(Business Standard) At present, the government extends a subsidy to users of LPG but PNG and biofuel users do not receive such benefits -- The government is considering a subsidy for all fuels that "are used for cooking". At present, liquefied petroleum
air pollution control
Back TO HOMEPunjab Will Produce Bio-Ethanol from Paddy Straw: Sunder Sham Arora
(5 Dariya News) To curb the menace of crop residue burning and create a positive atmosphere for industrialization, Punjab Government has taken a decision to set up a Bio-ethanol project. In this regard, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed today
July 10, 2018 Read Full Article
AAPCA Releases 2018 Edition of The Greatest Story Seldom Told
(Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies) Today, the Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA) released the 2018 edition of The Greatest Story Seldom Told: Profiles and Success Stories in Air Pollution Control. State and local air agencies have been at the
July 03, 2018 Read Full Article
China’s Shift to Cleaner Energy Drives Huge Ethanol Demand
by Leah Marie Angelou (Small Cap Network) ... China is at a crossroad as it shifts to cleaner and renewable energy sources. Can the country keep up with its environmental pledge? -- In September 2017, the government rolled out a new
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Biofuels for the Marine Sector
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biofuels for marine diesels — a biofuel developers dream? That’s the premise of his IEA webinar deck on the promise and progress in marine biofuels, a 330 Mton fuel market with both fuel technology in transition, and where
June 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Stubble Burning: Punjab to Manufacture Bio-CNG from Paddy Straw
(Economic Times Energy World) Seven bio-mass power plants are already underway in the state, but now steps have been taken in the direction of Bio CNG/bio-ethanol from paddy straw, the minister said. ... The government is committed to free Punjab from pollution due
June 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Leaders in Advanced Diesel Technology Outline Innovations to Deliver Cargo and Cleaner Air
(Diesel Technology Forum) ... The other thing you’re looking at with renewable diesel – since it is diesel fuel – you don’t have a lot of logistical handling problems that you have with other alternative fuels out there. -- At the inaugural GreenPort
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
The Interaction of the Clean Air Act, California's CAA Waiver, Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards, Renewable Fuel Standards and California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Trump Administration is taking a new look at Obama Administration era Co2 regulations. On the transportation side, these include reviewing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards; threatening to take away California’s authority to set
May 21, 2018 Read Full Article
‘India Should Promote Biofuel, Public Transport’
( Express News Service/Indian Express) Rashmi Urdhwareshe, director of Automotive Research Association of India, spoke about different vehicle technologies that improve fuel efficiency through power train engineering. She spoke about possible alternative fuels that can be used for transportation. As the world’s
May 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Troubling Link Found between Pollution Exposure in Pregnancy, High Blood Pressure in Children
by Ariana Eunjung Cha (Washington Post) ... In a paper published Monday in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension, researchers reported that children of mothers who were exposed in their third trimester to higher levels of fine particulate pollution — the tiny
May 15, 2018 Read Full Article
RNG Is the Fast Track to Cleaner Air in California
by Thomas Lawson (California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition/ACT News) California policy makers—at the local and state level—are increasingly under pressure to make electric vehicles the only clean transportation option for every use. That would be a mistake: it would close the
May 10, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Lacks Power to Administratively Expand Ethanol Waiver
(Institute for Energy Research) The Trump administration is considering expanding the ethanol fuel waiver in the Clean Air Act (CAA) to allow E15 fuel (gasoline containing up to 15% ethanol) to be sold year round. The Environmental Protection Agency has indicated
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Debate over the RFS Is Playing out on the Political Stage: The Public Discussion Rarely Considers American Consumers.
by Donnell Rehagen (National Biodiesel Board/Biofuels Digest) The biofuels industry found itself in an unusual position for much of the past 12 months. Typically confined to debates in the trade press, biofuels-related headlines are now splashed across the mainstream media. It’s new
May 07, 2018 Read Full Article
New Research Shows the Health Benefits of Ethanol-Fueled Cookstoves
by Jieyi Lu (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Today, about three billion people still cook and heat their homes with traditional stoves and solid fuels worldwide. These fuels and stoves are major contributors to household air pollution in the developing world.
May 07, 2018 Read Full Article
How Trump Might Make SUVs Pricier in Seattle than Omaha
by Camille von Kaenel (E&E News) ... The Trump administration's efforts to weaken vehicle pollution requirements could set up a split U.S. market, concentrating fuel-efficient cars in mostly Democratic states and gas guzzlers in the red states. President Trump's plans could
May 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Former Volkswagen CEO Indicted Over Emission Testing Scandal
by Sonari Glinton (National Public Radio) Martin Winterkorn, the former head of Volkswagen, was indicted on Thursday along with five other former VW executives on charges of conspiracy and fraud in connection with a years-long scheme by the automaker to cheat
May 04, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Seeks Nominations for MSTRS
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA is seeking nominations for its Mobile Sources Technical Review Subcommittee, which is designed to provide the Clean Air Advisory Committee with independent advice, counsel and recommendations on the scientific and technical aspects of
April 25, 2018 Read Full Article
House Hearing Focus on High Octane Fuels
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment will be holding a hearing this morning (Friday, April 13, 2018) on “High Octane Fuels and High Efficiency Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities.” The hearing will take a look at the potential
April 13, 2018 Read Full Article
California Says a Car-Emissions Deal With Trump Could Be Doable
by Mark Chediak, Ryan Beene, and John Lippert (Bloomberg) ‘Reason could prevail,’ chair of Air Resources Board says; State is considering a lawsuit to preserve its options -- California’s top air-quality regulator sees hope for a deal with the Trump administration over fuel
April 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative Discredits Sierra Club’s Inaccurate Assumptions About Ethanol
(Urban Air Initiative) In an effort to rebut erroneous assumptions about ethanol's health effects in a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club, the Urban Air Initiative submitted an amicus brief describing the health benefits of blending ethanol into gasoline. The Sierra Club
April 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Cleaner Cars Create Jobs -- New Study Shows Strong Vehicle Standards Boost Economy
(Union of Concerned Scientists) Vehicle efficiency and emissions standards are a remarkably successful policy, delivering cleaner cars every year, saving drivers money at the pump, and reducing the pollution that causes climate change. A new study has found another important benefit of the
April 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Economic Survey Suggests Converting Agricultural Waste into Biofuels to Tackle Pollution
by Mayank Aggarwal (LiveMint) Survey also recommends ‘congestion pricing’ for vehicles, expanding and improving public bus system to reduce private vehicle use, and phasing out old vehicles to reduce pollution -- The Economic Survey released on Monday suggested conversion of agricultural waste into
January 29, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
In an Ethanol Producer Magazine article, Urban Air Initiative's David Hallberg explains how, with proper adherence to Clean Air Act regulations, ethanol can substitute for carcinogens in our fuel. "(I)t is increasingly clear that gasoline exhaust is the primary carrier
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Respecting the Law
by David Hallberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine) (T)he U.S. Department of Energy's adherence to laws, and a proposal from the Urban Air Initiative to escape the aromatics dilemma. -- ... Hopefully Pruitt has established a precedent that will apply to one of
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
The Greenhouse Gas Pruitt Worries about
by Scott Waldman (E&E News) Scott Pruitt is one of the Trump administration's most aggressive critics of climate change science, but lately he's been talking about the dangers of greenhouse gas. Well, one greenhouse gas in particular: methane. ... But when it comes to
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Illinois Soybean Association : B20 Biodiesel Use Translates To $1.2M Health Cost Savings
(4-Traders) New calculations show an estimated $1.2 million in health cost savings for Illinois communities where B20 biodiesel fuel is used routinely in diesel vehicles. The calculations come from data submitted by 15 members of the B20 Club, a partnership between the Illinois
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Enerkem and Sinobioway Group Sign a C$125M Agreement to Accelerate Enerkem's Global Expansion and Create a Joint Venture to Build over 100 Biofuel Facilities in China
(Enerkem/PR Newswire) Enerkem Inc. (www.enerkem.com), a world leading waste-to-biofuels and renewable chemicals producer, announced today it has signed an agreement with Sinobioway Group worth over C$125M in the form of equity investment in Enerkem Inc., future licenses, equipment manufacturing and sales, as
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
New Study Shows Clean Cooking Can Lead to Increased Birth Weight in Newborns
(United Nations Foundation) Babies born to mothers who cooked with ethanol were born later and heavier -- A new study released today by the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, which is hosted at the United Nations Foundation, has found that replacing traditional cookstoves that burn
January 05, 2018 Read Full Article
VW Settlement Should Fund Clean Air Today — Not Years Down the Road
by Allen Schaeffer (Diesel Technology Forum/The Hill) ... The Sierra Club’s has offered a one size, all-electrification-fits-all recommendation — that would just be another bad choice that would actually lead to dirtier air for a longer time. There is more than one way
January 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Reduces Particulate Matter Emissions
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) We know ethanol emits fewer carbon emissions like particulate matter (PM) than gasoline. In fact, when it comes to particulate matter, a MIT study concluded PM emissions from gasoline (E0) is three times higher than E10. So what
December 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Dar, Chinese Firm Deal to Revitalise Cassava Farming
Pius Rugonzibwa In Mwanza (Daily News) The production of cassava in the country has received a major boost after the government recently signed a deal with a Chinese firm worth over 2.5trl/- aimed at commercialising its farming. -- Opening the annual review
December 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Barrasso Calls on EPA to Study the Renewable Fuel Standard’s Impact on the Environment
(U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works) Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to request that the EPA
December 08, 2017 Read Full Article
VW Bosses Coached Me to Lie, Jailed Manager Tells U.S. Judge
by Christie Smythe (Bloomberg Technology) (Oliver) Schmidt to be sentenced on Dec. 6 over emissions scandal; ‘Regrettably, I agreed to follow it’; faces 7 years in prison -- ... In a letter to the judge last week, Schmidt, former general manager of Volkswagen’s
December 04, 2017 Read Full Article
U.S. Ethanol Makers Call on Mexico, India to Reduce Biofuel Glut
by Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) U.S. ethanol producers, looking to relieve a growing domestic glut, are hunting for new international fuel markets to replace China and Brazil after trade disputes slashed exports to those top buyers. ... Without new markets, U.S. producers may have
November 29, 2017 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"If our gasoline composition is right then ethanol can work," said Alfonso Martinez, undersecretary of protection of the environment and natural resources in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, in a phone interview with S&P Global Platts. "We have nothing against ethanol, we
November 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Feature: Mexican Ethanol Optimism Returns after States Ask for Ban Repeal
by Josh Pedrick (Platts) The Mexican ethanol market could have more room to grow as the states of Nuevo Leon and Jalisco have asked for a repeal of a ban on ethanol blending in their principal cities of Monterrey and Guadalajara, respectively. ... Mexico
November 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Assured Offtake by OMCs to Boost Ethanol Supply
(Financial Express) Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday emphasised the need for offtake guarantee by oil marketing companies (OMCs) to increase ethanol supply for blending with fuel. Speaking at a consultative workshop of stakeholders to chalk out a path for biofuel in
November 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Pollutant Powerplay
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Pacific Ethanol in Stockton, California, will be the first ethanol plant to use Ener-Core’s Power Oxidizer, a combined-heat-and-power plant fueled by waste gas, using volatile organic compounds as fuel. The unique technology allows
November 27, 2017 Read Full Article
PetroMin Pushes OMCs to Buy Paddy Stubble
by Shine Jacob Sanjeeb Mukherjee & Shreya Jai (Business Standard) A NITI Aayog suggests an estimated ~11,500 crore would be needed to permanently address the problem of stubble burning -- After announcing early rollout of Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission norms in Delhi by
November 27, 2017 Read Full Article
New Report Details Racial, Economic Injustice of Pollution Trading Programs
(Food & Water Watch) Under plans like California’s “cap-and-trade” program, pollution and public health impacts actually increase in lower-income communities of color. -- New analysis published today details the disproportionate burdens of air and water contamination and serious human health effects placed
November 13, 2017 Read Full Article
New Report: California Oil Among World's Dirtiest -- Rampant Oil Production Undermines State's Climate Leadership
(Center for Biological Diversity) Three-quarters of California’s oil is as climate-damaging as Canadian tar sands crude, according to a Center for Biological Diversity report released today at the United Nations climate change conference in Bonn, Germany. Oil Stain: How Dirty Crude Undercuts California’s Climate
November 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Planes across Europe to Start Running on Vegetable Oil and Animal Fat in Bid to Tackle Climate Change and Toxic Air
by Ben Chapman (Independent) With long-distance electric-powered transport still a long way off, can advances in renewable fuel made from vegetable oil and waste fill the gap to combat climate change and clean up our toxic air? Planes across Europe will soon
November 01, 2017 Read Full Article
Now Cars Can Fill up with Biodiesel
by Hu Min (Shanghai Daily) ... Now private vehicles are able to run on a mixture of biodiesel fuels following more than 100 buses already on Shanghai roads that are doing so. Two Sinopec gas stations, in Fengxian District and the Pudong New
October 31, 2017 Read Full Article
New Traffic Pollution Charge Hits London
(Biofuels International) ... Pre-Euro 4 vehicles are generally those registered before 2006, although Transport for London recommends owners of any vehicle registered before 2008 should check to see if they’re liable for the charge. Critics have argued that the new charge will
October 26, 2017 Read Full Article
E20 for the EU?
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) A recent study by the European Commission Directorate-General for Climate Action identifies E20 as the optimal ethanol blend for the EU. The study, which outlines an extensive economic and environmental analysis of increasing biofuel blends, said biofuel blends are crucial
October 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Scania Will Provide Clean Buses to 20 Major Cities
(Scania) Scania today joins the Global Industry Partnership on Soot-Free Clean Bus Fleets with a commitment to, by 2018, provide modern soot-free buses to 20 major cities in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Australia. “To tackle the challenge of poor air quality
October 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Switchgrass Could Help China’s Air Quality
(University of Illinois ACES/Biomass Magazine) Researchers from the United States and China have proposed an idea that could improve China’s air quality, but they’re not atmospheric scientists. They’re agronomists. “China’s poor air quality is caused by a combination of coal burning
September 21, 2017 Read Full Article
RFA: Mid-Missouri Energy Goes Green with Flex-Fuel Mower
(Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) RFA member company Mid-Missouri Energy is home to a new piece of equipment. This one doesn’t improve ethanol yield or lower the plant’s energy consumption, but it does provide an example for fellow ethanol producers,
August 30, 2017 Read Full Article
A Refresher on Ethanol’s Many Benefits
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) ... For starters, ethanol helps reduce air pollution and cut greenhouse gas emissions. According to a January analysis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, corn-based ethanol reduces greenhouse emissions (GHG) by 43 percent compared with
August 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Environmental and Economic Goals Not in Conflict, New Study Claims
(Bioenergy Insight) New research claims that air pollution policy reduces the extent to which population growth in urban areas results in increased pollution emissions, without disrupting the economic growth resulting from this urbanisation. More than half of the world’s population currently lives
August 15, 2017 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
In commenting to Biofuels International about the UK government's decision to ban new petroleum and diesel cars by 2040, Devin Walker, chief technical officer of Renovare Fuels based in London noted that in some circumstances the manufacture of electric cars
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Electric Cars Have Higher Lifecycle Emissions than Liquid Fuels, Says Renewables Expert
(Biofuels International) The UK government’s decision to ban petrol and diesel cars by 2040 risks “handcuffing” the country to an “unrealistic policy”, according to renewable energy expert Devin Walker. Significantly, Walker also notes that in some circumstances the manufacture of
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
LA Transitioning to Fully Electric Bus Fleet – But Is It Really the Answer?
(Biofuels International) Los Angeles is to transition to a fully electric, zero-emissions bus fleet by 2030, according to recently announced plans. The Californian city has a reputation for extreme bouts of smog, something city authorities hope the electricity transition will
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Mexico’s Ethanol Boost Fuels Cross-Border Environmental Debate
by Emily Pickrell (Bloomberg) Mexico’s decision to nearly double the amount of ethanol permitted in gasoline is pitting two big winners—U.S. corn growers and ethanol producers—against some environmental activists and Mexico’s own auto industry. Last month Mexico’s Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE)
July 31, 2017 Read Full Article
Analyzing Air Pollutant Emissions from the Biofuel Supply Chain
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) NREL's sustainability analysis program studies air pollutant emissions from the entire biofuel supply chain and their implications on air quality and human health. Additionally, we study how air quality regulations can affect the cost, operation, and sustainability
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
B10 Biodiesel Aces Three Million Km of DBKL Testing
by Anthony Lim (Paultan.org) ... Still, nothing like actual field tests to offer reliable evidence as to the suitability of B10, and that’s what the MPOB has done, announcing that the fuel has aced a long-term test carried out by Kuala
June 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Biotechnology Innovation Organization and Advanced Biofuels Business Council Ask Senators to Support Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act
(Biofuels Journal) More than 25 advanced biofuel producers and trade associations today sent a letter to members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, asking them to support the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act (S.517), the Biotechnology Innovation
June 13, 2017 Read Full Article
RFS Has Been ‘Tremendous Success’ Since Adoption, According to RFA Analysis
by Emily Druckman (Renewable Fuels Association) More than a decade after the original renewable fuel standard (RFS) was signed into law, tremendous progress has been made toward its goals of energy security, clean air and boosting local economies, according to
June 07, 2017 Read Full Article
The Future Fuel Europe Already Has in the Tank
by Emmanuel Desplechin (Politico/ePURE) Renewable ethanol does more than just decarbonize transport. It also boosts engine efficiency and helps improve air quality. -- The European Commission has just told the Belgian government that it needs to do a better job
May 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Let's Not Rush with Diesel
by Seppo Mikkonen (Neste) According to recent estimates, there will be a stop to diesel-fueled traffic. The resistance to diesel increased before Easter, when Elżbieta Bieńkowska, EU Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, predicted that diesel vehicles will “disappear from roads
May 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Aemetis Wins $6 million Biodiesel Supply Contract with India Government Oil Companies
(Aemetis) Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced today (May 10, 2017) that its Universal Biofuels subsidiary has won its first contract to supply biodiesel to the India government-owned Oil Marketing Companies (“OMC”) in a public tender process. The total diesel market
May 12, 2017 Read Full Article
New Study Shows Economic Value of RNG in California
by RNG Coalition (Biomass Magazine) A new jobs study reveals that deploying trucks fueled by renewable natural gas could create up to 130,000 new jobs and add $14 billion to California’s economy. The ‘RNG Jobs Report’ examines the economic potential of
May 04, 2017 Read Full Article
California Drivers Fuel Up for a Dollar as Propel Fuels Launches 105 Octane Tour
(Propel/Military Technologies) Propel Fuels is launching the „105 Octane Tour” this week in California, offering Flex Fuel E85 for $1.05 per gallon at several retail locations to drive awareness of the fuel’s high octane rating which provides increased power and acceleration,
May 02, 2017 Read Full Article
BAA Rejects Productivity Commission Claims
(Biofuels Association of Australia) The Biofuels Association of Australia strongly rejects claims by the Federal Productivity Commission that the industry fails to support the agriculture sector or the community. The NSW and Queensland Governments have not forced motorists to buy E10 or
March 30, 2017 Read Full Article
The Role of Biodiesel in Curbing Pollution
by Sandeep Chaturvedi (Biodiesel Association of India/Financial Express) Rapidly increasing vehicular pollution and complete neglect by the authorities to take pollution-reduction measures over the past few decades have resulted in deterioration of ambient air quality across the country. A recent
March 14, 2017 Read Full Article
UPS, Google Fleets Cutting Emissions with Neste Renewable Diesel
by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle (Environmental Leader) UPS delivery trucks and Google gBuses are among the fleets using Neste renewable diesel, which the company said reduced its customers carbon emissions by 6.7 million tons in 2016. The company says in addition to
March 13, 2017 Read Full Article
From Off-Take to Take-Off: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the US Renewable Jet Fuels Program
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In June 2011, the Secretaries of Agriculture, Energy, and Navy signed MOU to commit $510M (up to $170M from each agency) to produce hydrocarbon jet and diesel biofuels in the near-term. This initiative sought to
February 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative Calls on EPA to Withdraw Erroneous Vehicle Emissions Model
(Urban Air Initiative) Stakeholders including the states of Kansas and Nebraska joined the Urban Air Initiative (UAI) and the Energy Future Coalition as they petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to correct the agency’s flawed models that limit the use of
February 02, 2017 Read Full Article
American Lung Association Supports Ethanol
by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) The American Lung Association continues to advocate on behalf of the U.S. renewable fuels industry. Association director of communications in Minnesota Robert Moffitt says cleaner burning fuels like ethanol are proven to reduce air pollution. “Ethanol
January 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Soup-to-Nuts Review Finds CA Clean Cars Program Working
by Simon Mui (National Resources Defense Council) The California Air Resources Board (ARB) released a soup-to-nuts review of its Advanced Clean Car (ACC) program today. The 658-page report confirms that the popular program, which establishes smog-forming and carbon pollution limits for
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Walk This Way: NYC Agrees to Run D.M.E. in New Fuels Trial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... This week, a company known as Oberon Fuels running a DME technology is coming Straight Outta New York City with the idea that you can make it out of the the boutique world of
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Great Results from Testing UPM’s Wood-Based Diesel in Buses
(UPM) UPM has successfully tested Finnish wood-based diesel fuel both in laboratory conditions as well as in traffic. The tests clearly demonstrated that UPM’s renewable diesel, UPM BioVerno, works just like the best diesel fuels. The laboratory tests of renewable UPM
December 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Emails Show Collusion against Ethanol
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... This one’s about the U.S. EPA and a Freedom of Information Act request that uncovered emails providing evidence of collusion between EPA and the oil industry to make sure ethanol looks bad. Many
November 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Canadian Producers Poised for Carbon Reduction Era
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The state of the Canadian ethanol industry at year end. -- Optimism is growing among Canadian biofuel producers as the federal government is embracing carbon reduction strategies in its climate change action plan.
November 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Reduces a Variety of Harmful Emissions, New Study Finds
by Rebecca Chillrud (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) ... Traditional biofuels like ethanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 19-48 percent compared with gasoline, while advanced or cellulosic biofuels can reduce emissions by more than 100 percent. A less-recognized benefit
November 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Tapping Landfills to Generate Power Seemed Smart. So Why Is the Industry Threatened?
by Ralph Vartabedian (Los Angeles Times) ... The problem began after the AQMD issued a complex 39-page rule requiring that by no later than Jan. 1, landfill methane power plant emissions meet the same standard as other types of engines that use geologic natural gas. The
October 24, 2016 Read Full Article
High-Octane Hopes: Biofuels Want Level Playing Field
by Todd Neeley (DTN/The Progressive Farmer) With all of the political fights about the role ethanol and other biofuels have in the transportation sector, there is common ground for the ethanol, oil and automobile industries that could bode well for
September 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Delaware City Refinery Wants Permit to Expand Operations
by Scott Goss (The News Journal/Delaware Online) PBF Energy wants to significantly increase the amount of biofuel being stored at and shipped from its Delaware City refinery. The company plans to go from handling about 84,000 gallons of denatured ethanol per day
September 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Baseline Report of Clean Cooking Fuels in the East African Community
(Project Gaia) Ethanol fuel production represents a significant opportunity for economic and social development in the East African Community (EAC) region. Ethanol can be produced locally using a variety of feedstocks that can be selected based on unique local conditions. Farmers can grow
September 05, 2016 Read Full Article
Reflections on What Could Have Been
by Ray Defenbaugh (Urban Air Initiative/Big River Resources/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ah, summertime ..., and the livin' is easy, as the song says. But if not for the U.S. EPA, it could have been even easier. Easier on our customers, easier on
August 16, 2016 Read Full Article
EPA and DOT Finalize Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles
(Environmental Protection Agency) Standards address second-largest segment of U.S. transportation in terms of emissions and energy use -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jointly finalized standards for medium- and heavy-duty
August 16, 2016 Read Full Article
Does the U.S. EPA Not Want Biofuels?
by Nathan Vander Griend (ERI Solutions, Inc./Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) mission is to protect human health and the environment. They are charged with delivering on that mission by using the best scientific information
August 05, 2016 Read Full Article
EPA Releases Endangerment Finding for Aircraft, Good News for Biofuels
by Rebecca Chillrud (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) ... On July 25, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its endangerment finding for aircraft, indicating that greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft are hazardous to public health. This finding requires the EPA
August 02, 2016 Read Full Article
A $2.7 Billion Missed Opportunity
(Diesel Technology Forum) For any level of funding, more near-zero NOx technologies may find their way on the road and at work with clean diesel than other technologies. -- The Volkswagen settlement may be the second biggest environmental settlement in
July 22, 2016 Read Full Article
EU to Introduce CO2 Emission Limits for Trucks
by Julia Fioretti (Reuters) The European Commission will propose limits for the first time on CO2 emissions from trucks and will also set new fuel efficiency standards for cars and vans from 2020, according to a draft document seen by
July 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Sulfur Compounded in Ethanol Regulations
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) As the Tier 3 deadline approaches, it's important to understand the difference between EPA and ASTM treatments of the element. -- The U.S. EPA’s Tier 3 rules are not new—they were finalized two
July 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Greens Sue EPA to Force New NOx, SOx Standards
by Alex Guillén (Political Pro) ... The two standards were last reviewed in 2010 - meaning EPA is currently a year behind the five-year review schedule for those standards set under the Clean Air Act. The Center for Biological Diversity and the
July 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Air Pollution Linked to 6.5 Million Deaths a Year, Study Says, with the Highest Concentration in Asia
by Melissa Chan (Time Magazine) Air pollution contributes to about 6.5 million deaths each year, the International Energy Agency warned in a report released Monday, with casualties expected to drastically rise in coming decades unless the energy industry curbs emissions. The agency’s
July 05, 2016 Read Full Article
'Threat Map' Aims to Highlight the Worst of Oil and Gas Air Pollution
by Zahra Hirji (Inside Climate News) Two activist groups used government data to show 12.4 million people in the U.S. live within a half-mile of an oil and gas facility—and its pollution. -- Environmentalists have launched a new mapping tool
June 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Helping Tell Ethanol’s Real Story
by Dave VanderGriend (ICM, Inc./Urban Air Institute/Ethanol Producer Magazine) In the world of ethanol, we need to get people smarter and "coach up" the public, media and policymakers as to the real story about our product. -- ... In our world
June 17, 2016 Read Full Article
Dr. Bill Burke Talks about Muhammad Ali and the Fight for Clean Air
(Coalition for Clean Air) Like many iconic figures, Muhammad Ali touched the lives of people large and small. His bravado, charisma and sense of purpose inspired people in and out of the ring. In this video, South Coast AQMD Chairman Bill
June 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Connecting the Dots
by David VanderGriend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ICM Inc./Urban Air Initiative) ... We’ve learned that we can reduce harmful emissions by replacing toxic compounds in gasoline with clean burning ethanol, which improves air quality and protects public health. We can do so
June 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Rochester Buses Commit to Clean Air with Biodiesel
(VoteWojcik) Renewable-Based Fuel is Cleaner, Costs Less Than Traditional Diesel -- On June 1st, Rochester Public Transit (RPT) switched from the 10 percent biodiesel blend required statewide to a 20 percent blend, a move that will reduce emissions from 49 transit
June 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Constantinides Calls For More Sustainable Heating
(Queens Gazette) City Council Member Costa Constantinides, joined by environmental groups and others, rallied in support of his bill INT. 642 on May 25. The legislation would ensure more sustainable energy consumption by increasing the use of biodiesel in home
June 02, 2016 Read Full Article
CAAFI Celebrates 10th Anniversary!
(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative) We are proud to announce the 10th Anniversary of the initiation of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) as of May 24, 2016, and more importantly, to reflect on the success we’ve achieved to date,
May 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Gov. Ricketts Highlights Benefits of Biofuels During Renewable Fuels Month
(Office of Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts) Today, Governor Pete Ricketts highlighted Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska and the importance of biofuels to the state by kicking off a unique ethanol promotion at Sapp Brothers in Omaha. The Governor previously designated
May 20, 2016 Read Full Article
My Voice: The Positive Reach of Ethanol Impacts Many
by Keith Alverson (Argus Leader) As a sixth-generation corn farmer in South Dakota, and one who is deeply involved in sustainability programs in U.S. agriculture, I have learned first-hand how biofuels such as ethanol are good for our health and environment,
May 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Suzuki Says Discrepancies Mar Japanese Emissions Testing
(Law 360) Suzuki Motor Corp. on Wednesday said an internal investigation prompted by regulatory scrutiny over emissions and fuel efficiency standards has shown “discrepancies” in the testing methods used for 16 car models sold in Japan. Although the automaker said
May 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Scania Delivers 51 Biodiesel And Vegetable Oil Hybrid Buses to Madrid
(The Auto Channel) In a major commercial breakthrough, Scania will in June start delivering 51 hybridised Scania Citywide buses to Madrid. These complete buses feature cost saving and emission educing hybrid technology that meets the EU suburban and short distance
May 13, 2016 Read Full Article
CNG More Harmful for Environment than Diesel: Gujarat Govt to High Court
(ZeeNews.India) ... Citing an expert committee report on fuels, the state government today told the Gujarat High Court that CNG will prove more harmful to the environment than diesel "as CNG engines emit more greenhouse gases than diesel". In its affidavit filed
May 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Growth Likely for Ethanol Industry
by Terry Anderson (Lee Agri-Media/Iowa Farmer Today) Great market opportunities exist for the ethanol industry, Doug Durante said as he opened the Ethanol 2016: Emerging Issues Forum April 28. “We can help the auto industry meet their requirements,” he said. “They provide
May 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Inaction in Congress Helping Ethanol Right Now
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) ... Ethanol also remains stuck in a battle with EPA over vapor pressure with 15% ethanol over the summer months. 10% ethanol, E10, has such a waiver so it can be sold during the
May 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Clean Diesel Delivers Clean Air Benefits to the Mid-Atlantic Region
(Diesel Technology Forum) ... Looking toward to the future, Schaeffer (Diesel Technology Forum executive director Allen Schaeffer) noted in the next decade that diesel would remain the prime mover for the global economy, but that new engines would be far
May 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Green Energy & Biofuels Gets Acumen $800,000 Investment for Clean Cooking Solutions
(Development Diaries) Acumen, the nonprofit social venture fund, announces its new investment in Green Energy & BioFuels (GEB), a Nigerian company creating cleaner, more cost-effective cooking solutions for West Africa’s low-income households. In Nigeria, more than 40 percent of urban
April 29, 2016 Read Full Article
The U.S. Oil and Gas Boom Is Having Global Atmospheric Consequences, Scientists Suggest
by Chelsea Harvey (The Washington Post) Scientists say they have made a startling discovery about the link between domestic oil and gas development and the world’s levels of atmospheric ethane — a carbon compound that can both damage air quality and contribute
April 28, 2016 Read Full Article
This Earth Day Choose the Cleaner-Burning Fuel, American Ethanol
(Nebraska Corn Board) As Earth Day nears, environmental stewards around the world will take part in events to raise awareness about challenges facing the environment. But drivers can do their part year round by filling up with renewable biofuels such
April 21, 2016 Read Full Article
Environmental Groups File Lawsuit over Pollution from U.S. Aircraft
by Valerie Volcovici (PlanetArk) Three environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday to press for faster action in setting limits on greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. aircraft. Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity and Friends of
April 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Minnesotans Breathe Easy Thanks to Diesel
(Diesel Technology Forum) Minnesota can breathe a little easier with its fleet of clean diesel vehicles powered on blends of biodiesel fuel. -- In case you missed it, the Minnesota chapter of the American Lung Association (ALA) estimates that the air is
April 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Barbecues, Beaches and E15? You Bet
by Bob Dinneen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Nearly 30 years ago, the U.S. EPA provided a 1-pound-per-square-inch (psi) waiver of the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) volatility requirements for certain ethanol blends. It did so in recognition of the fact that lower
April 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative, Energy Future Coalition Challenge EPA Data on Ethanol’s Lifecycle Emissions
(Urban Air Initiative) Urban Air Initiative joined the Energy Future Coalition and the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition (GBC) in calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to recognize an overwhelming body of new evidence showing fuel ethanol can reduce carbon
April 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Canada’s Budget Pitches for Clean Tech and Emissions Reductions in Transport and Energy
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, the proposed national budget provides C$50 million over four years to Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) to support the development of clean technologies; C$82.5 million over two years to NRC to bring clean
March 24, 2016 Read Full Article
Endless Assault on the RFS
by Doug Durante (The Hill/ Clean Fuels Development Coalition) With regard to the recent opinion expressed by Rob Green of the National Council of Chain Restaurants, all I can say is gosh, what a better source for an objective assessment
March 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Are You Ready for the E30 Challenge?
by Dave VanderGriend (ICM/Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Watertown is challenging conventional wisdom in order for biofuels like ethanol to finally realize their true potential. Conventional wisdom says our nonflex autos can only operate on 10 percent ethanol blends and, at most,
March 10, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Market Participants at Odds over Chinese Import Viability
by Toh Wei Zheng (Platts) There was considerable debate about the role of China as a potential export market for ethanol in the long run during the FO Licht Sugar & Ethanol conference held in Bangkok, Thailand Thursday, as speakers took
February 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Swallowing the Frog
by Doug Rich (High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal) The best statement made about the current market situation for grains at the Kansas Commodity Classic came from Chris Novak, CEO of the National Corn Growers Association. Novak said if you eat a
February 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Taking a Bite out of Emissions in the Big Apple
by Tom Slunecka (Biodiesel Magazine/Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council) ... For those of us old enough to remember the 1970s (I thought I’d never be old enough to write that), America’s cities often fought a losing, or possibly lukewarm, battle against
February 10, 2016 Read Full Article
US Files Civil Complaint against VW for Clean Air Act Violations
(Biodiesel Magazine/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. EPA, filed a civil complaint Jan. 4 in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Volkswagen Group
February 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Backers Say Higher Blends Would Reduce Air Toxics
by Renee Schoof (Bloomberg BNA) A group of farm-state governors and some advocates for clean energy are pressing the Environmental Protection Agency to get tougher on toxic air pollution from motor vehicles in a way that could lead to a bigger
February 02, 2016 Read Full Article
What Do the Super Bowl, UPS, the City of San Francisco and the Local Water Untility in Eugene, Oregon All Have in Common?
(Diesel Technology Forum) They are all committed to using renewable diesel fuel. Interest in renewable diesel fuel is growing quickly among public and private fleets looking to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality without sacrificing power, performance, and driving
January 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Katter Fuels Ethanol Debate
by Andrew Marshall (Stock & Land) Maverick North Queensland MP Bob Katter wants ethanol back on the national fuel agenda to help contain Australia's rising petrol costs. He says serious commitment to renewable biofuels would also dramatically improve air quality in our
January 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Export Markets for ‘Liquid Corn’
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Global trade for U.S. ethanol has been trending up in the past decade, becoming an important part of the industry’s growth strategy. -- Looking at the numbers, it doesn’t take long to conclude that
January 22, 2016 Read Full Article
California Gas Leak Exposes Growing Natural-Gas Risks
by Richard Martin (MIT Technology Review) As America shifts toward natural gas for energy, decaying pipelines and storage facilities are at risk of leaks and explosions. -- Since it was first detected on October 23, 2015, the natural-gas leak at
January 20, 2016 Read Full Article
New White Paper Identifies Opportunities for Increased Ethanol Demand: Growing Beyond the RFS Keys on Regulatory Relief
(Ethanol Across America) Despite the effectiveness of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in providing an entry ramp to the fuel market, the potential for corn ethanol to contribute to meeting a range of public policy objectives has only scratched the
January 18, 2016 Read Full Article
RFA Comments on DOE’s Innovative “Optima” Program
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) had a call for information on Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Optima). The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) submitted comments stating that the Association agrees that “co-optimization of future
January 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Defour Group and Transportation Fuel Consulting Post Responses to DOE Request Regarding Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines
(Defour Group/Transportation Fuels Consulting) Dean Drake of the Defour Group LLC (D4) and Gary Herwick of Transportation Fuels Consulting (TFC) have submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Energy's Request for Information about co-optimization of fuels and engines. Their response reflects their
January 12, 2016 Read Full Article
United States Files Complaint Against Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche for Alleged Clean Air Act Violations
(U.S. Department of Justice) The Department of Justice, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), today filed a civil complaint in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Volkswagen Group of
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
NCCETC Receives $4.5 Million Grant to Continue Air Quality Improvement Efforts
(North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center) Funding now available for transportation-related emission reduction projects -- The North Carolina Department of Transportation (N.C. DOT) is continuing to support efforts led by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) at North Carolina
December 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform: From Rhetoric to Reality
by Shelagh Whitley and Laurie van der Burg (New Climate Economy) The research underpinning this New Climate Economy Working Paper was a major input into the 2015 New Climate Economy report and articulates the practical steps that policymakers can take to
December 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Chempolis, Avantha Partner to Offer Cellulosic Technology
(Chempolis, Ltd.) Chempolis Ltd., a Finland-based biorefining technology corporation, has entered into partnership with Avantha Group’s research wing Avantha Centre for Industrial Research & Development to offer technology to India to extract ethanol from various agricultural residues for blending with petrol. India is
December 18, 2015 Read Full Article
Mayor Lee Announces City’s Fleet Reaches Goal of Eliminating Use of All Petroleum Diesel
(Office of the Mayor, City and County of San Francisco) Estimated 50 Percent Emissions Reductions Will Be Achieved as Result of Ending Use of Petroleum Diesel & Replacing with Renewable Diesel Mayor Edwin M. Lee today at the West Coast Mayors
December 15, 2015 Read Full Article
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