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
land use policy
Back TO HOMEFarm and Food: Big Ethanol Sees Electric Cars as a Market Maker, Not a Market Taker
by Alan Guebert (The Hawk Eye) ... However, in an interview for an episode of the podcast “Corn Save America,” Jeremy Martin, the director of fuels policy at UCS (Union of Concerned Scientists), suggests ethanol and other “biofuels” may claim a
February 23, 2022 Read Full Article
Midlands Voices: Carbon Capture Storage Will Provide Economic Boost to Rural America
by (Julius Schaaf) Omaha World-Herald) ... Almost every business sector has green initiatives being put forward by industry leaders to tackle the changing environment. Lowering carbon emissions is a noble cause and one that would have a tremendous impact on
February 22, 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
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
Off-Season 'Cover' Crops Expand as U.S. Growers Eye Low-Carbon Future
by Karl Plume (Reuters) ... The purpose of cover crops is to restore soil, reduce erosion and to pull climate-warming carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. The carbon trapped in roots and other plant matter left in the soil is measured
January 04, 2022 Read Full Article
An Energy Transition Needs Lots of Power Lines.
by Dan Gearino (Inside Climate News) This 1970s Minnesota Farmers’ Uprising Tried to Block One. What Can it Teach Us? As the country moves toward a massive build-out of transmission lines, a decades-old rebellion offers a way through potential opposition. -- If
January 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol Producers, Advocates Aim for Net-Zero Ethanol by 2050
by Susanne Retka Schill (Great Plains Institute) As US and world leaders engage on climate change and carbon reduction efforts, leaders in the American ethanol industry have announced pledges and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The country’s largest
December 16, 2021 Read Full Article
Feinstein Urges EPA to Update Feedstock Eligibility under RFS
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on Dec. 7 sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan urging the agency to revise the Renewable Fuel Standard to allow biomass harvested from federal land as part of wildfire mitigation
December 15, 2021 Read Full Article
Yesterday Is Always Tomorrow for the Global Bioeconomy
by Douglas L. Faulkner (Leatherstocking LLC/“Cleantech Conservative”/Biofuels Digest) ... It never ceases to amaze me that the media and politicians frequently belittle biofuels and biobased products as old-fashioned, hopelessly low-tech, of no import, and, yes, even damaging to the environment and
December 14, 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
California’s Dirty Little Secret: Oil Wells in the Backyard
by Alexandria Herr (Capital & Main) Even Texas and Wyoming do a better job protecting communities from oil and gas drilling. -- As a child, Ashley Hernandez remembers pretending that the oil pumpjacks that loomed over her neighborhood were dinosaurs. Other children
October 14, 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
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
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
EU to Launch Carbon Farming Framework by End-2021 Following Two-Year Study
by Jack Ellis (Ag Funder News) The European Commission – the executive branch of the EU administration which is responsible for proposing bloc-wide legislation – has published the findings of its two-year study into creating a “carbon farming” framework for the EU. The
April 30, 2021 Read Full Article
A California County, Despite the State’s Climate Goals, further Embraces Fossil Fuels
by Miranda Green (Washington Post) The long shadows cast here in the San Joaquin Valley come from oil derricks, not palm trees. Two hours inland from the Pacific Ocean, the arid terrain is peppered with petroleum and gas wells. The
April 18, 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
Brazil Is Growing Its Biofuel Industry
by Julio Bravo (Farm Futures) Brazil already has the largest fleet of cars driven by ethanol, mainly from sugarcane; now corn-based ethanol plants are on the rise. The ethanol produced by sugarcane and corn has have the potential to reduce up
February 24, 2021 Read Full Article
Groups Fight Wisconsin Transmission Line
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 renewables from Iowa to Wisconsin. The suit argues that the
February 12, 2021 Read Full Article
Austria to End Crediting of Biofuels from Palm Oil in July
(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP)/Biobased Diesel Daily) The accounting of biofuels with a high risk of indirect land use change (iLUC) will end in Austria July 1. This exclusion is provided for in the late-January
February 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Electric Cars Are Coming, and Fast. Is the Nation’s Grid Up to It?
by Brad Plumer (New York Times) GM’s decision this week to phase out gasoline vehicles is the latest in a major shift that will mean drastic new demands on electric utilities. Here are four things that will need to happen. ... Generate
February 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Abandoned Cropland Should Produce Biofuels
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 to more biofuels, according to an NTNU research group. Researchers consider
January 23, 2021 Read Full Article
UPM Joins the BIKE Project Promoting Sustainable Biomass Value Chains for Biofuels
(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 and reliable biomass value chains can be deployed to produce
December 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Canada Unveils Its New Clean Fuels Standard, Carbon Price, and $2.25B in New Sector Investment
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change Canada has focused its new Clean Fuel Standard on liquid fossil fuels. released its updated climate and clean growth plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. The government
December 16, 2020 Read Full Article
Oil and Gas Companies Keep Taking From Taxpayers. And Taking. Congress Should Raise the Royalty Rates on Federal Lands.
by Senators Tom Udall (D-N) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) (New York Times) One hundred years ago, Congress passed the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, setting up a system in which companies lease public lands to wrest valuable oil and gas from
December 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuture Summit II: IEA Calls for Countries to Implement Biofuture Platform Post-COVID Principles
(Biofuture) Bioenergy sector hailed as a ‘job creating machine’ at launch of BBEST 2020-21/BIOFUTURE SUMMIT II Virtual Conference; Unique conference brings together world-leading policies, innovation, science and market analysis across the bioeconomy -- The Biofuture Platform, a multi-stakeholder initiative facilitated by the
December 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Could We Ever Pull Enough Carbon out of the Atmosphere to Stop Climate Change?
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 Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change and
December 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Sustainable Bioeconomy Vital for Freshwater Resources
(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 bioeconomy will affect Nordic water resources, is something BIOWATER, a
October 23, 2020 Read Full Article
As Flood Plains Expand, Sellers Continue to Hide Risk from Residents
by Amy Lupica (Our Daily Planet) Across the nation, 15 million residences are at high risk of flooding within the next 30 years, and most homeowners and renters aren’t aware of this risk. Only about half of states require any kind of disclosure when it comes
October 20, 2020 Read Full Article
RFS Rule in Court, Chapter 2019
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 on the rule governing 2019 requirements. Biofuel producers argued that
September 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Intensive Monoculture Is Putting Water Systems in Peril
(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 our terrestrial water cycle, according to new research. A new paper
September 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Clean Fuels Standard Misses the Mark on Biofuels
(Grain Farmers of Ontario/Globe Newswire) Grain Farmers of Ontario opposed to land use restrictions, and seek transparency on certification criteria -- Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers today has
September 22, 2020 Read Full Article
California Issues 190% More New Oil and Gas Drilling Permits
(Our Daily Planet) While California Governor Gavin Newsom has called his state “a leader in the fight to transition away from fossil fuels,” watchdog groups have been calling out the fact that California is continuing to issue oil and gas extraction permits.
September 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Renewable Transport Fuel Association: Green Fuel Firms Launch New Trade Body
(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 new trade body launched this week for producers and suppliers
August 27, 2020 Read Full Article
With Colombia and Argentina as a Base, Experts Highlight Potential of Biodiesel in Latin America and the Caribbean
(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. -- In a forum organized by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation
August 26, 2020 Read Full Article
Showcase Bioeconomy: Research Wants to Combine Species Protection and Palm Oil Production
(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 as the eye can see. In addition to a dramatic decline
August 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Letter to the Advanced Bioeconomy: Advance off the Beach
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”, and if you read the Biden plan here or the latest pushback from
July 28, 2020 Read Full Article
As Woods Give Way to Solar Farms, State to Issue Controversial Rules that Could Harm Solar Industry
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 close at hand. Then two years ago, a developer began clear-cutting
July 14, 2020 Read Full Article
Save the Rainforests, Use Degraded Land AND Produce Fuel and Food? Soleá Looks at How Macaúba Could Solve Many Problems
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Macaúba is known for its high productivity and adaptability to the most adverse climate conditions and even better, the fruit’s shell, pulp, endocarp, and almond can be converted into a range of food
June 29, 2020 Read Full Article
The Science behind Brazilian Biofuels Policy – RenovaBio
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 driven incentive mechanism, based on the economic theory of “Coase Market”
June 25, 2020 Read Full Article
The Race for Nature: How Congress Can Help Farmers and Ranchers Save Their Lands and Survive the Coronavirus-Induced Economic Crisis
(Center for American Progress) ... Urban sprawl, oil and gas extraction, and other industrial uses consumed more than 45,000 square miles of farms, ranches, and private working forests in a recent two-decade span.2 Overall, more than 75 percent of the natural
June 24, 2020 Read Full Article
The 4 Pillars for Successful Biofuels Project Investment
by David P. Smoot (Northwest Advanced Bio-Fuels, LLC) Increased investment interest is on the horizon for companies working in the renewable energy sector. One of these long-term investment opportunities that’s timely and tangible is in renewable biomass to fuel initiatives. One very
June 05, 2020 Read Full Article
Tapping into Technology to Improve Palm Oil Yields
(Biofuels International) Malaysian palm oil producers have been urged to use technology to improve yield as the industry wrestles with concerns about sustainability, the chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) revealed. Malaysia, the world’s second biggest palm oil producer,
May 01, 2020 Read Full Article
Featured Project: Purdue University Elevated Solar Panels
(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 Water Systems (SFEWS) research project in West Lafeyette. ... “This research will
April 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Don’t Look to Mature Forests to Soak Up Carbon Dioxide Emissions: Results of Australian Study May Have Impact on New York State Carbon Neutrality Goals
(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 findings may have implications for New York state's carbon neutrality
April 23, 2020 Read Full Article
New Framework for Biofuels Leaves Many Questions Unanswered
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 full benefits of biofuels while minimising the risks. -- On
February 20, 2020 Read Full Article
BLM Issues Notice on Tribal Biomass Demonstration Projects
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management published a notice of availability on Jan. 15 establishing eligibility and selection criteria for biomass demonstration project proposals submitted for BLM-managed lands as authorized by the Indian
February 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Iowans Push 2020 Candidates to Focus on Climate Change
by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) ... While climate change has been given short shrift on the debate stages, it’s been widely discussed as the state races toward its first-in-the-nation caucuses on Monday. Record-setting flooding devastated nearly every corner of the state
January 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Palm Oil Prices to Climb 17.9% in 2020 on Tight Supplies, Biodiesel Programs: Reuters Poll
by Mei Mei Chu (Reuters) Average palm oil prices will surge 17.9% this year, a Reuters poll of industry participants showed, as reduced output in the first half of the year and higher biodiesel consumption in top producers Indonesia and Malaysia
January 22, 2020 Read Full Article
RenovaBio Takes off
by Gabriel Miranda (EcoEngineers/Ethanol Producer Magazine) After several years of debate and public consultation, the Biofuels National Policy (RenovaBio) program finally became official on Dec. 24, 2019. The newborn program ratifies the Brazilian government’s commitment to the Paris Agreement from 2016.
January 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Growing Better: Ten Critical Transitions to Transform Food and Land Use
(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 transform food and land use systems, but as the challenges
January 09, 2020 Read Full Article
UABio Proposals for Amendments to the Legislation on Stimulating the Cultivation of Energy Crops
(UABio)The UABIO Working Group has finalized work on amendments to legislation to stimulate cultivation of energy crops in Ukraine. Read also: aboutabout creation of UABIO Working group on energy crops and about creation of UABIO Working group on energy cropson energy crops. According to
January 08, 2020 Read Full Article
A Review of LCA Assessments of Forest-Based Bioeconomy Products and Processes under an Ecosystem Services Perspective.
(Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science/National Center for Biotechnology Information) The emergence of politically driven bioeconomy strategies worldwide calls for considering the ecological issues associated with bio-based products. Traditionally, life cycle analysis (LCA) approaches are key tools used to assess
December 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Report from Growth Energy Debunks Unsupported Claims Regarding Endangered Species
(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 and speculation.” The report was authored by Ramboll, a global
December 10, 2019 Read Full Article
MAGIC Research Work Now Available Online
Insights about the most promising industrial crops grown on marginal land. MAGIC aims to promote the sustainable development of resource-efficient and economically profitable industrial crops grown on marginal lands, considering that industrial crops can provide valuable resources for high added value
December 05, 2019 Read Full Article
How Policy Can Boost the Market Roll-Out of Renewable Fuels
(ADVANCEFUEL) Policy and governments set ambitious climate and energy targets for the transport sector both on EU level, such as the revised Renewable Energy Directive, and international level, such as the 2015 Paris Agreement. Renewable fuels are among the most viable
December 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Brazil Sugarcane Growth Can Meet Biofuel Need and Not Drive Deforestation: Study
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, according to computer models that compared the impact of different
November 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Rep. Welch, Sen. Udall Introduce Legislation to Reform the Renewable Fuel Standard to Benefit the Environment
(Office of Representative Peter Welch (D-VT)) Bill would phase out corn ethanol mandate, reverse tide of habitat destruction, and boost the mandate for advanced biofuels that reduce greenhouse gases -- Today (November 14, 2019), Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) introduced
November 15, 2019 Read Full Article
In Surprise Move, Brazil Has Removed Restrictions on Amazon Sugarcane Production
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 and other areas of primary forest. -The measure is controversial because
November 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Chinese Demand Heats up Brazil’s Ethanol Industry
by Sarita Reed and Vincius Fontana (Future Fuel Strategies/China Dialogue) There are 332 million cars on the road in China, more than anywhere in the world. Most run on pure petrol, but from next year Chinese fuel companies will add 10% ethanol,
November 13, 2019 Read Full Article
A Roadmap to Make the Land Sector Carbon Neutral by 2040
(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 to the land sector becoming carbon neutral by 2040 and
October 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Does Security of Supply Drive Key Biofuel Markets in Asia?
(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 reason for the introduction of biofuel policy support in China,
October 22, 2019 Read Full Article
EU Parliament Unfazed by Trade Fight over Palm Biofuel Phase-Out
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 phase out palm oil-based biofuels by 2030. The two Southeast
October 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Countering Misinformation on Sustainable Aviation Fuels
(IATA) Attempts to discredit CORSIA through false assertions about SAF do not stand up to scrutiny, says Michael Gill, Director, Aviation Environment. ... Two of the most important environmental options on the table are the CORSIA international offsetting scheme, and the
September 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Forest Products Industry Barriers to Producing Biofuels
(Biorenewable Deployment Consortium) BDC is a 501c3 organization focused on education and brokering partnerships in order to accelerate the deployment of economic bioprocesses and assist the forest products industry to get the most value from the tree. BDC membership represents
September 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Global Leaders Issue Report Underscoring Imminent Need for Adaptation
(Solutions from the Land) A panel of political, business and environmental leaders is the latest to issue warnings about the growing climate crisis emanating from increasingly volatile global weather patterns. Citing what it calls new research findings, the Global Commission on Adaptation,
September 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Circuit Court Rejects Challenges to EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standards
by Tim Ryan (Court House News) The D.C. Circuit on Friday upheld the Environmental Protection Agency’s renewable fuel standards in the face of challenges from energy companies, biofuel producers and industry groups. Under longstanding EPA policy, the burden of introducing more
September 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Petroleum Companies Ramp up HVO Production in Europe
(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)/Biodiesel Magazine) Production of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in the European Union has picked up pace since 2012. Petroleum companies, such as Neste, Eni and Total, were the main entities promoting the creation of
August 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Chinese Demand Heats up Brazil’s Ethanol Industry
by Sarita Reed and Vinicius Fontana (China Dialogue) Adding ethanol to Chinese petrol will decrease emissions but could worsen Brazil’s deforestation -- There are 332 million cars on the road in China, more than anywhere in the world. Most run
August 14, 2019 Read Full Article
We Have No Idea Yet How to Feed the Planet without Frying It
(Washington Post) ... A new and more accurate accounting method enabled one of the researchers, Princeton University’s Tim Searchinger, to calculate that biofuels are actually environmental villains: “Using ethanol or biodiesel contributes two to three times the greenhouse gas emissions of
August 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Planned Anti-Subsidy Duties on Palm Oil Methyl Ester Ineffective
(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)) The preliminary anti-subsidy duties announced by the EU Commission will not reduce imports of palm oil-based biodiesel. This is the conclusion the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) has drawn from
August 12, 2019 Read Full Article
New IPCC Report to Assess the Interaction between Global Warming and Land Use
(Agence-France Presse/FirstPost) The overlapping crises of climate change, mass species extinction, and an unsustainable global food system are on a collision course towards what might best be called an ecological land grab. Coping with each of these problems will require a
August 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Opportunities and Risks for Continued Biofuel Expansion in Brazil
by Nikita Pavlenko and Carmen Araujo (International Council on Clean Transportation) Brazil’s advanced biofuel industry lags far behind the production capacity of its first-generation biofuel industry. Brazil’s reliance on crop-derived biofuel feedstocks, in conjunction with its vulnerable forests and savannah, presents
July 31, 2019 Read Full Article
Ag Leaders Shaping Global Climate Strategies... Who Would Have Thought?
(Solutions from the Land) Solutions from the Land takes great pride in supporting the North American Climate Smart Action Alliance (NACSAA) as it continues its important work in putting farmers, ranchers and foresters in a central position to develop the
June 04, 2019 Read Full Article
IEA Bioenergy Annual Report 2018
(IEA Bioenergy) This document contains the report of the IEA Bioenergy Executive Committee for 2018. This year, we have presented a special feature ‘ Measuring, governing and gaining support for sustainable bioenergy supply chains – lessons and messages from a three-year Inter-Task project’, the preparation of which
June 03, 2019 Read Full Article
With New Regulation Complete, What’s Next for EU Biofuels?
by Dave Keating (Euractiv) “ILUC has been solved,” declared Bernd Kuepker, a renewables policy officer at the European Commission’s energy department, at an event held in Brussels this week. He was, of course, not saying that the phenomenon of Indirect Land Use Change has been
May 31, 2019 Read Full Article
Expanding US Cropland Emits Same as 36 New Power Plants
by Jon Cartwright (Physics World) Between 2008 and 2012 expansion of cropland in the US released carbon each year equivalent to the running of 36 coal-fired power plants, according to scientists in the US. “Folks can easily see and understand how tropical deforestation
May 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Energy Sprawl – Friend or Foe?
(Aries Clean Energy) A healthy Energy Sprawl like a gasification plant can reduce carbon footprints, lower emissions signatures, and divert unwanted waste streams (such as wood and biosolids) from local landfills. The key to it all is planning. -- In an effort
May 14, 2019 Read Full Article
Mighty Earth Wants to Push 2020 Candidates on the Use of Biofuels
by Zachary Oren Smith (Iowa City Press-Citizen) ... Mighty Earth, a program affiliated with left-leaning think tank Center for International Policy, has three paid organizers setting up shop in Iowa City, Des Moines and the Quad-Cities in hopes of getting 2020 candidates to
April 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Front Group Taking Aim at Biofuels
by Kevin Kinney (The Gazette) ... I’m concerned that Mighty Earth — a group based in Washington, D.C. — is starting to campaign locally against ethanol and other biofuels. The group claims to care about the planet, but their entire campaign seems designed
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
SMU Researcher Studying Purpose-Grown Biomass Crops
(Saint Mary's University/Canadian Biomass Magazine) Research into how poor-quality, marginal land can be used to produce biomass as a potential revenue stream for farmers underway at Saint Mary’s University received $1.2 million in funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriScience program
March 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Georgetown Wants to Raze 210 Acres of Trees to Meet Green-Energy Goals. Environmentalists Are Crying Foul.
by Rachel Chason (Washington Post) Environmentalists are in a position they never imagined: Fighting a solar panel project that would help Georgetown University dramatically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. They say the project, which involves razing about 210 acres of trees in rural Charles
February 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Potential Trade‐Offs of Employing Perennial Biomass Crops for the Bioeconomy in the EU by 2050: Impacts on Agricultural Markets in the EU and the World
(ResearchGate) Perennial biomass crops (PBC) are considered a crucial feedstock for sustainable biomass supply to the bioeconomy that compete less with food production compared to traditional crops. However, large‐scale development of PBC as a means to reach greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation
February 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Proposed Solar Energy Developments Draw Opposition Over Loss of Farmland
by Alison Knezevich (Washington Post) Gary Atkinson sees new potential for the fields that have long yielded corn and soybeans on his northern Baltimore County farm. A Seattle-based energy company, OneEnergy Renewables, plans to lease a portion of the scenic property in
January 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Total Says French Palm Oil Curb Threatens Biofuel Facility
(The Star) French energy group Total said a move by lawmakers to exclude palm oil from raw materials approved for use in biofuel would put at risk its La Mede facility in southern France. French lawmakers last month voted to remove palm
January 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Why Investors Ditched Sh2tr Biofuels Projects
by Ludger Kasumuni (The Citizen) Several investors have abandoned their $1 billion (Sh2.3 trillion) biofuels projects in Tanzania, according to a survey by BusinessWeek. Mtamba Biofuel Farm in Kisarawe, Coast Region. It has been estimated that between 2007 and 2008, the Southern
January 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Biodiesel’s Past, Present and Future
by Marc Kellens (Biodiesel Magazine) Marc Kellens, the global technical director for Desmet Ballestra, takes us through the history and future of biodiesel production, identifying key milestones and cultural shifts, including the introduction and proliferation of renewable diesel. -- ... The food-vs.-fuel
January 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Bringing the Concept of Climate-Smart Agriculture to Life : Insights from CSA Country Profiles Across Africa, Asia, and Latin America (English)
(The World Bank) Bringing the Concept of Climate-Smart Agriculture to Life: Insights from CSA Country Profiles across Africa, Asia, and Latin America The Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Country Profile Series assesses climate change challenges and solutions in the agricultural sectors of more than
January 03, 2019 Read Full Article
UN Food and Agriculture Organization Highlights Climate Smart Agriculture
(UN Food and Agriculture Organization) Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an approach that helps to guide actions needed to transform and reorient agricultural systems to effectively support development and ensure food security in a changing climate. CSA aims to tackle three main
January 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Malaysia Says Norway Move to Ban Palm-Based Biodiesel Could Hinder EFTA Trade Talks
(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 talks between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Malaysia, a Kuala Lumpur government minister said on Friday. A Norwegian parliament
December 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Malaysia, Indonesia, Colombia to Meet over French Anti-Palm Oil Vote
(Free Malaysia Today/Bernama) Malaysia is scheduled to hold a meeting with Indonesia and Colombia in Jakarta next February to discuss the French National Assembly’s decision to exclude the use of palm oil as a biodiesel feedstock. Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said
December 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Argue Bioenergy Crops Could Damage Biodiversity
(Bioenergy Insight) Research from Durham University has suggested that the increasing use of bioenergy could be just as damaging to global biodiversity as climate change. Durham University researchers have suggested that familiar UK species including red squirrels, hedgehogs and red grouse could
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels and Environmental Groups Commend New Pilot Environmental Quality and Incentive Program in 2018 Farm Bill Report
(Grain Net) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Environmental Entrepreneurs(E2), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) thank the Farm Bill conferees for including a new pilot Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) in the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Report to promote and
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Agriculture Sector Must Take Active Role in Creating Climate Policy
(Solutions from the Land) Events at the last round of global climate talks in Katowice, Poland over the past two weeks have drawn a spotlight on the need for agriculture, conservation and agribusiness interests to play a central role in the
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
More Bioplastics Do Not Necessarily Contribute to Climate Change Mitigation
(University of Bonn) Study from the University of Bonn assesses potential implications of transitioning to plant-based plastics -- Bioplastics are often promoted as an environmentally and climate-friendly alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics. However, a recent study from the University of Bonn suggests
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
More Sustainable: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Intensification Response & Landscape Design in Bioenergy Production
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Many prominent bioenergy critiques are feedstock-focused — for example, iLUC (Searchinger et al. 2008), carbon debt. Marginal land strategies identify areas where energy crops likely have competitive advantage for productivity and/or conservation based on Biophysical characteristics
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
ADBA Responds to Committee on Climate Change Reports
(Bioenergy Insight) The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has published two new reports on land use and biomass and the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA) has responded. ADBA’s chief executive Charlotte Morton said that the association “welcomes these two important reports
November 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Fiberight Now Expects Hampden Waste Plant to Start up in April, a Year after Scheduled Start
by Charles Eichacker (Bangor Daily News) The company developing a state-of-the-art waste processing facility in Hampden says the project will probably be completed by the end of March — nearly a full year after the facility was supposed to begin receiving
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Reforms Must Prepare the UK Countryside for Climate Change and Ensure that Our Use of Land Supports Reduced Emissions
(Committee on Climate Change) The Paris Agreement demands tougher action to remove greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. We must, at the same time, prepare for the inevitable climate change that is already happening. In this context, current uses of land
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Virtual NGO Making Waves with Online Petition against Palm Oil in Europe
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In the UK, virtual NGO SumOfUs has gathered nearly 75,000 signatures on a digital petition demanding the European Commission to ban palm oil as part of the regulatory process that will see it publish a report on “high
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Part of the Answer to Climate Change May Be America’s Trees and Dirt, Scientists Say
by Brad Plumer (New York Times) ... A new study published on Wednesday, however, found that better management of forests, grasslands and soils in the United States could offset as much as 21 percent of the country’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. At
November 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Asia’s Climate Arsenal: Are Biofuels Back?
by Beth Walker (The Third Pole) Biofuels will dominate future growth in renewables and are essential for decarbonizing the most difficult sectors; China and India should lead the way, argues new EIA report -- ... Bioenergy from liquid biofuels and biogas will
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Indonesia Halts All New Palm Oil Plantations for 3 Years
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... The battle continues between the European Union and its anti-palm oil stance due to deforestation and environmental issues, and Indonesia, the leading palm oil producing country whose farmers and businesses rely heavily on palm oil. With
September 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Farmers in Guatemala Are Destroying Dams to Fight ‘Dirty’ Renewable Energy
by Simon Granovsky-Larsen (The Conversation) ... Ixpátz and four other rivers in the Champerico area had been re-routed from their natural courses and into large plantations. Joining forces with other small farmers, Santiago set out with pickaxes and sticks to break up
September 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Activists Protest Biofuels outside UN Meeting on Climate Change in Bangkok
(Latin American Herald Tribune) Activists condemned on Wednesday biofuels at a protest in front of the United Nations headquarters in Bangkok, where an international conference on climate change is being held. ... “Defend our rights to food, land and water,” said one of
September 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Climate Taxes on Agriculture Could Lead to More Food Insecurity than Climate Change Itself
(International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis/Phys.Org) New IIASA-led research has found that a single climate mitigation scheme applied to all sectors, such as a global carbon tax, could have a serious impact on agriculture and result in far more widespread hunger
August 01, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Hasn’t Told the Whole Story of the Benefits of Biofuels
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 resource conservation impacts of biofuel production deliberately misses the mark because of what it excludes. The EPA authors note that
July 24, 2018 Read Full Article
One Day at the World’s Leading Biomass Technology Conference, EUBCE 2018
by Steve Bi* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Renaissance-era facades capped with green copper patina and orange clay shingles harmonize seamlessly with imaginative, hallmark-of-Scandinavia, hyper-modern structures in downtown Copenhagen. [caption id="attachment_99349" align="alignleft" width="212"] Setting of the EUBCE 2018 Copenhagen[/caption] The city provided the perfect backdrop
July 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Saying ‘No’ to Palm Oil Would Likely Displace, Not Halt Biodiversity Loss – IUCN report
(IUCN) Banning palm oil would most likely increase the production of other oil crops to meet demand for oil, displacing rather than halting the significant global biodiversity losses caused by palm oil, warned an IUCN report published today (June 26, 2018). The
July 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels and the Environment: Second Triennial Report to Congress
(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 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA). EISA Section 204 calls for EPA to report to Congress on the environmental
July 02, 2018 Read Full Article
2.5 Million Homes, Businesses Totaling $1 Trillion Threatened by High Tide Flooding
(Union of Concerned Scientists) Study Finds Coastal Municipalities May Lose Huge Sums in Property Tax Revenue -- Accelerating sea level rise in the lower 48 states, primarily driven by climate change, is projected to worsen tidal flooding, putting as many as 311,000
June 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Investigation into U.S. Renewable Fuels Policies Finds “Green” Biodiesel Producers Driving Massive Deforestation
(MIghty Earth) A new investigation, “Burned: Deception, Deforestation, and America’s Biodiesel Policy” by the organizations Mighty Earth and ActionAid USA has found that biodiesel is not the environmentally friendly, “green” fuel claimed by industry producers. On-the-ground investigators documented bulldozing, burning and
June 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Discussion Needs to Be Based on Facts
by David Kessel (Marin Independent Journal) ... Discussions on energy use and production are important, but need to be based on factual information, not made up red herrings. • The articles state the intent was to increase renewable fuels. Not mentioned
June 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Residents Voice Opposition to Biofuel Plan by United Riverhead Terminal
by Denise Civiletti (Riverhead Local) A proposal by United Riverhead Terminal to install six tanks for storing 108,000 gallons of biofuel at its Northville facility drew intense opposition from residents of the surrounding area during a public hearing at Riverhead Town
June 22, 2018 Read Full Article
EU Needs to Rethink, Set Goals to Reduce Palm Oil in Biodiesel
by Sudheer Mopperthy (Asian Age) The EU adopted this new fuel with rigour and pledged that by 2020, 10 per cent of all transport fuels in EU nations would be biodiesel. ... The EU’s palm oil ban will effectively push three million
April 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Brazilian Biofuel Producers Oppose Further Deforestation of the Amazon
by Claire Stam (EURACTIV.com) The Brazilian Senate is considering lifting a ban on sugarcane production for ethanol fuel in the Amazon. The plan, supported by the country’s president, has sparked protests from environmentalists and the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, UNICA. The decision
April 06, 2018 Read Full Article
What Happens On The Edges Of Cities When Farmland Gives Way To Development
by Amy Mayer & Erica Hunzinger (Harvest Public Media) ... Since 1980, the amount of land being farmed or grazed in the U.S. has dropped 13 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Much of it now is covered
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Neste's Human Rights Program Making Gradual Impacts on Labor Issues within the Palm Oil Industry
(Neste Corporation) ... In order to truly have impacts in human rights, we have started identifying potential human rights issues and put in motion a plan to manage the associated risks, particularly in our palm oil supply chain. Engagement to ensure capacity
March 13, 2018 Read Full Article
First U.S. City to Ban Fossil Fuel Expansion Offers Roadmap for Others
by Kevon Paynter (Yes! Magazine) Portland, Ore., climate activists celebrate a win against Big Oil as city- and state-level initiatives gain momentum across the country. -- ... A key piece of Shell’s arctic drilling fleet, the vessel had arrived in Portland for
February 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Letter to the Editor: Renewable Fuel Standard Threatens New Jersey Wildlife & Worsens Climate Change
by Kelly M0oij (Audubon Society/Tap Into New Brunswick) ... A decade removed from RFS beginnings has given ample time for evaluation and it’s time to reform the program. As a start, Congress must work to promote biofuels made from sources other
January 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Updated UFOP Report on Global Market Supply Published
(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants, UFOP)) Strong global harvest yields mean that supply on international markets is more than sufficient. The figures indicate that there is enough to meet worldwide
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Fish, Wildlife & Bioenergy: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainable Impacts on Fish and Wildlife Habitats
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is working with bioenergy industries and leaders to assist them in the sustainable development of bioenergy that includes our fish and wildlife resources, in the quest towards sustainable bioenergy
December 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Results of UW-Madison Study on Carbon Emissions Disputed
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 methodology of the study saying the claims of the study are not supported by fact. The study showed a shift of
November 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Expansion of Sugarcane Ethanol in Brazil Could Cut GHG Emissions
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A massive expansion of land use for sugar cane growth in Brazil, and a subsequent increase in ethanol production with the feedstock could reduce global carbon dioxide emissions in the transportation sector by up to
November 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Marketing Sustainability: How Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) Are Planning to Take Flight
By Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Flying in Formation: Since the first test flight almost 10 years ago, there have been over 40,000 commercial flights supported by four international airports supplying SAFs. Michael Gill, Executive Director of the cross-industry Air
October 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Councilman Shares Biodiesel Plant Concerns
by Roslyn Anderson (MS News Now) Jackson Councilman Kenneth Stokes urged his colleagues to fight the expansion of a biodiesel plant in the city, citing potential dangers. The Ward Three representative questioned JaxOn Energy's processing and suggested potential health and safety risks. The
October 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Project Aims to Turn Roads into Energy Source
(Advantage News) The Illinois Department of Transportation has approved implementation of a renewable energy demonstration project using grasses collected from mowing highway rights-of-way. The work will implement the findings of a three-year study by a multidisciplinary team, including the Illinois Sustainable
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Potential in Southeast Asia: Raising Food Yields, Reducing Food Waste and Utilising Residues
(International Renewable Energy Agency) Southeast Asia has considerable resources to produce liquid biofuels sustainably, using biomass feedstocks that would not cause carbon-dioxide emissions or interfere with food supply. Fulfilling the region’s biofuel potential would depend on increased residue collection from food
July 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Corn Farmers, Biofuels Have More to Offer
by Mark Sponsler (Colorado Corn/Journal-Advocate) ... Oxygenating gasoline is required under Clean Air Act amendments, and ethanol — with its clean-burning qualities — has long been regarded as the best additive for that. For years, adding 10 percent ethanol to gasoline
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Corn Better Used as Food than Biofuel, Study Finds
(Phys.Org/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Corn is grown not only for food, it is also an important renewable energy source. Renewable biofuels can come with hidden economic and environmental issues, and the question of whether corn is better utilized as
June 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Mainland Miami Ponders Returning Neighborhoods to Nature in Order to Survive Rising Seas
by David Smiley (Miami Herald) On mainland Miami, miles away from the pumps that keep Biscayne Bay from slowly swallowing South Beach, the neighborhood around Ray Chasser’s riverfront house sometimes seems like it’s drowning one high tide at a time. When
June 19, 2017 Read Full Article
City Donates Land to Lure Kwik Star Project
by Tim Jamison (The Courier) The city is donating land and extending sewer in the Martin Road business park to lure a new biodiesel fuel blending facility. Waterloo City Council members voted unanimously Monday to approve a development agreement with Kwik
April 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Indonesia Labels EU Palm Oil Resolution ‘Discriminative’ and ‘Protectionist’
by Daryl Worthington (Biofuels International) Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denounced the European Parliament Resolution on Palm Oil and Deforestation of Rainforests, describing it as ‘discriminative’. In addition, the ministry claims the EU decision was based on “inaccurate and unaccountable
April 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Biotechnology: Disrupting the Global Asset Classes of National Security
by Jim Lane (BiofuelsDigest) ... For any society, an even more perfect class of technology assets would allow us to move in either direction — perfect convertibility. When energy prices are low and supply is replete, but food prices are
April 12, 2017 Read Full Article
EU Clamps Down on Imports of Unsustainable Palm Oil for Biofuels
(European Parliament/Biomass Magazine) To counter the impact of unsustainable palm oil production such as deforestation and habitat degradation, particularly in Southeast Asia, the EU should introduce a single certification scheme for palm oil entering the EU market and phase out
April 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Understanding Land Use Change – Are New Tools Needed?
by Jessie Stolark (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) Are we using the right tools to understand land use change, particularly at the local level, and how can understanding of land use change be improved? The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has been around
April 10, 2017 Read Full Article
US Forest Service and Biomass: A Symbiotic Partnership
by Bob Cleaves (Biomass Power Association/Biomass Magazine) More than 100 million trees across California, many located in the federally managed Sierra, Stanislaus and Sequoia National Forests, are dead, owing to a years-long drought and a nasty bark beetle infestation. As many
April 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Cattle Pastures and Other Degraded Lands Become New Oil Palm Plantations
(Phys.Org) A new study published last week in the journal Environmental Research Letters by researchers at the University of Puerto Rico offers the first regional look at lands being converted to palm oil plantations in Latin America. Palm oil is
February 17, 2017 Read Full Article
New Research: Forcing Local Peoples off Their Lands Drives Almost Two-Thirds of Conflicts Between Companies and Local Communities in Africa
(RightsAndResources.org) Experts at Dakar event point to a significant cause of investment losses, work stoppages and violence across Africa: the failure of governments and companies to respect the land rights of indigenous and local communities Sixty-three percent of disputes related to
February 17, 2017 Read Full Article
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