by Stephanie Searle and Kristine Bitnere (International Council on Clean Transportation) Indonesia promotes biodiesel consumption through a blending mandate and a subsidy program. The current required biodiesel blend level in transport fuels is 20%, set to increase to 30% in 2020.
fuel economy
Back TO HOMEClearing Up Myths About E85 And Ethanol: 16 Things You Need To Know
by Jeff Smith (Dragzine) Over the years we’ve seen all sorts of misinformation floating around the web on various forums and other social media interfaces with respect to E85 and ethanol fuels, so in the interest of education, we’ve taken
April 14, 2018 Read Full Article
House Hearing Focus on High Octane Fuels
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment will be holding a hearing this morning (Friday, April 13, 2018) on “High Octane Fuels and High Efficiency Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities.” The hearing will take a look at the potential
April 13, 2018 Read Full Article
California Says a Car-Emissions Deal With Trump Could Be Doable
by Mark Chediak, Ryan Beene, and John Lippert (Bloomberg) ‘Reason could prevail,’ chair of Air Resources Board says; State is considering a lawsuit to preserve its options -- California’s top air-quality regulator sees hope for a deal with the Trump administration over fuel
April 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Vehicle Transformation through New Fuels: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Clean Fuels Development Coalition
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It may be renaissance times for the Clean Fuels Development Coalition. Their long quest to upend proposed Obama-era vehicle efficiency rules that ignored the potential to improve efficiency and emissions via clear high performance fuels has
April 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump to Roll Back Fuel Standards for Cars, Light Trucks -- Ford, GM Positions
by Todd Spangler and Eric Lawrence (Detroit Free Press) ... General Motors said that, regardless of what standard is ultimately set, it remained committed to "improving fuel economy, reducing emissions and an all-electric future," including working on shared and self-driving vehicles which
April 03, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA: EPA and NHTSA Should Consider Role of High Octane Fuels in Upcoming CAFE/GHG Rulemaking
by Emily Druckman (Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today encouraged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to strongly consider the role of high-octane fuels and higher compression ratio engines as the
April 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Carmakers’ 'Harmonization’ Push Could Soften Fuel Efficiency Gains (1)
by Abby Smith (Bloomberg Environment) Automakers seek consistency in EPA, NHTSA programs as agencies weigh standards’ future; Environmentalists say push is meant to soften vehicle limits -- Automakers may already get what they want this spring as the Trump administration eyes lower
February 22, 2018 Read Full Article
New DOE Study: Ethanol Among Best Options for Future Engine Efficiency Improvements and Emissions Reduction
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today hailed the release of two studies by the Department of Energy that find ethanol-based high octane fuels can deliver substantial fuel economy improvements and emissions reductions when paired with optimized internal combustion
February 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Soaring SUV Sales Drive Record-Low Carbon Emissions, EPA Says
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) ... "Sport utility vehicles reached record-high market share, while also achieving record-low CO2 emissions and record high fuel economy," according to the Environmental Protection Agency's report on model-year 2016 vehicles' fuel economy trends. Smaller two-wheel drive
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Summary of Accomplishments
by Brian Jennings (American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... ACE believes the best way to grow demand well into the future is to harness the low-carbon, high-octane value of ethanol. That’s why we were very encouraged that for the first
January 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Can Lawmakers Find a Middle Way on Fuel Efficiency? House Lawmakers Debate Harmonizing EPA, NHTSA Standards
by Jessie Stolark (Enviromental and Energy Study Institute) On December 12, the House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing, “Update on the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Program (CAFE) and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Motor Vehicles.” At the heart of
December 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Fuel Economy Is Going up. Vehicle Prices Are Holding Steady.
by Eric Junga (American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy) In responding to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) action on vehicle standards, ACEEE found that average vehicle prices have remained essentially flat over the past 15 years, even as average fuel economy improves. The finding
November 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Groups Comment on CAFE-GHG Standards
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and American Coalition for Ethanol have all submitted public comments to U.S. EPA and National Highway Transportation Safety Administration stressing the benefits of high-octane ethanol fuels in response to
October 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Urges EPA to Take New Look at Midlevel Blends
by Jeff Barber (Oil Price Information Service) he U.S. ethanol industry is hoping it can obtain from the Trump administration something it could not get from the Obama White House: an acknowledgement that higher levels of ethanol blended with gasoline
September 18, 2017 Read Full Article
New Analysis Shows Fuel Economy and Emissions Standards Enhance Auto Industry Financial Prospects
(Ceres) Financial risks faced by legacy automakers due to evolving marketplace, not fuel economy standards -- As disruption from new technologies, mobility models and global trends threaten financial prospects for legacy automakers, national fuel economy and emissions standards can help
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Research Aims to ‘Co-Optimize’ Biofuels for Future Engines
(Agri-Pulse) Research aimed at finding the right combination of fuels and engine technology that would maximize a car's performance while reducing its greenhouse gas emissions has reached a milestone that ethanol advocates hope gets wider acknowledgement from policy makers. The Co-Optimization of
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
$45B Annual Windfall for US Consumers with a Gasoline-Engine Overhaul? EPA Is Getting a Patent Worth Knowing about
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the US Patent & Trademark Office has just issued a “notice of allowance” for a patent by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency for a high efficiency, high compression engine that would reduce
June 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Livin’ La Vida Octane: The Quest for Torque and Affordable, Sustainable Vroom
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In recent days. we’ve been updating some very useful industry charts relating to costs, carbon, and biofuels — and here’s another highly useful chart from the University of Illinois that looks at ethanol as a
May 23, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Administrator Signs Final Determination for Model Year 2022-2025 Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Standards
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy has signed a final determination, finding that the light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for Model Years 2022-2025, adopted in 2012, are feasible and appropriate under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act and do
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Why Trump Needs to Embrace Obama’s Fuel Rules to Make America Energy Independent
by Jason Bordoff (Reuters) Since the Arab Oil Embargo four decades ago, every president has promised to wean the United States off the need for foreign oil. President-elect Trump is no different, promising in his speeches and transition plans to achieve “energy
November 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Renewable Diesel Powers Hamburg Airport's Heavy-Duty Ground fleet
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) Neste Corp. announced that Hamburg airport in Germany has started using its renewable diesel to reduce the airport’s reliance on fossil fuels and significantly reduce its carbon footprint. Renewable diesel will power heavy-duty vehicles such as aircraft tugs
November 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Automakers Outperform Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for 4th Consecutive Year
(Environmental Protection Agency) Average fuel economy reaches record 24.8 miles per gallon -- Passenger vehicles achieved record-high fuel economy while outperforming greenhouse gas emission standards in model year 2015, according to two reports released today by the U.S. Environmental Protection
November 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Path to Improved Fuel Economy Includes Ethanol
by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) A Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) director says the auto industry path to improved fuel economy includes higher blends of ethanol. Randall Doyal, CEO of Al-Corn Clean Fuel in southeast Minnesota, tells Brownfield the ethanol industry is
October 19, 2016 Read Full Article
#Ethanol Groups Submit CAFE Comments
by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) Comments regarding the goals of the CAFE-GHG standards were due yesterday (September 26, 2016) to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and ethanol organizations made their voices heard. Comments submitted by the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE)
September 30, 2016 Read Full Article
The Car-Emissions Sleuth Who’s Costing Chrysler $5 Billion
by John Lippert and Jeff Plungis (Bloomberg) ... As head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s air-quality and transportation office, (Chris) Grundler holds as much sway as any single human over how global automakers allocate more than $100 billion in R&D money
September 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Survey Shows Suppliers Support for Existing 2025 Federal Light-duty Vehicle Fuel Economy Regulation
(CALSTART) First-ever fuel economy survey of auto suppliers: 70 percent don’t want policymakers to change standards -- Tier 1 suppliers want long-term goals, support 2025 targets Major automotive suppliers see national fuel economy standards as important for long-term planning and investment and
September 15, 2016 Read Full Article
CAFE Standards: What’s Biomass Got to Do with It?
by Rebecca Chillrud (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On July 18, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released their Draft Technical Assessment Report (TAR), providing a midterm evaluation
September 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Energy Department Studies Show Major Ethanol Benefits
(WNAX) The U.S. Energy Department has released the results of a compilation of several studies that show mid level ethanol blends, E 25 and E 40 could offer significant benefits for the United States. Renewable Fuels Associations Senior Vice President
August 31, 2016 Read Full Article
Vehicle Rules Will Fall Short on Emissions, Fuel Savings, Agencies Say
by Alex Guillén (Politico Pro) U.S. vehicle efficiency rules won't deliver the carbon reductions or fuel savings President Barack Obama promised in his first term because cheap gasoline has set off a buying spree of gas-guzzling trucks and sport-utility vehicles,
July 18, 2016 Read Full Article
US EPA, US DOT, California’s Air Resources Board Issue Draft Technical Assessment Report of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Economy Standards for Model Year 2022-2025 Cars and Light Trucks
(U.S. Department of Transportation) The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the California Air Resource Board (CARB) today took the first step in the mid-term evaluation of the National Program for greenhouse gas emissions
July 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Industry Looks to Meet Strong Demand, Emission Needs
by Bill Tiedje (Iowa Farmer Today) ... Most ethanol plants have been paid off and can now manage production to meet needs; however, if a plant slows output to match decreased demand, production efficiencies also decrease, he said. Record gasoline demand Driving
June 16, 2016 Read Full Article
Amyris Fuels First Delivery of New Airbus A350-900 Airplane for Cathay Pacific as Part of Two-Year Biojet Agreement
(Amyris/Globe Newswire) Two Year Committed Jet Fuel Supply Deal Demonstrating Continued Strong Farnesene Demand -- Amyris, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMRS), the industrial bioscience company, today announced that, on May 29, 2016, Cathay Pacific commenced a two-year program of flights from Toulouse to
June 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Engine Design Trends Lead to Increased Demand for Higher-Octane Gasoline
(US Energy Information Administration) Since 2013, the share of premium gasoline in total motor gasoline sales has steadily increased, reaching 11.3%, the highest share in over a decade, in August and September 2015. While lower gasoline prices may be supporting demand
April 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Protecting Public Health Through Cleaner Fuels and Lower Emissions
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing examining the health impacts of current octane sources and the need for cleaner, cost-effective octane providers. Octane is necessary for vehicle performance and increasing octane
December 18, 2015 Read Full Article
DOE Report : Ethanol Is Key for Increased Engine Efficiency and Reducing Emissions
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) ... According to the DOE's 2015 Quadrennial Technology Review, the internal combustion engine is one of the most promising and cost-effective approaches to improving fuel economy in the near to mid-term. This, the DOE said, can be achieved
October 28, 2015 Read Full Article
The Need For A New Fuel Paradigm: Transitioning From Legacy Fuels to Modern Efficient Fuels
by Bill Brandon (Leaders in Energy) ... This two-part White Paper presents the proposition that we need to transition away from the legacy fuels we use today to modern liquid and gas fuels[1] that: 1) reduce or eliminate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
June 25, 2015 Read Full Article
The Bio-Fuel Sector Is Attracting Some Big Names
by Reuben Brewer (The Motley Fool) Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM ) and FutureFuel (NYSE: FF ) are two relatively small companies largely focused on the emerging bio-fuel market. However, they aren't the only players in the space. And some of the other companies, like DuPont (NYSE: DD ) , operate on a
May 22, 2014 Read Full Article
In the Black: Advanced Biofuels and Chems: Sizzling Carbon and Parity-Pricing Updates
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A report published by strategic energy consultancy Element Energy finds that by 2030, higher levels of advanced biofuels could cut Britain’s annual car CO2 emissions by 27% or 12 million tonnes a year — at
September 18, 2013 Read Full Article
Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2012
(Environmental Protection Agency) EPA’s annual report that tracks the fuel economy of vehicles sold in the United States is signaling a significant 1.4 mile per gallon (mpg) increase for 2012 cars and trucks – along with a continued decrease in
March 15, 2013 Read Full Article
The Biggest Biofuels Myths, DeMythtefied
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) When headlines run dire, ask yourself: are they real? In today’s Digest, we give you a guide to managing the myth minefield — and the roaring trade in disinformation about biofuels, feedstocks, and social
January 11, 2013 Read Full Article
Consumer Reports Survey: Americans Say Fuel Economy Most Important Car Buying Factor
(PR NewsWire/Consumer Reports) Nearly three-quarters of drivers would consider an alternative fuel vehicle for their next car ...Some two-thirds of owners surveyed said they expected their next vehicle to get better fuel mileage than the one they're driving now. While gasoline