(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
Tag "land use policy"
Biofuel Potential in Southeast Asia: Raising Food Yields, Reducing Food Waste and Utilising Residues
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
(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,
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
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
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
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
(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
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
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
(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
(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
(International Energy Agency) Bioenergy is the largest source of renewable energy today, providing heat and electricity, as well as transport fuels. Yet, more so than for other low‑carbon energy technologies,
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Analysis finds that U.S. corn-based ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent compared to gasoline, with additional benefits projected through 2022 — Agriculture Secretary Tom
by David DeGennaro (National Wildlife Federation) Since Congress passed into law in 2005 a federal mandate to blend corn-based ethanol and other renewable fuels into conventional gasoline, the increased demand for
by Mary Karugaba (New Vision) Staggering the commencement date would help government build capacity. — … Presenting the opposition’s views on the Biofuels Bills, 2016 to the parliamentary committee on Natural Resources,
by Dick Roche (EurActiv/Pannonia Ethanol) A response delivered by Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete in the European Parliament last week demonstrates just how dangerously out of touch with reality the executive
by Patrick Kent (Irish Cattle & Sheep Farmers’ Association/Euractiv) The key element of this renewable energy plan is that the ceiling for the crop biofuel component of EU transport fuels
(Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association) … According to Mr Kent (ICSA president Patrick Kent), this strategy flies in the face of logic. The Commission which was supportive of biofuels has
by Lidia Dinkova (TC Palm) The county is following through on its promise to up safety regulation over biofuel producers after a fire and explosion in a local facility last year. According
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Biofuels operations under the right conditions can lead to improved household food security in developing countries, concludes a new study. Irish university research is
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The White House has published a mid-century strategy on decarbonization that addresses biofuels and bioenergy. On Nov. 16, the report was filed with the United
(Oxfam) The European Union must overhaul its current bioenergy policy, which is based on getting fuel from plants, because the industry is linked to the eviction of thousands of people
by Jeremy Cox (DelmarvaNow.com) … The measure would bar the energy projects from lands in agricultural zones. That would rob solar developers of their preferred land-use type for building. The recipe
(Sandia National Laboratories) A wide-ranging analysis of water vulnerability across the Pacific — including the U.S., China, Russia and Japan — has identified hundreds of locations where energy production depends
(Collective Action and Property Rights) In this blog, Farai Mutondoro, Mary Jane Ncube, Manase Chiweshe and Derick Hamunakwadi discuss the impact of land corruption, particularly on women. The blog is
by Orlando Milesi (Inter Press Service) Seaweed, a nutrient-rich foodstuff that was a regular part of the diet of several South American indigenous peoples, is emerging as a new pillar of
by Spencer Chase (Agri-Pulse) … When it comes to land use, Colin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, testified that a University of Wisconsin study had shown that 7.3
by Art Cullen (Storm Lake Times) … So how can we produce ethanol sustainably — that is, a scheme under which farmers can make money without releasing nitrate to the river
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The headline from the event is that projects and feedstock providers are more engaged than we have seen previously — a wave of technology
by Mark Edwards (Algae Industry Magazine) The Green Friendship Bridge series examines a simple question: “What makes better sense, extending the border wall with Mexico 1,300 miles or taking 13 miles
by Niu Shuping and David Stanway (Reuters/AgWeek) China’s plan to let the market set corn prices is bad news for international grain exporters, but should boost the country’s struggling corn
(Longview News Journal) Kinder Morgan is halting work on the $1 billion Palmetto Pipeline after Georgia lawmakers approved a one-year moratorium on permits for petroleum pipelines in the state. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In South Africa,, Chromatin and Zaad Holdings have entered into an alliance to produce and distribute planting seed for grain and forage sorghum throughout the
by Suzanne Goldenberg (The Guardian) Arpa-E project deploys drones and robots to breed fast-growing, drought-resistant and greener biofuel from sorghum which could replace corn ethanol — A US government agency is
by Sonja van Renssen (Energy Post) Biofuels are returning to the political agenda in Europe as EU policymakers start to shape a strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport
(Associated Press/Frederick News Post) The Garrett County Commissioners are considering a Deep Creek Lake watershed management plan that would restrict drilling for natural gas in the resort area. … The plan
by Demetrio Bueno Carvalho (Astana Times) … Referring to Brazilian experience, in the past 12 years the blending of ethanol with gasoline (anhydrousethanol) or its use as a pure fuel for automobiles
by James P. Lenfestey (Star Tribune) … Keystone would not, as Obama noted, have any noticeable economic benefit to the U.S., and probably would have a negative impact, since
by Katie Valentine (Think Progress) … Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), along with Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, is introducing a bill Wednesday that would bar new leases on coal,
by Stephen Lee (Capital Journal) An attorney for a handful of Onida residents opposing the siting of a proposed new ethanol plant just outside of Onida argued in court Monday
by Nichola Groom (Reuters) … The visitor represented Clean Line Energy Partners LLC, a Texas company established to build transmission lines for carrying wind and solar power. He had come to
by Deborah Yetter (Courier-Journal) A spirited group of protesters marched more than 20 blocks along West Broadway Sunday afternoon to show their opposition to a proposed plant in the area that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As America’s farmers hit retirement age and technology options explode, what comes next? … The average age of the US farmer reached 58.3 years in
by Jose Graziano DA Silva (UN Food and Agriculture Organization/AllAfrica.com) Over the past several years, biofuels have become a bone of contention. For some, a renewable energy source produced from
by Jose Graziano da Silva (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization/Project Syndicate) … But this is a false dichotomy. The choice cannot be between food and fuel. We can make good use of both.
by Greg Norman (Mongabay.com) … Cross River State, a coastal jurisdiction in southeastern Nigeria, still bears the marks of the country’s agricultural heritage when it was the world’s largest palm oil producer.
By Tim Searchinger and Lyndon Estes (The Washington Post/Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs) In recent years, as governments have begun to protect tropical forests because
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) It may soon be possible to certify that biomass is not only sustainably sourced, but also considered low-risk for indirect land use change
by Torrie Cope (Idaho Press-Tribune) Residents who live in the area of Lower Pleasant Ridge Road fear that a proposed ethanol plant could lower their property values, spoil their views
By Alexis Arthur (OilPrice.com) Less than a decade ago, biofuels were set to take the energy world by storm. They promised a low-carbon alternative to gasoline, while advances in algae
by Thomas N. Thompson (Biofuels Digest/U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), Washington) … This superb collection of essays shows that Latin America is emerging as a major global producer of biofuels as countries
by Eduardo Porter (The New York Times) Does combating climate change require burning the world’s forests and crops for fuel? … Absent a big increase in bioenergy supplies, the climate
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) In the World Resources Institute (WRI) working paper, “Avoiding Bioenergy Competition for Food Crops and Land,” the authors work off the assumption that land-use decisions
by Juliet Eilperin (The Washington Post) President Obama issued an executive order Friday directing federal agencies to adopt stricter building and siting standards to reflect scientific projections that future flooding
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today (January 30, 2015), the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) criticized a new report by World Resources Institute (WRI) for its false data on the environmental and
(Union of Concerned Scientists) A report from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) finds that reducing emissions from the land sector must be part of a global climate solution in
by Nick Miroff (The Washington Post) Long before the massacre, when Mapiripan was just a faraway little place not worth fighting for, Aida Gordilla and her family came to the
by Tony Bizjak (Sacramento Bee) The city of West Sacramento and a Texas-based gasoline company are battling over whether it’s riskier to ship large amounts of ethanol through city streets
by Kelly April Tyrrell (University of Wisconsin-Madison) In Wisconsin, bioenergy is for the birds. Really. In a study published today in the journal PLOS ONE, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Wisconsin
by Jennifer Runyon (RenewableEnergyWorld.com) There was never any conflict between using corn for food or for ethanol since corn growers send
by Rex Springston (Richmond Times-Dispatch) Panel assessing rising seas holds first meeting, discusses action plan Col. Paul B. Olsen, commander of
(US Department of Agriculture) Farm Bill program will benefit wildlife and outdoor recreation activity in California Bay Delta Region, Mississippi,
by Steven Mufson (The Washington Post) The multibillion-dollar Anschutz Exploration Corp., which helped make its founder, Philip Anschutz, one of the
by Michael Carus, Lara Dammer, Andreas Hermann and Roland Essel (nova-Institute) nova-paper #4 “Proposals for a Reform of the Renewable
(Environmental Working Group) The Environmental Protection Agency’s pending proposal to cut the amount of corn ethanol that must be blended
by John M. Urbanchuk (ABF Economics, Agriculture and Biofuels Consulting, LLP) The impact of biofuel production mandated by the Renewable Fuel
(25 x ’25) The 25x’25 Alliance welcomes the recognition by an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change work group report released
by John Podesta, Dr. John P. Holdren (White House) … Rising seas threaten our coastlines. Dry regions are at higher risk of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) After six years of debate — finally a database appears on actual indirect land use
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest) … The true good news is that the Senate conferees prevailed in getting $881
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol enhances America’s economy by creating jobs, raising the GDP, increasing incomes
(University of Bern, Switzerland) If grassland used intensively, biodiversity decreases. Particularly affected are rare species, a new study headed by
by Rob Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) At the yearly F.O.Licht’s World Ethanol Conference, two speakers spoke about ethanol as a coproduct,
by Martiin Kidston (Missoulian) If 1 ton of woody debris can produce 50 gallons of fuel, how many gallons of
by Sean Bartlett(Platts) A European Council proposal to amend the Renewable Energy Directive will fail to realize EU targets for
(Friends of the Earth Europe) Illegal and harmful production of palm oil in Indonesia is continuing, reveals a new report
(Science Daily) Expanding millions of hectares of Brazilian land to produce palm oil for food or for renewable, clean-burning biodiesel
(Global Renewable Fuels Alliance) As the Committee on World Food Security’s (CFS) annual Plenary gets underway in Rome, the Global
N. Butt, H. L. Beyer, J. R. Bennett, D. Biggs, R. Maggini, M. Mills, A. R. Renwick, L. M. Seabrook,
by Tererai Karimakwenda (AllAfrica.com/SW Radio Africa (London)) New clashes between local villagers and the police in the Nyamukwakwa area
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) …ActionAid UK released a report this week focusing on the story of Addax Biofuels in
by Makhtar Diop (AllAfrica) Few development challenges in Africa are as pressing and controversial as land ownership and its persistent
(Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining) The Renewable Energy Directive (RED) has set a general binding target for the European Union to
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) There is enough land available to produce more food, more feed and more biofuels, which
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The world will be capable of meeting its needs for food, fuel and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At World Biofuels Markets, BP CEO Phil New delivered a keynote speech which attempted to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the Netherlands, PANGEA (Partners for Euro African Green Energy) is launching today a booklet
by Robin Whitlock (Renewable Energy Magazine) …The Renewable Energy Association (REA) has welcomed Energy Secretary Ed Davey’s stance on biofuels at the European
(American Chemical Society) Amid efforts to expand production of biofuels, scientists are reporting new estimates that downgrade the amount
(EurActiv.com) Biofuels made from food crops indirectly generate net emissions of greenhouse gases in the future, confirm the preliminary results
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As journalists, at the Digest our job is to ask the 7 Questions. Who, What,
by Olivier De Schutter (The Guardian) …The new starting point should be to put food security first. Globally, 25% of land