(WNAX) A report out by a former EPA official says that the RINS market or renewable identification numbers may be ripe for fraud or abuse. In order to comply with the RFS, refiners are required to blend a percentage of
fraud
Back TO HOMEMurky Biofuel Market Vulnerable to Fraud, Former EPA Cop Warns
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Earth & Water Group/Bloomberg) — A program to boost the use of biofuels in the U.S. has become vulnerable to scams that have bilked victims out of nearly $1 billion so far, warns a former Environmental
September 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Feature: Could a RINs Market Probe Fuel RFS Reforms?
by Brian Scheid and Herman Wang (Platts) Growing pressure for a federal probe of the opaque market underpinning the Renewable Fuel Standard could bolster efforts to dramatically reform the landmark biofuels policy. Earlier this month, billionaire investor Carl Icahn sent a heated,
August 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Deserve a Place at the Pump
by Jim Talent (The American Spectator) The case for alternative energy done right. -- ... No other policy has so effectively undermined the international oil cartel that seeks to profit from our dependence on oil. Today, ethanol and other biofuels meet about
August 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Securities Fraud Related to Biodiesel Fraud Scheme Convicted in Jury Trial
(U.S. Department of Justice) U.S. Attorney Josh J. Minkler for the Southern District of Indiana announced today the guilty verdict after an eight-day jury trial of Jeffrey Wilson of Evansville, Indiana, who was charged with securities fraud related to a
August 17, 2016 Read Full Article
Misguided Energy Mandates Fueling Higher Prices
by Nicolas Loris (The Heritage Foundation/The Intelligencer) ... President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 into law and expanded it in 2007. The RFS, which originated with that act, mandates that refiners mix biofuels into America's gasoline supply,
August 15, 2016 Read Full Article
A $2.7 Billion Missed Opportunity
(Diesel Technology Forum) For any level of funding, more near-zero NOx technologies may find their way on the road and at work with clean diesel than other technologies. -- The Volkswagen settlement may be the second biggest environmental settlement in
July 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Three U.S. States Plan Lawsuits over Volkswagen Diesel Pollution
by David Shepardson (Reuters) Three U.S. states plan to unveil new lawsuits against Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) on Tuesday tied to the automaker's sale of diesel vehicles with emissions-cheating software, even after they announced settlements with the German automaker in June. Maryland
July 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Three Years in Prison for Former Director of FF Skagen
by Egon Kjøller (NORDJYSKE.dk) Fraud fish oil. There was added biodiesel designated as unsuitable as feed and food. The judgment appealed the acquittal -- Morten Broberg was accused of having produced and sold 172,500 tonnes of fish oil with the
July 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Cheating Fuel Retailers Come under Scrutiny
by Yuthana Priawan (Bangkok Post) More adulterated fuel sold as oil gets cheaper. -- A substantial rise in fuel consumption as the oil price collapsed has coincided with a rise in the sale of adulterated fuel, says the Department of
July 01, 2016 Read Full Article
CEO of Former Michigan Biofuels Company Charged with $2 Million Tax Scheme
by Emily Monacelli (Michigan Live) The chief executive of a former Southwest Michigan biofuels company has been indicted in what federal prosecutors allege was a scheme to defraud the government out of $2 million in tax credits. An 14-count indictment was
June 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Volkswagen's Diesel Settlement Will Fund Range of Clean Air Efforts
by David Shepardson and Joel Schectman (Reuters) German automaker Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) will pay more than $15.3 billion to settle charges that it cheated on U.S. diesel emissions tests, an agreement that will fund buybacks for consumers and provide up to
June 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Two Florida Men Plead Guilty to Multi-State Biodiesel Fraud Scheme
(U.S. Department of Justice) Thomas Davanzo, of Estero, Florida, and Robert Fedyna, of Naples, Florida, pleaded guilty today for their participation in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel credits and fraudulently claiming
June 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Audi Volkswagen Taiwan Fined for False Advertising
(Taipai Times/CNA) Audi Volkswagen Taiwan Co (奧迪福斯汽車) has been fined NT$5 million (US$153,130) over false advertising in relation to the emissions levels of two of its models, the Fair Trade Commission said yesterday. Advertisements in an Audi Volkswagen Taiwan catalogue claimed
May 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Suzuki Says Discrepancies Mar Japanese Emissions Testing
(Law 360) Suzuki Motor Corp. on Wednesday said an internal investigation prompted by regulatory scrutiny over emissions and fuel efficiency standards has shown “discrepancies” in the testing methods used for 16 car models sold in Japan. Although the automaker said
May 19, 2016 Read Full Article
VW, Porsche Seek To Escape Feds' Emissions Suit
by Dani Meyer (Law 360) Volkswagen and Porsche separately urged a California federal court Monday to toss the government’s allegations that the automakers cheated emissions standards, with Volkswagen arguing that the suit doesn’t show it knowingly committed any misconduct. Volkswagen prefaced
May 18, 2016 Read Full Article
AP Interview: Corruption Probe Holds Lessons for Monaco
by Angela Charlton (Associated Press/Washington Post) Monaco’s government says it’s investigating how an alleged vast oil corruption scandal involving a Monaco-based company long went unnoticed, even though the principality has opened up its financial sector and cracked down on tax
April 01, 2016 Read Full Article
EPA Teams with CFTC on Monitoring RIN Trade
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission enter into this Memorandum of Understanding to address the sharing of information, including proprietary business information “PBI,” in the possession of EPA with
March 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Illegal UCO Cartels Hinder Biofuel Program: Observers
by Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) The illegal activity of passing off used cooking oil (UCO) as non-brand cooking oil (NBCO), which is allegedly becoming widespread on a massive scale in the country, may be disrupting the government’s biofuel program, observers
March 16, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuel or Biofraud? The Vast Taxpayer Cost of Failed Cellulosic and Algal Biofuels
by Almuth Ernsting (Independent Science News) ... The disastrous experience with Fischer-Tropsch biofuels is just one part of a much larger failure of cellulosic and algal biofuels, on which billions of dollars of public subsidies have been spent. ... Those are just the largest
March 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Houston Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Biodiesel Fraud Scheme
(U.S. Department of Justice) Philip Joseph Rivkin, aka Felipe Poitan Arriaga, was sentenced today in Houston, Texas, to 121 months in prison, three years of supervised release and to pay more than $87 million in restitution and was ordered to
March 08, 2016 Read Full Article
'Dodgy Diesel' Threatens EU Green Fuel Market
by Matt McGrath (BBC) There are growing concerns that cheap imports of biodiesel from Poland could wreck the European market in biofuels. All diesel sold in the EU needs to contain a percentage of fuel made from crops such as rapeseed. But
March 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuel Company with Polygamous Ties Spent Big on Utah Politicians even as Frauds Were Found
by Nate Carlisle and Brian Maffly (The Salt Lake Tribune) Federal agents raided offices of Washakie and Kingstons amid claims the company hasn’t actually manufactured its own biofuels. -- The storage tanks Washakie Renewable Energy was planning to build while
February 15, 2016 Read Full Article
US Files Civil Complaint against VW for Clean Air Act Violations
(Biodiesel Magazine/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. EPA, filed a civil complaint Jan. 4 in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Volkswagen Group
February 09, 2016 Read Full Article
South Korea Planning To File Charges Against Volkswagen Exec: Report
by Michael Ballaban (Jalopnik) 1st Gear: Criminal Charges Coming Against Volkswagen’s People -- We haven’t seen much by the way of actual, personal, criminal consequences for Volkswagen executives, but the first round of charges coming down the pipe might not be
January 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Sh288 Million Ethanol, Sh56 Million Contraband Sugar Seized in Mombasa
by Nancy Agutu and Elkana Jacob (The Star) Ethanol worth Sh288 million and contraband sugar valued at Sh56 million were seized in Mombasa between October and December 2015, the EACC has said. The ethanol in 64 containers had been imported by unlicensed
January 19, 2016 Read Full Article
This Couple Is Driving Cross-Country To Return Their Polluting Jetta To VW Headquarters
by David Tracy (Jalopnik) Upset that Volkswagen deceived them into buying a not-so-clean diesel, Marcus Moench and Elisabeth Caspari are driving from Colorado to VW’s headquarters in Virginia to return their Jetta SportWagen TDI and drop off 20,000 petitions. ... ... You see,
January 18, 2016 Read Full Article
FOS Orders IFA to Pay Redress over Sipp Biofuel Investment
by Charles Walmsley (CityWire) The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has ordered a Rugby-based advice firm to compensate a client who invested a £13,700 pension pot in unregulated biofuel scheme Sustainable AgroEnergy. Sustainable AgroEnergy invested in jatropha oil, a form of biofuel, in
January 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Facing U.S. Storm, VW Set for Easier Ride in Europe on Emissions Scandal
by Barbara Lewis and Kirstin Ridley (Reuters) Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) is unlikely to face U.S.-style fines in Europe over its emissions scandal because of a softer regulatory regime and its home country Germany's determination to protect its car industry, EU sources and
January 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Lehigh Valley Biofuel Entrepreneurs Charged in $50M Federal Scam
by Kurt Bresswein (Lehigh Valley Live) The owners of a Lehigh Valley company are accused of scamming taxpayers out of about $50 million in payments, subsidies and other benefits paid out for purportedly turning cooking oil into biofuel. David Dunham, 35,
December 22, 2015 Read Full Article
VW Staff Began Working on Cheat in 2005 to Break into U.S. Market
by David Rising and Kerstin Sopke (The Washington Post/Associated Press) A small group of Volkswagen engineers began working as early as 2005 on emissions cheating software after they were unable to find a technical solution to U.S. emissions controls as
December 11, 2015 Read Full Article
Big Oil Let Off Hook Days After EU Drops Wall Street Probe
by Aoife White, Stephanie Bodoni, Peter Levring, Gaspard Sebag (Bloomberg) Royal Dutch Shell Plc, BP Plc and Statoil ASA no longer face an European Union investigation into potential manipulation of fuel benchmarks, the regulator indicated on Monday. Days after dropping a high-profile probe into
December 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Volkswagen Allocates 20 Billion Bridge Loan to 13 Banks: Sources
by Arno Schuetze (Reuters) Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) has split a 20 billion euro ($21.1 billion) bridge loan between 13 banks to help shoulder the costs of its emissions scandal, two people familiar with the matter said. Eight banks which had initially offered tranches
December 03, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA Says Volkswagen Cheated a 2nd Time on Pollution Tests
by Matthew Daly and Tom Krisher (Associated Press/Washington Post) ... The Environmental Protection Agency, along with the California Air Resources Board, said Volkswagen installed software on thousands of Audi, Porsche and VW cars with six-cylinder diesel engines that allowed them to emit
November 03, 2015 Read Full Article
A Message For EPA: Get Real on Emissions and Clean Fuels!
by Doug Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Biofuels Digest) In the aftermath of revelations of how Volkswagen had their thumb on the scale as they cheated not just the EPA, but all of us who breathe the air, it raises serious
October 23, 2015 Read Full Article
Uncertainty for Alleged Fraud in the Biodiesel Plant Barajas de Melo
(El Dario (Google translation)) ... "What matters to Barajas de Melo and all its neighbors is that this plant is definitely over. They take four or five years building it and are talking about an investment of 30 million euros.
October 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Sugar Mills Face Cartelisation Heat
by Shreya Jai & Deepak Patel (Business Standard) CCI investigation finds proof of collusion in selling ethanol to oil marketing companies -- The Ethanol Blending Programme of the Centre to cut its fuel import bill is in trouble, with the
October 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Ethanol Fraud Goes on with Impunity
by David O. Berger (St. Louis Today) ... And, of course, whenever big business and big government collude, as is the case in the ethanol industry, the financial players get into the game, buying and selling ethanol credits, thus influencing the price
October 05, 2015 Read Full Article
VW Scandal: Time for German Industry to Abandon Its Arrogance
by Armin Mahler (Der Spiegel) Made in Germany isn't the seal of quality it used to be. Arrogance and complacency are widespread in Germany industry, with Volkswagen becoming just the most recent example. For the German economy to remain healthy, fundamental
October 01, 2015 Read Full Article
Suspected Biodiesel Fraud Scheme on 3 Continents Puts Man before Portland Jury
by Bryan Denson (The Oregonian/Oregon Live) Jack Holden is either a big-dreaming businessman whose failure to cash in on the biodiesel wave separated investors from more than $1 million, or he's a skilled con man who used God and greed
September 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Third Person Sentenced in Las Vegas for International Biofuel Fraud Conspiracy
(Federal Bureau of Investigation) Alex Jariv, 28, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced today in federal court to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in illegal schemes to generate and sell fraudulent biodiesel
September 29, 2015 Read Full Article
We Should Not Be Surprised about Volkswagen’s “Diesel-Gate”
by Bill Brandon (Biofuels Digest) Fooling with computers to give false readings has happened before. It is important to recognize similarities to earlier cases and EPA’s role in them. The 1998 consent decree In October 1998, the DOJ and EPA entered into a
September 29, 2015 Read Full Article
NOxgate Expands: 93% of Diesel Vehicles Tested Fail to Meet Euro 6 NOx Emission Standards; Average Is 7 Times over the Limit
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The VW crisis just keeps getting worse, with Volkswagen suspending its VW, Audi, and Porsche R&D chiefs, as Audi confirmed that 2.1 million of its vehicles were outfitted with defeat devices, and reports surfaced that the
September 29, 2015 Read Full Article
VW Scandal Raises Doubts over Clean Diesel and Lab-Based Emissions Testing
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On September 22, Volkswagen Motors (VW) admitted that it had cheated on emissions testing in Europe and the United States, by installing a piece of software known as a ‘defeat device’ in diesel cars. The Environmental
September 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Your Guide To Dieselgate: Volkswagen's Diesel Cheating Catastrophe
by Patrick George (Jalopnik) Yes, it’s a catastrophe. There’s no other way to describe the allegations from the Environmental Protection Agency that Volkswagen cheated on their emissions tests with nearly half a million TDI diesel cars. What’s at stake here?
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA Says VW Running Massive Clean Air Scam via Jettas, Audis, Passats
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, EPA issued a notice of violation of the Clean Air Act to Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. alleging that four-cylinder Volkswagen and Audi diesel cars from model years 2009-2015
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Dean And Brenda Daniels To Prison For Biodiesel Fraud
(Southwest Florida Online) Dean Daniels, 52, Richard Smith, 57, Brenda Daniels, 45 and William Bradley, 58, all of Florida, pleaded guilty and were sentenced today in U.S. district court for charges related to a scheme involving the false production of
August 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Two Men Sentenced and Another Pleads Guilty in Las Vegas in International Biofuels Fraud Scheme
(US Federal Bureau of Investigation) James Jariv, 64, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced in federal court in Las Vegas today to ten years in prison for his role in illegal schemes to generate fraudulent biodiesel credits and to export
August 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Ethanol and Biodiesel: Guilty as Charged
by Paul Driessen (Town Hall) ... The tale of Philip Joseph Rivkin (aka Felipe Poitan Arriaga) reveals an equally disgusting aspect of the mandate, resulting from the absurdly complex Renewable Identification Number (RIN) system devised by EPA bureaucrats. As Ron Arnold explains
July 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Couple Found Guilty of Stealing Money for Biodiesel Plant
(WBIR) A Knoxville couple is found guilty of taking grant money to create a bio diesel plant, then spending it on themselves. John Brichetto, CEO of Northington Energy, and his wife, Lisa Horn-Brichetto, were each charged with theft over $60,000. According
July 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Leaked Tape Recordings Unearth the Depth of the New Scandal at Mumias Sugar Company
by Paul Wafula (Standard Digital News) A sting operation conducted at Mumias Sugar Company premises has uncovered an elaborate network through which some of the firm’s employees have been colluding with rogue Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officials to defraud the
June 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Fuel Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Clean Air Act Crimes Connected to Renewable Fuels Scheme
(Environmental Protection Agency) Philip J. Rivkin faces more than 10 years imprisonment and $51 million in restitution -- Philip Joseph Rivkin, a.k.a. Felipe Poitan Arriaga, 50, today pleaded guilty to a Clean Air Act false statement and mail fraud as part
June 17, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA Seeks Input on RIN Quality Assurance Plan ICR
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA recently published a notice in the Federal Register soliciting public comments on a proposed information collection request (ICR) related to the voluntary renewable identification number (RIN) quality assurance program under the
June 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Green Power CEO to Go to Trial for Fraud
by Kristi Pihl (Tri-City Herald) A serial fraudster charged with swindling investors in his failed Pasco biofuel company will stand trial after all. U.S. District Court Judge Sal Mendoza Jr. rejected on Thursday a plea deal to allow Michael Spitzauer
May 15, 2015 Read Full Article
Three Brothers Plead Guilty to $145 Million Biofuels Fraud Scheme in Indiana
(Department of Justice) Chad Ducey, 39, of Fishers, Indiana, pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel incentives. His two brothers, Chris Ducey, 48, of North Webster,
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
N.J. Man Charged in Biodiesel Scam Accused of Death Threats, Report Says
by Myles Ma (NJ.com) Prosecutors say a Bergen County man accused in a $90 million biodiesel trading scam threatened to harm or kill anyone who provides evidence against him, the Star Press of Muncie, Ind., reported Monday. Joseph Furando, 49, was
April 07, 2015 Read Full Article
The Great Algae Robbery
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An arbitration ruling details how Roquette seemingly attempted one of the most brazen intellectual property heists in the history of biotechnology, and almost got away with it. Today, the story of a JV gone wrong,
February 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Three Convicted in £23m Biofuel Fraud
by Peter Walker (FT Advisor) Three directors were convicted on Friday (5 December) as part of the Serious Fraud Office’s investigation into Sustainable Growth Group’s £23m fraud between April 2011 and February 2012. Gary Lloyd West, former director and chief commercial
December 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Kander Halts Biodiesel Investment Scam
(Missouri Secretary of State) Secretary of State Jason Kander today issued a cease and desist order against Boyd A. Ware of Centralia, Mo., and his company, Central Missouri Energy, LLC. According to the order, Ware and Central Missouri Energy (CME)
November 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Man in Fake Ethanol Project Pleads Guilty to Fraud
(The Spokesman-Review) A Spokane ethanol project promising rich financial returns to dozens of local investors turned out to be a fraud. The man behind the scheme, 55-year-old businessman Robert J. Braun, pleaded guilty this week to five counts of wire
October 31, 2014 Read Full Article
Co-defendent in Bio-Fuel Scam Pleads Guilty
by Hugh R. Morley (The Record/NorthJersey.com) ... A Ridgewood businesswoman has pleaded guilty to a charge that she took part in a $100 million biofuel fraud as a top executive of two Bergen County alternative-energy companies that authorities say carried
August 12, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. Invalidates 33.5 Million Renewable Credits After Fraud (1)
by Mark Drajem (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it has invalidated 33.5 million renewable-fuel credits sold by an Indiana company for biofuel it didn’t produce, the fourth time the agency has alleged fraud in the program. The filing
December 20, 2013 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Ethanol, Once the Way of the Future, Is Off to a Delayed, Boisterous Start
by Steven Mufson (The Washington Post) The “now hiring” sign is up online for Emmetsburg, Iowa, where the nation’s largest maker of ethanol used for motor fuel is putting the final touches on a manufacturing plant that will rely not
November 13, 2013 Read Full Article
Abengoa Bioethanol Arm Raided in EU Manipulation Probe
by Aoife White (Bloomberg) Abengoa SA (ABG), owner of continental Europe’s biggest bioethanol plant, said that it’s being investigated as part of the European Union’s antitrust probe into possible manipulation of oil and biofuel prices. The company and its Rotterdam-based Abengoa
October 10, 2013 Read Full Article
$100M Biodiesel Fraud in Indiana? E-Biofuels Ring Nabbed by Feds
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Indiana, federal officials are saying that a group of biodiesel operators associated with E-Biofuels stole nearly $100 million in a fraud scheme, and seven have been arrested in what has been described as the
September 19, 2013 Read Full Article
UK to Request Extradition of Biofuel Company’s Chairman
by Simon Lewis (Cambodia Daily) The U.K.’s fraud office plans to request the extradition of a British national currently detained in Cambodia, after it brought charges against four people for their part in a $36 million Ponzi scheme involving a
August 28, 2013 Read Full Article
Biofuel Firm CEO Accused of Bilking Investor
by Annie Youderian (Courthouse News Service) The former CEO of New Generation Biofuels duped a foreign investor into pumping more than $2 million into the company, and then dumped his own shares and made a "lucrative exit," the investor claims in
August 14, 2013 Read Full Article
Biofuel Investment Firm Wound up
by John Brazier (Insolvency News) A company offering investments in an untraceable biofuel project in Mozambique has been wound up by the High Court in the public interest. Following an investigation by The Insolvency Service, Insight Commodities Ltd (Insight) was wound up
August 08, 2013 Read Full Article
Ethanol RINs Market Explodes
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Lack of transparency makes market analysis difficult. ...The ethanol producer's role in RIN generation is basic: produce the physical gallons and fill in the required information to generate the RINs in the automated EMTS system.
April 24, 2013 Read Full Article
AFPM Welcomes EPA Move to Address Biodiesel Fraud but Greater Fix is Needed
(Wall Street Journal/The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers) The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) and American Petroleum Institute (API) filed comments in response to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed biofuel Quality Assurance Program. "EPA's proposal is a welcome attempt
April 19, 2013 Read Full Article
Bio-diesel Fuel Company Owner Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison for Crimes Connected to Illegal Fuels Scheme / Jeffrey Gunselman also fined $175,000 and ordered to pay nearly $55 million in restitution
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Jeffrey David Gunselman, 30, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 188 months in federal prison, fined $175,000 and ordered to pay more than $54.9 million in restitution, following his guilty plea
March 29, 2013 Read Full Article
11 Reasons Why You Should Invest in the Biodiesel Industry
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine/MarketWire) Below is breakdown of the latest, sourced information as to why investment in biodiesel is a sound decision written by Ron Kotrba, Editor of Biodiesel Magazine. 1. Jump in on a growing market: The U.S. biodiesel industry
March 29, 2013 Read Full Article
Des Moines Company Keeps Tabs on Biofuel Production, Sales
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) EcoEngineers tapped by EPA to help audit RFS compliance. In a small office in the East Village of Des Moines, a handful of engineers and statisticians are hard at work keeping score on how much
March 12, 2013 Read Full Article
Stoel Rives Publishes White Paper on RIN Program Change Proposal
(Stoel Rives/Biodiesel Magazine) Stoel Rives LLP, a national energy and biofuels law firm, has published a white paper that provides a comprehensive overview of proposed regulatory changes to the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program, specifically the renewable identification number (RIN)
March 06, 2013 Read Full Article
Ottawa Ending Biofuels Subsidy over Unfulfilled Industry Promises
by Shawn McCarthy (Globe and Mail) The Conservative government is formally shutting down its controversial biofuels subsidy program, saying companies producing biodiesel have failed to meet ambitious production targets. In a letter sent Thursday, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver rejected calls
February 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Rodney Hailey Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison for Selling $9 Million in Fraudulent Renewable Fuel Credits
(Environmental Protection Agency) Owner of “Clean Green Fuel” falsely claimed his company produced 23 million gallons of renewable fuel U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Rodney R. Hailey, of Perry Hall, Md., today to nearly 12 years and six
February 22, 2013 Read Full Article
US EPA's Byron Bunker Deciphers Biodiesel RIN QAP Proposed Rule
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) After U.S. EPA’s much-anticipated renewable identification number (RIN) quality assurance program (QAP) proposed rule was released last week, biodiesel producers and industry stakeholders at the 2013 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo in Las Vegas eagerly
February 13, 2013 Read Full Article
U.S. Biodiesel Producers Gain from Tax Reinstatement , RIN Integrity Programs
by Janet McGurty (Biofuels Digest) ...Larger producers of biodiesel like Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland get a higher price for their RINs than the producers with smaller balance sheets. For producers outside of the largest, integrated tier, RINs can fetch
January 11, 2013 Read Full Article
CN's $2.6M Mystery U.S. Trips Never Unloaded Biodiesel
(CBC News) A CBC News investigation has uncovered a cross-border mystery involving unexplained shipments of biodiesel tanker cars that were sent back and forth numerous times between Canada and the U.S. by CN Rail but were never unloaded. According to leaked
December 05, 2012 Read Full Article
EPA Releases Draft QAP Requirements for RIN Validation
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The U.S. EPA has released its draft quality assurance plan requirements as part of its work to restructure the renewable fuel standard program to ensure renewable identification number (RIN) credits generated are valid before entering the marketplace. These
November 12, 2012 Read Full Article
Integration of Biodiesel RIN Verification in the BQ-9000 Program
by Pete Moss (Biodiesel Magazine) BQ-9000 is the gold standard for quality control in the biodiesel industry. The accreditation program was developed by the National Biodiesel Board to ensure better quality in a rapidly growing market. A study completed in
October 26, 2012 Read Full Article
EcoEngineers RIN Program Manages 300 MMgy of Biodiesel Capacity
by Jim Baker (EcoEngineeers/Biodiesel Magazine) Last October, EcoEngineers unveiled its RIN Quality Assurance Program to address RIN fraud that was destabilizing biodiesel RIN markets. At that time, the idea of a RIN QAP was unheard of, and many in the
October 26, 2012 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Demand, Profitability Sink
by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register) So much biodiesel has been made and sold this year that the federal mandate for use of the biofuel has largely been met, resulting in a sudden loss of demand for the product and
October 25, 2012 Read Full Article
Integration of Biodiesel RIN Verification in the BQ-9000 Program
by Pete Moss (Biodiesel Magazine) BQ-9000 is the gold standard for quality control in the biodiesel industry. The accreditation program was developed by the National Biodiesel Board to ensure better quality in a rapidly growing market. A study completed in
October 03, 2012 Read Full Article
Minn. Biodiesel Plant First to Pass RIN Integrity Network Audit
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Minnesota Soybean Processors is the first biodiesel plant to pass Genscape’s RIN Integrity Network audit. ... The passing of its audit gives MnSP the first green icon on Genscape’s dashboard map of biodiesel producers, making it easy
August 26, 2012 Read Full Article
EPA to Propose US Biofuel Fraud Fix by End of 2012
by Ryan Tracy (Hydrocarbon Processing) ...The US Environmental Protection Agency late Tuesday made its first specific promises to address fraud in the alternative fuels market, a signal that months of negotiations with industry representatives are making progress. In a letter to
August 16, 2012 Read Full Article
RINtrust Program Formed as RFS2 Engineering Review Deadline Nears
by Frazier Barnes & Associates (Biodiesel Magazine) RIN fraud and RIN verification have emerged as key factors in a biodiesel plant’s viability as evidenced by the recent lawsuits for invalid RINs. As a result of a few bad apples, all
July 25, 2012 Read Full Article
Former Absolute Fuels CEO Arrested, Criminal Proceedings Begin
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Criminal proceedings are underway against Jeffrey David Gunselman, former CEO of Texas-based Absolute Fuels, in U.S. District Court as Judge Sam Cummings filed an official complaint last week authorizing Gunselman’s arrest. ...Absolute Fuels LLC out of
July 25, 2012 Read Full Article
EM Biofuels Announces Rollout of RINPlus(TM)
(MarketWatch) A Proprietary Renewable Identification Number (RIN) Assurance Program EM Biofuels, LLC announced today the rollout of RINPlus(TM), a proprietary, web-enabled platform that tracks the origin of each Renewable Identification Number (RIN). RINPlus(TM)( www.RINPLUS.com ) will give Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2)
July 23, 2012 Read Full Article
Perry Hall Man Convicted in Biodiesel Fraud Case
by Timothy B. Wheeler (Baltimore Sun) A federal jury convicted a Perry Hall man Monday of wire fraud and money laundering for selling $9 million worth of bogus biodiesel credits to commodities brokers and oil companies — a case that has
July 20, 2012 Read Full Article
Fraud Cases Leave Biodiesel Industry Reeling
by Timothy B. Wheeler (The Baltimore Sun) Biodiesel producers told a congressional panel Wednesday that they're struggling to stay afloat in the aftermath of fraud cases uncovered in Baltimore and Texas, and a spokesman for petroleum refiners faulted the Environmental Protection
July 13, 2012 Read Full Article
Maryland Man Convicted in Biodiesel Scam
by Ann E. Marimow (The Washington Post) A Maryland man was convicted Monday of selling phony biodiesel credits in a fraud case that has raised concerns about oversight of a renewable fuels program run by the Environmental Protection Agency. Rodney Hailey’s company, Clean
June 28, 2012 Read Full Article
Identifying, Avoiding Scams in Large Biodiesel Project Funding
by Peter Brown (Biodiesel Magazine/Euro Marketing Tools Inc.) Financing large projects that include biodiesel processors, crushers and support equipment has become very complex, attracting a new type of predator with clever tricks to fraudulently divert investment revenue streams to him. ...An
June 15, 2012 Read Full Article
RIN Programs Merge to Stabilize Biodiesel Market
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) An agreement has been struck between Genscape Inc. and Lee Enterprises Consulting to merge Lee Enterprises’ renewable identification number (RIN) verification program, RIN 9000, into Genscape’s trademarked RIN Integrity Network. Supported by the National Biodiesel Board
June 14, 2012 Read Full Article
FBI Raids Park Ridge Renewable Energy Company
by Hugh R. Morley and Linh Tat (NorthJersey.com) FBI and local law enforcement officers raided a Montvale home and a Park Ridge building that houses several renewable energy companies Thursday in connection with a probe into fraud in the bio-diesel industry, a company executive
June 05, 2012 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Makers Hope New Audit Program Thaws RIN Market
(Argus Media) Small biodiesel makers hope an outside firm brought in to authenticate fuel production will thaw a renewable identification number (RIN) market chilled by two years of fraud. Genscape's RIN Integrity program – set to launch by the end of
May 21, 2012 Read Full Article
Case No. 3: EPA Issues Green Diesel Violation for 60M Bad RINs
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The U.S. EPA issued a Notice of Violation to Houston-based Green Diesel LLC April 30 for generating more than 60 million invalid biomass-based diesel (D-Code 4) renewable identification numbers (RINs) under the federal renewable fuel
May 02, 2012 Read Full Article
EPA Levies Administrative Fines for Invalid Biodiesel RINs
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The U.S. EPA has announced the amount of administrative settlements levied against 30 obligated parties and renewable fuel exporters due to the purchase of invalid biodiesel renewable identification numbers (RINs) used by EPA to track
April 26, 2012 Read Full Article
The Serious Fraud Office Launches an Investigation into Sustainable AgroEnergy, Operator of an Unregulated Investment Scheme.
by Gavin Lumsden (CityWire) The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched an investigation into Sustainable AgroEnergy, a London-based company that promoted itself to Sipp investors as a specialist in renewable biofuel crops and 'green oil' from Asia. According to Citywire's New Model Adviser magazine, which broke
March 29, 2012 Read Full Article
National Biodiesel Board Introduces First Phase of RIN Solution
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The first phase of the National Biodiesel Board’s measures to help restore integrity to the renewable identification number (RIN) credit market was established yesterday after NBB held a town hall meeting with its members to
March 14, 2012 Read Full Article
National Conference Pinpoints Latest Industry Issues
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Upholding RFS2, RIN integrity and expanding mandate lead discussions The National Biodiesel Conference & Expo took place Feb. 5-8 in Orlando, Fla., where the industry’s latest challenges were laid out: defending the renewable fuel standard (RFS2); restoring
March 02, 2012 Read Full Article
Biodiesel RIN Task Force Set, First Meeting Scheduled for Feb. 28
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Earlier this month, at the National Biodiesel Conference in Orlando, Fla., National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe said he and NBB chairman Gary Haer were establishing a task force, comprised of representatives from the U.S.
February 29, 2012 Read Full Article
Firm Says it Was Sold Phony Fuel Credits
(Courthouse News Service) A fuel distributor claims two companies sold it millions of "fraudulently created, and thus invalid" renewable fuel identification numbers. RIN numbers are part of the U.S. EPA's Renewable Fuel Standard program, to encourage use of renewable fuels. ...Vinmar
November 17, 2011 Read Full Article
EPA May Deem More Biodiesel RINs as Invalid over Alleged Fraud: Lawyer
(Platts) The US Environmental Protection Agency may end up deeming more biodiesel renewable identification numbers (RINs) as invalid following federal investigations into two companies that allegedly sold RINS without producing the appropriate volumes of biodiesel, a lawyer familiar with the
November 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Closed Bio-Fuel Firm Tried, Failed at Making Own Product
by Walt Nett (Avalanche-Journal/LubbockOnline) Absolute Fuels tried twice to make biodiesel, but lost money the first time around and couldn’t produce usable fuel the next time, according to information in federal affidavits filed in connection with search and seizure warrants
November 03, 2011 Read Full Article
Maryland Man Charged with Fraud in Renewable Fuel Scheme
(GreenMuck.com) A criminal information was filed today charging Rodney R. Hailey, age 33, of Perry Hall, Maryland, with wire fraud, money laundering and a violation of the Clean Air Act, in connection with a scheme in which he allegedly sold $9
October 04, 2011 Read Full Article
7 Guilty in European Biodiesel Investment Fraud
by The Serious Fraud Office (Biodiesel Magazine) Seven men are facing jail after being convicted at Ipswich Crown Court for their roles in a boiler-room fraud that pulled in more than £8 million ($12,650,400). The Spanish-based operation targeted thousands of investors