by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act, sponsored by outgoing House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee Chair Shimkus (R-IL), would phase out portions of the Renewable Fuel Standard, replacing it with an octane standard by
environmental policy
Back TO HOMEOpinion: Abundant Food and Energy Choices Are More than a Luxury
by A.G. Kawamura (Solutions from the Land/Agri-Pulse) Since my return last week from the global climate talks in Katowice, Poland, I continue to mentally struggle with the events, actions and lack of actions I witnessed there that will have a significant impact
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
ABC: Canada’s Clean Fuel Standard Takes Step Forward
(Advanced Biofuels Canada/Ethanol Producer Magazine) In a significant development for the clean fuels sector, Environment and Climate Change Canada released today (December 20, 2018) the Regulatory Design Paper reflecting a year of intensive consultation on the national Clean Fuel Standard (CFS).
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Climate Change Committee in Congress to Be Led by Tampa Rep. Kathy Castor?
by Steve Contorno (Tampa Bay Times) If Democrats bring back the committee, Castor is in line to lead the House panel devoted to addressing one of the greatest environmental threats to Florida. ... U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is likely to chair the climate change committee
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
PKN ORLEN Invests in Biofuels of the Future
(Petrol Plaza) PKN ORLEN is launching an operational programme for biofuels to be based on three pillars – building biofuel production facilities, research and development work and operational adaptation of the logistics function. With its biofuels programme, the Company is preparing for
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Environmental Benefits of Energy Crops: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to University of Illinois Research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign has been researching the economic incentives and policy implications of energy crops such as miscanthus and switchgrass. Madhu Khanna, from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, gave this illuminating overview of the environmental benefits of energy crops
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Road Fuel Mix to Increase Biofuel Levels from January
by Breifne O'Brien (AgriLand) It has been announced that the level of biofuel used in road transport fuels is set to be increased. The announcement was made today (Friday, December 13) by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Richard Bruton. An
December 20, 2018 Read Full Article
COP24, 2018 Farm Bill Give Agriculture a Voice, Climate Smart Tools
(Solutions from the Land) As 2018 closes out, advocates for the role agriculture can play in facing a changing climate can feel encouraged by developments on the international and domestic stages. Global climate negotiators in Katowice, Poland, came to a final agreement
December 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Newsletter IEA Bioenergy Task 37: 12/2018
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) The latest IEA Bioenergy Task 37 Newsletter has been released. Highlights from the newsletter are: 11% more Swiss biogas injected in 2017 - In 2017, 11 percent more Swiss biogas was fed into the grid compared to the previous year
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Coming Changes in Marine Fuel Sulfur Limits Will Affect Global Oil Markets
(U.S. Energy Information Administration) International regulations limiting sulfur in fuels for ocean-going vessels, set to take effect in January 2020, have implications for vessel operators, refiners, and global oil markets. Stakeholders will respond to these regulations in different ways, increasing uncertainty
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
On Eleventh Anniversary, RFS2 ‘Has Unquestionably Lived Up to Its Promise’
(Renewable Fuels Association) Eleven years ago today, President George W. Bush signed into law what has become the single most successful clean fuels policy in the United States–the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). The RFS2, included in the Energy Independence and
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Bioenergy in California: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to California Energy Commission R&D
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) California Energy Commission Research & Development aims to improve bioenergy’s value proposition and role in supporting California’s clean energy and carbon neutrality goals. Rizaldo Aldas from the California Energy Commission Research & Development gave this illuminating overview of how
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels Production and Consumption in the European Union (EU): Status, Advances and Challenges
by Laura Lonza and Adrian O'Connell (EAI Bioenergy Task 39) 1. Status of the biofuels industry in the EU The EU is the third largest producer of biofuels in the world. In 2017, North America, South & Central America and Europe had world shares
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Commercializing Conventional and Advanced Liquid Biofuels from Biomass: Task 39 Update
(IEA Bioenergy Task 39) ... Task work that has recently been completed and will soon be posted on the “publically available” sections of the Task 39 website (http://task39.ieabioenergy.com/) includes the final report entitled, “Survey of Advanced Fuels for Advanced Engines” which Task 39 carried
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Senate Bill Seeks To Transition U.S. To 100 Percent Zero-Emission Vehicles:
(Bergeson & Campbell's Clients and Friends Memorandum) On November 28, 2018, Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), both senior members of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, introduced legislation that would put the U.S. on the path
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Exclusive: Oil Giant ConocoPhillips Backs Carbon Tax Push
by Amy Harder (Axios) In the latest sign of a global oil industry shifting on climate change, ConocoPhillips is now helping fund a multi-million dollar political advocacy campaign that's lobbying Congress for a tax on carbon emissions. Why it matters: The move
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Opinions: Why the Time Has Come for a Green New Deal
by Katrina vanden Heuvel (Washington Post) Almost 20 years ago, writer Mark Hertsgaard suggested a bold idea to upend the climate debate. Arguing that ambitious climate action was politically impossible without simultaneously meeting people’s economic needs, he proposed a massive public works program to “retrofit everything
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Argue Bioenergy Crops Could Damage Biodiversity
(Bioenergy Insight) Research from Durham University has suggested that the increasing use of bioenergy could be just as damaging to global biodiversity as climate change. Durham University researchers have suggested that familiar UK species including red squirrels, hedgehogs and red grouse could
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Reflections on 2018 by Diesel Technology Forum Executive Director
by Allen Schaeffer (Diesel Technology Forum) It’s the time of year that inspires purposeful reflection. This is harder than ever with the hourly twists and turns in our political and media environments, but here goes: Is the sky falling? No question that global
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Nine States and D.C. to Design Regional Approach to Cap Greenhouse Gas Pollution from Transportation
(Transportation and Climate Initiative/Georgetown University Climate Center) A coalition of nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia today announced their intent to design a new regional low-carbon transportation policy proposal that would cap and reduce carbon emissions from
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Agrees to Cut Emissions from Cars by 37.5 pct by 2030
by Philip Blenkinsop (Reuters) The European Union agreed on Monday a compromise over how sharply to curb carbon dioxide emissions from cars and vans, finally settling differences between car-producing countries and more environmentally conscious lawmakers. “We reached a compromise to cut emissions
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
New Research Finds EPA Not Enforcing The Clean Air Act
(Urban Air Initiative) Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was directed to reduce mobile source air pollution to the greatest degree possible. But a new research project conducted by the Urban Air Initiative found that not only
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
5,000 Compressed Bio Gas Plants Will Be Set up by 2023
(India Brand Equity Foundation) Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Sunday said around 5,000 Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plants will be set across the country by 2023. He said these plants meant for extracting biogas from agricultural residue, cattle dung and
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol’s New Way Forward: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Byogy Renewables
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Byogy Renewables is producing full replacement renewable fuels for all modes of transport, including heavy transport sectors. Kevin R. Weiss, President/Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Byogy gave this illuminating presentation on the upgrading of ethanol to
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
The Blues of the Green: How Can Biofuel Be Used
by Shailaja Tripathi (The Hindu) Close on the heels of the experiment done by a SpiceJet flight using biofuel, we take a look at the scope and potential of this green fuel-- ... While CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP) is using jatropha
December 17, 2018 Read Full Article
The Malaysian Biodiesel Mandate - Outlook to 2020: Growth Opportunities & Companies to Action
(GlobeNewswire/ResearchAndMarkets.com) The "Malaysian Biodiesel Mandate"report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This study offers a detailed overview of the biodiesel mandate in Malaysia and the steps taken by the Malaysian government to protect the Malaysian palm oil industry. Palm oil is a key ingredient in the
December 17, 2018 Read Full Article
California Supports Pilot Projects to Demonstrate Biogas-to-Grid Potential
(California Public Utilities Commission/NGV Journal) ... Forty-five dairies will participate in the pilot projects, which will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from animal manure by putting dairy methane waste to beneficial use as a renewable transportation fuel. The six projects will
December 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuel to Be Part of Lawmaker Energy Discussions
by Trey Mewes (Mankato Free Press) Renewable fuels will likely play a role in environmental legislation DFL lawmakers bring to the Capitol when the 2019 legislative session begins next month. Lobbyists and advocates alike expect Democrats to expand upon renewable energy legislation
December 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Carbon Markets, NGOs and IATA Urge Countries at COP24 Climate Talks to Adopt Robust Rules on Double Counting
(GreenAir Online) Carbon market representatives, IATA and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) have urged countries currently meeting at the UNFCCC’s COP24 in Poland to adopt strong rules to avoid double counting on emissions reductions under the Paris Agreement and ICAO’s CORSIA carbon
December 15, 2018 Read Full Article
British Airways Launches Sustainable Aviation Fuels University Challenge DEADLINE 1: January 18, 2019
(GreenAir Online) British Airways is challenging UK academics to create a new generation of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) based on carbon reduction potential, innovation, value to the UK economy and feasibility to implement. In a collaboration with Cranfield University, a competition
December 15, 2018 Read Full Article
The FORBIO Project: A Sustainable Alternative for Contaminated and Underutilized Lands
(Global Bioenergy Partnership) The FORBIO (Fostering Sustainable Feedstock Production for Advanced Biofuels on underutilized land in Europe) Project gave stakeholders in Italy, Germany and Ukraine a strategy for the market uptake of sustainable advanced bioenergy value chains. Through a thorough assessment
December 15, 2018 Read Full Article
US Ethanol Producers: We Are Oil’s Biggest Competitor, Cleaner Too
by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EURACTIV) Increasing ethanol use will help countries around the world meet their Paris Agreement climate goals in a cheaper way, US producers told EURACTIV.com, staking their claim to a higher role for the fuel, alongside electricity, in decarbonising transport. Speaking
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
São Paulo Invests in Pioneering Biogas Plant
(Investe São Paulo/NGV Journal) The companies Raízen and Geo Energética have merged in a joint venture to create the first plant in Brazil to generate electricity on a commercial scale from by-products of sugarcane. With an investment of R$ 153 million
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Study: 'No Scientific Basis' For Challenges To EPA Endangerment Finding
by Barbara Moran (WBUR News) There’s more proof that greenhouse gases are dangerous to human health. That’s the conclusion of a study published Thursday in the journal Science, for which researchers reviewed hundreds of scientific papers on climate change published since 2009. The study supports the U.S. Environmental Protection
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Algae Agriculture Triumphs in Farm Bill Compromise
(Algae Biomass Organization) In a historic day for the algae industry, the U.S. Senate Tuesday approved a Farm Bill compromise that dramatically expands federal support for algae agriculture. The bill sets U.S. farm policy through 2023. It is expected to pass the House
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Democrats Shift toward Impact on Jobs as Climate Change Moves to Front of 2020 Agenda
by Michael Sherer (Washington Post) ... Democrats preparing to run for president have been rushing to shift their plans for combating climate change, highlighting an issue once considered a political liability, especially in Midwestern swing states won by President Trump. Aides to a
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
The Climate Battle: Fuels vs Emissions
by Amy Harder (Axios) Getting off fossil fuels or reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a central sticking point emerging here at a conference to hash out details of the 2015 Paris Agreement to combat climate change. Why it matters: Nations rich with
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Benefuel Looking to British Columbia for New Biodiesel Facility
(Benefuel Inc./Biodiesel Magazine) Benefuel Inc. responded to British Columbia’s recently publicized climate change plan that included an expanded Low Carbon Fuel Standard by announcing Dec. 11 that it has begun a site search and discussions with interested parties on a few specific
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Farm Bill Energy Title Contains Climate Tweaks, Slimmer Funding
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... While the bill is largely viewed as a status-quo farm bill, the bill importantly reauthorizes the Energy Title (IX) and contains some new programs and tweaks aimed at helping producers become more
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Batteries Could Worsen CO2 Emissions — Study
by Christa Marshall (E&E News) Home batteries like the Tesla Powerwall could spike greenhouse gas emissions significantly unless current policies governing the electrical grid change around the country, according to a new study. The findings in the journal Environmental Science & Technology run counter
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Shipping Leaders Look to Develop a Roadmap for Biofuels with Commitment to Real Sustainability at Heart
(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) grouping of leading maritime organisations, and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) – the world’s most robust and trusted sustainability leader in the bioeconomy – came together in Berlin last week to exchange expertise in
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Congress Urged to Investigate Why DOE Is Sitting on $600 Million in Clean Energy Funding
(Natural Resources Defense Council) The Natural Resources Defense Council today urged Congress to investigate why the Department of Energy (DOE) still has not distributed as much as $600 million in congressionally approved clean energy research and development funding more than two
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
SfL's Kawamura Tells COP24 Participants Ag Needs Help - And Must Help Itself - in Taking on Climate Change
(Solutions from the Land) A.G. Kawamura, co-chair of Solutions from the Land (SfL) and a member of the North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (NACSAA), addressed delegates and observers in critical side events at global climate talks in Katowice, Poland, this week. With the 24th Conference
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Year of the Tree, CORSIA Fuels, Mabus’ Remarks, a Breakthrough on Woody Biomass?: Heard on the Floor at the CAAFI General Meeting
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) When the world’s leaders for sustainable aviation fuels have a general meeting the week before the COP24 global climate sessions (this year in Poland), you can bet that the focus will be breaking the “You Can
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels Lead Efforts to Protect the Climate
by Craig Willis (EurActiv/Growth Energy) With every passing year, the pathway to a stable climate gets narrower and more difficult to navigate. Meanwhile, the reports from our planet’s top scientists paint an increasingly grim picture of what to expect if the
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels and Environmental Groups Commend New Pilot Environmental Quality and Incentive Program in 2018 Farm Bill Report
(Grain Net) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Environmental Entrepreneurs(E2), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) thank the Farm Bill conferees for including a new pilot Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) in the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Report to promote and
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
UNILORIN to Commence Installation of Mini-Refinery for Biodiesel
(News Diary Online) The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, says the university will soon install a mini-refinery equipment for processing of Jatropha a flowering plant. Abdulkareem said this on Thursday inhis welcome address at the 8th International Jatropha
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
I'm Just a Bill: Incoming House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio Signaled He Was on Board with Nancy Pelosi's Plan to Establish a Select Committee
(Politico's Morning Energy) Incoming House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio signaled he was on board with Nancy Pelosi's plan to establish a select committee tasked with working on solutions to combat climate change, Pro's Anthony Adragna reports . "I
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Agriculture Sector Must Take Active Role in Creating Climate Policy
(Solutions from the Land) Events at the last round of global climate talks in Katowice, Poland over the past two weeks have drawn a spotlight on the need for agriculture, conservation and agribusiness interests to play a central role in the
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
NFU Urges House Subcommittee to Expand Use of High-Octane, American Grown Biofuels
(The Fence Post/National Farmers Union) As Congress looks to revamp and coordinate federal-level policies that govern the transportation fuels and vehicles sectors, National Farmers Union is urging legislators to expand use of high-octane, mid-level blends of ethanol in the transportation fuel
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Pre-Flight Checklist for Biofuture Takeoff: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Biofuture Platform
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biofuture platformwas launched at COP22 by 20 countries and top representatives of FAO, IEA, IRENA, UNIDO, SE4ALL, WBCSD, UNICA, and other leading organizations, whose aim is to kickstart a global, advanced bioeconomy and impact the future
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
G20 Countries Must Act Quickly to Decarbonise The Transport Sector
(Agora Verkehrswende) According to a new report, CO2 emissions from transport are still rising. If immediate action is not taken, more radical measures will be unavoidable in the future. -- To keep global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius, the world’s
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Rising Energy Consumption Slows EU Progress on Renewables and Energy Efficiency Targets
(European Enviroment Agency) Progress on increasing the use of renewable energy and improving energy efficiency is slowing across the European Union, putting at risk the EU’s ability to achieve its energy and emissions reduction targets. Rising energy consumption, particularly in the
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
How Poverty Is Causing Deforestation Across Africa
by Obed Owusu-Adda (Chatham House) Gitika Bhardwaj speaks to campaigner Obed Owusu-Addai about why solving the problem of deforestation across Africa requires tackling one of its biggest causes – poverty. -- Deforestation is directly being caused by activities such as illegal logging,
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Commission Begins Anti-Subsidy Process against Indonesia
(Union zur Förderung von Öl- und Proteinpflanzen (Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants - UFOP)) UFOP demands the expedited introduction of preliminary counter measures – customs duties on biodiesel imports should not be circumvented via palm oil
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Here’s How to Win on Climate-Change Policy
by Ted Halstead (Washington Post/Climate Leadership Council) ... The real lesson to learn from these setbacks is that the political prospects of carbon taxation depend on how the revenue is used. As long as the public perceives a carbon tax
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Congress Should End Electric Car Subsidies, Not Expand Them
by Liam Sigaud (American Consumer Institute) ... These subsidies overwhelmingly benefit the wealthy. Tesla buyers, for example, had an average household income of $293,200 in 2013. A study in 2015 found that electric Ford Focus buyers had an average household income of $199,000. By
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Mahathir Throws out B20 Biodiesel Challenge
by Amar Shah Mohsen (Sun Daily) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has challenged Malaysia to emulate Indonesia’s move to introduce a higher biodiesel mandate — the B20 biodiesel fuel — by 2020 and become the world’s top biodiesel-producing country. The Prime Minister noted that
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Clean Electricity, Clean Buildings and Clean Transportation: Inslee Plan Would Launch Comprehensive Clean Energy Transition and Significantly Drive Down Emissions
(Office of Washington State Governor Jay Inslee) Gov. Jay Inslee was joined today by Democratic legislators and climate action supporters to unveil a plan that would launch a dramatic reduction of Washington state’s greenhouse gas emissions over the next 15 years. The
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
CleanBC Climate Plan Boosts British Columbia’s Signal for Renewable Fuel Use and Production
(Advanced Biofuels Canada/EIN Presswire) Advanced Biofuels Canada lauds the Government of British Columbia for its new climate plan, with critical role for low-carbon renewable fuels -- The Government of British Columbia released on December 5th its CleanBC climate plan, which charts a path
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
BioLNG EuroNet Will Drive forward Decarbonisation of Road Transport across Europe with LNG
(BioLNG EuroNet) BioLNG EuroNet today (December 6, 2018) announced a commitment to the further expansion of LNG (liquefied natural gas) as a road transport fuel across Europe with new infrastructure that should ensure the long-term success and mass scale adoption
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Cars and Coal Help Drive 'Strong' CO2 Rise in 2018
by Matt McGrath (BBC) A booming global market for cars has helped drive CO2 emissions to an all-time high in 2018, say researchers. The main factor in the near 3% rise has been coal use in China, driven by government efforts to
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
The Hypocrisy Award II, EU Edition:
(American Energy Society) 2nd place: More than nine countries and a dozen cities in Europe have announced they are going to ban internal combustion engines or diesel powered vehicles (including Paris, Madrid, Athens, Norway, France the United Kingdom); however, none have passed a
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"We’ve been intervening at every point to say (a) the UN’s Special Report says bioenergy is as important as electromobility for the next four decades and (b) no policy discussion can be meaningful unless it looks at the cost of
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
What’s the Buzz? Heard on the Floor at the COP24, on Renewable Fuels and More (Biofuture Platform)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... “Pretty intense I’d say. Good.” notes Climate Ethanol Alliances’s James Cogan. “We’ve been in a dozen transport energy events so far.” The Message Most discussions here about climate progress in transport get to the hand-wringing stage of
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Q&A: RED II Offers Flexibility to EU Member States
(Argus Media) Angel Alvarez Alberdi is secretary general of the European Waste-to-Advanced Biofuels Association (EWABA). He spoke to Argus about the EU's Renewable Energy Directive (RED) beyond 2020, the role of waste-based biofuels in Europe's future renewable energy mix and legislation on indirect
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Paris Riots over Fuel Taxes Dim Hopes for Climate Fight
by Seth Borenstein and Angela Charlton (Associated Press) The “yellow vests” in France are worrying greens around the world. The worst riots in Paris in decades were sparked by higher fuel taxes, and French President Emmanuel Macron responded by scrapping them Wednesday.
December 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Norway to Heavily Restrict Palm Oils Linked to Deforestation
by Josh Gabbatiss (Independent) 'The Norwegian parliament’s decision sets an important example to other countries and demonstrates the need for a serious reform of the world’s palm oil industry,' activist says -- Norway is to become the first country to stop its biofuel
December 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Better Policy for Better Fuels: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to SEforAll and below50
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sustainable Energy For All and below50aim to promote bioenergy, especially in developing countries, and grow the demand for sustainable alternative fuels, so that bioenergy can reach its full potential. Gerard J. Ostheimer,Global Lead for Bioenergy at SEforAll
December 10, 2018 Read Full Article
COP24 Brings New Bioeconomy Strategy from UK, $200B from World Bank and More
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Amid rumors of President Trump’s coal and fossil-fuel side event at COP24 (the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) in Poland this week and a Swedish 15 year old climate
December 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Why North Carolina’s Poultry Industry Isn’t Creating Biogas Like Hog Farms Are
by Elizabeth Ouzts (Energy News) Poultry growers are under less pressure and have fewer incentives than hog farms to convert animal waste to energy. As pork producer Smithfield Foods commits to major investments in waste-to-energy projects in North Carolina, don’t expect a similar pledge from
December 08, 2018 Read Full Article
What's Happening with Biomass?
by Hilary Crisan-Heavilin (Waste Today) When a construction and demolition (C&D) recycling facility separates wood from other processed debris, it can be used as mulch, compost, alternative daily cover (ADC) for landfills and biomass fuel. Biomass fuel is processed wood that can
December 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Meet the Scholar Crafting the 'Green New Deal'
by Hannah Northey (E&E News) Think of it as the policy muscle behind the promised "Green New Deal." A policy group is being formed to support an energized progressive movement that's taken Capitol Hill by storm under the leadership of Rep.-elect Alexandria
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
New Report Finds EPA Could Be Doing Much More to Unlock Growth of Low-Carbon Biofuels
by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... The industry has been unable to produce the volumes called for under the advanced and cellulosic categories due to a variety of reasons – including the pace of technology, falling petroleum
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to ARPA-E’s Agro-Energy Programs
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) advances high-potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too early for private-sector investment. ARPA-E awardees are unique because they are developing entirely new ways to generate, store, and use energy. ARPA-E
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
‘A Kind of Dark Realism’: Why the Climate Change Problem Is Starting to Look too Big to Solve
by Steven Mufson (The Washington Post) ... William Nordhaus, the Yale University professor who just won the Nobel Prize for his work on the economics of climate change, recently described his outlook like this: “I never use the word ‘pessimism’; I always use
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generations: A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan COMMENTS DUE: January 28, 2019
(Government of Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks) The proposed Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan reflects our government’s commitment to address the pressing challenges we face to protect our air, land and water, reduce litter and waste, and support Ontarians to continue to do
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Increasing the Role of Advanced Biofuels in the US
by Leticia Phillips (UNICA/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...But EPA could still strengthen the RFS in ways that would encourage advanced biofuels to play a greater role greening the U.S. transportation sector. Here are our top two suggestions. • Expect more from advanced biofuels We
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Closed Doors, Open Windows: Tariffs in China and Brazil ...
by Lisa Gibons (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Tariffs in China and Brazil have deeply affected U.S. ethanol exports, but other markets remain, new ones are opening and opportunities still abound for the world’s lowest-cost octane. Despite a 20 percent tariff rate quota implemented
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
British Columbia Details Plan to Shift Homes, Cars to Clean Energy
by Julie Gordon (Reuters) The Western Canadian province of British Columbia on Wednesday outlined the first measures it will take to cut carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030, including shifting homes and vehicles to clean or renewable energy. ... Some 75 percent
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
What Will it Take?: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Policies for the Biofuture Take-off
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Promote short term deployment of mature options, stimulate the development and deployment of new technologies, deliver the necessary feedstock sustainably, backed by a supportive sustainability governance system, and develop capacity and catalyse investment via a coordinated international collaboration
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
BP Sees Brazil's New Biofuels Policy Boosting Investment
by Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Brazil’s latest policy to boost biofuels use has improved the outlook for ethanol production and should attract new investment in plants, BP Plc’s chief executive for biofuels, Mario Lindenhayn, said on Wednesday. Brazil is advancing with additional regulation for
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
UPM and LSB Speak out over Finalised REDll Policy
(Biofuels International) The revised Renewable Energy Directive (REDll) policy, first outlined by The European Commission at the end of 2016, has now been officially adopted by the Council of the European Union. Among other things, it has finalised and set a minimum blending
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
DA to Lobby for Increase of Biofuel Content in Diesel for Gov’t Use
by Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio (Business World) Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said he will lobby for the increase of coconut oil content in fuel to 5% from 2% for fuel used by the government, bringing the biofuel standard to B5 from
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Comment: Why BECCS Will Be Critical to Deliver an Affordable Energy System Transition in the UK
by Geraint Evans (Energy Technologies Institute (ETI)/Bioenergy Insight) ... ‘Focus on locking away CO2’ says the CCC about the future of biomass in its report published earlier this month. Bioenergy’s value is unique and greatest when combined with CCS to deliver negative
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Biodiesel By-Product Helps Fuel Come Clean
(King Abdullah University of Science and Technology/Phys.org) ... This work on glycerol carbonate also supports Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to diversify the Kingdom's economy from its current reliance on the oil industry. (Binod) Giri explains that this research
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
To Fulfill Biofuels’ Promise, Scientists Boost Plant Oils with Gene Editing
by Cici Zhang (Chemical and Engineering News) Increasing the fatty acids in crops’ seeds, leaves, and stems could make biofuels more economically viable -- ... Plant scientist Heike Sederoff of North Carolina State University, however, is very familiar with the oils
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
NYSERDA Announces $19 Million Available to Accelerate the Use of Clean Energy Technologies on Farms
(North American Clean Energy/New York State Energy and Research Development Authority) The New York State Energy and Research Development Authority(NYSERDA) announced that $19 million is available to accelerate the use of anaerobic digester gas-to-electricity projects and clean energy technologies to make
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
First Committee Chair Backs Green New Deal
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Rep. Nydia Velázquez , the presumptive incoming chairwoman of the Small Business Committee, became the latest House Democrat to back the Green New Deal on Tuesday. "We cannot delay when it comes to addressing this
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Michael Bloomberg Backtracks on Ethanol, Slams Trump in Iowa
by Nolan Hicks (New York Post) Eyeing a possible presidential run, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg reversed his previous harsh criticism of ethanol and blasted away at President Trump, saying that someone should “take away” the president’s keyboard. Bloomberg made the comments after spending the
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Lockheed Martin Invests in FORGE Hydrocarbons' Lipid to Hydrocarbons Technology
(Lockheed Martin) Forge Hydrocarbons Corporation (FORGE) today announced that it has received a $4 million USD investment from Lockheed Martin (LMT) under the Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy. This investment enables Forge, a Canadian, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) company to
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Here's Where Incoming Republicans Stand on Climate
by Mark K. Matthews (E&E News) If they stay true to their campaign rhetoric, the class of freshman House Republicans won't be leading any revolutions next year on the issue of climate change. ... In a few cases, there are reasons for climate activists
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (NACSAA) Chairman Fred Yoder called on COP24 leaders to focus not just on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but on all three pillars of Climate Smart Agriculture, which also include sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Yoder Calls on Global Climate Negotiators to Embrace Climate Smart Agriculture
(Solutions from the Land) North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (NACSAA) Chairman Fred Yoder told global climate negotiators here that climate change is negatively impacting agriculture across the globe and requires a systems-wide solution. Yoder tells COP24 delegates to make farmers
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy Writer of the Year, 2018 – Nathaniel Rich
(American Energy Society/Energy Today) The American Energy Society selects Nathaniel Rich as the Energy Writer of the Year, 2018, for his article “Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change” (New York Times Magazine, August 1, 2018). The 31,000-word piece
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Australia Makes Case for Alternative Liquid Fuel
(ATN Fully Loaded) Industrial and economic gains seen along with emissions reductions -- Hard on the heels of a union critique of the nation’s fuel reserves policy, Bioenergy Australia has released a "first state-of-the-nation assessment" of the domestic bioenergy situation – and
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Throttled and Greens Sue for Auto Proposal Docs
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) THROTTLED: An administration official told Pro's Zack Colman that EPA and NHTSA would reduce its projection for saved lives in its forthcoming finalized fuel economy rule. The reason: The agencies are revising estimates for
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Bernie Sanders Rallies the Climate Faithful
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) 'THE TIME IS LATE': Sen. Bernie Sanders, a likely 2020 presidential candidate, and a group of climate activists held a town hall Monday evening with a simple message: The world is running out of time to get
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
GoodFuels Launches Zero-Emission Heavy Fuel Oil. Ultra-Low Sulphur Marine Biofuels Step Forward.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From the Netherlands comes news of a world first: GoodFuels Marine and the shipping company NORDEN have completed successful trials of what they bill as “the world’s first zero emission, ‘drop in’ Heavy Fuel Oil equivalent marine
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Rural Development Environmental Regulation for Rural Infrastructure Projects COMMENTS DUE December 24, 2018
(U.S. Department of Agriculture/Federal Register) The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD), comprised of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS), hereafter referred to as the Agency, is issuing a
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
A Carbon Tax Wave? 7 States Considering Carbon Pricing to Fight Climate Change
by Marianne Lavelle (Inside Climate News) Democratic election victories raised the odds of climate change policies succeeding, activists and analysts say. A national plan was also just floated in Congress. -- At least seven state governments are poised at the brink of
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
International Network of Activists Mount Campaign to Halt Growth of the Aviation Sector
(Green Air Online) ... The Stay Grounded network, which includes Friends of the Earth International, reports it carried out 27 “actions” in 11 countries to raise awareness of what it describes as “the ongoing massive wave of airport infrastructure expansion
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Dutch Aviation Sector Presents Government with Action Plan to Reduce Gross Emissions by 35 Per Cent by 2030
(GreenAir Online) The Dutch civil aviation sector has pledged to reduce its gross carbon emissions originating in the Netherlands by 35 per cent by 2030. This is in addition to airline commitments required under the EU Emissions Trading System and the
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Aviation Industry Says It's on Track and Committed to Start Reporting Carbon Emissions from January
(GreenAir Online) With just a month to go before airlines and business aircraft operators with international flights must start monitoring and reporting their CO2 emissions under the CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme, the sector says it is firmly on track to meet
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Betting on Ethanol, Brazilian Mills Turn Sour on Sugar
by Ana Ionova and Marcelo Teixeira (Reuters) Brazilian sugar companies are increasing their capacity to produce ethanol in the face of depressed global sugar prices and government policies expected to boost demand for the biofuel. A shift to ethanol in the 2018-19 season
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
UPDATE 1-Emphasis on Urgency as Climate Talks Begin in Coal City Katowice
by Barbara Lewis and Anna Koper (Reuters) U.N. has year-end deadline to agree ‘rule book’; G20 members, except United States, sign declaration of support; Brazil pulls out of hosting 2019 talks -- Delegates from nearly 200 nations on Sunday began two weeks of talks to
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Bamboo: A Sustainable Alternative for Bioenergy Production in Indonesia?
by Monica Evans (Forest News) Perennial plant grows well on degraded land, allows farmers to diversify income streams -- ... So, say researchers from Australia’s RMIT University and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), it is crucial to start looking for other species that can
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Long-Term Decarbonisation Strategy: Bioenergy Recognised as a Key Contributor to Achieve a Net-Zero Carbon Economy by 2050
(Bioenergy Europe) Today, the Commission has published its long-term strategy for emissions reduction looking at different options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% with more ambitious scenarios achieving a balance between greenhouse gas emissions and removals by 2050.
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Danish Firm Claims First Biofuel Commercial Sea Voyage
by Tom Burridge (BBC News) As things stand, the vast majority of ocean-going vessels that transport goods across the globe run on what is known as "heavy fuel oil". It is thick, black and cheap. Dirk Kronemeiier describes it as the "dirtiest fuel
December 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Newsletter IEA Bioenergy Task 37: 11/2018
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) The recent Newsletter of IEA Bioenergy Task 37 has been released in November 2018. News on reports, studies and more were presented: The future role of gas from a regulatory perspective CO2-based synthetic fuels ILUC GHG emissions of biofuels
November 30, 2018 Read Full Article
EEA Report Confirms: Electric Cars Are Better for Climate and Air Quality
(European Environment Agency) Battery electric cars emit less greenhouse gases and air pollutants over their entire life cycle than petrol and diesel cars, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report, published today (November 22, 2018). Promoting renewable energy and circular
November 30, 2018 Read Full Article
EIA Study: Refiners Could Meet 95 RON Standard Without More Ethanol
(Renewable Fuels Association) A new Energy Information Administration (EIA) study concludes that U.S. petroleum refineries would have “no problem” meeting a requirement to produce gasoline with a higher minimum octane rating (95 Research Octane Number, or “RON”) beginning in 2022, and assumes that
November 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Innovative Conversion Technologies: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Using Canadian Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) is a nationally focused not-for-profit organization based in Sarnia, Ontario, in the county of Lambton. BIC’s mission is to provide critical strategic investment, advice and services to business developers of clean, green and sustainable
November 30, 2018 Read Full Article
New York City to Phase Out Diesel Use
(HDT Trucking Info) Following a successful six-month demonstration period where New York City tested one million gallons of renewable diesel, the city has announced it will expand the use of renewable diesel and phase out the use of traditional diesel for its fleet. Renewable
November 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Bipartisan Climate Fee Backers to Plant Flag During Lame Duck
by Dean Scott (Bloomberg Environment) Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), two Republicans to introduce carbon fee bill that would return money to consumers; With virtually no chance of passage, measure seen as effort to start discussions for next Congress -- A small group of Democratic
November 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Republicans Say They Want Free-Market Innovation. Then They Should Want a Carbon Tax.
by Catherine Rampell (Washington Post) ... Alternatively, some Republicans suggest that, yes, the planet may be warming and, yes, humans may be the reason, but it’s too darn expensive to do much more than we are. ... As Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) equivocated on CNN’s
November 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Court Won’t Dismiss Challenge to Part of Trump’s Car Efficiency Rollback
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) A federal court won’t dismiss a challenge by Democratic states and green groups to a key part of the Trump administration’s plan to roll back car fuel efficiency and emissions standards. At issue is the Environmental Protection
November 26, 2018 Read Full Article
What Exactly Is the 'Green New Deal'?
by Hannah Northey (E&E News Climatewire) The proposal, drawing inspiration from President Franklin Roosevelt's Depression-era New Deal, is one that progressives — led by Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a rising star on the left — want Democratic leaders to embrace. The thinking is
November 26, 2018 Read Full Article
ADBA Responds to Committee on Climate Change Reports
(Bioenergy Insight) The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has published two new reports on land use and biomass and the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA) has responded. ADBA’s chief executive Charlotte Morton said that the association “welcomes these two important reports
November 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Urban Air Institute Issues ‘Beyond a Reasonable Doubt’ Research Series on Ethanol
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Urban Air Initiative has announced the release of its “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” research series, which digs into the history, science and the public policy behind how we fuel our vehicles and aims to
November 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Can the Dairy Industry Help Reduce Transportation’s GHG Emissions?
by Cliff Gladstein (ACT News) Dairy industry to discuss topic at the Dairy Sustainability Summit next week in Sacramento. -- The California dairy industry is the nation’s largest, producing about 18.5 percent of all of the milk and dairy products consumed in the
November 24, 2018 Read Full Article
European Parliament Admits Role of Biomethane to Decarbonize Mobility
(IVECO/NGV Journal) The European Parliament, in its plenary session, has voted its official opinion and amendments to the European Commission’s proposal for a regulation of CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. IVECO welcomes the European Parliament’s acknowledgement of natural gas, and especially
November 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Major Trump Administration Climate Report Says Damage Is ‘Intensifying across the Country’
by Brady Dennis and Chris Mooney (Washington Post) Scientists are more certain than ever that climate change is already affecting the United States — and that it is going to be very expensive. The federal government on Friday released a long-awaited report with an unmistakable
November 23, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Aemetis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aemetis owns and operates 110 million gallons per year of ethanol and biodiesel facilities in the US and India, and is upgrading the plants using patented technology to produce lower carbon, higher value advanced biofuels and
November 23, 2018 Read Full Article
The Case for Properly Valuing the Low Carbon Benefits of Corn Ethanol
(American Coalition for Ethanol) The Renewable Fuel Standard has successfully driven the production and use of low carbon fuels in the U.S. transportation fleet. Corn ethanol has replaced 10 percent of climate change causing petroleum. The RFS was enacted, in
November 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Demanding Action: Youth Climate Activists Flooded Congressional District Offices
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Youth climate activists flooded congressional district offices around the country Tuesday at more than 350 events, demanding House Democrats embrace Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's push for a select committee empowered to write bold legislation rapidly
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Reforms Must Prepare the UK Countryside for Climate Change and Ensure that Our Use of Land Supports Reduced Emissions
(Committee on Climate Change) The Paris Agreement demands tougher action to remove greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. We must, at the same time, prepare for the inevitable climate change that is already happening. In this context, current uses of land
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Virtual NGO Making Waves with Online Petition against Palm Oil in Europe
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In the UK, virtual NGO SumOfUs has gathered nearly 75,000 signatures on a digital petition demanding the European Commission to ban palm oil as part of the regulatory process that will see it publish a report on “high
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
A Fuel Value over $7.00 per Gallon, and Everyone’s Chasing It: The Birth of USA Bioenergy and the Surge in Renewable Diesel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, we are now seeing project flow projecting a sustainable $7.63 price for renewable diesel in the California market, where the Low Carbon Fuel Standard stacks on top of the RIN values from the federal
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Analysis of High and Low Indirect Land-Use Change Definitions in European Union Renewable Fuel Policy
by Stephanie Searle & Jacopo Giuntoli (International Council on Clean Transportation) The European Union (EU) will continue incentivizing the use of biofuels and other renewable fuels through its recast Renewable Energy Directive for 2021-2030 (RED II). This directive includes a provision
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Part of the Answer to Climate Change May Be America’s Trees and Dirt, Scientists Say
by Brad Plumer (New York Times) ... A new study published on Wednesday, however, found that better management of forests, grasslands and soils in the United States could offset as much as 21 percent of the country’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. At
November 19, 2018 Read Full Article
National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Publishes "Gaseous Carbon Waste Streams Utilization: Status and Research Needs"
(U.S. Department of Energy) The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conducted a study, co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, Office of Fossil Energy, and Office of Science, and Shell, which resulted in a report
November 18, 2018 Read Full Article
The 2018 Algae Biomass Summit: Tracing the Evolution of the Algae Industry and Its New Trajectories Forward
by Jenna Bloxom* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The kickoff of the 2018 Algae Biomass Summit in The Woodlands, TX, was awash with the same professional ambition, intellectual zeal, and indomitable sense of hope which likewise distinguished the opening ceremony of this
November 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Colorado’s Air Quality Regulators Adopt New Vehicle Emission Standards
(Sierra Club) New Standards Mean Cleaner Air and Less Money Spent at the Gas Pump -- Colorado’s Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) voted unanimously to adopt the Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) Program standards for cars and trucks. Vehicle emissions are among the
November 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Renewable Energy: Decarbonise, Decentralise and Digitalise
Alan Brent (Victoria University of Wellington's School of Engineering and Computer Science) ... Where we haven’t reached consensus is what to do with heavy transport and aviation, which our economy (like any other) highly depends on. For KiwiRail to switch from electric
November 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Calvera Supplies CNG Equipment to E.ON Biofor Sweden’s Station Network
(Gasnam/Calvera/NGV Journal) The Calvera Industrial Group signed an important collaboration agreement with the Swedish company E.ON Biofor Sweden, division of the German parent company of the same name, to supply its CNG mobile pipeline solution during the next years. This equipment
November 15, 2018 Read Full Article
G20 Nations Still Led by Fossil Fuel Industry, Climate Report Finds
by Jonathan Watts (The Guardian) Coal, oil and gas subsidies risking rise in global temperatures to 3.2C, well beyond agreed Paris goal -- ... Comparing the goals and policies of different countries, the paper found that only India was on course to
November 15, 2018 Read Full Article
National Corn Growers Association, Environmental Defense Fund Partner to Improve Environment while Growing Profits
(Wallaces Farmer) Environmental Defense Fund and National Corn Growers Association will engage in continuous improvements for water quality while strengthening yields -- The Environmental Defense Fund and the National Corn Growers Association have partnered to improve environmental outcomes while optimizing productivity and
November 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Dems to Hold Two Days of Hearings on Climate
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) House Democrats are planning to hold two days' worth of hearings on the impacts of climate change and potential solutions to it when they take the House majority next year. The likely chairmen of the Energy and Commerce, Natural
November 15, 2018 Read Full Article
France Sets Out Plan to End 'Imported Deforestation'
(France 24 with Reuters) France set out plans on Wednesday to tackle deforestation around the world, saying it would look to curb imports of products such as palm oil, soy and beef that contribute to the destruction of forest areas. In a
November 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Federal University of Goiás Holds an Event on the Impacts of Brazilian Biofuels Policy
by Bruno Roque and Jakeline de Oliveira * (University of Goiás/Advanced Biofuels USA) The New Brazilian Policy for biofuels called RenovaBio was one of the topics addressed at the 15th Congress of Research, Education and Extension (Conpeex) held on October
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Approved ROTA 2030 Amendment Enabling Incentives for Flex Hybrid Vehicles and Ethanol Powered Fuel Cells
(Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce) Federal Deputy Arnaldo Jardim presented on November 6th, yesterday, amendment to Provisional Measure No. 843, which deals with tax incentives to the automotive industry to improve the energy and environmental performance of vehicles manufactured and imported in
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy: New Ambitious Targets on Renewables and Energy Efficiency
(European Parliament) 32.5% increase in energy efficiency by 2030; Renewables must make up 32% of energy consumed by 2030; Push for second-generation biofuels -- Europeans will be entitled to consume, store and sell the renewable energy they produce -- Parliament approves binding 2030
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
NACSAA Readies Push for New Round of Ag Recommendations at COP24
(Solutions from the Land) With the latest round of global climate talks set to take place in Katowice, Poland, in a few weeks, the North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (NACSAA), a farmer-led platform launched by SfL in 2015 to promote
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
European Parliament Approves REDII
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Nov. 13, the European Parliament approved new targets for renewables, energy efficiency and second-generation biofuels when it voted to confirm a provisional agreement reached with the European Council in June on a revised Renewable Energy Directive
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
American Biofuels Deserve Certainty
by Dan Kleiss (Morning Consult) ... By all rights, that anti-biofuel campaign should have wrapped up in December 2016, when regulators dialed up conventional — typically corn-based — ethanol targets to 15 billion gallons, the legal maximum. Since then, gasoline consumption has
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Biobased Chemicals
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 42’s goal is to contribute to the development and deployment of integrated biorefineries as part of highly efficient sustainable value chains (co-)producing food/feed ingredients, chemicals, materials, fuels, power and/or heat out of sustainably sourced
November 13, 2018 Read Full Article
#Gasolinegate: EPA's Role in Fair Gasoline Emissions Testing Draws Fire
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, researchers for a report published by the Urban Air Initiative contend that “technical data that shows the nation has been exposed to decades of flawed test fuels and flawed driving tests, which in turn
November 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Plant to Convert E-Waste into Biofuel to Be Made Operational Soon: Harsh Vardhan
(Economic Times) Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said Saturday a plant to covert plastic waste into bio-diesel will soon be made operational at the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) in Dehradun. He was speaking at the International E-Waste Day event organised by the
November 13, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Advice from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute: In the House, the key for biobased stakeholders will be 1) presenting the evidence that biofuels and biobased products are necessary for mitigating climate change, and 2) making sure that any policy