by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) They say that Sustainability is a three-legged stool: Environmental Sustainability, Economic Sustainability and Social Sustainability. If any of these legs is missing, the stool falls
Tag "land use change"
“Holy moly. How on Earth are you going to get people not coming with pitchforks and tar to these siting meetings?” Brian Ross, a vice president at the St. Paul,
by Peter Behr and Jeffrey Tomich (E&E News) Picture an area of land equal to the combined territories of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. That’s
by Janet Kubat Willette (Farm Progress) Madhu Khanna, distinguished professor of environmental economics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, says that CRP acres have the potential to produce harvestable bioenergy crops.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s the life cycle system for corn starch ethanol? What is the current best estimate for carbon intensity of corn ethanol? What about ethanol biorefinery
by Jan Lewandrowski (US Department of Agriculture) Over the past two decades, the demand for renewable fuels — including corn-based ethanol — has helped drive a strong domestic market for corn,
(Environmental Health & Engineering Inc.) Research from EH&E shows that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for ethanol, a biofuel made from corn, are 46% lower than gasoline. Conventional wisdom based on a
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy)Conservation groups on Wednesday sued over the federal government’s approval of the 102-mile, $500 million Cardinal-Hickory Creek high-voltage transmission line that would carry electricity from
(Renewable Fuels Association) A comprehensive new study by scientists from Harvard University, Tufts University and Environmental Health & Engineering Inc. shows that using corn ethanol in place of gasoline reduces greenhouse gas emissions
by Sarah George (edie.net/Eurative) Boeing has already completed one commercial flight using 100% biofuel in 2018 –Boeing Co has unveiled plans to deliver commercial aircraft capable of using 100% biofuel
by Steinar Brandslet (Norwegian University of Science and Technology/Phys.Org) Growing perennial grasses on abandoned cropland has the potential to counteract some of the negative impacts of climate change by switching
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
(UPM Biofuels) UPM Biofuels has joined the BIKE project that promotes low-ILUC risk biofuels production for European Bioeconomy. The project brings together companies and research organisations who believe that novel, safe
by Donavyn Coffey (Live Science) … Sabine Fuss has been looking for these answers for the last two years. An economist in Berlin, Fuss leads a research group at the
(World Economic Forum) What is the World Economic Forum doing to help aviation meet net zero goals? Through the Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow coalition, stakeholders across the European aviation value-chain
by Elton Alisson (Agência FAPESP) … Some argue, for example, that biofuels are not sustainable because the conversion of non-agricultural land to grow energy crops could lead to a significant initial
(Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research/Phys.Org) In the future, the world may increasingly rely on renewable biomass resources for the provision of food, fodder, fiber and fuel. How this transition to a
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The D.C. Circuit on Friday hosted the annual legal rite: a challenge to EPA’s blending mandate under the Renewable Fuel Standard, with this round focusing
(University of Birmingham) The global spread of vast forest plantations and agricultural monocultures are turning once diverse landscapes into areas of land supporting single plant species, with profound implications for
(AZO CleanTech/Colorado State University) Biofuel and bioenergy systems are integral to scenarios for displacing fossil fuel use and producing negative emissions through carbon capture and storage. But the net greenhouse gas
(Business Green) RTFA aims to drive uptake of low-carbon fuels such as bioethanol, biomethane, biodiesel and biopropene — Twelve companies have joined together to form the Renewable Transport Fuel Association (RTFA), a
(Colorado State University/Science Daily) A new study predicted significant climate benefits stemming from the use of advanced biofuel technologies. — Biofuel and bioenergy systems are integral to scenarios for displacing fossil
(Clarin (Google translation)) Jens Mesa Dishington, executive president of Fedepalma and Luis María Zubizarreta, president of Acsoja and Carbio, called for the promotion of biodiesel production in the region. —
(University of Hohenheim) In Sumatra, smallholders in particular have a key function, according to a study on the conversion of rainforests into monocultures and their effects — Oil palm plantations as far
(North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance News) Some lesser-known options, such as integrated water management and increasing the organic content of soil, have fewer trade-offs than many well-known options, such
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There was always going to be a point when the advanced bioeconomy reached the end of the “R&D years” and transitioned into “the years of deployment”,
by David Abel (Boston Globe) … For years, their family used the patch of forest in this suburb west of Boston to hike, sled, walk their dog, and experience wildlife
(IEA Bioenergy) Novel regional and landscape governance approaches aim at addressing complex sustainability challenges by enhancing commitment and collaboration between multiple stakeholders and sectors to achieve common goals for a more
by Marcelo A. Boechat Morandi (Embrapa Meio Ambiente/LinkedIn) Insights on how Brazil is innovating and investing in the low carbon economy, especially in agriculture and energy. RenovaBio is a market
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) POET shared this visual slide guide at last week’s DigestConnect webinar, highlighting today’s agricultural landscape, U.S. corn acreage and yield and production countries, showing where
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The National Wildlife Federation believes EPA’s Andrew Wheeler should use the agency’s waiver authority to reduce blending requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The
by Antonio Bonomi, Otávio Cavalett, Bruno Colling Klein, Mateus Ferreira Chagas, and Nariê Rinke Dias Souza (Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR)/ National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM)/IEA
by Don Scott (Biodiesel Sustainability Now/National Biodiesel Board/Medium.com) … Biodiesel was developed in the U.S. as a beneficial use for the excess fats and oils created as co-products or byproducts
(Indiana Agriculture Coalition for Renewable Energy) Our first featured renewable energy project is a joint project between PU Chemical Enginering and PU Agronomy Department at the Sustainable Food, Energy and
(Suny College of Environmental Science and Forestry) Research published today in Nature suggests mature forests are limited in their ability to absorb “extra” carbon as atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations increase. These
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
(Boss Magazine) … What else algae can suck up, though, is carbon dioxide. When harnessed for carbon capture, algae could become a force in combatting climate change. … Like other
y Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Renewable Fuels Association released its 2020 Ethanol Industry Outlook, an annual publication that provides policymakers, regulators, consumers, the media, and renewable fuel advocates with
by Neil Briscoe (Irish Times) … “Ireland has one million petrol vehicles,” James Cogan, Ethanol Europe’s industry and policy adviser told The Irish Times. “E10 allows that fleet to cut emissions by an
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you have not followed the Alternative and Renewable Fuels Forum, bookmark this, and today I’ll give you some of the flavor of this group with
by (Business Maverick) The recently published Biofuels Regulatory Framework is an important step in the attempt to develop a national biofuel industry, but it is far from sufficient to ensure
(The Tribune) After the matter was highlighted in The Tribune a few days back, Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today requested Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra
(Agricultural & Applied Economics Association/Cision) Four AAEA members publish research in AEPP — Electric vehicles are being introduced gradually, and even with aggressive policy support they are expected to reach 50%
(Biofuels International) A new study carried out by economic modelling experts from Purdue University in the US has found the impacts of US biofuel policy on deforestation in Malaysia and
(Herald/George Maponga Masvingo Bureau) Three companies have applied for land irrigated by the new Tugwi-Mukosi Dam to grow sugar cane to make ethanol for blending into fuels. Greenfuel in Chisumbanje
(The Food and Land Use Coalition) The Global Consultation Report of the Food and Land Use Coalition September 2019 — For people, nature and climate — There is a remarkable opportunity to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The National Corn Growers Association is working hard to increase demand, improve productivity and environmental sustainability and more, but how are they doing this? How
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy, the nation’s largest association of biofuel producers, released a new report demonstrating how claims on the Renewable Fuel Standard’s (RFS) alleged impact on endangered species “relies on unsupported assumptions
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A recently released report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service says that while Thailand has relied on domestic ethanol production, the country
by Claire Asher (South Africa Today/Mongabay) -Sugarcane crop production in Brazil may need to expand by up to 5 million hectares by 2030 to meet a rising demand for ethanol biofuels,
(International Renewable Energy Agency) Advanced liquid biofuels are a key part of low-carbon transport development to meet emission-reduction targets and international climate commitments. Liquid biofuels, requiring minimal changes to fuel distribution
by Naira Hofmeister (Mongabay) -Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has signed a decree revoking a zoning regulation for the sugarcane industry, effectively allowing for cultivation of the crop in the Amazon
by Vanessa Vivian Wabitsch (REVOLVE/BE Sustainable Magazine) Discovering the world, working with people across the globe, commuting to work everyday or consuming exotic fruits imported to Europe – nearly every
(World Business Council for Sustainable Development) -WBCSD launches today the CEO Guide the Circular Bioeconomy. -The Guide gives business leaders a clear understanding of the circular bioeconomy and associated business
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
(Environmental News Network/International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) … IIASA researchers contributed to the development of a new roadmap outlining actions on deforestation, restoration, and carbon cuts that could lead
(Solutions from the Land) Tomorrow marks the seventh annual Bioenergy Day, during which more than 40 organizations all over the United States and Canada – businesses, non-profits, universities, and state and
(International Energy Agency) Replacing a portion of gasoline and diesel demand with biofuels is a means of increasing a country’s domestic fuel supply — Improving security of supply is a fundamental
by Hans Nicholas Jong (Mongabay.com/Eco-Business) A European member of parliament says the bloc isn’t concerned about threats by Indonesia and Malaysia to file a trade complaint over an EU policy to
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy, the nation’s largest association of biofuel producers, released a new report examining the potential impact of a growing role
by Tim Ryan (Court House News) The D.C. Circuit on Friday upheld the Environmental Protection Agency’s renewable fuel standards in
by Sarita Reed and Vinicius Fontana (China Dialogue) Adding ethanol to Chinese petrol will decrease emissions but could worsen Brazil’s
(Agence-France Presse/FirstPost) The overlapping crises of climate change, mass species extinction, and an unsustainable global food system are on a
by Jacques Moss (KNECT365) Recent changes in the EU’s trading relationships with the US and the Mercosur trade bloc may render
(Renewable Fuels Association) Two new academic studies released this week provide further evidence that grain-based ethanol is significantly reducing greenhouse gas
(IEA Bioenergy) This document contains the report of the IEA Bioenergy Executive Committee for 2018. This year, we have presented a special feature
by Jon Cartwright (Physics World) Between 2008 and 2012 expansion of cropland in the US released carbon each year equivalent to the
(Aries Clean Energy) A healthy Energy Sprawl like a gasification plant can reduce carbon footprints, lower emissions signatures, and divert unwanted
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) A new study released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finds greenhouse gas emissions from corn-based
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) As a new wave of large-scale biomass-based diesel projects develops, experts suggest market forces are ready
(The Messenger) … The United States Department of Agriculture has just released the findings of a USDA study about the environmental
(Renewable Fuels Association) A new study published in the academic journal Biomass and Bioenergy exposes the fatal methodological flaws and erroneous conclusions regarding
(TerViva/MarketWatch/PR NewsWire) Led by Ag Family Offices and Climate-Smart Investors, Funding Round Brings Ag-Tech Firm to $40 Million Raised for High-Yielding,
by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … The acquisition of American Process Inc’s technologies, intellectual property portfolio and physical assets strengthens
(Public News Service) A new report says the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, created to spur ethanol production and cut air pollution, is
by Mo Barnes (RollingOut) The burgeoning business of cannabis and hemp cultivation may be able to save the Black farmer. Industrial
by Genevieve Bookwalter (Washington Post) … Across the flatlands of Illinois, a new crop is rising among the traditional waves of
by Rachel Chason (Washington Post) Environmentalists are in a position they never imagined: Fighting a solar panel project that would help Georgetown University
(Bio-based News) New study conducts quantitative and qualitative sustainability assessment of bio-based raw materials for the chemical industry An extensive sustainability
“The GHG emissions of petroleum are higher than the baseline estimates originally projected by EPA” That’s one finding in a
(Renewable Fuels Association) A new study released today finds that the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) has been a tremendous success in reducing
(ResearchGate) Perennial biomass crops (PBC) are considered a crucial feedstock for sustainable biomass supply to the bioeconomy that compete less with
by Boon-Ling Yeo and Andrew Coleman (Environmental Economics and Policy Studies) This paper examines the interaction of different policies used to control
(Agriculture & Applied Ecoomics Association/CISION/PR Web) AAEA Members release research that finds corn ethanol production and crop price changes had negligible
by Alison Knezevich (Washington Post) Gary Atkinson sees new potential for the fields that have long yielded corn and soybeans on
by Vincent A. Yusuf (Daily Trust) Nigeria will in the first quarter of 2019 begin the production of ethanol and glucose
by Ludger Kasumuni (The Citizen) Several investors have abandoned their $1 billion (Sh2.3 trillion) biofuels projects in Tanzania, according to a
(Illinois Farmer Today) Faster conversion of land into agricultural production in recent years has raised the region’s carbon cost of
(Reuters/Investing.com) Norway’s plans to ban biofuels containing palm oil from 2020 are set to provide a major obstacle to long-running trade
by Madhu Khanna (Farms.com) Ethanol production has increased sharply in the United States in the past 10 years, leading to concerns
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy conducted work on sustainability assessments of bioenergy systems and the carbon balance of forest-based
by Ruiqing Miao, Yijia Li and Madhu Khanna (FarmDocDaily) Land-use change is in the forefront of human-nature interaction and is the nexus of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign has been researching the economic incentives and policy implications of energy crops
(University of Bonn) Study from the University of Bonn assesses potential implications of transitioning to plant-based plastics — Bioplastics are often promoted
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Many prominent bioenergy critiques are feedstock-focused — for example, iLUC (Searchinger et al. 2008), carbon debt.
(Committee on Climate Change) The Paris Agreement demands tougher action to remove greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. We must, at
by Brad Plumer (New York Times) … A new study published on Wednesday, however, found that better management of forests, grasslands
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, following on the heels of an Environmental Protection Agency report to Congress documenting wide-spread habitat
(African Development Bank Group) The African Development Bank is championing a new regional and global effort to transform the African Savannah
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, a research team at Argonne National Lab released its GREET 2018 update. GREET is a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sustainable intensification of agricultural systems in combination with biorefinery processing can produce more biomass for bioenergy
by Laura Shields (Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Improving poplar biomass production under stress conditions — … Stresses, such as high
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … The battle continues between the European Union and its anti-palm oil stance due to deforestation
by Simon Granovsky-Larsen (The Conversation) … Ixpátz and four other rivers in the Champerico area had been re-routed from their natural courses
(Latin American Herald Tribune) Activists condemned on Wednesday biofuels at a protest in front of the United Nations headquarters in Bangkok,
by Caroline Ochieng, Francis X. Johnson and Anne Nyambane (Stockholm Environment Institute) This paper synthesizes the current knowledge about the impact
Deeper into the Biomass: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the DOE’s Billion Ton Report, Vol. 2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy’s Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy says that 1.2 billion tons
by Byron Dorgan (Arent Fox LLP/National Biodiesel Board/The Hill) … A recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report released to Congress on the environmental and
(Environmental Protection Agency) This report is the second of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) triennial reports to Congress required under the
(MIghty Earth) A new investigation, “Burned: Deception, Deforestation, and America’s Biodiesel Policy” by the organizations Mighty Earth and ActionAid USA has
by David Kessel (Marin Independent Journal) … Discussions on energy use and production are important, but need to be based
by Amy Mayer & Erica Hunzinger (Harvest Public Media) … Since 1980, the amount of land being farmed or grazed
(Associated Press/Honolulu Star Advertiser) An energy entrepreneur has proposed purchasing the Molokai Ranch and turning part of it into a farm
(The Guardian Nigeria)The Oyo State government has paid compensation to about 77 families whose lands were acquired recently for mass
by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EurActiv) Not all second-generation biofuels listed by the European Commission are sustainable, critics warn, urging policymakers to use
John Abraham, in an article in The Guardian, notes, “Biofuels can help solve climate change, especially with a carbon tax
by John Abraham (The Guardian) Biofuels can help solve climate change, especially with a carbon tax — We’re not yet optimizing biofuel production
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On March 8, Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., introduced companion bills
by Richard A. Lovett (Cosmos) Could green microorganisms be the geoengineering fix the world’s needs? — … Not only can these fast-growing
by PTI, Guwahati (India TV) Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) will utilise bamboo as main biomass for producing bioethanol under the project at
by Melissa Tanji (Maui News) … Around 1,330 gallons of sunflower oil was generated from the first 14-acre field farmed by
by Tim Pearce (Daily Caller) Two environmental groups sued the Trump administration Friday over the threat that the 2018 renewable fuel
(Deutsche Welle) Members of the European Parliament have rejected an attempt to phase out support for crop-based biofuels. So what’s next
(Wisconsin State Journal) … A study conducted for the U.S. Agriculture Department found corn ethanol’s life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions, by 2022, will be
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is working with bioenergy industries and leaders to assist
(New Indian Express) A day after Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan sought the assistance of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for setting
( São Paulo Research Foundation – FAPESP/EurekAlert!) Expansion of sugarcane cultivation for biofuel in areas not under environmental protection or reserved
by Carol Spaeth-Bauer (Wisconsin State Farmer) A University of Wisconsin-Madison study released on Nov. 15 has officials in the ethanol industry frustrated, disputing the
(University of Hohenheim) Until now, acreage was designated for either photovoltaics or photosynthesis, that is, to generate electricity or grow crops.
by Paola Tamma (EurActiv) The lawmaker in charge of steering the EU’s biofuels reform in the European Parliament is looking for compromise
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A massive expansion of land use for sugar cane growth in Brazil, and a subsequent
by Adam Klauber, Isaac Toussie, Steve Csonka and Barbara Bramble (Aviation Week & Space Technology) To some, biofuels conjure negative images
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Sweden, a group of four NGOs have written an open letter to members of
(European Environment Agency) Making Europe’s production, consumption and trade in food environmentally sustainable is possible, but it will require a major

by Aino Siirala* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The 10th Biofuels International Conference and Expo took place in Edinburgh this year. The
(EU Reporter) Ahead of key votes on the post-2020 EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) in the ITRE, ENVI and TRAN
(National Biodiesel Board) A new academic paper published in Biotechnology for Biofuels shows biodiesel’s benefits are even better than previous models suggest.
by Jeremy Deaton (Nexus Media) … Many are leasing their fields to solar developers in need of flat land clear of
(Bio-based News) U research project MAGIC kicks off — On 4-5 July 2017, the 25 partners involved in the EU
by Sara Taginawa (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On Tuesday, July 25, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held
(Biofuels International) Biofuels are needed to meet the UK’s commitments to mitigating climate change, according to a new report requested
by James Bobreski (Finger Lakes Times) … Ethanol is the alcohol in our beer that we enjoy at a ball game, a
by Emily Druckman (Renewable Fuels Association) More than a decade after the original renewable fuel standard (RFS) was signed into
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The production of Agrisoma’s Resonance Carinata is being expanded to multiple locations globally to provide
“Think of it as 100+ acres of energy storage and carbon sequestration,” said Kelly King, Vice President and Co-Founder of
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) … Faced with some actual governmental actions that were detrimental to gasoline/diesel dominance, instead
by Tim Jamison (The Courier) The city is donating land and extending sewer in the Martin Road business park to
Notice of Request for Public Comment on Updates to Technical Guidelines for Quantifying Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and Carbon Sequestration at the Entity-Scale for Agriculture and Forestry COMMENTS DUE April 20, 2020
(U.S. Department of Agriculture/Federal Register) In accordance with Section 2709 of the 2008 Farm Bill, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed technical guidelines and science-based methods to quantify greenhouse