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
land use change
Back TO HOMEExclusive: 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
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
Carbon Pipeline Plans See Pushback: Eminent Domain Debate Heats Up in Iowa as Carbon Pipeline Projects Stack Up
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) ... An Iowa state senator's bill would take away the companies' ability to use eminent domain. The bill introduced by state Sen. Jeff Taylor, a Republican from northwest Iowa, would limit the use of eminent
February 16, 2022 Read Full Article
Setting the Record Straight on the Environmental Outcomes of the Renewable Fuel Standard
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) A new report published today (February 14, 2022) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences, funded in part by the National Wildlife Federation, purports to examine the “environmental outcomes” of the Renewable
February 15, 2022 Read Full Article
In Historic Vote, Los Angeles Will Phase out Oil Drilling
by Adam Mahoney (Grist) Once a magnet for urban oil drilling, the city now moves to curb its dependence on fossil fuel production. -- On Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council approved a sweeping measure that will ban new oil and gas
January 31, 2022 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Expansion OK’d Amid Asphalt Concern
by Thomas Breen (New Haven Independent) An Annex plant that turns vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel won permission to expand its industrial waterfront operations — with a plea from City Plan Commissioners to do its best to swap out asphalt with concrete when possible
January 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Raw Material for Biofuel Production Is Available on 7% of the Cultivated Area
(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP)) In 2020, crops such as cereals, oilseeds, protein, sugar and fiber plants, fruit, vegetables, nuts, etc. were cultivated on 1.4 billion hectares worldwide. Most of these products were used to feed
January 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Animal, Vegetable or Mineral (Oil)? Exploring the Potential Impacts of New Renewable Diesel Capacity on Oil and Fat Markets in the United States
by Chris Malins and Cato Sandford (International Council on Clean Transportation) This report provides an overview of the U.S. renewable diesel market and explores the potential market and environmental impacts of increased renewable diesel capacity. The United States currently supports renewable diesel
January 19, 2022 Read Full Article
ACE, Industry Groups Encourge CARB to Recognize Climate-Smart Farming Practices in Low Carbon Fuel Standard
(American Coalition for Ethanol) In a cosigned letter, the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), along with the Great Plains Institute, Low Carbon Fuels Coalition, the National Biodiesel Board, and Canadian Oilseed Processors Association, recommended the California Air Resources Board (CARB) recognize the
January 16, 2022 Read Full Article
White House Will Recruit Rural Land for New Clean Energy Projects, Could It Create Too Much Competition for Land?
by Tyne Morgan (Farm Journal AgWeb) The Biden Administration is ramping up its efforts to deploy clean energy infrastructure across the country. The White House announced this week plans to utilize public lands and rural America for wind, solar and other clean energy
January 14, 2022 Read Full Article
A Rebuttal to DeCicco: Use Locally Produced Renewable Energy
(Owatonna People's Press/Renewable Fuels Association) The author claims that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was enacted in the wake of 9/11. That is not true. The RFS was enacted after the petroleum industry was unsuccessful in getting Congress to protect the
January 05, 2022 Read Full Article
Two Birds with One Stone: A Combined Environmental and Economic Performance Assessment of Rapeseed-Based Biodiesel Production
by Xueqing Yang,Yang Liu, Alberto Bezama, Daniela Thrän (GCB-Bioenergy) Rapeseed is the dominant feedstock for biodiesel production in Germany; however, significant decline in crop yields observed during the 2018 drought in Europe poses economic and environmental risks for its sustained
December 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Decoupling Carbon from Commercial Flight Fact Sheet
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) empowers energy companies and aviation stakeholders by supporting advances in research, development, and demonstration to overcome barriers for widespread deployment of low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). SAF made from renewable biomass and
December 29, 2021 Read Full Article
Biofuels Are Having a Government-Funding Moment
by Angely Mercado (Popular Science) ... Just this month, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced a plan to provide more than $100 million for basic research and tech development to produce biofuels, biomaterials, and bioproducts. Biofuels are liquid fuels produced from renewable sources,
December 29, 2021 Read Full Article
What We Know about Two Carbon Capture Pipelines Proposed in Iowa
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) ... Two companies — Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator CO2 Ventures — want to build pipelines that will be used to move carbon dioxide captured from ethanol, fertilizer and other agricultural industrial plants. The companies plan to
November 29, 2021 Read Full Article
Maine Hits the Brakes on 145-Mile Transmission Project
by Matthew Choi (Politico's Morning Energy) Maine Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Melanie Loyzim suspended the permits for the New England Clean Energy Connect, a controversial 145-mile transmission project that would deliver hydropower from Quebec into New England. The suspension
November 24, 2021 Read Full Article
ITOCO Launches Its Nopal Cactus Carbon Capture Program in Portugal through a Joint Venture with LATINCHOICE-UNIPESSOAL LDA
(Accesswire/ITOCO) ITOCO INC. (OTC PINK:ITMC) ITOCO is pleased to announce it has selected LATINCHOICE - UNIPESSOAL LDA. in Portugal to Joint Venture as it expands its Nopal Cactus Carbon Capture Program internationally. The ITOCO Nopal Cactus Carbon Capture Program has been
November 19, 2021 Read Full Article
America’s Native Grasslands Are Disappearing
by Katharine Gammon (The Guardian) The Great Plains are being torn up at a ferocious rate – with frightening implications for biodiversity and carbon storage. -- ... (Patrick)Lendrum led a research team that released a report in September showing that from 2018
November 05, 2021 Read Full Article
As Demand for Green Energy Grows, Solar Farms Face Local Resistance
by Ellen Rosen (New York Times) Developers say industrial-scale farms are needed to meet the nation’s climate goals, but locals are fighting back against what they see as an encroachment on their pastoral settings. READ MORE As Demand for Green Energy
November 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Maine Is in Danger of Losing Some of Its Best Agricultural Land to Solar Farms
by Julia Bayly (Bangor Daily News) Approximately 67,000 fixed-tilt, bifacial panels will comprise a solar farm under construction at the Eastern Piscataquis Industrial Park in Milo. There is growing concern that development of solar farms will come at the expense
October 18, 2021 Read Full Article
Plug-in Cars Are the Future. The Grid Isn’t Ready.
by Will Englund (Washington Post) ... Seventy-four times last year, the wind across Upstate New York dropped so low that for stretches of eight hours or more barely any electricity was produced. Nearly half the year, the main transmission line
October 13, 2021 Read Full Article
Biden’s Proposed Tenfold Increase in Solar Power Would Remake the U.S. Electricity System
by Joshua D. Rhodes (The Conversation) ... Relying more heavily on region-specific technologies ... would require building more high-voltage transmission lines to move that energy over long distances, which could increase costs and draw opposition from landowners. ... The report assumes that
September 15, 2021 Read Full Article
Brazil’s Biofuel Program Sputters on Weak Emissions Accounting
by Sibélia Zanon (Mongabay; Translated by Maya Johnson) • The RenovaBio program has been encouraging biofuel producers in Brazil to emit less carbon dioxide since the end of 2019. The program survived a rocky first year brought on by the
September 08, 2021 Read Full Article
D.C. Circuit 2019 RVO Decision Is a Mixed Bag for Biofuels
by Sarah Main and Shailesh Sahay (Foley Hoag) ... On July 16, 2021, the D.C. Circuit issued a decision that resolved several challenges to its 2019 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) rulemaking. ... Renewable fuel producers challenged the volume requirements set in the
August 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Fit for 55: The EU's Plan for a Green Transition
(European Council) As part of the European Green Deal, with the European Climate Law, the EU has set itself a binding target of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. This requires current greenhouse gas emission levels to drop substantially in the next decades.
July 29, 2021 Read Full Article
CPOPC Urges the EU to Rethink Its Palm Oil Policy
(Biofuels International) The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) has again urged the European Union to revise its approach on vegetable oils in biofuels. This comes under the framework of RED II in light of the upcoming revision of
July 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Energycane Produces More Biodiesel than Soybean at a Lower Cost
(University of Illinois/EurekAlert!) Bioenergy from crops is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. New crops such as energycane can produce several times more fuel per acre than soybeans. Yet, challenges remain in processing the crops to extract fuel efficiently. Four new studies
July 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Indonesia's B30 Program to Drive Global Biodiesel Production in 2021-2030: Report
by Aditya Kondalamahanty (S&P Global) Indonesia's use of palm oil to make biodiesel to rise by 23% by 2030; Biodiesel use projected to increase by 7% over coming decade; Palm oil production expected to weaken on sustainability, land constraints Indonesia will be the main
July 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Bioresources within a Net-Zero Emissions Economy: Making a Sustainable Approach Possible
(Energy Transitions Commission) In its new report Bioresources within a Net-Zero Emissions Economy, the Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) makes plain that, while bioresources are in principle renewable, not all forms of biomass use are beneficial from an environmental perspective: not all biomass
July 07, 2021 Read Full Article
Groundbreaking New Partnership Will Use Blockchain Technology to Record, View and Measure the Growth of 50 Million Pongamia Trees
(Investancia) Blockchain will track 50 million trees through Investancia and EcoMatcher Partnership --- Groundbreaking new partnership will use blockchain technology to record, view and measure the growth of 50 million pongamia trees to be planted in the Paraguayan Chaco forest
June 15, 2021 Read Full Article
Thinking Beyond Wires: Using Advanced Transmission Technologies to Accelerate the Transition to Clean Energy
(Environmental Law and Policy Center) In order to integrate renewables nationwide and reduce the worst impacts of climate change, we need a robust, efficient, and modern electricity delivery network. [caption id="attachment_143383" align="aligncenter" width="637"] From Environmental Law & Policy Center report[/caption] Transmission lines already
June 04, 2021 Read Full Article
New Reports Correct the Record on Faulty Land Use Change Assertions
(Renewable Fuels Association) A pair of recent studies examining purported cropland expansion in the Midwest are based on a flawed methodology that “suffers from accuracy and certainty issues,” according to a new review of the studies by researchers at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
June 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Red Tractor Paperwork Crucial to Access Biofuels Market
(Farmers Weekly) Arable farmers will have to produce new “mass balance” figures – essentially stock and movement records – from 1 July, in order to achieve Red Tractor status to supply the growing biofuels market. The rule changes are being introduced to
May 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Ethanol Boss: Electric Vehicles Are Not the Future, but Part of It
by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EURACTIV.com) Looking at electric vehicles as the only option for the decarbonisation of Europe’s transport sector is wrong and we should take into account all available sustainable solutions, Valérie Corre from the European Renewable Ethanol Association (ePURE) told
May 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Johnson County Landowners Consider Trading Ethanol Crop for Fields of Solar in $4.7M Project
by Zachary Oren Smith (Iowa City Press-Citizen) On land that has yielded corn and beans, Jim Dane and some other Johnson County farmers may see something new produced. Locally, the Dane name is associated with Dane's Dairy, a popular ice cream shop just off Highway
April 28, 2021 Read Full Article
Earth Day 2021 Series Day 14: Sustainable Land Use: What Can We Learn from Farmers?
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 over. Climate Smart Agriculture The North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance is
April 14, 2021 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Brian Ross
"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, Minn.-based Great Plains Institute upon reviewing a map representing the
March 26, 2021 Read Full Article
Biden's Dilemma: Land for Renewables
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 the space that could be required to site the massive
March 26, 2021 Read Full Article
Looking ahead to Second-Generation Biofuels
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. Speaking at a Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics webinar earlier this
March 11, 2021 Read Full Article
The Science Behind Ethanol’s Carbon Intensity, Land Use Change: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Corn Starch Ethanol’s Carbon Intensity
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 energy use intensity and land use change carbon intensity? What