by Andrew Swanson, Shawn Arita, Joseph Cooper, and Seth Meyer (farmdoc daily) Renewable fuel policies like the national Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) have created a boom in the consumption of alternative diesels. These alternative diesels come
land use change
Back TO HOMEProgress On New Mexico’s Clean Fuel Standard
by Kari Buttenhoff and Danielle Anderson (Christianson PLLP/Ethanol Producer Magazine) New Mexico is making significant strides toward implementing its recently passed legislation adopting a Clean Transportation Fuel Standard (CTFS), modeled after the clean fuel standards in California, Oregon and Washington, and
November 15, 2024 Read Full Article
Challenges and Opportunities for B.C. Biofuels
by Nelson Bennett (Delta Optimist) Biofuels' environmental and economic opportunities for Canada: C.D. Howe -- Canada is well-positioned to profit both environmentally and economically from a growing biofuel industry, but faces risks in scaling up biofuel production in a way that is
November 13, 2024 Read Full Article
California Dreamin’: The Decades Long Hate-Love-Hate Relationship between California and Ethanol Is Trending the Wrong Way.
by Doug Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Governors' Biofuels Coalition) With 29 million cars on the road and a nearly 14 billion gallon gasoline market, the state of California is a market unto itself. With 1.4 billion gallons of ethanol in the
November 12, 2024 Read Full Article
CARB Updates the Low Carbon Fuel Standard to Increase Access to Cleaner Fuels and Zero-Emission Transportation 0ptions
(California Air Resources Board) The approved program amendments will catalyze private sector investment in decarbonizing California’s transportation sector to support climate action and cleaner air. -- The California Air Resources Board today approved updates to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) that
November 10, 2024 Read Full Article
Mayor Vinis Urging New Location for Biofuel Transfer Station
by Tiffany Lewis (16 KMTR) Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis is working to stop a proposed biofuel transfer facility from being built in the Trainsong neighborhood. This development comes after city staff approved the USD Clean Fuel's zone verification application in June. The City
November 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Tackling the Hidden Emissions of Waste Oil Feedstocks
(SkyNRG) SkyNRG’s approach to displacement greenhouse gas effects. -- Policy is increasingly considering the indirect land use change (ILUC) effects associated with food and feed commodities. However, indirect emissions related to the displacement of feedstock are assessed to a much lesser extent.
November 04, 2024 Read Full Article
Govt Preparing Incentives for Biodiesel Commercialization
(Antara) The government and relevant parties are currently developing financial and incentive policies to support the commercialization of biodiesel, particularly through partnerships between smallholder farmers, independent farmers, and biodiesel producers. Director of bioenergy at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources,
October 26, 2024 Read Full Article
GAPKI Takes Advantage of EUDR Delay to Prepare Smallholders
(Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI)) The Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) Chairman Eddy Martono has stated that they will take advantage of the delayed implementation of European Union Deforestation-Free Regulations (EUDR) to improve the ecosystem of palm oil in Indonesia. Addressing the
October 24, 2024 Read Full Article
RFA: Latest Proposal for California LCFS Updates Fundamentally Flawed
(Renewable Fuels Association) Proposed regulations updating California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard are fundamentally flawed and could significantly restrict the future use of low-carbon ethanol in the state, the Renewable Fuels Association noted in comments submitted late Wednesday to the state’s Air Resources Board
October 17, 2024 Read Full Article
Commission Strengthens Support for EU Deforestation Regulation Implementation and Proposes Extra 12 Months of Phasing-in Time, Responding to Calls by Global Partners
(European Commission) The Commission is today (October 1, 2024) publishing additional guidance documents and a stronger international cooperation framework to support global stakeholders, Member States and third countries in their preparations for the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation. Given feedback received from international partners about their
October 10, 2024 Read Full Article
Commentaries: Yes, It’s Time to Rethink Ethanol
by James Lenz (Minnesota Star-Tribune) I enjoyed Karen Tolkkinen’s fresh look at the ethanol situation (“The time is ripe to rethink ethanol,” Sept. 1). Yes, she writes with a tentative voice, obeying the rules for “Minnesota Nice.” Her perspective probably matches what
September 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Ag Policy Blog: Reforming Climate Models: Leveling the Playing Field for American Agriculture
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) Seth Meyer, USDA's chief economist, explained Monday at an agricultural outlook conference in Kansas City, Missouri, that he didn't want to get too deep into the weeds, but he told the audience of agribusiness leaders
September 23, 2024 Read Full Article
Republican Lawmakers Call Summit Pipeline Approval an ‘Attack on the Constitution’: Lawsuits Challenge Permit Approval in State and Federal Courts
by Cami Koons (Iowa Capital Dispatch) Republican lawmakers opposing the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline said the Iowa Utilities Commission’s approval of the project was an attack on “God-given” Fifth Amendment rights. The remarks came from a group of nearly 40 lawmakers who
September 12, 2024 Read Full Article
RFA Urges California to Adopt E15, Drop Unneeded LCFS Feedstock Tracking Requirements --- Hearing Scheduled for November 8, 2024
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association late yesterday called on California to allow the lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 fuel blend, containing 15 percent ethanol, as part of its efforts to enhance the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard. “E15 is a critical near-term
August 28, 2024 Read Full Article
California’s Proposed LCFS Cap on Soy, Canola Biofuels ‘Far Worse than Anticipated’ Public Comment DEADLINE August 27, 2024
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) California Air Resources Board published proposed amendments Aug. 12 to the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which, if implemented, would set stricter carbon-intensity (CI) targets, impose significant limitations on vegetable-oil feedstocks and add new sustainability
August 20, 2024 Read Full Article
Trucks Out, Trains In: Fayetteville Switches Ethanol Transport to Rail
by Evey Weisblat (City View) The change will significantly reduce the number of trucks coming into Fayetteville annually -- Thousands of trucks carrying the majority of Fayetteville’s ethanol supply into the city each year will no longer be coming here. Instead, freight
August 06, 2024 Read Full Article
Agricultural Land Lost to Development in the Midwest
Mujahidul Islam, Ani Katchova, and Carl Zulauf (farmdoc daily) Conversion of agricultural land to developed land during the 21st Century in eight Midwestern states is examined. This loss of agricultural land to development is a long-standing topic of discussion at the national and state
August 06, 2024 Read Full Article
Carbon Accounting for Sustainable Biofuels
(BioFuture Platform) The development of sustainable biofuels is at a pivotal juncture. They are recognised for their important role in decarbonising the transport sector – particularly for their potential to help reduce aviation and shipping emissions, and for their complementarity with
August 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Dented Corn Ethanol: A Game Changer for India’s Biofuel Sector
by Dilip S. Patil (The Hindu Business Line) By integrating corn-based ethanol into its biofuel strategy, India can create a more secure, diversified, and sustainable ethanol production system -- India’s Ethanol Blending Program (EBP) aims to achieve 20 per cent ethanol blending by 2025,
July 29, 2024 Read Full Article
USDA Gets Climate Smart Farming Feedback
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The U.S. Department of Agriculture received lots of input from biofuels groups this week on how to prove the impact of climate-smart farming practices on the greenhouse gas (GHG) net emissions estimates associated with the production of
July 26, 2024 Read Full Article
New Study: Balancing the Benefits of Biofuels
by Keith Reid (Fuels Market News) Biofuels will be critical to reducing the carbon intensity of liquid fuels, which is necessary to achieve emissions reduction goals from legacy and new vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines. Some wonder if we should
July 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Carbon Accounting for Sustainable Biofuels
(International Energy Agency) The development of sustainable biofuels is at a pivotal juncture. They are recognised for their important role in decarbonising the transport sector – particularly for their potential to help reduce aviation and shipping emissions, and for their complementarity
July 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Study Estimates Land Use Change Emissions for Six Aviation Fuel Pathways
by Ansa Heyl (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis/Phys.Org) A new IIASA-led study offers the first detailed estimates of land use change emissions for six sustainable aviation fuel production pathways. The authors focused on both food and non-food raw materials used
July 23, 2024 Read Full Article
Giving Lift To 45Z: Climate Smart Farming and the GREET Model
by Katie Schroeder (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... The industry waited for not months, but years to get an answer to that question, finally receiving direction in the 40BSAF-GREET 2024 model, released at the end of April. In an exclusive podcast interview with
July 19, 2024 Read Full Article
Biofuel Growth Driven by Increasing Use in Transport in China and Emerging Economies, New Report Reveals
(Biofuels International) This year’s Energy Outlook by bp is focused on two main scenarios – the current trajectory and net-zero. These scenarios, as highlighted in the 107-page report, are not predictions of what is likely to happen or what bp would
July 11, 2024 Read Full Article
Leading Scientists Urge Court to Reject Faulty Land Use Change Arguments
(Renewable Fuels Association) The nation’s leading experts in agricultural economics and biofuels lifecycle analysis urged the D.C. Circuit Court last week to reject erroneous claims made by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) in its lawsuit challenging EPA’s 2023-2025 Renewable Fuel Standard volumes. In its
July 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Overreliance on EV’s Generate Power Grid Concerns
by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) There are concerns a reliance on electric vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector could compromise the U.S. power grid. Scott Richman with the Renewable Fuels Association says grids are already struggling and
July 03, 2024 Read Full Article
Changing Their Minds on “Land Use Change”?
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) In early 2022, University of Wisconsin researcher Tyler Lark published a study claiming that U.S. farmers had converted several million acres of pristine grassland and other “seminatural areas” to cropland in response to the Renewable Fuel Standard
June 27, 2024 Read Full Article
New Alliance Champions Intermediate Oilseed Crops for U.S. Biofuel Boom
by Treena Hein (Seed World) The Intermediate Oilseed Crop Alliance (IOCA), advocates for sustainable crops such as pennycress and camelina to meet rising biofuel demands and support environmental goals. In response to the growing global and U.S. demand for significantly higher biofuel
June 12, 2024 Read Full Article
Tens of Millions of Acres of Cropland Lie Abandoned, Study Shows
by Erin Blakemore (Washington Post) The biggest changes took place around the Ogallala Aquifer, whose groundwater irrigates parts of numerous states, including Colorado, Texas and Wyoming. -- About 30 million acres of U.S. cropland have been abandoned since the 1980s, a new
June 11, 2024 Read Full Article
Pasture-for-Biofuels Can Boost LatAm Output
by Lucas Parolin (Argus Media) Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Guatemala can double their combined biofuel production by turning existing pasture land into crops for biofuel feedstocks, according to a University of Sao Paulo professor. The four countries already produce 24pc of global
May 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Little to No Ethanol Will Qualify for US Aviation Fuel Credit
by Leah Douglas and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) Little to no ethanol will qualify for U.S. sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) subsidies under a new pilot program by President Joe Biden's administration, which toughened climate requirements at the last minute, according to a Reuters review
May 30, 2024 Read Full Article
The EPA E15 Ruling– No Need to Stop There.
by Doug Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Biofuels Digest) Go ahead, blend any amount of ethanol you want. And here’s why. -- ... The recent decision by the Biden Administration to provide an “emergency waiver” so E15 can continue to be sold during
May 14, 2024 Read Full Article
Better Production Practices Key to Minimising Impact of Vegetable Oils – IUCN Report
(International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) A new report from the IUCN Oil Crops Taskforce, released today (May 7, 2024), assesses the future environmental, economic and social impact of the production, trade and the consumption of vegetable oils. The Task Force
May 08, 2024 Read Full Article
RFA Welcomes 40B Sustainable Aviation Fuel Guidance, But Says Additional Work Needed
(Renewable Fuels Association) The 40B tax credit guidance and modified GREET model released today by U.S. Treasury begin to unlock the door for U.S. ethanol producers and farmers to participate in the emerging market for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). However, more work
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
The Airline Industry’s Biggest Climate Challenge: A Lack of Clean Fuel
by Ben Elgin (BNN Bloomberg) ... The $200 million plant from LanzaJet Inc. will be the first to turn ethanol into a fuel compatible with jet engines. The facility is one of many efforts around the globe attempting to crack one of
April 15, 2024 Read Full Article
OCP and Fortescue to Partner to Develop Green Energy, Hydrogen and Ammonia in Morocco
(Fortescue) Today (April 8, 2024), OCP Group, a global leader in plant nutrition and phosphate-based fertilizers, and Fortescue Energy, part of global green energy, metals and technology company Fortescue Ltd (Fortescue), announced a landmark Joint Venture (JV) in Morocco. This equal partnership
April 12, 2024 Read Full Article
Exclusive: Biden Administration's Initial SAF Subsidy Model to Raise Climate Hurdle for Ethanol
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The Biden administration will release a preliminary climate model for its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) subsidy program in the coming weeks that is more restrictive than what the corn-based ethanol industry had expected, two sources familiar with
April 06, 2024 Read Full Article
RFA Urges SAF Interagency Working Group to Use a 30-Year Time Period for LUC Calculations
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Renewable Fuels association is urging federal officials to use a 30-year time frame to account for land use change (LUC) emissions as they work to complete the upcoming 40BSAF-GREET model, which will be used
April 03, 2024 Read Full Article
Coruripe Plant Completes International Certification Audit for Aviation Biofuel Production
(Usina Coruripe) Process attested that the Iturama and Limeira do Oeste units, in the Triângulo Mineiro, meet international requirements for the production of sustainable aviation fuel -- This month, Usina Coruripe concluded the external audit process for ISCC Corsia Plus international
March 21, 2024 Read Full Article
2023 Billion-Ton Report: An Assessment of U.S. Renewable Carbon Resources
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technology Office's (BETO) 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23) is the 4th in a series of assessments of potential biomass resources available in the United States. BT23 explores these resources in
March 19, 2024 Read Full Article
Avoiding SAF Flight Cancellation: Airline Industry, Others Stress Need for Sustainable Aviation Fuels to Take Off
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) Airlines and businesses tied to the bioeconomy are stressing how critical the right policies will be to help fully develop a market for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) that can help create a new market for
March 19, 2024 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Biofuels Still a Win for Ground Transportation
by Deborah Gertz Husar (Herald-Whig) ... With conventional vehicles likely to dominate the ground fleet for the foreseeable future, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign experts say cellulosic biofuels shouldn’t be discounted. Researchers in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and the
March 18, 2024 Read Full Article
Vilsack: Actions Needed to Assure Biomass Supply
by Jerry Hagstrom (The Hagstrom Report) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today said today the government needs to take a number of actions to assure an adequate supply of biomass for the biofuels industry in the future. Vilsack released several reports on the
March 18, 2024 Read Full Article
Over 140,000 Farms Lost in 5 Years
by Daniel Munch (American Farm Bureau Federation) Between 2017 and 2022, the number of farms in the U.S. declined by 141,733 or 7%, according to USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture, released on Feb. 13. Acres operated by farm operations during the same
March 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Environmental Protection and Sustainable Food Production in the Cerrado Could Create $72bn for Brazil, Says New Report
(World Economic Forum) - Transforming how land is used in the Cerrado could generate an additional $72 billion a year for Brazil’s economy, a new World Economic Forum report reveals. - Deforestation rates in the Cerrado surged by 43% in 2023
February 28, 2024 Read Full Article
American Coalition for Ethanol Submits Comments to California on Crop-Based Biofuels
by Rusty Halvorson (American Coalition for Ethanol/KFGO) The American Coalition for Ethanol submitted comments to the California Air Resources Board regarding its 2024 proposed amendments to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The comments submitted by ACE CEO Brian Jennings focused on
February 21, 2024 Read Full Article
Project Presentation – Life Cycle Assessment of the Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and Renewable Diesel (RD) from Oil Palm and its Crop Residues in Colombia
(International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) In a collaborative effort funded by the World Bank, ISCC, with the support of its sister companies MEO and GRAS, has been diligently conducting a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and Renewable
February 20, 2024 Read Full Article
Exclusive: White House Set to Back Tougher Climate Model for Ethanol, Sources Say
by Jarrett Renshaw, Stephanie Kelly and Leah Douglas (Reuters) President Joe Biden's administration is poised to announce an adjustment to its scientific modeling for ethanol that will show the corn-based fuel to be less effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions than
February 19, 2024 Read Full Article
Ag Census Confirms Cropland Decline, Adoption of Environmental Practices
by Scott Richman (Renewable Fuels Association) The first tranche of data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture was released by USDA on Tuesday, and it showed that the amount of cropland in the U.S. fell by 14 million acres (4%) since 2017, continuing a
February 17, 2024 Read Full Article
Sustainable Carbon Removals Limits Identified, Huge Climate Mitigation Challenge Revealed
(University of Melbourne/EurekAlert!) Governments and businesses are relying on dangerous amounts of future removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, instead of more rapidly reducing emissions and phasing out fossil fuels. This problem is partly due to an incomplete picture1 of
February 13, 2024 Read Full Article
Africa Can Use Its Idle, Arable Land for Biofuel and Save Earth
by Joachim Buwembo (The East African) ... Sceptics may argue that it will take a lot of land to produce the SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) required to fly all planes around the world. But sceptics are always there. At the start
January 30, 2024 Read Full Article
North Dakota Commissioners Say Counties Won't Be Able to Restrict Summit Carbon Pipeline
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) The Ames-based company that wants to build a $5.5 billion carbon capture pipeline across Iowa and neighboring states got a boost as North Dakota regulators signaled cities and counties there will be unable to impose
January 29, 2024 Read Full Article
BP Pushes to Extend Definition of ‘Advanced’ Biofuels as Green Aviation Targets Loom
by Jonathan Packroff (EURACTIV) Oil giant BP Europe is pushing for a revision of the EU’s rules for biofuels, fossil fuel alternatives made from crops, animal fats, and waste, to allow more crops into the EU’s definition of ‘advanced’ biofuels
January 25, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to USDA Energy & Climate Action
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Inflation Reduction Act provides nearly $40 billion for USDA over the next 10 years to improve life and livelihoods in rural communities. Specific investments include: $19.3 billion for climate-smart agriculture on farms, ranches, and forests;
December 19, 2023 Read Full Article
Africa Can Use Its Idle, Arable Land for Biofuel and Save Earth
by Joachim Buwembo (The East African) ... Without idealistically asking Africa to commit land for growing clean fuel, has it dawned on our thinkers at the African Union and in governments that there is big money in producing biofuel? Sceptics may argue
December 18, 2023 Read Full Article
RFA Welcomes Recognition of GREET Model in SAF Tax Credit Guidance
(Renewable Fuels Association) The U.S. Treasury Department today released guidance regarding the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit. The guidance clarifies that a soon-to-be-updated version of the Department of Energy’s GREET model will be among the methodologies used
December 15, 2023 Read Full Article
Monaco, Malaysia Could Explore Using Palm Oil Biofuel in Yachting Industry
Monaco and Malaysia should explore opportunities using palm oil biofuel in the leisure marine industry, said chief executive officer of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Olivier Wenden. This would be in line with the global environmental, sustainability and governance
December 04, 2023 Read Full Article
Can Solar and Farming Coexist?
by Clinton Griffiths (AgWeb) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) believes solar could provide up to 40% of the country’s electricity by the year 2035. However, it’s estimated roughly 5.7 million acres of land will be needed. “While that amount is
November 25, 2023 Read Full Article
Biofuels in the Pan Amazon
by Timothy J. Killeen (Mongabay) ... The spikes in commodity prices in the first decade of the twenty-first century coincided with a global boom in biofuels. The interest in biofuels was motivated allegedly by a concern for global warming but other,
November 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Striking the Balance: Catalyzing a Sustainable Land Use Transition --- November 10, 2023 --- ONLINE
On behalf of McKinsey & Company, we would like to invite you to our webinar on integrated land use management. Join our experts as we share lots of insights and implications on industry players, over the next six harvest cycles
November 09, 2023 Read Full Article
Striking the Balance: Catalyzing a Sustainable Land-Use Transition
(McKinsey & Co.) Without a step change in action to increase land-use efficiency, growing demand for food, fuel, and natural capital may require additional land equivalent to the total cropland of Brazil by 2030. Humanity’s appetite for land continues to grow, driven by
November 09, 2023 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Urges Washington State to Clarify “Biofuels” Definition, Fully Embrace Bioethanol’s Emissions Benefits
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuels trade association, today (November 1, 2023) urged regulators in Washington state to clarify their definition of “biofuels” under the state’s Cap-and-Invest program in a way that allows them to “maximize the use of
November 08, 2023 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Urges CARB to Follow the Science, Maintain Bioethanol’s Exemption from Cap-and-Trade Program
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuels trade association, submitted comments today (October 26, 2023) to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as part of its effort to revise the state’s cap and trade regulations. Specifically, the comments called on
November 08, 2023 Read Full Article
The Potential of Agrivoltaics for the U.S. Solar Industry, Farmers, and Communities
by Michele Boyd (U.S. Department of Energy) Large-scale solar energy installations are a relatively new form of development in many rural areas. Solar energy development can create clean energy, jobs, and other economic benefits in these communities. At the same time, the
November 06, 2023 Read Full Article
Putting the ‘S’ into SAF
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Biofuels International) When the US Congress expanded the nation’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in 2007, some ill-informed environmental advocates and ideological academics started sounding the alarm bell. They argued farmers could not possibly produce enough grain to
November 02, 2023 Read Full Article
Intelinair Selected as Partner for USDA Climate-Smart Commodities Grant
(Intelinair/Business Wire) Grant Focused on Advancing Camelina as Renewable Fuel Feedstock -- Intelinair announced that it has been selected to participate as a project partner in one of the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grants. Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc. was awarded up to
October 27, 2023 Read Full Article
Ethanol: Context Missing on This Vital Fuel
by Brian Werner and Gary Prescher (Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association/ Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council/Minneapolis Star Tribune) The Oct. 2 commentary discussing the climate impacts of Minnesota agriculture included several misleading statements and cherry-picked science to assert that ethanol is not
October 04, 2023 Read Full Article
Ethanol Still Makes Sense for Climate, Rural Communities
(Solutions from the Land) ... Renewable corn energy seems a no-brainer compared to nonrenewable petroleum-based gasoline. Oil does not—and cannot—foster life like agriculture. And once oil is gone, it’s gone. But a working group of the EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) is
September 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog -- RFA Chief: EPA Science Board Using Bad Data to Question Corn Ethanol Emissions
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) As the EPA's Science Advisory Board meets Thursday and Friday, the ethanol industry is continuing to push back on the board's claim that there are "minimal or no climate benefits" in using corn ethanol in
September 22, 2023 Read Full Article
GOP Lawmakers Testify against Eminent Domain Use for Carbon Pipeline
by O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) An Iowa lawmaker is suggesting the Iowa Utilities Board lacks the authority to grant Summit Carbon Solutions permission to seize property along its proposed pipeline route from unwilling landowners. Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison says
September 21, 2023 Read Full Article
SAF Modeling Debate Isn’t Really about “GREET vs. ICAO.” It’s about Current Data vs. Old Data.
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) Last year’s Inflation Reduction Act created tax credits meant to stimulate the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a critical tool in the aviation sector’s decarbonization strategy. To qualify for the tax credits, SAF
August 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Protecting the Future of Low-Carbon Aviation
by Emily Skor (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Launched in 2021, the Biden administration’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge aims to produce enough low-carbon jet fuel to slash aviation emissions in half by 2050. Thanks to new incentives created by the Inflation Reduction Act,
August 08, 2023 Read Full Article
Swiss Firm to Allocate 1$ Bln for Green Hydrogen Production in Egypt
(Asharq Al Awsat) Smartenergy intends to expand in Egypt by producing green hydrogen in a project of initial value worth one billion dollars, said well-informed sources. The company is specialized in renewable energy. Smartenergy didn’t make an official statement regarding the project, but
August 04, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden Administration Split over Ethanol's Role in Aviation Fuel Subsidy Program
by Jarrett Renshaw, Stephanie Kelly and Leah Douglas (Reuters) The Biden administration is divided over whether to grant a request from the U.S. biofuel industry that would make it easier for sustainable aviation fuel made from corn-based ethanol to qualify for
August 02, 2023 Read Full Article
Biofuel Crop Expansion Contributes to Loss of Grassland Birds in North Dakota, Study Finds
(U.S. Geological Survey) Recent shifts from small grain agriculture to biofuel feedstocks affected grassland birds more negatively than did oil and gas development -- A new study from U.S. Geological Survey biologists shows that grassland birds in North Dakota have responded more negatively
July 27, 2023 Read Full Article
ENGIE Joins Forces with CMA CGM and Air France-KLM to Accelerate the Decarbonization of Sea and Air Transport by Launching the First Industrial-Scale Renewable and Low-Carbon Fuel Platform in Le Havre
(ENGIE) • ENGIE awarded the Grand Canal project launched by HAROPA PORT on the Gran Canal du Havre for the development of the Salamandre and France KerEAUzen project Development of the Salamandre renewable and low-carbon gas production plant in Le Havre, with
July 27, 2023 Read Full Article
Green Group Files Lawsuit Challenging EPA Biofuels Rule
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico Pro) The Center for Biological Diversity is again challenging EPA's rule setting biofuel blending requirements in a federal appeals court, arguing the agency failed to comply with the Endangered Species Act. The lawsuit filed Thursday in the the D.C.
July 14, 2023 Read Full Article
Bioenergy as Harmful as Fossil Fuels if CO2 Emissions Not Priced
(Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)/Mirage News) A new study in Nature Climate Change shows that under current land-use regulations, CO2 emission factors for biofuels might even exceed those for fossil diesel combustion due to large-scale land clearing related to
June 27, 2023 Read Full Article
Are Biofuels Bad for the Environment?
by Charles H. Gessner, Neil Caskey, Suzy Friedman and Allen Schaeffer (New York Times) To the Editor: Re “A Climate Solution That’s Bad for the Climate,” by Michael Grunwald (Opinion guest essay, June 12): ... Michael Grunwald, not today’s farmers, seems mired in the “horse-and-buggy
June 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Understanding Indirect Land-Use Change (ILUC) and Why Reality Is a Special Case --- June 28, 2023 --- ONLINE
(IEA Bioenergy) Indirect Land-Use Change (ILUC) refers to the phenomenon where changes in land use for one purpose, such as the cultivation of crops for biofuels, can indirectly impact land use and environmental conditions elsewhere. Specifically, ILUC explores the potential
June 16, 2023 Read Full Article
BETO Launches New Renewable Carbon Resources Web Page
by Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton (B&C Biobased and Sustainable Chemicals Blog) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has launched a new, comprehensive web page dedicated to one of its priority subprograms, Renewable Carbon Resources (RCR), which
June 08, 2023 Read Full Article
Corn-Powered Planes? Why Delta — and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — Lobbied for New Biofuel Tax Credit
by Walker Orenstein (MinnPost) The governor and other supporters argue that incentives for a burgeoning industry can slash emissions, create jobs and provide a future for Minnesota’s large biofuels industry as electric vehicles become a larger share of ground transportation. ... “Ninety-eight
June 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Challenges Ahead For Soybean-Based Renewable Fuels Demand
by Greg Horstmeier (Progressive Farmer/DTN/Biodiesel Magazine) Building new renewable fuel plants and increasing the pace of existing crush facilities can set the demand side of the soy biodiesel equation, but the supply side becomes complicated. -- Demand for renewable diesel
June 02, 2023 Read Full Article
Global Clean Energy Signs $30 Million USDA Climate-Smart Commodities Grant Kickstarting Implementation of the Climate-Smart Camelina Project
(Global Clean Energy) Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:GCEH) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have signed a contract for the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Grant for their Climate-Smart Camelina Project. With the signing, work can officially begin on their $30 million
June 01, 2023 Read Full Article
Should Aviation Be Given Preferential Access to Scarce Land and Clean Energy Resources for SAF, Questions Paper
by Christopher Surgenor (CleanAir Online) An academic analysis of 12 roadmaps for decarbonising the global aviation industry finds they place a heavy reliance on biogenic fuels in the medium-term and synthetic e-kerosene in the longer term but largely omit a
May 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Biofuels in Emerging Markets
(IEA Bioenergy: Task 39) Potential for sustainable production and consumption -- A great potential exists for biofuels in emerging economies of Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia as these regions have a growing demand for sustainable energy, plentiful local resources
May 23, 2023 Read Full Article
EPA Delivers Final RFS ‘Set’ Rule to White House OMB
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has delivered its final rule to set 2023, 2024 and 2025 Renewable Fuel Standard blending obligations to the White House Office of Management and Budget. OMB review marks a final stage
May 18, 2023 Read Full Article
Sequestration in the Field
by Katie Schroeder (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Carbon intensity scores determine, in part, the value producers get for each gallon of ethanol they produce. Today’s CI calculations don’t factor in low-carbon farming practices, but industry leaders like Brian Jennings are determined
May 13, 2023 Read Full Article
From Palm Oil Waste to Cellulosic Ethanol: Indonesia’s Opportunity (Commentary)
by Tenny Kristiana (Mongabay) • Many Indonesian farmers say they haven’t seen benefits from the country’s biofuel program. Cellulosic ethanol could help fix the problem, a new op-ed says. Tenny Kristiana of the International Council on Clean Transportation argues Indonesia
May 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Oregon Considers Permanent Restrictions on Growing Canola in the Willamette Valley
by Tracy Loew (Salem Statesman Journal) The Oregon Legislature is considering making a 500-acre limit on canola crops in the Willamette Valley permanent. That could end a three-decade-long fight among the state’s seed growers. In addition to the limit, Senate Bill 789 would require
May 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Report Forecasts Clean-Energy Boost from Turning Cornfields into Solar Power Fields
by Erik Gunn (Wisconsin Examiner) About 1 million acres of Wisconsin farmland produces corn for ethanol fuel, but an environmental group says the land could produce 100 times as much energy if planted with solar farms instead. In addition, it would take
May 04, 2023 Read Full Article
In the Palm of Your Hand
(Biofuels International) ... Waste and residues from agricultural activities have the best potential to deliver zeroemissions energy as traditional sources of farm emissions from the biodegradation of farm wastes are converted into renewable sources of energy. The European Union, in its
April 27, 2023 Read Full Article
Eat Less Meat, We Need Space for Biofuels, German Producer Says
by Jonathan Packroff (EURACTIV) In an ongoing dispute over biofuels made from crops such as rapeseed and wheat, Germany’s biggest biofuel producer argues that reducing meat consumption would be a much better way to free up agricultural space for food production,
April 24, 2023 Read Full Article
S’pore Looking into Wider Adoption of Biofuels, Bioresources to Hit Net-Zero Emissions Target
by Cheryl Tan (Straits Times) To reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Republic is studying the potential for wider adoption of biofuels and sustainable bioresources in carbon-intensive sectors such as electricity generation, transport and heavy industry. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI)
April 24, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Strongest-Ever Pollution Standards for Cars and Trucks to Accelerate Transition to a Clean-Transportation Future Hearing May 2-3, 2023; Public Comment DEADLINE TBD
(Environmental Protection Agency) Building on rapid advancements and investments in clean vehicle manufacturing, including investments in domestic manufacturing in the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA’s proposed standards would deliver on President Biden’s agenda to tackle the climate crisis Today, the U.S. Environmental
April 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Jatropha: The Biofuel that Bombed Seeks a Path to Redemption
by Sean Mowbray (Mongabay) • Earlier this century, jatropha was hailed as a “miracle” biofuel. An unassuming shrubby tree native to Central America, it was wildly promoted as a high-yielding, drought-tolerant biofuel feedstock that could grow on degraded lands across
April 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Battle Brews over Climate Law Credits for Aviation Biofuels
by Brian Dabbs (E&E News Energywire) The Inflation Reduction Act is setting up a fight over the climate footprint of biofuels for aviation, with significant implications for the nation’s emissions trajectory, the U.S. transportation sector and rural communities. In coming weeks, the
April 05, 2023 Read Full Article
RFA Calls for Changes in EPA’s Draft Triennial Report on RFS
(Renewable Fuels Association) In formal written comments submitted today to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Renewable Fuels Association called for changes to the draft version of the Third Triennial Report to Congress on the environmental impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard. “Overall, a
March 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Land Conversion Due to the Renewable Fuel Standard May Harm Endangered Species, Study Says
by Katie Peikes (Iowa Public Radio) ... But the federal policy may affect endangered species and their necessary habitat when farmers convert land into cropland to grow more corn, which is processed into ethanol, according to a new analysis in the journal Biological
March 06, 2023 Read Full Article
Aviation Biofuel Would Need Half of UK Agricultural Land, Report Says
by Danny Halpin (The Independent) The Royal Society said a portfolio of alternative fuels will be required to meet current passenger demand and achieve net zero. -- Replacing jet fuel with biomass would require the UK to give up 50% of
February 28, 2023 Read Full Article
UFOP Study: Models to Assess Indirect Land Use Change Not Sufficiently Robust
(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e. V. (UFOP)) Controversial debates about the impact of European biofuel policy on cultivation of agricultural commodities in other regions, i.e. indirect land use change (iLUC), have been underway since the target of 10%
February 13, 2023 Read Full Article
MPOC Urges EU to Include Palm Oil Wastes and Residues in Bioenergy Use
(UkrAgroConsult) The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has urged the European Union (EU) to include palm oil wastes and residues in bioenergy use. The organisation made its comments following the EU’s new public input session into sustainable biofuels and biogases, which
January 27, 2023 Read Full Article
Report Forecasts Clean-Energy Boost from Turning Cornfields into Solar Power Fields
by Erik Gunn (Wisconsin Examiner) About 1 million acres of Wisconsin farmland produces corn for ethanol fuel, but an environmental group says the land could produce 100 times as much energy if planted with solar farms instead. In addition, it would take
January 25, 2023 Read Full Article
An Over-Belief in Electrification Is Harming the Climate
by Gustav Melin (Bioenergy International/Swedish Bioenergy Association) ... The energy transition cannot be expedited by support and subsidies -- However, it is difficult to be re-elected on increased carbon dioxide taxes and more expensive energy prices. That’s no excuse, as there are
January 16, 2023 Read Full Article
Notice of Public Comment Period for the Biofuels and the Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress External Review Draft Public Comments DEADLINE March 6, 2023
(Environmental Protection Agency/Federal Register) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the public comment period for the draft document titled, “Biofuels and the Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress (External Review Draft).” The document was prepared by EPA's Office of
January 04, 2023 Read Full Article
Food, Feed and Fuel for Europe: The Future of Renewable Ethanol
by David Carpintero (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... As policymakers hammer out the final details of the so-called Fit for 55 package of climate and energy legislation, there is at least general agreement that reducing emissions from transport requires an important
January 03, 2023 Read Full Article
Are There Better Places to Put Large Solar Farms?
(North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) Farmers and conservationists are worried about large-scale solar farms – especially some projects in Virginia – that rely on deforestation and displacement of farmland that, managed properly, will capture carbon in the air. Some
December 09, 2022 Read Full Article
Proposed Renewable Fuel Standards for 2023, 2024, and 2025 Public Comments Due February 10, 2023
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) On December 1, 2022, EPA announces a proposed rule to establish required Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes and percentage standards for 2023, 2024, and 2025, as well as to propose a series of important modifications to strengthen
December 01, 2022 Read Full Article
NASEM Finds More Research Necessary to Improve Methods for Estimating Life Cycle of GHG Emissions of Low-Carbon Transportation Fuels
by Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton (Bergeson & Campbell) The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) announced on October 19, 2022, the release of a report finding that life cycle assessments (LCA) of transportation fuels are valuable tools for
November 28, 2022 Read Full Article
How to Rescue Biofuels from a Sustainable Dead End
by Peter Fairley (Nature) An environmentally friendly path forwards for liquid fuel derived from plants will depend on smarter agriculture and smarter regulation. -- ... If filling fuel tanks with these plant-derived liquids reduces carbon emissions by decreasing the demand
November 23, 2022 Read Full Article
Columbia Economist Wrong on Ethanol’s Benefits
by Scott Richman (Renewable Fuels Association) As a proud graduate of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), I was disappointed to read a recent commentary about ethanol by a research scholar at my alma mater. “A Chance to Phase Out
November 23, 2022 Read Full Article
US Can Reach 100% Clean Power by 2035, DOE Finds, but Tough Reliability and Land Use Questions Lie Ahead
by Herman K. Trabish (Utility Dive) New aggressive planning is needed to identify the long-duration storage technologies and find the land to grow enough resources to reach Biden net zero emissions goals, a DOE national lab reports. -- Four major
November 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Solar Panels Reduce CO2 Emissions More per Acre than Trees — and Much More than Corn Ethanol
by Matthew Eisenson (Columbia Climate School) ... On September 21, the New York Times published an essay by Gabriel Popkin titled “Are There Better Places to Put Large Solar Farms Than These Forests?” Popkin describes a recently approved 4,500-acre solar project in Virginia that will
October 31, 2022 Read Full Article
The Truth about Ethanol and Carbon Emissions
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Associati0n) ... Unfortunately, Reuters took the same flawed and misleading approach to examining ethanol’s carbon footprint that many other biofuel critics and opponents have taken in the past. Like other erroneous attacks on ethanol’s carbon benefits, the Reuters article failed
October 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Special Report: Advisory - Story Has Been Withdrawn - How U.S. Ethanol Plants Are Allowed to Pollute More than Oil Refineries
Reuters is withdrawing a Sept. 8 article that compared carbon emissions from U.S. ethanol plants and oil refineries because of its flawed interpretation of data on ethanol-plant pollution and fuel-production capacity. That led to inaccurate estimates of carbon emissions for
September 26, 2022 Read Full Article
Nuseed Expands Its Bioenergy Platform; Acquires Assets and Signs Long-Term Alliance with GranBio to Accelerate Global Expansion of Energy Cane
(Nuseed/PR Newswire) Nuseed expands its bioenergy platform; acquires assets and signs long-term alliance with GranBio to accelerate global expansion of energy cane -- Nuseed and GranBio have entered into a long-term strategic alliance to accelerate R&D and commercialization into global energy
September 14, 2022 Read Full Article
THIS REPORT HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY REUTERS Special Report: How U.S. Ethanol Plants Are Allowed to Pollute More than Oil Refineries
Sept 23 (Reuters) - Reuters is withdrawing a Sept. 8 article that compared carbon emissions from U.S. ethanol plants and oil refineries because of its flawed interpretation of data on ethanol-plant pollution and fuel-production capacity. That led to inaccurate estimates
September 08, 2022 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Renewable Fuels Association
"(I)n the interest of technology neutrality and with the rapid increase in battery-electric vehicles, the land use impacts of mineral extraction for battery production should also be evaluated, along with the land use implications of expanded wind and solar electricity
September 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Biofuel Groups Comment on Washington’s Proposed CFS Rule
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A public comment period on Washington’s proposed Clean Fuel Standard closed Aug. 31. The program aims to incentivize fuel suppliers to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 20 percent by 2038. Washington Gov. Ray
September 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Surface Pressure: U.S. Losing Farmland at Alarming Rate
by Sara Schafer (Farm Journal Ag Web) From 2001 to 2016, the U.S. lost or compromised 2,000 acres of farmland and ranchland every day. That adds up to 11 million acres of farmland that has been paved over, fragmented or developed,
August 03, 2022 Read Full Article
India Debates New Ways to Make Biofuels as Sustainability Threats Rise
by Anusha Krishnan (Mongabay/Genetic Literacy Project) The main advantages of biofuels over conventional fossil fuels is that the world is unlikely to deplete its sources of biofuels, as they are renewable. In addition, most biofuels have lower greenhouse gas emissions
August 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Sugar Output to Dip 1.4% in 2022-23 as Mills Will Divert Cane to Make More Ethanol: ISMA
by Deepa Jainani (Financial Express) India’s sugar production in 2022-23 season is likely to fall 1.4% from the current season despite an increase in acreage as mills are likely to divert more cane for ethanol production, industry body Indian Sugar
July 27, 2022 Read Full Article
Lawsuit Challenges EPA’s Damaging Renewable Fuels Standard
(Center for Biological Diversity) The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals today challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s fuel volume requirements for corn ethanol and other biofuels for 2020, 2021 and 2022. Earlier this
July 21, 2022 Read Full Article
European Groups Comment on Key RED Vote in Parliament
(ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The European Parliament has taken a positive step on EU renewable energy policy as ITRE Committee members voted decisively in favor of increasing the ambition for GHG emissions reduction in transport while leaving Member States free to use
July 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Going Rogue
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) ... Biodiesel producers, for instance, have lost market share and feedstock to renewable diesel, not necessarily because renewable diesel is a better fuel. Sometimes policy distortions are the reason the market plays out the way
July 18, 2022 Read Full Article
American Farmland Trust Says Smart Growth Needed to Reduce Loss of Ag Land
by Steve Davies (Agri-Pulse) A new report from American Farmland Trust projects if the current trend of farmland conversion continues, the United States will lose an area nearly the size of South Carolina in the not-too-distant future. AFT's new “Farms Under Threat
July 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Corn Can Provide Food and Fuel without Sacrificing Either
(Office of Representative Adrian Smith ( R-NE 3rd)) ... As consumers face steep increases in food and fuel costs, ethanol production must be part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy to lower costs. One common misconception is that utilizing corn for food
July 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Boris Johnson Hits the Brakes on Biofuel as He Slashes Net-Zero Targets to Tackle Cost of Living Crisis
(Daily Mail) ... The Prime Minister has done it by reducing the amount of biofuel produced in UK; Biofuel requires wheat and maize – land that Mr Johnson believes could be better used for food production to combat soaring prices
June 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol vs. Petroleum-Based Fuel Carbon Emissions
by Valerie Sarisky-Reed (U.S. Department of Energy) Biofuels have been proven to emit significantly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than petroleum-based fuels, and recent scientific studies indicate that net-zero emission biofuels are not only possible, but achievable. Corn ethanol and other biofuels are
June 24, 2022 Read Full Article
In a Collaboration with GoogleCloud, Gevo to Measure and Verify the Carbon Intensity of Biofuels Across the Supply Chain Utilizing Verity Tracking
(Gevo/Globe Newswire) Partnership expects to enable users to track and verify emissions using datasets and analytics tools from Google Cloud -- Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) today announced that it has entered into a partner agreement with Google Cloud to measure and
June 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Capturing Carbon with Crops, Trees and Bioenergy
by Emilie Lorditch (Michigan State University/Phys.Org) An integrated approach to land management practices in the U.S. can reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere far more than earlier estimates based on separate approaches, Michigan State University researchers say. Their research was published
June 02, 2022 Read Full Article
EU Sunflower Area Expected to Expand
(UFOP/Biobased Diesel Daily) The European Commission anticipates a significant increase in sunflower-planted area for the 2022 harvest to a potential new record. The main reason is the expected expansion in production area for the most important sunflower-producing countries in the EU. According
May 31, 2022 Read Full Article
White House Should Move Beyond E15, Boost Biofuel’s Economic, Environmental, National Security and Public Health Benefits
(Solutions from the Land) ... Reports out of Washington indicate that EPA submitted to the White House late last month its proposal on biofuel mandates, calling for a retroactive reduction for years 2020 and 2021, then boosting it back up for
May 20, 2022 Read Full Article
Survey Says Biofuels Indispensable for Security: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to UFOP’s Biofuels Survey
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The war in Ukraine affects important agricultural markets and restrictions on legal requirements for the production of biodiesel and bioethanol lead to an increase in imports of protein animal feeds and thus to an increase
May 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Electric Vehicle: India’s Target to Have 20% Ethanol Blended in Petrol by 2025 Could Affect Its Food Security
by Tanvi Deshpande (IndiaSpend.com/Scroll.in) Achieving the target won’t drastically reduce emissions nor will India achieve energy security because of it. -- For India to meet its target of 20% ethanol blended in petrol by the year 2025 (commonly known as the
May 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Food or Fuel
by Peeping Tom (Kaieteur News – In 2009, there was a pushback against plans, by then President Bharrat Jagdeo, to use agricultural lands for the cultivation of crops for biofuels. At the time, the world was reeling from the triple
April 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Researchers Evaluate the Impact of the Renewable Fuels Standard on Biofuel Production
by Madelyn Ostendorf (Successful Farming) In a first-of-its kind study, researchers at Purdue University have illustrated the impact of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on the production of biofuels. Over the past 15 years, production and consumption of biofuels have increased in
April 05, 2022 Read Full Article
ACE to EPA: Adopt GREET Model and Recognize Ethanol’s Low Carbon Value
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In South Dakota, The American Coalition for Ethanol submitted feedback to the Environmental Protection Agency’s request for comment on the current scientific understanding of greenhouse gas modeling of land-based crop biofuels. ACE CEO Brian Jennings and ACE Board
April 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Palm Oil for Biodiesel in the Amazon: Sustainable Fuel or Deforestation Risk?
Monica Prestes (Dialogo Chino) A planned biorefinery will require the cultivation of 120,000 hectares of oil palm, increasing the area planted in Brazil by 60%. An all too familiar debate is underway -- Oil palm, known as dendezeiro in Brazil, can produce up
March 29, 2022 Read Full Article
Alien Energy: Unlocking the Potential of Invasive Plants in South Africa
by Arianna Baldo and Tjaša Bole-Rentel (RSBBioenergy and WWF South Africa) Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are a scourge across Southern Africa – with species like black wattle and port jackson found across the region. It is estimated that more than 10%
March 29, 2022 Read Full Article
New MSU Research Shows How Biofuel Crops Can Help Mitigate Climate Change When Grown on Land of Otherwise Little Agricultural Value
by Cameron Rudolph (Michigan State University) Newly published research from MSU Foundation Professor Bruno Basso shows how some Midwest farmers can see economic and environmental benefits of growing switchgrass, a biofuel crop, on traditionally less-productive land. -- Newly published Michigan State University
March 24, 2022 Read Full Article
IEEFA: Solar Recharging of Electric Vehicles Is a Far More Efficient Use of Land than Ethanol Crops for Blended Fuel in India
(Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis) War in Ukraine threatens global grain supply as well as oil, making India’s wise use of arable land an imperative -- India’s 2025 target for 20% ethanol blending in petrol requires large increases in ethanol
March 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Comments on “Environmental Outcomes of the US Renewable Fuel Standard”
by F. Taheripour, S. Mueller, H. Kwon, M. Khanna, I. Emery, K. Copenhaver, M. Wang (Argonne National Laboratory) The Systems Assessment Center and its collaborators provide a detailed technical review of a recently published article “Environmental Outcomes of the US
March 22, 2022 Read Full Article
ABLC 2022 – State of the Industry
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ABLC’s theme of “Dawn of Net Zero” and hundreds of delegates from organizations all over the world grappling with the immense opportunities and supply chain challenges posed by the world’s rapid turn towards charting
March 17, 2022 Read Full Article
The Implications of India’s Revised Roadmap for Biofuels: A Lifecycle Perspective
by Promit Mookherjee (Observer Research Foundation) Transport activity in India has increased more than sevenfold over the last two decades, its gasoline-fuelled pathway leading to a rapid rise in negative environmental externalities. To decouple the sector’s growth from high emissions,
March 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Under Pressure to Revise Estimates, EPA Mulls Lifecycle Biofuel GHGs
(Inside EPA) As EPA comes under growing pressure to increase its estimates of how much greenhouse gas emissions biofuels save over their lifetime, the agency is holding consultations that could result in changes that may boost programs encouraging biofuels use
March 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Dev Shrestha: Real-World Data Shows No Food Insecurity or ILUC from Biofuels
by Tammy Klein (Transport Energy Strategies) On this episode of the Fueling the Future podcast, I spoke with Dr. Dev Shrestha of the University of Idaho about the recent paper he co-authored, “Biofuel Impact on Food Prices Index and Land Use Change.” The
March 04, 2022 Read Full Article
ACE Corrects Misrepresentations of RFS Environmental Outcomes
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In South Dakota, the American Coalition of Ethanol said a report released recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences by Tyler Lark and others brought to life several misrepresentations of the environmental outcomes
February 21, 2022 Read Full Article
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