(Department of Energy/Argonne National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) Argonne’s Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies Model (GREET), using data provided by Gevo, is expected to yield results about its carbon footprint within a few months. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne
GREET Greenhouse Gases Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Transportation Model
Back TO HOMEU.S. Farm & Biofuel Leaders Seek Immediate Aviation Fuel Fix to Budget Bill
(Renewable Fuels Association) America’s top biofuel and farm advocates called on Democratic leaders to fix a major flaw in the House Ways & Means Committee text released Friday night for tax provisions of the budget reconciliation, which is set for consideration Tuesday. As
September 14, 2021 Read Full Article
Not so Fast: But Biofuel and Agriculture Advocates Are Sounding the Alarm
by Matthew Choi (Politico's Morning Energy) Not so fast: But biofuel and agriculture advocates are sounding the alarm over the language of a proposed $1.25-$1.75 sustainable aviation fuel tax credit, which they argue would make the administration's new SAF targets extremely difficult to achieve.
September 13, 2021 Read Full Article
Biofuels Offer a Cost-Effective Way to Lower Shipping Emissions
(Argonne National Laboratory/Tech Xplore) Marine shipping traffic has grown steadily over the past decade—and so have the associated greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon emissions from ships grew almost 10% between 2012 and 2018, and the industry is a large consumer of
September 06, 2021 Read Full Article
Biofuels Offer Unique Opportunities
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant (American Agriculturalist/Farm Progress) Corn ethanol is still the king of biofuels, but other crop-based fuels are growing. -- ... Ron Alverson, a crop producer representing the American Coalition for Ethanol’s board of directors and the Dakota Ethanol
August 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Thune, Farm-State Colleagues to Biden: Biofuels Noticeably Absent From Your Agenda
(Office of Senator John Thune R-SD) U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today led several of his colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden requesting a meeting with him and representatives of his cabinet to discuss the Renewable Fuel Standard and promote biofuels
July 29, 2021 Read Full Article
Jeanne McCaherty's Testimony to MN House Conference Committee on the Future Fuels Act
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) ... Jeanne McCaherty, CEO of Guardian Energy and board member of MN Bio-Fuels, testified in support of the Future Fuels Act to the Minnesota House Conference Committee. Here's her testimony in full: ... Specifically, we have discussed strategies that can harness
May 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Biofuels Industry Wary of Tech-Neutral Tax Credit Absent CI Model Changes
by Patrick Newkumet (OPIS) Alternative low-carbon fuel producers would receive tax credits for reaching net-zero emissions under a U.S. Senate bill introduced last month, but biofuel industry stakeholders are concerned they will find it difficult to reach that target by 2030
May 21, 2021 Read Full Article
More Research to Back the Bills: University of Nebraska Researchers Have Proven E30 Is Safe
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) University of Nebraska Researchers have proven E30 is safe for long-term use in non-flex fuel vehicles. The findings could bolster the push for state- and federal-level low-carbon fuel legislation. -- Two researchers from the
May 19, 2021 Read Full Article
Getting the Most from Sustainable Aviation Fuel
by Lloyd Ritter (Green Capitol LLC/Biofuels Digest) The aviation industry is currently responsible for less than 3% of total global carbon emissions, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). But with air travel expected to increase by more than 60 percent
May 19, 2021 Read Full Article
American Coalition for Ethanol Commends Scientists For Evidence Ethanol Must Be Part Of The Climate Solution
(American Coalition for Ethanol/GrainNet) American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) welcomed more scientifically credible evidence provided by Department of Energy Argonne National Lab scientists that explicitly states, “Corn ethanol plays an important role in enhancing energy security and the rural economy while contributing to
May 10, 2021 Read Full Article
American Coalition for Ethanol: USDA Must Reward Farmers, Biofuel Facilities For Carbon-Cutting Contributions
(American Coalition for Ethanol/Grainnet) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) encouraged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help establish a protocol for biofuel producers and farmers to easily document the carbon intensity benefits of changes in agricultural practices in comments submitted April 29 regarding USDA’s climate strategy for President
May 01, 2021 Read Full Article
RFA to USDA: Ethanol Fuels Climate-Smart Agriculture, Energizes Rural Communities
(Renewable Fuels Association) In separate comment letters submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Renewable Fuels Association explained how expanded ethanol production and use can support the administration’s “climate-smart” agriculture goals and encouraged USDA to use the Rural Energy Pilot
April 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Second Food Scraps-to-RNG Project Certified Under California LCFS GREET 3.0
by Nathalie Hoffman (LCFS Consulting Services, Inc./BioCycle Magazine) Before January 2021, no food scraps-to-renewable natural gas (RNG) pathways had been certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) under CA-GREET 3.0 — the version of the life cycle analysis model used
April 21, 2021 Read Full Article
Senators Ask USDA to Update Biodiesel Emissions Study
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) A group of 10 senators led by Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., on March 18 sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging the USDA to complete a full lifecycle assessment of
April 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Coprocessing at Diesel Refinery: bp Products, North America — Cherry Point Refinery | Blaine, Washington
(EcoEngineers) bp’s Cherry Point Refinery is the first refinery in the Pacific Northwest capable of manufacturing diesel made from biomass-based feedstocks, which are processed alongside conventional feedstocks in an existing ultralow-sulfur diesel unit. Renewable diesel has the same properties as conventional ultralow-sulfur
April 05, 2021 Read Full Article
Ethanol’s Carbon Impact In The Fuel Tank
(Urban Air Initiative) A new study is underway to determine whether corn based ethanol makes a larger contribution to the reduction of GHG emissions than it is currently receiving credit. The Urban Air Initiative commissioned a study with Transport Energy Strategies to look
February 12, 2021 Read Full Article
Thune, Klobuchar Reintroduce Bill to Recognize Environmental Benefit of Biofuels, Efficient Farming
(Office of Senator John Thune (R-S.D.)) U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today reintroduced the Adopt GREET Act, legislation that would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update its greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol and biodiesel. Specifically, the bill would require
February 04, 2021 Read Full Article
Aemetis Opens Bid Proposal Process for $2 billion Offtake Agreement for “Carbon Zero” Renewable Jet and Diesel Fuels
(Aemetis) Aircraft and Trucks to be Supplied with ‘Carbon Zero’ Drop-In Biofuels using Solar and Hydro Electricity-Powered Systems to Convert Renewable Hydrogen and Biomass into Biofuel -- Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced today that it has opened the bid proposal process for $2
February 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Aemetis “Carbon Zero” Solar Energy and Energy Efficiency Upgrades Supported by $16.8 million of California CEC and Utility Grants
(Aemetis) Estimated $18 million per year of increased net income ($0.75 earnings per share) -- Aemetis, Inc.(NASDAQ: AMTX) announced that its “Carbon Zero” biofuels production process has received a total of $16.8 million of solar energy and other energy efficiency grants
January 25, 2021 Read Full Article
Getting to Neutral Carbon: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Carbon Drawdown
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s A.J. Simon shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC 2020 to look at the role that bioeconomy pathways play in drawing down CO2 from the atmosphere. From pathway selection, corn starch,
January 19, 2021 Read Full Article
Aemetis: Patent Award Enables Launch of ‘Carbon Zero’ Plants
(Aemetis/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Aemetis Inc. announced Jan. 15 that its exclusively licensed technology for the production of below zero carbon renewable fuel was awarded U.S. Patent No. 10907184 (to be published February 2, 2021), enabling the launch of Aemetis “Carbon Zero” production plants
January 19, 2021 Read Full Article
Gevo Announces Net-Zero Project Concept
(Gevo) Gevo, Inc. (“Gevo”) (NASDAQ: GEVO), announces the concept of Net-Zero Projects for the production of energy dense liquid hydrocarbons using renewable energy and Gevo’s proprietary technology. The concept of a Net-Zero Project is to convert renewable energy (photosynthetic, wind, renewable
January 12, 2021 Read Full Article
Study Shows Rapid Expansion of US RNG Industry
(Energy Vision / Biomass Magazine) Sustainable energy NGO Energy Vision has released its most recent joint assessment of the U.S. renewable natural gas (RNG) industry, performed on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory. The assessment, which consists
December 23, 2020 Read Full Article
Carbon Intensity Is Important for Renewable Fuels Investments
by Dave Collings (1898 & Co./Burns & McDonnell) As developers, investors and plant operators explore options to increase production and market share of renewable fuels, the concept of carbon intensity (CI) must be well-understood. It might be the deciding factor that
December 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Report: E15 Poised to Fast-Track Climate Progress
(Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Growth Energy, the nation’s largest association of biofuel producers and supporters, released a new report examining the potential climate benefits of a nationwide transition from the standard 10-percent ethanol blended fuel (E10) to a 15-percent ethanol blend (E15). The report was authored by Air Improvement
December 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Altair Paramount Seeking Fuel Pathway Approvals from CARB
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In California, Altair Paramount, LLC has applied for fuel pathways for renewable diesel, renewable naphtha and renewable jet fuels derived from rendered animal fat feedstock and processed at their facility in Paramount, California. Altair sources rendered inedible
December 04, 2020 Read Full Article
ANL Releases 2020 Updates to GREET Models
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Argonne National Laboratory’s Systems Assessment Center on Oct. 9 announced the 2020 release of the suite of Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET) models. GREET is a life-cycle analysis tool that can
October 13, 2020 Read Full Article
ACE: Legislation Would Require EPA to Update GREET
(American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Today (August 6, 2020), Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., introduced the Adopt GREET Act, which would require U.S. EPA to update its decade-old greenhouse gas lifecycle modeling for ethanol and biodiesel. American Coalition for Ethanol
August 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Potential Feedstocks, Biofuel Markets, Corn and Cellulosic Ethanol: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Increasing Feedstock Production for Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)The Biomass Research and Development Board published a report that looks at how to address the constraints surrounding availability of biomass feedstocks for biofuels. Four questions guide the analysis: What feedstocks and at what price? What
July 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Driving Ethanol's Digital Transformation
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol producers are no strangers to computers and automation. Distributed control systems (DCS) have been in use for decades to monitor and control fermentation and distillation. Indeed, the needs of the ethanol industry drove
June 16, 2020 Read Full Article
Converting Biomass Plant into RNG – Costs, LCA: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Low-Carbon Renewable Natural Gas from Wood Wastes – Part 2
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Part 1 Slide Guide looked at the GTI study’s resource analysis, site layout catalysts requirements, but for today’s Part 2, we are focusing on the money and the charts. Dive into the details on
April 16, 2020 Read Full Article
Congresswoman Angie Craig Leads Letter Reiterating Support for Biofuels, Reducing Carbon Emissions
(Office of Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-MN2)) Today, U.S. Reps. Angie Craig (MN-02) and Dave Loebsack (IA-02) delivered a letter signed by 11 members on the bipartisan Congressional Biofuels Caucus urging the Select Committee on Climate Crisis to include biofuels as a
February 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Argonne Collaboration Shows Benefits of Better Corn Residue Management Strategies
(U.S. Department of Energy) As the global population swells, boosting the demand for both food and energy, land management has never been more important. Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory are conducting pivotal research that
December 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Could Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions By 96%
by Steve Hanley (Clean Technica) There is nothing inherently wrong with internal combustion engines. The problem is the fuels we use to run them emit billions of tons of greenhouse gases every year, gases which cause the Earth to get hotter.
December 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Simplify Your Fuel Decision with Biodiesel
by Steve Klein (ACT News/Renewable Energy Group) With so many fuel options available these days, it can be hard to know which is right for your fleet. As a fleet owner or manager, you’re undoubtedly keeping emissions, performance, and ease of
November 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Argonne National Laboratory Releases 2019 GREET Model
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Argonne National Laboratory’s 2019 GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation) models include changes and updates to carbon calculations for land use change from the production of biofuels, as well as
November 05, 2019 Read Full Article
The 10 Most Overlooked Stories in the Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This is such Top Secret stuff that every announcement was, we surmise, buried in the hardest-to-find hole, on the loneliest street, of the most out-of-the-way town on Planet Neptune. Just shows what you might find down a
October 09, 2019 Read Full Article
What’s the Plan to Increase Ethanol Use? Low Carbon Octane Standard Could Be the Way to Increase Ethanol Use beyond E15.
by Brian Jennings (Ethanol Producer Magazine/American Coalition for Ethanol) ... Are we simply going to play defense on the RFS and hope the E15 market develops quickly, or can we turn the page, go on offense and initiate a new
September 03, 2019 Read Full Article
American Coalition for Ethanol : ACE Calls on EPA to Rely on the GREET Model as It Considers Future RFS Volumes
(American Coalitin for Ethanol/Market Screener) American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings highlighted the important role corn ethanol could have in further reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if properly valued under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in a letter to Environmental Protection
July 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Senators Urge EPA to Update Science on Ethanol
(Feedstuffs) EPA has rejected calls to update GHG calculations based on technological advancements in ethanol production. -- A bipartisan group of senators led by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition &
June 26, 2019 Read Full Article
GREET Advances Understanding of the Sustainability of Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biopower
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model is a tool that examines the life-cycle impacts of vehicle technologies, fuels, products, and energy systems. It provides a transparent platform through which energy and vehicle producers,
May 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Comparison of Biofuel Life-Cycle GHG Emissions Assessment Tools: The Case Studies of Ethanol Produced from Sugarcane, Corn, and Wheat
by L.G.Pereira, O.Cavalett, A.Bonomi, Y.Zhang, E.Warner, H.L.Chum (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews) Highlights: Emissions ranged from 16 to 45 for sugarcane and 43–62 g CO2eq MJ−1 for corn ethanol. LCA tools produce similar results when harmonized to the maximum possible extent. Models are sensitive to methodology,
May 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Technical Report Comparison of Biofuel Life Cycle Analysis Tools
(Task 39 – Commercializing Liquid Biofuels/International Energy Agency (IEA Bioenergy)) ... Bioenergy plays an important role in the decarbonization of the transportation sector. Its medium and long-term benefits depend on the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions brought forth by the conversion
April 02, 2019 Read Full Article
LCFS in California Means Big Gains for RNG
by Todd Campbell (California Natural Gas Vehicle Partnership) California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) began the new year with significant and positive changes, which are looking very beneficial for renewable natural gas (RNG). In ACT News last July, we defined what RNG
March 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Commercializing Conventional and Advanced Liquid Biofuels from Biomass: Task 39 Update
(IEA Bioenergy Task 39) ... Task work that has recently been completed and will soon be posted on the “publically available” sections of the Task 39 website (http://task39.ieabioenergy.com/) includes the final report entitled, “Survey of Advanced Fuels for Advanced Engines” which Task 39 carried
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
US Ethanol Industry Razzes 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard Proposal: The Why and the Who
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The 2019 proposed US Renewable Fuel Standard proposed volumes attracted a major raspberry from the ethanol industry. As the American Coalition for Ethanol noted: “Unfortunately, EPA continues to take actions which undermine the letter and spirit of the
August 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels versus Gasoline: The Emissions Gap Is Widening
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... Many respected laboratories, agencies, and researchers have used a lifecycle analysis to show that biofuels, particularly advanced biofuels, provide significant carbon benefits compared to gasoline. These benefits have increased in recent years, as biofuels have
September 03, 2016 Read Full Article
The Renewable Fuel Standard: Working as Intended?
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... With a potential omnibus spending package on the table this fall, the oil industry and some environmental groups have raised again the proposition of RFS reform. Two major claims made by RFS-reformers are that biofuels,
August 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Argonne Rolls Out New Version of Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Analysis Tool
by Katie Elyce Jones (Argonne National Laboratory) Despite the potential benefits, being one of the first businesses or individuals to embrace a new product or technology can be daunting. That's why the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory