“On this Christmas Eve we’ll give it our all, and juice up the sleigh with pure ethanol.” A line from “Santa Goes Green,” a children’s play by Mac Huff and John Jacobson. READ MORE

December 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Democratic Debate Finally Elevates Climate Change to Top Tier Issue

(Our Daily Planet) Tim Alberta, Politico’s Chief Political correspondent, broke the climate barrier — in the first hour, he asked a series of climate change questions on relocating Americans who homes and businesses are in harm’s way because of climate change, about the transition from fossil fuels to renewables, and about whether

December 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Global Climate Action: Calls to Act Now

(Selectra) On 23 September 2019, World leaders and other key players came together in the Global Climate Action Summit 2019 to accelerate moves to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Find out here what calls were made for global climate action and the agreed outcomes for a better future.

December 13, 2019 Read Full Article

How Ethanol Plant Shutdowns Deepen Pain for U.S. Corn Farmers

by Mark Weinraub and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) … (Indiana farmer Paul) Hodgen’s troubles reflect the increasing difficulties faced by America’s corn farmers as a meltdown in the ethanol industry hits the corn market – adding strains to farmers already facing poor weather and the U.S. trade war with China. Some 13

December 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Wanted: Fossil Fuel Whistleblowers

by Nick Sobczyk (E&E News) A new campaign seeks to expose climate-related corruption at fossil fuel companies, amid a slate of court battles and media exposés about the industry’s accounting of its greenhouse gas emissions and liability for climate change. The National Whistleblower Center’s Climate Corruption Campaign, announced this morning, aims

December 10, 2019 Read Full Article

On the Road to Success from Research to Product: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Cyclotron Road

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cyclotron Road is a partnership between the non-profit Activate.org and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab to empower scientists to advance their technologies from concept to first product through a fellowship program. It’s a home for hard tech innovators. Companies like Opus 12, MicroByre, Visolis, CinderBio, and others had

December 10, 2019 Read Full Article

Deep Dive: Climate Change and U.S. Farmers

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) A meeting last June in Newburg, Md., represented a change for U.S. farmers, Pro’s Helena Bottemiller Evich reports . The event was hosted by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, a group made up of the heavyweights in American agriculture. It brought together three

December 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Sunrise 2020 Presidential Candidate Scorecard

(Sunrise Movement) This page will be updated with other Democratic candidates’ scores in the coming months. Please speak out and let every candidate know you want them to adopt all of these policies. It is vital for every candidate to fully adopt the policies and messaging framework set out in

December 6, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District

“The carbon intensity of renewable diesel is about one-third of that of a battery-electric vehicle charging on the California grid,” explained the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District in explaining the benefit of transitioning immediately to renewable diesel for its buses. READ MORE

December 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Klobuchar Leads Letter Expressing Concern that the Newly Proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Blending Targets Will Be Undermined by Continued Abuse of ‘Hardship’ Waivers

(Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)) Klobuchar has spent months calling for an end to the harm caused by abuse of hardship waivers — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led a public comment letter last week to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler expressing concern over the proposed supplemental

December 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Joe Biden Wants to Launch Low-Carbon Transportation Strategy

by John Gallagher (Freight Waves) Former vice president and Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden is promoting a “new generation” of low-carbon trucking, shipping and aviation technologies through a plan to invest $400 billion over 10 years in a federal clean energy research program. The proposal is part of a 10-year, $3 trillion

December 4, 2019 Read Full Article

How to Avoid a Thanksgiving Disaster This Year?

(Green Energy Biofuels) … Recycling holiday oil and grease is a much cheaper alternative to the cost of repairs. Every drop poured down the drain increases the size of a growing clog in the sewage system, so do not let the grease from your feast make this a holiday you don’t

November 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Tule Mukaan Kinkkutemppuun Ja Kierrätä Joulukinkun Paistinrasvat Uusiutuvaksi Dieseliksi!

(Kinkkutemppu) TOIMI NÄIN 1. Avaa ja huuhtele tyhjä pahvitölkki. Ei lasia, muovia tai metallia! 2. Kaada paistinrasva varovasti tölkkiin. 3. Sulje tölkki esimerkiksi teipillä. 4.Anna rasvan hyytyä viileässä ja kiikuta se lähimpään keräyspisteeseen 21.12.2019–7.1.2020. Kinkkutemppu kierrättää tänäkin jouluna joulukinkkujen paistinrasvat uusiutuvaksi dieseliksi. Ota joulukinkun, kalkkunan, kalan tai vaikkapa juuressipsien paistinrasvat

November 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Iowa Poll: Despite State Impacts, Registered Republicans Approve of How Trump Has Handled Trade with China

by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Three-fourths of Iowa’s registered Republicans back President Donald Trump’s approach to trade with China, and half say his tariffs have done more to help than harm Iowa agribusiness, a new Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows. The poll includes 502 registered Republicans who do not plan to caucus

November 21, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Pete Buttigieg

“American farming should be one of the key pillars of how we combat climate change,” candidate, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said during the November 20 debate. “I believe that the quest for the carbon negative farm could be as big a symbol of dealing with climate change as the electric car

November 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Climate Change And Environment Get Little Time In Democratic Debate – Again

(Our Daily Planet) Two hours, ten candidates, four moderators, and less than 10 minutes of serious discussion of climate change in the Democratic Debate last night. Only four of the ten candidates were asked a direct question or given a chance to provide a significant follow-up response on the issue that

November 21, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Charlotte Morton

“If the investment currently put into shale gas extraction was redirected to biogas production, we could make a major leap forward in achieving net zero emissions targets whilst helping meet the UK’s energy needs and developing an invaluable asset for exports,” said Charlotte Morton, Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association’s chief

November 13, 2019 Read Full Article

How Iowans Drove The National Debate On Carbon Farming

by Isabella Murray (Iowa Starting Line) … (Beto) O’Rourke had read a guest op-ed by Leonard and Matt Russell, executive director of Interfaith Power and Light — a group that pushes for faith-based solutions to climate change — in the New York Times about how to win rural America. O’Rourke wanted to learn

November 13, 2019 Read Full Article

SHV Energy Joins KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme

(KLM) Delft University of Technology extends its participation for two-year period — SHV Energy has joined the KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme (KCBP). In so doing, SHV Energy will reduce its headquarters’ CO2 emissions by 50%. Additionally, the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) has extended its participation in KCBP for

November 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Whose Side Is Trump on? The Fight Continues…Corn Country and Oil Country Still Battling It out in Washington, DC

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … It’s a back and forth game of Trump’s promises to help farmers and agriculture and support ethanol and biofuels, EPA giving small refinery waivers to big oil companies, …. … (T)he latest responses from Midwest Senators, the American Coalition for Ethanol, how both

November 11, 2019 Read Full Article

Environmental Justice Takes the Spotlight

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GETS 2020 FOCUS: 2020 Democratic front-runner Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, author Marianne Williamson, former Pennsylvania Rep. Joe Sestak and former Maryland Rep. John Delaney will participate in a forum today focused on environmental justice. The first-of-its-kind event is hosted by the National Black

November 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Amy Klobuchar: Donald Trump’s Presidency of Broken Promises Is further Dividing America

by Amy Klobuchar (Argus Leader) ‘When we’re straight with the American people, we can build an even bigger coalition with an optimistic economic and justice agenda for this country.’ — From town halls to fish fries, debate stages to Hall of Fame dinners, we have talked a lot about changing our

November 6, 2019 Read Full Article

For Trump, Hints of Trouble in Ethanol Country

by Art Cullen (Storm Lake Times/Washington Post) … (J.D.) Scholten, a 39-year-old former semi-pro pitcher, was out on a 14-county “Don’t Forget About Us Tour” targeting Iowa towns of 1,000 people or fewer in his uphill climb against Rep. Steve King, the anti-immigrant Republican who dabbles in white nationalism. King’s

November 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Buttigieg Says There’s Real Cost to Trump’s Broken RFS Promises

by Bob Fisher (KGLO/Radio Iowa) Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says President Trump isn’t keeping his promises to Iowa’s agricultural community when it comes to the Renewable Fuels Standard. “Actions speak louder than words and the president says he cares about farmers, but if you look what he’s done with the RFS

November 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Green School Students Britt Koens and Her Sister Marein Make Biofuel for Bali Buses

by Tom Forrest (ABC News) A bamboo school and turning fried chicken oil into fuel — this is what school life has been for two young sisters making biofuel for school buses and a unique motorcycle in Indonesia. — …Speaking to the ABC during a family holiday in Western Australia’s

November 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Young Voters Rank Climate #1 Voting Issue, Will the Political Parties Take Note?

(Our Daily Planet) The issue that young American voters care about most is climate change, according to a new study by the Cause and Social Influence Initiative. While previous data has shown that these same voters are concerned by the climate crisis, the study also found that young people trust social movements more

October 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Biodiesel Foundation Receives Clean Diesel Project Grant

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The National Biodiesel Foundation has been awarded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funding for its 2020 National Clean Diesel Project. In partnership with Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT), Optimus Technologies, and Renewable Energy Group (REG), the project supports the purchase of three new replacement snowplows that

October 25, 2019 Read Full Article

The Energy 202: Weather Channel to Host Its Own Climate Forum for 2020 Democrats — and Some Republicans

by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) … The weather news network … is set to air an hour-long prime-time special of interviews with nine 2020 White House hopefuls focused on how to tackle the causes and effects of global warming. The special, planned for Nov. 7, is yet another sign that the

October 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Tell an Inspiring Story to Move the Planet Forward: Enter to Win our Storyfest Award DEADLINE: January 31, 2020

(Planet Forward at GW) Grand Prize: A storytelling voyage to Iceland with Lindblad Expeditions and Planet Forward in summer 2020! — There is no story more gripping than that of our changing planet — and the solutions to sustain it. While problems from climate to plastic use to conservation abound,

October 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Iowa Farm Leaders Warn Trump Could Lose Rural Voters unless He Makes Good on Ethanol Deal

by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Angry over proposed ethanol changes, Iowa agriculture leaders warned Wednesday that President Donald Trump will lose rural voters next year unless he makes good on a deal to restore millions of gallons of lost renewable fuel demand. “No more Iowa nice. Now, it’s Iowa pissed,” said Craig Floss, CEO

October 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Puget Sound Unveils New Regional Low Carbon Fuel Standard COMMENTS DUE: January 6, 2020

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Washington state we have news that the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has issued its Low Carbon Fuel Standard rule for consideration. This is the first economic region to attempt a Low Carbon Fuel Standard, and follows on from the failure of the Washington State

October 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Advanced Biofuels USA’s Public Comment to Maryland’s Commission on Climate Change on Benefits of Biofuels in Climate Change Mitigation Plan

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Maryland’s Commission on Climate Change advises the state’s Governor and General Assembly “on ways to mitigate the causes of, prepare for, and adapt to the consequences of climate change.” The MCCC is chaired by Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles and consists

October 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Growdiesel Ventures Limited, India’s Leading Biofuel Company Launches Renewable Fuel Industrial Training Certification for Students

(Growdiesel Ventures Limited/Futures Trading Charts) Established in 2001, Growdiesel is India’s leading Renewable Fuel company that is providing innovative turn-key solutions to various Government, Hotels, Hospitals, Residential societies, Corporates, Schools and other sectors. They are solving World’s 2 biggest problems: Waste Elimination & Fuel Generation. Growdiesel solves these 2 problems by converting

October 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Special Report on the Climate Crisis in the 2020 Primary

(The Climate Change Project) … While the need to act on climate has never been more clear, the good news is that candidates are responding to urgent need and public desire for serious action. They are participating in historic climate town halls and forums, releasing ambitious and comprehensive climate plans, and

October 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Neste MY Renewable Diesel Is Now Available in All Baltic Countries, Including Estonia

(Neste) Neste will introduce Neste MY Renewable Diesel™, produced from 100% renewable raw materials, in Estonia during October 2019. During the initial phase, private car owners and heavy-duty vehicle drivers can refuel with renewable diesel at one station in Tallinn, at Kadaka tee 60, Tallinn. With the expansion, Neste MY Renewable Diesel will

October 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States

Michael B. Gerrard and John C. Dernbach, Editors (Environmental Law Institute) Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States provides a “legal playbook” for deep decarbonization in the United States, identifying well over 1,000 legal options for enabling the United States to address one of the greatest problems facing this country

October 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Undergraduates Participate in Bioenergy Research at GLBRC

(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Each year, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) hosts a group of undergraduate students to participate in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, designed to immerse students in research. This summer, 11 undergraduate students joined laboratories at Michigan State University and the University

October 11, 2019 Read Full Article

‘Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel’ Program Selects Two New Leaders

(Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel (NGSB)) Hop onto a red CyRide bus in Ames, Iowa, and there’s a pretty good chance it’s fueled by a biodiesel blend. That’s thanks in part to the work of Sam Kramer, a chemical engineering and economics undergraduate, who helped get the school’s unique “BioBus” program going

October 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Oakland, CA Benefits from Renewable Diesel Fuel

(Diesel Technology Forum) Oakland’s equipment and services manager, Joey Williams, chats about the difference using renewable diesel fuel has made for the city’s diesel-powered vehicles. WATCH VIDEO

October 8, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine

“Industry, NHTSA, EPA, and other relevant agencies should promote the use of biodiesel and renewable diesel in MHDV engines…,” advises the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine in a new study, Reducing Fuel Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles, Phase Two. READ MORE

October 8, 2019 Read Full Article

KLM and Microsoft Join Forces to Advance Sustainable Air Travel

(KLM) Today KLM and Microsoft signed a Letter of Intent in Washington to explore cooperation focused on sustainable air travel. The agreement includes commitment to purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which has the potential to reduce up to 80 percent of CO2 emissions compared to fossil fuel, across the lifecycle,

October 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Finnair’s Passenger Biofuel Purchase Initiative Takes off with First SAF Flights from San Francisco

(GreenAir Online) Following its ‘Push for change’ initiative launched earlier this year, Finnair has used sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on two flights from San Francisco to Helsinki. The initiative encourages passengers to either offset the carbon emissions from their flights or mitigate their carbon footprint through paying to contribute towards the

October 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Minneapolis Drivers Win With E15

(Minneapolis Bio-Fuels Association) The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels) and KS95 FM rewarded drivers who chose Unleaded Plus (E15) at the ARCO on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis on Oct 3 during an hour-long promotion. During the promotion, MN Biofuels and KS95 rewarded 16 drivers with prizes that included $20 in cash,

October 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Board Now Leads the Way towards Sustainable Flying

(Board Now) Launch of SkyNRG’s ground-breaking program paves the way to sustainable aviation; 85 per cent reduction of emissions as a result of sustainable aviation fuel — Today (October 3, 2019), a significant step will be taken towards sustainable flying. Dutch company SkyNRG, global leader in sustainable aviation fuel, officially launches

October 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Northeast States Draft Regional Policy Proposal to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Pollution from Transportation Lacks Renewable Fuel Emphasis DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS: November 5, 2019

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 Read Full Article

Farm-State Fury Creates Pressure for Trump as Trade, Energy Pain Collide

by David J. Lynch (Washington Post) … After two decades, Siouxland (Energy Cooperative) this month halted operations following the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to exempt 31 small oil refiners from a federal law requiring them to blend ethanol in their gasoline. The waivers, which the Trump administration has approved almost

October 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Big Law Firms Draft Model Climate Laws in Pro Bono Project

by Stephanie Russell-Kraft (Bloomberg) More than 20 law firms join pro bono effort led by two law school professors; Draft laws and regulations will be publicly available to local, state and federal lawmakers — More than 20 Big Law firms have signed on to a pro-bono project developing model laws and

September 27, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump’s Billion-Dollar Gambit: An Ethanol Deal to Meet the Demands of Farmers and Big Oil

by Tim Mullaney (CNBC) President Trump is planning an ethanol deal to please U.S. farmers angry that many oil refiners have been freed from obligations to use oil-based fuel. The deal, still not yet reduced to a written bill, is likely to make oil companies that have been given permission

September 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Climate Forum Day 2 Highlights

(Our Daily Planet) Here is a quick recap of the highlights of Day 2 of the Climate Forum on Friday — five hours of candidate interviews and it even got bi-partisan by the end. Two candidates — Booker and Buttigieg — made the argument in moral terms — referencing how future generations will judge us

September 23, 2019 Read Full Article

‘Very Engaged’ Trump Talks Biofuels Policy with U.S. Oil-State Senators

by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) President Donald Trump on Thursday discussed biofuels policy with senators from U.S. oil states, including Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who said the president was engaged on the issue that has pitted Big Oil and Big Corn against each other. The oil industry is opposed to the

September 20, 2019 Read Full Article

SAS Offers Passengers Option to Purchase Biofuel

(Flight Global) Scandinavian operator SAS is offering passengers the opportunity to purchase biofuel as part of the airline’s sustainability strategy. The initiative is a not-for-profit service, simply adding to biofuels already being bought by the airline. Customers will be able to purchase 20min “blocks” of flight time powered by biofuel, says SAS, on a

September 18, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

“I’ve been hoodwinked so many times, not just by the EPA on this issue, but by other bureaucracies as well, so I’m going to see if what we talked about is the end product,” Senatory Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told reporters on September 17 referencing enforcement of the Renewable Fuel Standard.

September 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Will the RFS Deal Protect Innovation and Our Planet?

by Stephanie Batchelor (Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)/Biofuels Digest) As we speculate on the details and implications of the administration’s renewable fuels deal, the future of an entire green industry hangs in the balance. The debate over the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has become muddied with rhetoric about special interests and government

September 18, 2019 Read Full Article

The New Face of Climate Activism Is Young, Angry — and Effective

by Ella Nilsen (Vox) A growing sea of crusaders known as the Sunrise Movement has helped put climate change on the national agenda. Most aren’t even 30. — … The three-bedroom apartment in Washington’s Columbia Heights neighborhood is one of a handful of so-called movement houses around the country where

September 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Raleigh Harvests Dorothea Dix Park Sunflowers for Biofuel

by Anthony Wilson (ABC 11) The colorful sunflowers that delighted thousands in Dorothea Dix Park are just a memory now. The field is now filled with dried stalks and seeds now. Those seeds have a role in the city’s future, now that they’re harvested for conversion to biofuel. ABC11 rode

September 17, 2019 Read Full Article

House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Request for Information DEADLINE: November 22, 2019

(House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis) The climate crisis already is harming communities across America. The costs and impacts to the United States in the coming decades could exceed hundreds of billions of dollars annually. To limit global warming to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, global net carbon

September 17, 2019 Read Full Article

New Corporate Climate Commitment: Buying Negative Emissions

by Josh Siegel & Abby Smith (Washington Examiner’s Daily on Energy) Companies are starting to include direct investments in carbon capture and sequestration in their climate and sustainability plans. Shopify, the fast-growing e-commerce platform company, is the latest company to do so, committing to buy $1 million of sequestered carbon annually.

September 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Global Leaders Issue Report Underscoring Imminent Need for Adaptation

(Solutions from the Land) A panel of political, business and environmental leaders is the latest to issue warnings about the growing climate crisis emanating from increasingly volatile global weather patterns. Citing what it calls new research findings, the Global Commission on Adaptation, which is led by former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon,

September 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Many U.S. Farmers Fume at Washington, Not Trump, over Biofuel, Trade Policies

by P.J. Huffstutter and Tom Polansek (Reuters) … Many farmers are angry, and some are directing their anger not at the Republican president, but at Washington’s bureaucracy. Trump has faced backlash from agricultural groups, ethanol producers and Midwestern politicians upset that his trade war with China has slashed export sales

September 10, 2019 Read Full Article

King Willing to Debate Feenstra, Taylor

by Ty Rushing (NWestIowa.com) … During his town hall, King addressed multiple topics including immigration, trade negotiations and the struggles of the agricultural renewable fuels community. POET Biorefining, the nation’s largest ethanol producer, has a plant south of Ashton, which King made reference to when questioning a recent decision by the

September 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Biofuel Plan Faces Fresh Backlash from U.S. Agricultural Trade Groups

by Chris Prentice, Stephanie Kelly and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) U.S. agricultural trade groups on Friday told the Trump administration a proposed biofuel reform package falls short of expectations, four sources familiar with discussions said, complicating plans the administration had for presenting the proposal to President Donald Trump. … The plan

September 8, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters)

According to Reuters‘ reporters Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw, Terry Branstad, the former Iowa governor and now U.S. ambassador to China, showed a map of counties that had flipped in Trump’s favor in 2016 but were now considered at risk in the November 2020 election. Branstad also listed quotes from

September 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump in High-Stakes Balancing Act between Oil and Corn ahead of 2020 Bid

by Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) At a closed-door meeting at the White House on Aug. 19, President Donald Trump looked increasingly alarmed as his top envoy to China delivered evidence of rising Farm Belt frustration over his biofuel policy along with a stark warning: You’ve got a problem in

September 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Politico’s 2020 Tracker: 2020 Candidates Views on Energy, Environment & Climate Change

(Politico) … All of the candidates have embraced a target of “net-zero” emissions by 2050 or earlier, and they all propose spending trillions of dollars over the next decade to get there. But many plans are fuzzy on where the money would come from, and Congress may be unwilling to cooperate.

September 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Petroleum Industry Warns Trump It Will Fight Ethanol Moves

by Dave Boyer (The Washington Times) A leading trade group for the petroleum industry warned President Trump on Tuesday to ditch his plan to boost ethanol production, saying it would be a “disastrous political decision.” … He (Frank Macchiarola, a vice president of the American Petroleum Institute) said the petroleum industry

September 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Highlights of CNN Climate Town Hall First Half – Castro, Yang, Harris, Klobuchar and Biden AND CNN Climate Town Hall Part 2: Sanders, Warren Buttigieg, O’Rourke, Booker

(Our Daily Planet) The CNN Town Hall on the Climate Crisis was a marathon session — seven hours of nearly uninterrupted climate conversation. With so many candidates and so much ground to cover, and many similarities among the candidates, it may in retrospect be a bit of a blur for the

September 5, 2019 Read Full Article

On Climate Change, Senator Warren Has a New Plan — Inslee’s Old Plan

(Our Daily Planet) … Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is known for having a plan for everything, put out a “new” climate-related plan — that is basically Jay Inslee’s clean energy plan. Senator Warren, in announcing the plan on Medium said, “Today, I’m embracing that goal by committing to adopt and

September 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Julián Castro Unveils Climate Plan Centered on Green New Deal Principles

by Alex Samuels (Texas Tribune) The plan carries a $10 trillion price tag and calls on the country to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. — … Over the course of the next decade, Castro is calling for “immediate and significant” reduction in greenhouse gas emissions until the country achieves net-zero

September 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Mayor Pete Buttigieg Reveals Climate Plan

by Miro Korenha (Our Daily Planet) … Mayor Pete Buttigieg revealed his climate plan, a comprehensive vision to tackle some of the most carbon-intensive sectors of our economy. … Net Zero: No later than 2050 Cost: No total cost was initially identified, although individual spending programs) such as a $200 billion investment over 10

September 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump, Biofuels, 2020 and the Prospect of a Farmer Flip

by Matt Carr (Biofuels Digest/New Energy America) … President Trump has repeatedly buckled under pressure from fossil fuel interests and their Wall Street backers, giving an unprecedented number of “small refinery waivers” to oil refiners that have reported record profits year over year, significantly undermining biofuel production by destroying nearly 4

September 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Booker: We Will Stop the Oil Refinery Waivers, as Part of $3 Trillion Clean Energy and Infrastructure Plan

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New Jersey, Senator Cory Booker announced that, if elected as US President, he would “Immediately end the granting of unwarranted RFS small refinery waivers to big oil companies, and substantially increase funding for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Booker became the second US

September 3, 2019 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — American Petroleum Institute

In a February 2018 letter to the EPA from the American Petroleum Institute: “…RIN costs are largely recovered by refineries, both large and small, through the increased value of gasoline and diesel fuel they supply to the market.” … “These points make clear that small refinery exemptions are unnecessary as

September 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Teases Work on Policy Package to Boost Ethanol

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) President Donald Trump issued a tweet Aug. 29 suggesting his administration is working on a “giant package” to boost demand for ethanol. He did not indicate what the timeframe for the release of that package might be. Trump’s tweet followed weeks of outrage by

September 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Election Campaigns Can Boost Role of Agriculture in Combating a Changing Climate

(Solutions from the Land) Rural America drew a considerable amount of attention in the last presidential election. President Trump won the White House in large part due to the support he received from voters in this nation’s vast non-metropolitan areas. As a result, most of this year’s wide range of

August 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Iowa Corn Farmers to Trump: The Government Put Us in ‘One Hell of a Bad Situation’

by Tal Axelrod (The Hill) The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) blasted the Trump administration on Tuesday, saying the government has put it in “one hell of a bad situation.” The trade association hammered President Trump for approving what it called 31 “unjustified” refinery waivers tied to ethanol, along with his year-plus trade war

August 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Iowa Governor Planning DC Meeting over ‘Short Term Crisis’ in Ethanol Industry

by O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) Governor Kim Reynolds and Midwest governors are planning a trip to Washington, D.C. to talk with President Trump about unrest in farm country. “Let him know first-hand what’s happening on the ground,” Reynolds said this morning. The Trump Administration recently granted waivers to oil companies,

August 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Klobuchar: In First 100 Days as President, Pledges Moratorium on Oil Refinery Waivers, Restoration of Renewable Fuels Tax Credit and More

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Klobuchar says “I will stop the oil refinery waivers”: In Iowa, US Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said that, if elected President in 2020, would in her first 100 days in office order a moratorium on oil refinery waivers issued under the Renewable Fuel Standard, restore the

August 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Crown Oil Invests in HVO Biofuel to Help Sector Be Greener

(Green Fleet) Crown Oil has invested in a stock of Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) biofuel in a bid to shift demand in UK transport sector from diesel and gas oil to an environmentally-friendly alternative. Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is a second-generation premium biofuel made from renewable and sustainable sources, and reduces

August 27, 2019 Read Full Article

The Big Six: Trump, Biden, Warren, Klobuchar, Yang, Buttigieg Score in the Digest’s Bioeconomy 2020 US Presidential Poll

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, US President Donald Trump led 19 other candidates in the first Digest Bioeconomy 2020 US Presidential Poll, gaining 31.7 percent support in the bipartisan poll which featured 18 leading Democratic candidates along with the President and his lone declared Republican challenger. Leading among

August 27, 2019 Read Full Article

Andrew Yang Rolls Out Climate Plan in New Hampshire

(Our Daily Planet) With a healthy dose of both optimism and realism, Andrew Yang rolled out an ambitious plan to spend $5T over 20 years to combat climate change and get to net-zero carbon emissions by 2049 using the slogan “Lower Emissions, Higher Ground” to sum up his approach. The plan begins with the

August 27, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Orders Biofuel Boost in Bid to Temper Farm State Anger

by Jennifer A Dlouhy and Mario Parker (Bloomberg) 2021 quotas will jump to make up for oil refinery exemptions; Move could alienate Rust Belt refinery workers in Pennsylvania — President Donald Trump, seeking to tamp down political fallout in U.S. farm states essential to his re-election, has ordered federal agencies

August 26, 2019 Read Full Article

The Energy 202: Bernie Sanders Announces a $16.3 Trillion Green New Deal

by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) Bernie Sanders released a comprehensive plan to address a “climate crisis” on par with the threat America faced during the Second World War, vowing to declare the global buildup of planet-warming gases a national emergency and to spend more than any other Democratic candidate has proposed to address the issue.

August 23, 2019 Read Full Article

2020 Dems Aim to Capitalize on Trump’s Ethanol Policy

by Brian Dabbs (National Journal) Democratic presidential candidates are exploiting a controversial White House ethanol policy to try to generate support among President Trump’s staunchest backers. The Environmental Protection Agency waived ethanol blending requirements for more than 30 petroleum refiners earlier this month, in a move that continues to infuriate

August 22, 2019 Read Full Article

10 Democratic Presidential Candidates Will Participate in CNN Climate Town Hall

by Mark Preston (CNN) en Democratic candidates for president have qualified for next month’s Climate Crisis Town Hall, which will air exclusively on CNN platforms. CNN is devoting the evening of Sept. 4 to the climate crisis. Eight of the Democratic candidates initially accepted CNN’s invitation to discuss this critically

August 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Energypath 2019 in Review

(Sustainable Energy Fund) Energypath 2019 was held at DeSales University in Center Valley, PA on Thursday, July 25th, 2019. More than 240 industry and aspiring industry professionals attended the conference to learn about the future of energy financing from nationally recognized energy industry experts. The conference was preceded by a series of

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Educators from across the Country Gathered in Washington, D.C. at the Summer Institute to Learn New Ways to #TeachClimate!

(Climate Generation) Our 14th annual Summer Institute for Climate Change Education prepared educators to teach climate change using art and literature – because this issue isn’t meant for just the science classroom. We partnered with Lowell School and the NOAA Climate Office to put on three action-packed days filled with

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Lufthansa Innovation Hub launches the “Compensaid” Sustainability Platform and Focuses on CO2 Neutral Aviation Fuels

(Lufthansa Group) Travelers can use the new platform to replace the fossil fuel of their flights with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF); Airline passengers can reduce up to 80 percent of their CO2 emissions; “Compensaid” provides a transparent overview of a person’s travel history and associated CO2 emissions across all airlines

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Wound up over Waivers

by Alex Guillén (Politico’s Morning Energy) EPA’s internal watchdog is being asked to determine how the agency decided to grant the vast majority of exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard that oil refiners have requested. EPA approved 31 petitions for waivers from the 2018 requirements, while rejecting just six, and

August 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Dems Fear another Rural Wipeout Will Reelect Trump

By Elena Schneider and Catherine Boudreau (Politico) Pitches by some 2020 candidates aren’t yet translating into a broad conversation about the needs of rural voters. — As Democratic presidential candidates descended on the Iowa State Fair, a plane buzzed overhead, an ominous warning fluttering behind it on a banner: “Focus on

August 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Facts Not Furor: What the 2020 Candidates Should Be Focused On

by Daniel Gage (ACT News/NGV America) … One candidate said we have less than 10 years to act. Many candidates agree that we don’t have time to wait. So why then are we waiting for large scale light-duty electric vehicle adoption that will take decades? Why are we waiting for medium-

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

To Global Automakers – Offer More Ethanol Vehicles in U.S.!

by Paul Kamp, in conjunction with Chris Schwarck (ipetitions) To: CEO’s of Global Automakers: We are consumers of your vehicles and we request that you manufacture cars and trucks of all models, engines and trim levels that will allow the use of higher ethanol blends such as E15, E20, E30 and E85

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Report: Trump Ordered Waivers: Ongoing Court Challenges May Be Only Avenue Left for Biofuels

by By Todd Neeley and Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) …The president sided with oil refiners over ethanol producers and corn farmers, just two months after reiterating his support for ethanol at a rally held at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to celebrate the approval of year-round

August 19, 2019 Read Full Article

In Iowa, Candidates Are Talking About Farming’s Climate Change Connections Like No Previous Election

by Georgina Gustin (Inside Climate News) About half the candidates have policy proposals or statements addressing climate change impacts on agriculture or farming’s potential as a climate solution. … They also brought an unprecedented focus on agriculture‘s connections with climate change—an issue that’s getting more traction among rural Midwestern voters and farmers in

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Intervention Triggered EPA’s Surprise Biofuel Waiver Decision: Sources

by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) A phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump last week ended a nearly two-month-long review of the nation’s biofuels program, three sources familiar with the matter said, with the White House siding in favor of oil refiners over corn growers. Trump gave Andrew Wheeler, head of the U.S.

August 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Available for Viewing: Public Workshop: Low-Carbon Transportation Investments, Strategies, and Outcomes

(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