(International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis/Phys.Org) A new report from researchers from IIASA, Luleå University of Technology (LTU), and RISE Research Institutes of Sweden has shown that more biorefineries, which produce biobased fuels and chemicals, will have only a small effect
environmental policy
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
RED Alert -- Canadian Biofuel Lobbying Intensifies
(Politico Brussels Influence) Canadian company Agrisoma Biosiences Inc. is pushing to get “Carinata,” its second generation biofuel, subsidized by the EU and placed on the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED) list. The proposal passed the first hearing in the Parliament and
July 10, 2018 Read Full Article
The 10 Green Chemicals Driving a Disruptive New Biobased Industry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A Petro Brexit (a/k/a, British companies exiting petroleum for the sustainable bioeconomy) : New report highlights how to ensure Britain becomes a world leader in bio-based chemicals In the UK, a recent report identifies 10 specific bio-based chemicals, in
July 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Creative Debt and Equity: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Structures for Bioeconomy Project Finance
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bottom line, if you’re in the business of financing a renewable fuels project with a loan guarantee in the mix, you’re probably talking with some combination of New Energy Risk, Stern Brothers, Faegre Baker Daniels partner John
July 09, 2018 Read Full Article
In a Q&A with The Washington Post on Friday, Wheeler Showed He Differs from Pruitt
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) In a Q&A with The Washington Post on Friday, (EPA Acting Administrator Scott) Wheeler showed he differs from Pruitt in at least one major way. He said he considers an endangerment finding that is the agency's
July 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Scott Pruitt Steps down as EPA Head after Ethics, Management Scandals
by Brady Dennis and Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) Scott Pruitt, the former Oklahoma attorney general who relentlessly pursued President Trump’s promises of deregulation at the Environmental Protection Agency, resigned Thursday after controversies over his lavish spending, ethical lapses and management decisions eroded
July 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Pope to Oil Execs: Energy Needs Mustn’t Destroy Civilization
(Associated Press) Pope Francis told leading oil executives Saturday that the transition to less-polluting energy sources “is a challenge of epochal proportions” and warned that satisfying the world’s energy needs “must not destroy civilization.” The Vatican said Francis held a two-day conference
July 03, 2018 Read Full Article
ICAO Council Reaches Landmark Decision on Aviation Emissions Offsetting
(International Civil Aviation Organization) The ICAO Council made important headway today on the key international standards supporting the UN aviation agency’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, or ‘CORSIA’. Its adoption of the First Edition of Annex 16, Volume IV,
July 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels and the Environment: Second Triennial Report to Congress
(Environmental Protection Agency) This report is the second of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) triennial reports to Congress required under the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA). EISA Section 204 calls for EPA to report to Congress on the environmental
July 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Administration Appoints New Biomass R&D TAC Members
by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, D.C., the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee has appointed several new volunteers from industry, academia, nonprofits, and local government to the TAC which advises the federal government about its bioenergy R&D programs. These
July 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Land O'Lakes, Inc. and California Bioenergy Partner to Advance "Barn to Biogas" in California
(Land O'Lakes/Cision/PR Newswire) Land O'Lakes, Inc. and California Bioenergy, LLC (CalBio) have launched a first-of-its-kind collaboration to support the financing, installation and management of on-farm methane digesters to generate renewable compressed natural gas ("R-CNG") fuel in California – creating an innovative farmer-led model
July 02, 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
Lawmakers Ask EPA to Approve RFS Pathway for Biomass Power
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A bipartisan delegation of California lawmakers are urging the U.S. EPA to resolve any issues that prevent biomass and waste-to-energy pathways from receiving the same level of support as other forms of energy under the
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Anti-Fossil Fuel Candidates Come out Winners in Party Primaries
by Mark Hand (ThinkProgress) Democratic nominee Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has one of the most ambitious climate plans. -- An impressive list of anti-fossil fuel and pro-climate action candidates won party primaries on Tuesday night, indicating that environmental issues could receive greater attention in
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Justice Kennedy’s Retirement Could Reshape the Environment
by Robinson Meyer (The Atlantic) A new justice will likely weaken the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. -- ... With Kennedy gone, a more conservative Supreme Court could overhaul key aspects of the Clean Air Act, the
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
“To-mah-toe, To-may-toe…”: Consequences of Valorizing Biobased Carbon over Biobased Matter
by Michael A. Fatigati (Biofuels Digest) ... We now find it necessary to throttle back our drawdown of the fossil carbon account to preserve our climate and through reasoned and sensible policies and regulation moving us towards use of non-fossil or “living”
June 28, 2018 Read Full Article
2.5 Million Homes, Businesses Totaling $1 Trillion Threatened by High Tide Flooding
(Union of Concerned Scientists) Study Finds Coastal Municipalities May Lose Huge Sums in Property Tax Revenue -- Accelerating sea level rise in the lower 48 states, primarily driven by climate change, is projected to worsen tidal flooding, putting as many as 311,000
June 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Minister Humphreys Announces College Group’s €10m expansion
(College Group) Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD today announced that College Group will invest €10m in building a new renewable energy facility producing biofuel from used cooking oil and animal fats in north Co. Meath. The investment
June 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Greening the Canadian Transportation Sector
by Jim Grey (Renewable Industries Canada/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Canada is a great example of how biofuels can lead the way for greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, and of the importance of bringing this message to policymakers. As business people, ethanol producers think first,
June 27, 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
Investigation into U.S. Renewable Fuels Policies Finds “Green” Biodiesel Producers Driving Massive Deforestation
(MIghty Earth) A new investigation, “Burned: Deception, Deforestation, and America’s Biodiesel Policy” by the organizations Mighty Earth and ActionAid USA has found that biodiesel is not the environmentally friendly, “green” fuel claimed by industry producers. On-the-ground investigators documented bulldozing, burning and
June 27, 2018 Read Full Article
EERE Success Story—From Breakfast to Biocrude: Study Identifies Production Potential across Nation
(U.S. Department of Energy) Cattle waste and wastewater. Sludgy grease ensconced in restaurant and cafeteria grease traps. Food waste—uneaten leftovers or culinary mistakes. Contrary to the lyrics in The Sound of Music, these aren’t a few of our favorite things. But when paired with
June 26, 2018 Read Full Article
A Shift in Power: Energy Recycling Technologies and Changing Market Dynamics Provide New Options for Electricity Production, and Revive Opportunities for Old Ones.
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Improving energy efficiency has long been the goal at ethanol plants and, increasingly, driving down carbon intensity is equally important. Changing market dynamics are opening the door for some new and old energy technologies. In particular,
June 26, 2018 Read Full Article
BoatUS Conducting Ethanol, Summertime Refueling Survey
(Boating Industry/Boating Owners Association of The United States) With the start of the boating season, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) wants to hear from boaters about their experiences with ethanol fuels in an online survey. The short, 13-question survey is an
June 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Deliver Sustainable Bioenergy: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the IEA Technology Roadmap
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bioenergy needs a new impetus based on up to date evidence and experience, according to this presentation deck on the IEA Bioenergy Roadmap. The authors contend that there is growing consensus on what constitutes sustainable best practice,
June 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Initiative Launched to Encourage Adoption of Sustainable Jet Fuels by Business Aviation
(GreenAir Online) The business aviation sector has come together to raise awareness and encourage adoption by business aircraft owners, operators and fuel suppliers of sustainable alternative jet fuels (SJAF). At the centre of the initiative is a guide to explain
June 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Airline Industry Urged to Prepare for Monitoring Carbon Emissions as CORSIA Nears Adoption
(GreenAir Online) With less than seven months before CO2 monitoring requirements under ICAO’s CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme come into force, the cross-industry Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) has reminded airlines and business aircraft operators of the urgent need to prepare. Although
June 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuels Incentive under New EU Renewable Energy Directive Not Enough, Says IATA
(GreenAir Online) The EU Council, European Parliament and European Commission have agreed a new post-2020 regulatory framework that includes an EU-wide binding renewable energy target for 2030 of 32% with a 14% for transport energy. The current Renewable Energy Directive (RED
June 25, 2018 Read Full Article
How Induced Innovation Lowers the Cost of a Carbon Tax
by Joe Kennedy (Information Technology and Innovation Foundation) Evidence shows a carbon tax will induce innovation that will lower the cost of reducing CO2 emissions. If the revenues are recycled to expand tax incentives for research and capital investment, a modest
June 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Heating up in Hawaii – Hot News from Sea to Shore
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... The VERGE conference was held in Honolulu last week gathering energy and transportation leaders to talk about lessons learned in clean energy and electricity that can be transferred to the transportation sector. Among the topics
June 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels and the Green Energy Push: Brazil-U.S. Cooperation in Implementing Carbon Emissions Reduction Policies
(Brazil Institute, Wilson Center) Late last year, the Brazilian government introduced a new biofuels policy program to meet its commitment under the Paris Climate Agreement’s section on “Nationally Determined Contributions” to reduce carbon emissions. RenovaBio, as the program is known, was approved in
June 24, 2018 Read Full Article
The Role of Advanced Biofuels in the Energy Transition
(ADVANCEFUEL) Interview with Kristin Sternberg and Birger Kerckow, Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR) How has the bioenergy sector – particularly in transport – developed over the past decade? The share of energy from renewable sources in gross final energy consumption has almost
June 22, 2018 Read Full Article
An Evaluation of Brazil’s RenovaBio Program
by Bill Brandon* (Advanced Biofuels USA/ Industrial Ecosystems) According to the Paris Accords on Climate Change, each country is to develop its own goals for CO2 reductions and develop a program to meet these goals. Brazil is an interesting case
June 21, 2018 Read Full Article
UK-Produced Green Gas Now Being Used to Fuel Vehicles
(U.K. Renewable Energy Association/Biomass Magazine) A growing number of commercial haulage operators are clamoring to improve their environmental credentials by running haulage trucks on green gas. Whilst some green gas has been imported, domestic producers have so far been limited to
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Reaches Deal on REDII, Sets New Goals for Renewables
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On June 14, negotiators from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council reached a deal on a revised Renewable Energy Directive (REDII) that sets new targets for renewables. Information released by the European Parliament
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
MPOC Elated on EU Palm Biofuel Ban
(Borneo Post) The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) is elated on the latest development in the European Union (EU) which deferred the proposed total ban on palm biofuel to 2030 from the earlier date of 2021. Chief executive officer Datuk Dr Kalyana
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Indian Oil to Set up Rs 9 bn ethanol plant in Adityanath's pocket borough
by Virendra Singh Rawat (Business Standard) The company has sought 50 acres from a defunct sugar mill in Gorakhpur -- Public sector behemoth Indian Oil is looking to invest almost Rs 9 billion in a greenfield second-generation ethanol plant in Uttar Pradesh. The plant
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Ethanol Delivers over 70% GHG Savings on Average: ePure
by Chrysa Glystra (Platts) European ethanol delivered an average of more than 70% greenhouse gas savings compared with fossil fuels in 2017, according to new data from European ethanol producers, the European renewable ethanol association, ePure, said Wednesday. This has been certified by
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Oxy Considering Carbon Capture Project
by James Osborne (Houston Chronicle) The Houston oil company Occidental Petroleum is studying a carbon capture project to deliver carbon dioxide to its oil fields in West Texas, the company announced Tuesday. Engineers are expected to spend six months studying the feasibility
June 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Back to Business: G20 Energy Minsters Affirm Drive towards Renewables, Innovation, Cooperation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... This year, as it happens, Argentina holds the G20 Presidency and the outgoing Germans and incoming Japanese worked with Argentine energy minister Juan Jose Aranguren to broker an ambitious re-affirmation of renewable energy goals, if
June 19, 2018 Read Full Article
GAO to Look into Trump's Reduction of Carbon Social Costs
by Miranda Green (The Hill) A government watchdog has agreed to review the Trump administration's method for calculating the social cost of carbon, including examining the decision to drop the rate as first determined during the Obama's administration. The Government Accountability Office
June 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Taps Critic of Pro-Renewables Policies to Lead Renewables Office
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) President Trump is nominating a Department of Energy (DOE) official who previously fought against policies meant to promote renewable energy to lead the agency’s renewable energy office. Dan Simmons has been serving since May 2017 as the
June 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Mexican Court Overturns Ethanol Blending Injunction
by Josh Pedrick (Platts) A federal tribunal in Mexico Thursday overturned an injunction blocking ethanol blending from climbing to 10% from 5.8%, two sources connected to the case told S&P Global Platts. "Effectively, today the collegiate court decided to revoke the suspension,"
June 15, 2018 Read Full Article
White House to Meet Automakers, California on Fuel Efficiency Rule
by David Shepardson (Reuters) White House officials will have a new round of meetings with an automakers trade group and California’s “clean air” agency next week before unveiling a proposal to reverse rules aimed at increasing fuel efficiency, participants said on
June 15, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Recognises Importance of Crop-Based Ethanol to Achieving Climate Goals
(ePURE/EurActiv) RED II agreement by negotiators is a step in the right direction, allowing Member States to use sustainable biofuels in fighting climate change -- Negotiators from the European Parliament, Council and Commission agreed early Thursday morning on a new target for
June 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Scania and Line 132 Will Use Pure Biodiesel
by Emiliano Huergo (Clarin Rural) Claudio Molina, Executive Director of the Argentine Association of Biofuels and Hydrogen (AABH), announced that the line of collectives 132 of the Federal Capital will begin to use pure biodiesel in some units before the end of
June 15, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Chief Hints He Could Order More Ethanol in Fuel
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) A week after the White House suspended its bid to reform the nation’s biofuels policy to aid oil refiners, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday dangled a tantalizing prospect to Midwest corn farmers, saying
June 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Joint Venture Company Formed for Execution of NRL’s Bio Refinery Project
(Numaligarh Refinery Limited) Numaligarh Refinery Limited has taken a giant step forward by establishing a joint venture, Assam Bio-Refinery Pvt. Limited (ABRPL) with equity participation of M/s Chempolis Oy of Finland and M/s Fortum 3 B.V. of Netherland to build and operate the
June 14, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Farmers Boss: DG Agri ‘Not Properly Consulted’ in Biofuels Talks
by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EURACTIV.com) EU farmers are “quite worried” about the fact that the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG Agri) is often disregarded when it comes to policy decisions that have a direct impact on the farming
June 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Eleven Years After Bill, City Fleets in Washington State are Nowhere Near Abandoning Gas-Powered Vehicles
by Nicholas Deshais (The Spokesman-Review/GovTech) Seattle has the most alternative-fuel vehicles in its municipal fleet. But its fleet is supposed to be 100 percent alternative. -- ... In 2007, Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a law that said cities, counties and
June 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Carbon Utilization Bill Could Create Value for CO2 Emissions
by Tim Albrecht (Biomass Magazine) Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., introduced three bills this week to boost rural economic opportunities by expanding USDA funding eligibility for clean energy projects. This funding would help improve electric grid security, create more energy choices for
June 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Renewable Energy Jobs on the Ballot
by Matt Carr (The Hill/New Energy America) If I asked you the most important state for renewable energy, what comes to mind? Is it California? ... Let me make the case for a state that may not have immediately come to mind as
June 08, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Jenna Bloxom
Jenna Bloxom, in a recent Biofuels Digest thought piece on the need "to drastically alter the public’s understanding and attitudes about biofuels," pointed to Standing Rock as, "among many things, a prime and missed opportunity for the biofuels industry to send
June 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Mired in Misère: Re-Launching Political Capital and Public Trust for Biofuels; Seven Strategies to Reinstate Our Industry’s Power in Washington, D.C. through Mainstreet, USA
by Jenna Bloxom (Colorado State University/Biofuels Digest) ... Now is the critical juncture for a unified bioeconomy to re-assert biofuels as a political powerhouse and compelling policy agenda that defies partisan, geographical, and generational divisions. ... (T)his industry must take the initiative to drastically
June 08, 2018 Read Full Article
US Still Subsidizing Fossil Fuels To Tune Of $27 Billion
by Joshua S Hill (Clean Technica) New research has shown that the United States continues to subsidize the production and consumption of fossil fuels to the tune of $27 billion, despite repeated pledges since 2009 to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. In
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Pushes Back against Weakening of Aviation Emissions Deal
by Julia Fioretti (Reuters) European countries are pushing back against any weakening of the rules underpinning a landmark global agreement to cap airline emissions at 2020 levels, especially those related to the types of aviation biofuels that can be used. France, Norway, Finland,
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
UPDATE 1-Brazil Targets 10 pct Cut in Fuel Sector Carbon Emissions
by Leonardo Goy, Marcelo Teixeira and José Roberto Gomes (Reuters) Brazil plans to cut carbon emissions from its fuels sector by 10 percent through 2028, forcing distributors to sell more biofuels, the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) said on Tuesday. The target
June 06, 2018 Read Full Article
RICanada and Advanced Biofuels Canada Demonstrate Significant Positive Impacts from Clean Fuel Standard
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, the country’s two largest biofuels stakeholders—Renewable Industries Canada (RICanada) and Advanced Biofuels Canada (ABFC), together representing almost 50 member companies—have released the results of a new study on the economic impact of Canada’s upcoming Clean
June 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Consumers Association against Using Potatoes for Biofuel
(Cyprus Mail) The Consumers Association on Sunday said it rejected the creation of biofuels from agricultural products such as potatoes, kolokassi and other products. In an open letter sent to the House Energy Committee, the association said it rejected the use of
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Palm Oil to Be Phased out as Biodiesel Feedstock?
by Cheryl Kalisch Gordon (Rabobank/The Land) A proposal to alter the EU’s overarching renewable energy policy has been announced, which would phase-out palm oil as a biodiesel feedstock by 2021, due to production sustainability concerns. ... Malaysia and Indonesia, which account for 90 per
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Need for Global Adoption of Transport Biofuels Is Pressing
by Bliss Baker (Global Renewable Fuels Alliance/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Observing these trends, scientists note that, going forward, each new month and year have the potential to be the hottest on record. The data so far in 2018 strongly suggests that
June 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Pruitt's SAB Story
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA's independent Science Advisory Board will meet today and Friday for the first time since Administrator Scott Pruitt barred scientists on the committee from receiving EPA grants and boosted its ranks with industry representatives —
May 31, 2018 Read Full Article
An Open Letter to ARB: Don’t Miss Out on California’s Opportunity for the Fastest, Most Cost-Effective Path to Cleaner Air
(Diesel Technology Forum) The following is an open letter from Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, regarding the California Air Resources Board’s scheduled vote on the State’s spending plans for $423 million from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation
May 30, 2018 Read Full Article
RED II: Time’s Running out to Save European Biofuels
(European Oilseed Alliance/EurActiv) As the discussions between the European Parliament and the Council continue on the recast of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II), the European Oilseed Alliance (EOA) calls on policymakers to support European rapeseed producers and acknowledge the role
May 30, 2018 Read Full Article
All Eyes On Ethanol: Brazil’s Ethanol Industry Continues to Grow with the Help of Renewable Fuel Goals and International Partnerships.
by Tim Albrecht (Ethanol Producer Magazine) More than 90 percent of all new cars licensed in Brazil each year are flex fuel. Every liter of fuel sold in Brazil includes 27 percent ethanol. Consumers have chosen to replace almost 40 percent
May 30, 2018 Read Full Article
ABO Secures Unprecedented $136 Million For Algae and Related Projects — Deadlines Approaching
(Algae Biomass Organization) ABO’s ongoing work in Washington, DC, to educate Congress and federal agencies on the importance of robust algae research, development and demonstration has resulted in the release of an unprecedented series of funding opportunities for algae. Deadlines for
May 30, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Warms to Plastic Waste ‘Recycling’ as Transport Fuel
by Frédéric Simon (EURACTIV.com) A proposal to use non-recyclable plastic waste in the production of transport fuels is picking momentum among EU member states and legislators in the European Parliament, despite warnings from environmentalists. Old plastic materials that cannot be recycled
May 30, 2018 Read Full Article
A Bio-Based, Reuse Economy Can Feed the World and Save the Planet – UN Agency
(UN News) Transforming pineapple skins into product packaging or using potato peels for fuel may sound far-fetched, but such innovations are gaining traction as it becomes clear that an economy based on cultivation and use of biomass can help tackle pollution and
May 28, 2018 Read Full Article
The Pros & Cons Of Biofuels, and Why Some Diesel Engines Are So Polluting
by Andy Miles (EVObsession) ... Bio-fuels can be classified into four types; Solid fuels for domestic heating, and for industrial processes, such as firing boilers for electrical generation, or other purposes. Bio-diesel, meaning any plant oil that can be burnt in
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Scania: Commercial Transport Can Be Fossil-Free by 2050
(Scania/Automotive World) A fossil-free commercial transport system in the timeframe of the Paris Agreement target is not only possible, but also financially attractive from a societal perspective. This is the key conclusion of a study initiated by Scania. ... A comprehensive analysis undertaken
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
One Commercial, Two Commercial, Three Commercial, Four: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Clariant’s Sunliquid Cellulosic Ethanol Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Clariant’s sunliquid technology for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into sugars, followed by fermentation to cellulosic ethanol, is flexible to be used to convert different feedstocks on a regional basis, for example corn stover in North
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Hidden Costs Behind the IMO’s New Regulations For Marine Biofuels: EIA Webinar Review
by Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Challenged by strict, binding international targets to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and sulfur levels in fuels it is estimated that by 2020 the marine sector will need to modify or change about 80%
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA: RenovaBio Must Accurately Reflect Imported Ethanol Pathways
(Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Brazil’s RenovaBio program establishes national annual emissions reduction targets for transportation fuels that will likely require a significant increase in biofuels consumption. Therefore, the program must accurately reflect the carbon intensity for all ethanol pathways, including
May 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Gov't Considering Increasing Ethanol Blend In Petrol
(The Gleaner) Science, Energy and Technology Minister Dr Andrew Wheatley has indicated that the Government is contemplating an increase in the percentage of ethanol used in petrol, in order to reduce emissions in the environment. ... Currently, service stations across the island offer
May 22, 2018 Read Full Article
'Climate Change Is Real,' Automakers Declare To Trump
by Ryan Felton (Jalopnik) Major automakers are still reeling from the sudden realization they’ve collectively succumbed to Stockholm Syndrome, after they buddied up with President Donald Trump to alter fuel economy standards set by his predecessor. Since Trump went waaaay further than the automakers could’ve
May 22, 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
EPA, California Officials Meet on Fuel-Efficiency Rules
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) The Environmental Protection Agency is meeting with California officials this week in Washington to negotiate the creation of a national fuel efficiency standard after the state sued the Trump administration over its proposed easing of the
May 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Looking Back on Platts 7th Annual Geneva Biofuels Conference
(Biofuels International) Struggles and triumphs of the biofuels industry were brought into sharp focus at the Platts 7th Annual Biofuels Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. With speakers from across the biofuels sector, the event at the Grand Hotel Kempinski covered the latest policy updates
May 17, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Slapped With Another Suit Over Vehicle Emissions Standards
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Several environmental and public interest groups have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in response to the agency’s April 2 announcement to roll back vehicle emissions standards. The suit was filed on Tuesday
May 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Are We There Yet? Europe’s Nagging Call for Sustainable Mobility
by Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) When it comes to getting from point A to point B, getting to our destination has unfortunately overshadowed the process of how we should get there. As a result, resolving issues such as resource
May 16, 2018 Read Full Article
The Scientist Still Fighting for the Clean Fuel the World Forgot
by James Temple (MIT Technology Review) In the closing weeks of 2008, the US Department of Energy invited politicians and press to a dedication ceremony for the Joint BioEnergy Institute in Emeryville, California. The state-of-the-art lab, backed by $125 million in
May 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Cabinet Approves National Biofuel Policy
(Times of India) The Cabinet today approved the National Policy on Biofuels which allows doping of ethanol produced from damaged foodgrains, rotten potatoes, corn and sugar beet with petrol to cut oil imports by Rs 4,000 crore this year alone. Till now
May 16, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Agencies Moving forward with Proposing Fuel Economy Revisions
by David Shepardson (Reuters) The Trump administration is moving ahead with plans to submit a series of options for softening fuel efficiency standards to the White House for approval in the coming week, two officials briefed on the matter Tuesday said. The U.S.
May 16, 2018 Read Full Article
This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land: European Biofuels and the Debate over the ‘Agreeable Corridor’
by Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) As Europe’s revised Renewable Energy Directive (REDII) plans are set into motion, disagreements about how biofuels are treated in the newly proposed legislation have sparked concerns that Paris’ target of holding global warming below
May 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Congressman Veasey Introduces Bipartisan Energy Research Legislation
(Office of Congressman Marc Veasey) The Fossil Energy Research and Development Act would set the course for the next generation of climate change mitigation -- Today, Congressman Marc Veasey (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Science Committee’s Energy Subcommittee, along with Congressman David
May 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels in the Renewable Energy Directive: The Last Call
by Géraldine Kutas (The Parliament Magazine/Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA)) Ahead of this week's RED II negotiations, Géraldine Kutas explains where policymakers are getting it wrong on biofuels - and how they can fix their mistakes before it's too late. -- ...
May 15, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Manhattan Institute
The Manhattan Institute looked at "zero emission vehicles" and found: Broad-based adoption of ZEVs will increase overall emissions of sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, and particulates, compared with the same number of new internal combustion engines. The simple fact is
May 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Short Circuit: The High Cost of Electric Vehicle Subsidies
(Manhattan Institute) Many claim that “zero-emissions vehicles” (ZEVs), especially battery-powered electric vehicles, should replace most, if not all, cars and trucks powered by gasoline-burning internal combustion engines. The primary rationale is to reduce air pollution and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. To effect
May 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Report Looks at Stimulating BioSNG Investment
(Bioenergy Insight) A new report, commissioned by Cadent and carried out by Ernst & Young has examined what market framework, mechanisms and incentives would be needed to roll out bioSNG (bio-substitute natural gas) plants across the UK. According to a Cadent statement,
May 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Voters Should Challenge Candidates on Iowa’s Energy Future
by Katie Rock (Des Moines Register/Center for Rural Affairs) Iowa’s future as a leader in renewable energy is on the ballot in 2018. As legislators head home and campaigns gear up for important primary elections, voters should call attention to key
May 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Lawrence Solomon: Even Environmentalists Tell Trudeau His Ethanol Plan Is Terrible
by Lawrence Solomon (Financial Post) Henry Waxman, the U.S. congressman who pushed to cut tailpipe emissions in 2007, is among those who now say biofuels like corn ethanol and soy biodiesel are increasing global warming pollution -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plan to
May 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Decarbonising Maritime Transport Pathways to Zero-Carbon Shipping by 2035
(International Transport Forum) ... This report examines what is needed to decarbonise international shipping by 2035. Zero carbon emissions from shipping within this timeframe is one of the proposed levels of ambition in the context of the International Maritime Organization’s “Initial GHG Strategy”,
May 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels Production and Consumption in the US: Status, Advances and Challenges
by Mahmood Ebadian and James D. McMillan (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) ... The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) was enacted in 2007 to enhance domestic production of fuels and spur economic development while reducing reliance on imports and improving the
May 11, 2018 Read Full Article
UNFCCC Ag Work Program Approval Affirms Old Adage: 'World is Run by Those who Show Up'
by Ernie Shea (Solutions from the Land/25 x '25) Over the past 10 years, Solutions from the Land (SfL) and 25x'25, our clean energy platform, has been supporting a group of knowledgeable, experienced and visionary farmers, ranchers and foresters who have
May 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Tells World's Top Automakers to Build More Cars in U.S
by Tom Krisher and Ken Thomas (Associated Press/Chicago Tribune) President Donald Trump told leaders of the world's top automakers on Friday that he wants to see more cars built in the United States as his administration weighs plans to reduce gas mileage and
May 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump, Top Car Executives Meet Amid Struggle over Climate Rules for Automobiles
by Chris Mooney (The Washington Post) Executives from top car companies arrived at the White House on Friday amid a looming legal conflict between the Trump administration and primarily Democratic-led states over climate rules for automobiles. “We’ve made a lot of progress in
May 11, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Low Carbon Fuels Conference Week, Part 2: Driving Capability with Flexibility
By Steve Bi* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Part one of this article addressed the first two consensuses emerging from international biofuels research and business initiatives discussed in Brussels April 10-12, 2018: first, that bioenergy must be massively scaled up, according to
May 11, 2018 Read Full Article
RNG Helping Trucking Companies Improve Air Quality for California Ports
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Six trucking firms operating in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., are deploying trucks powered by Cummins Westport (CWI) near-zero ISX12N engines and fueled with Clean Energy Fuels Corp.’s Redeem renewable natural gas
May 10, 2018 Read Full Article
NGOs Tell Commission to Listen to Science and Differentiate Biofuels
by Claire Stam (EurActiv) A coalition of Czech and Slovak NGOs has called on the European Commission to draw a line in the Renewable Energy Directive revision (RED II) between more sustainable ethanol and the high greenhouse gas emitting tropical oils. They also said that
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels Key to Success of Canada’s Clean Fuel Standard
by Renewable Industries Canada (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Canada’s two largest biofuels stakeholders—Renewable Industries Canada (RICanada) and Advanced Biofuels Canada, together representing almost 50 member companies—released the results of a new study April 30 on the economic impact of Canada’s upcoming Clean
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Building Out Biomass in the Land Down Under
by Patrick C. Miller (Biomass Magazine) Will Australia use bioenergy to its full potential, or primarily serve export markets? -- Australia’s bioenergy sector is alive and brimming with ideas about how to keep pace with progress being made internationally. However, biofuels advocates
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Electricity-Based Fuels: As Much as Needed for the Sake of the Climate, as Little as Possible for the Sake of Efficiency
(Agora Verkehrswende and Agora Energiewende) ... The production of power-based synthetic fuels is a multi-stage process. First, clean energy from wind or PV electrolyzes water into hydrogen and oxygen. Then, the hydrogen is combined with carbon dioxide to create gaseous or
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Research and Innovation Perspective of the Mid-and Long-Term Potential for Advanced Biofuels in Europe
(EU Publications) Research and Innovation (R&I) plays a central role in developing advanced biofuels technologies to help achieve the EU’s climate and energy targets. This study examines the R&I potential for feedstock production, advanced biofuels production, and use of advanced biofuels. The
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
If at First You Don't Succeed: The Looming Fight between the Trump Administration and the State of California over Climate Change Rules for Cars
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The looming fight between the Trump administration and the state of California over climate change rules for cars will cover some familiar terrain - where the liberal state and its environmentalist allies have won
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Focus Growing on Win-Win Soil Health Outcomes
(Solutions from the Land) U.S. agricultural producers have long understood that healthy soil is a critical requirement for the production of our nation's food supply. They also know that as the world's population grows by more than 25 percent over the
May 07, 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
Bioenergy (Biofuels/Biomass) Low-Carbon Biofuels, Bioproducts Crucial to Two Degree Scenario
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) In April, the European Commission, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), below50, the Biofuture Platform, and the ART Fuels Forum formally expressed the sense that low-carbon fuels will be required as part of capping
May 07, 2018 Read Full Article
The Production and Use of Renewable Natural Gas as a Climate Strategy in the United States
by Rebecca Gasper and Tim Searchinger (World Resources Institute) The production of renewable natural gas (RNG, also known as biomethane or upgraded biogas) is an emerging strategy to turn organic waste into a low carbon fuel for use in vehicles. This working paper explores RNG’s
May 04, 2018 Read Full Article
NYC to Use 99% Petroleum-Free Diesel in over 1,000 City Vehicles
(Construction Equipment) The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) has announced that it will for the first time use renewable diesel, a low-emissions, 99 percent petroleum-free fuel, to power over 1,000 City government vehicles including many of its
May 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Succinctly Succinic: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Reverdia and Bio-Succinic Acid
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Reverdia is a joint venture between Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, and Roquette Frères, the global starch and starch-derivatives company. Reverdia is dedicated to be the global leader in the
May 04, 2018 Read Full Article
UPDATE 1-Trump to Meet with Automakers to Discuss U.S. Fuel Rules -Sources
by David Shepardson (Reuters) The White House is planning a meeting next week between President Donald Trump and senior leaders of major U.S. and foreign automakers to discuss planned fuel efficiency rule changes through 2026, automakers and administration officials said on
May 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Drills and Pipelines May Pollute Our Climate but Words Will Break or Make Us
by Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Carbon is the backbone of the fossil-based economy and feedstock to a bio-based economy. However, how exactly this carbon is handled continues to divide people regarding what the development of a bio-based economy is
May 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Trucking Executive Panel Objects to EPA Fuel Economy Rollback Plan
by John O'Dell (Trucks.com) “Stay the course” is the message a panel of leading clean vehicle developers, users and regulators delivered Tuesday in the wake of the Trump Administration’s plan to roll back tough fuel economy and emissions regulations developed under
May 02, 2018 Read Full Article
To Meet Emission Reductions Objectives in Transport, Sustainable Renewable Fuels Are an Important Part of the Solution
(Methanol Institute/EIN Presswire) The Methanol Institute (MI), the trade association representing the global methanol industry this week released a paper providing input for the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) trilogue procedure currently underway between the European Council, Parliament and Commission. The Methanol
May 02, 2018 Read Full Article
California And 16 Other States Are Suing Trump To Stop Him Destroying Emissions Standards
by Raphael Orlove (Jalopnik) Our emissions standards are probably the biggest booster to automotive performance in the past half century, making our cars not only more eco-friendly but more powerful, too. Trump has been trying to cut it all down, but now California
May 01, 2018 Read Full Article
How Trump Will Go after California's Auto GHG Authority
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The Trump administration plans to argue that California does not have the authority to enforce stringent greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars, despite the Obama administration's 2009 waiver, according to a source familiar with a forthcoming
April 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative: Leading Off -- Why Did a Retired Oil Refinery Engineer Turn into an Ethanol Advocate?
(Urban Air Initiative) The resistance to ethanol expansion is really about politics and a desire to squash competition. But if you weed through all of PR campaigns and simply evaluate fuel options from the perspective of what's best for the average
April 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Indonesian Oil Palm Smallholders Sue State over Subsidy to Biofuel Producers
(South Africa Today/Mongabay) -A union of palm oil smallholders is challenging the allocation of a billion-dollar fund that they say fails to help them rejuvenate their low-yielding oil palms and instead unfairly subsidizes large biofuel producers. -Only 1 percent of the
April 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Beyond the ICAO’s CORSIA: Towards a More Climatically Effective Strategy for Mitigation of Civil-Aviation Emissions
(GreenAir Online) In a peer-reviewed research article published in the journal Climate Law, air transport economist Chris Lyle examines ICAO’s role in addressing international aviation’s growing emissions since referral by the UNFCCC to the UN agency through the Kyoto Protocol. He examines the
April 27, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA to CARB: Ethanol Plays a Key Role in LCFS Success Story
by Emily Druckman (Renewable Fuels Association) Ethanol has played a key role in the success of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and is poised to make even greater contributions to the state’s climate policy objectives if certain regulatory actions are
April 27, 2018 Read Full Article
California Considers Carbon Capture, for Ethanol
(Argus Media) Ethanol producers selling fuel in California may emerge as a beneficiary of a technology often associated with the coal industry. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has proposed changes to the state's Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) meant to spur projects
April 27, 2018 Read Full Article
India’s Biofuels Horizons: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj Industries
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Praj is an India-based process solutions specialist with continued leadership in ethanol & brewery space over many years — aiming to emerge as a significant water company within 5 years. The company is expanding its new
April 26, 2018 Read Full Article
As Petroleum Prices, Demand Soars, US, EU Dither on Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... US gasoline prices are at a three-year high, says CNBC. This time, the response has been to dither on biofuels and to point to reasonably dismal sales of EVs as evidence that an electrics solution is on
April 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Is the EU Killing the Magic Plant? The Emerging International Consensus on Low Carbon Fuels Takes Center Stage in (Spite of) Brussels
by Steve Bi* (Advanced Biofuels USA) At one of a series of bioenergy conferences in Brussels, April 10-12, 2018, some combination of hearty guffaws, inward chuckles and solemn nods greeted the predictable but well-delivered punchline from Miguel Ivan Lacerda de
April 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Pruitt Unveils Controversial ‘Transparency’ Rule Limiting What Research EPA Can Use COMMENT DEADLINE extended to August 16, 2018
by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis (The Washington Post) Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt moved Tuesday to limit what science can be used in writing agency regulations, a change long sought by conservatives. The proposed rule would only allow the EPA to
April 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Carbon Capture Could Be a Financial Opportunity for US Biofuels
(Stanford University/Phys.Org) Although considered critical to avoiding catastrophic global warming, the feasibility of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it underground - known as negative emissions - has been in question. But researchers at Stanford and other institutions have found
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Modern Bioenergy ‘Key’ for Meeting Paris Targets, Report States
(Bioenergy Insight) The scaling up of renewable energy production needs to be drastically accelerated if the world is to meet the decarbonisation and climate change mitigation goals set out in the Paris agreements, according to a report from the International Renewable
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Announces Biomass from Managed Forests Will Be Considered Carbon Neutral
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Georgia, in a meeting with members of the forestry community, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency announced the Agency issued a statement of policy making clear, that future regulatory actions on biomass from managed forests will
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Naughten Announces Increases to the Biofuel Obligation Rate DEADLINE for public comments: May 18,2018
(Ireland Department of Communications Climate Action and Environment/4-Traders) The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten, T.D.,has published a draft order increasing the biofuel obligation rate to 10% (by volume) from 1 January 2019. The Minister also published a Policy Statement
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Renewable Natural Gas Production Facilities Grow by 85% in Four Years
by Alyssa Danigelis (Energy Manager Today) A new map and project database show at least 76 operational renewable natural gas production facilities in the United States and Canada now. That represents an 85% growth from the 41 projects built by 2014,
April 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Europe’s Renewables ‘Multipliers’ Only Subtract
by Emmanuel Desplechin (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... They rely on “multipliers” that artificially inflate the contribution of certain renewables, while doing nothing to help the climate. Double counting electrified rail transport or certain waste-based fuels are good examples. These “virtual renewables” allow countries
April 23, 2018 Read Full Article
IMO Moves Forward with Ban on Vessels Carrying High-Sulphur Fuel
by Jonathan Saul and Libby George (Reuters) The International Maritime Organization said it approved on Friday an amendment that would ban ships unequipped to strip sulphur from carrying high-sulphur fuel from 2020 - when new sulphur-content limits come into effect; New 2020
April 23, 2018 Read Full Article
RNG Bill Moves Forward in California
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Today, the California Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications advanced a pro-renewable natural gas (RNG) bill sponsored by the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition). S.B.1440, introduced by State Sen. Ben Hueso, would create additional
April 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Messages from Brussels: More Biofuels for Transport Are Badly Needed and Can Be Produced Sustainably
(BioFuture Platform) Several international initiatives and organizations met in Brussels to discuss the need and the ways to scale up low carbon fuels in transport. The international conference, titled “The role of low carbon fuels in decarbonising transport: the emerging consensus
April 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Carbon Taxes Can Be Both Fair and Effective, Study Shows
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology/EurekAlert!) Several different carbon-pricing approaches would help reduce emissions, and some would be fair as well, researchers report -- Putting a price on carbon, in the form of a fee or tax on the use of fossil fuels, coupled
April 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Shell Releases Energy Transition Report: Commits to 50% Lower Emissions by 2050, Biofuels to Top Oil by 2100 in “Sky” Scenario
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the Netherlands and England, Shell released its most definitive statement yet on its low-carbon future and committed to 50% lower emissions by 2050 and net zero by 2070 in its operations and emissions from its
April 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Your Regular Audi Could Run on Straw Soon
by Francois De Beaupuy and Ania Nussbaum (Bloomberg) Global Bioenergies looks to extract fuels from non-food crops; Unlike ethanol, fuel works in any engine in high concentration -- A German luxury carmaker and a French biotech company have joined forces to solve the two
April 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Cars Threaten Climate Goals in Blue States
by Benjamin Storrow (E&E News) ... Transportation emissions threaten to undercut blue states' climate goals, raising questions about their ability to lead U.S. climate efforts at a time when the federal government is rolling back environmental regulations. Emissions from cars, trucks
April 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Why We Need Ecological Biofuels
by Paloma López Bermejo (The Parliament Magazine) We must establish concrete criteria for determining how sustainable growing, manufacturing, transporting and marketing biofuels is, says Paloma López Bermejo. -- ... Simply distinguishing between biomass, biofuels or bioliquids - as is currently the
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
RED II Perpetuates Advanced Biofuel Trade Distortions and Incentivises Fraud
(Ethanol Europe Renewables/EurActiv) The Energy Directive (RED 2) transport decarbonisation ambitions ostensibly promote major capital investment in truly advanced biofuels breakthrough technologies. However, the Directive will not generate meaningful advanced biofuels investment. Instead, it incentivises fake wastes to meet biofuels
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Italy Earmarks EUR 4.7bn for Biofuel Incentives in the Transport Sector
(JDSUPRA/McDermott Will & Emery) Transport fuel retailers are obliged to sell a minimum amount of biofuel annually, calculated as a percentage of the energy content of the transport fuel sold in the relevant year. Such obligation can be met by either
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Draft 2018 Farm Bill Reauthorizes Energy Title Programs
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On April 12, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, released a draft of the 2018 Farm Bill, officially titled the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. The legislation reauthorizes many bioenergy-related programs, but
April 13, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Approves First Underground Injection Control Program Primacy for Carbon Sequestration Wells to North Dakota
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Today (April 10, 2018), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it has approved the State of North Dakota’s request to implement and enforce its own Class VI Underground Injection Control (UIC) program. This marks the first
April 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Isobutanol’s Horizons: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Gevo has two proprietary technologies that combine to make it possible to retrofit existing ethanol plants to produce isobutanol, a four carbon alcohol which serves as a hydrocarbon platform molecule. They have developed an industrial scale
April 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Vivergo Fuels £350m Saltend Biofuel Plant in Hull Restarts after Four-Month Shut Down
by Henry Saker-Clark (Hull Daily Mail) Vivergo Fuels stopped production in November putting 150 jobs at risk -- A £350m Hull-based biofuel facility has restarted production after a four month shutdown, but warns that government action is still needed to secure its
April 11, 2018 Read Full Article
States to Sue EPA over Failure to Enforce Landfill Gas Rules
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) A coalition led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the California Air Resources board has announced plans to sue the U.S. EPA over its failure to enforce existing landfill methane regulations. The coalition announced its plans
April 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Ethanol Moves May Be Worse for Farmers Than Soy Tariff
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Change to biofuel mandate may mean destruction of corn demand; Growers already dealing with trade concerns, crop gluts -- Based on his own back-of-the-envelope calculations, Minnesota farmer Kirby Hettver could lose tens of thousands of dollars of earnings because
April 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Quantifying Carbon: Understand Cap-and-Trade Implications as U.S. West Coast & Canadian Provinces Combine Emissions Reduction Initiatives
(OPIS) On January 1, Ontario became linked with California and Quebec’s carbon allowance program, prompting uncertainty about carbon reduction programs and pricing structures in this expanded market. Download this free white paper and get an understanding of: Carbon prices in California, Quebec
April 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Weak Governance at UN Shipping Agency Delaying Action on Climate Change
(Transparency International Secretariat) The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is at risk of unresolved conflicts of interest due to shortcomings in its governance, according to preliminary key findings of a new study by Transparency International. Private shipping-industry concerns could have undue influence over the policymaking