by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) ...“The single most important thing that Congress can do for advanced biofuels is to provide a stable policy environment,” Jan Koninckx, DuPont’s global biofuels business director, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Policy
Back TO HOMEPropel Fuels CEO Lays Out Biofuels Infrastructure Vision
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Propel Fuels’ CEO Matt Horton explained to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources how the federal government must participate in establishing the alternative fuel infrastructure of the future. “With the primary location of the
April 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Fuel and Animal Feed Both Produced from Advanced Biofuel Biomass: The New Biofuel Paradigm
By Robert Kozak (Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc.) Worldwide Importance of Protein Animal Feed When I began working with sugar beet processors on our beet pulp biofuel sugar process, one of their first questions was, “Will there still be pulp available to
April 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Freshman Republican Breaks Rank On Oil Subsidies
by Dan Froomkin (Huffington Post) A freshman Republican congressman from Wisconsin has broken rank with his GOP colleagues by calling on lawmakers to re-evaulate the multi-billion-dollar subsidies the federal government doles out to already highly-profitable oil and gas companies. Rep. Reid
April 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Groups Unite in Response to Anti-Ethanol Policy Forum
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Food and environmental lobby groups took their anti-ethanol message to the Capitol Visitors Center April 14, staging a “Corn Ethanol Policy Forum” that included planned remarks from several legislators as well as analysts from
April 15, 2011 Read Full Article
EU Proposes 'Greener' Energy Tax
by Andrew Willis (EUObserver.com) EU taxes on motor and heating fuels will focus on carbon emissions and energy content in the future, under draft rules published by the European Commission. The proposed overhaul of the bloc's energy taxation directive is designed
April 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Vietnam Joins Race for Biofuel
(vnbusinessreg.com) Vietnam said it has intensified efforts to promote biofuel production in the country under the plan on biofuel development to 2015 with a vision to 2025. According to country’s energy ministry, Vietnam is focussing on production of ‘green gasoline’ from
April 15, 2011 Read Full Article
GEISS: Biofuel Takes Off with U.S. Air Force
by Kevin Geiss (The Washington Times) ...Since that first well, our national demand for fuel has grown astronomically. We have seen this in the Defense Department as well. Since the Vietnam War, there has been a 175 percent increase in the
April 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Sugar Cane Fertilises Its Own Soil
by Mario Osava (Tierramérica/IPS) The mechanisation of sugar cane harvesting, originally aimed at curbing the pollution caused by the burning of cane fields, has resulted in an added bonus: it has helped to improve soil quality, according to growers and
April 15, 2011 Read Full Article
It’s Time We Break Down the Blend Wall – For Good
by Tom Buis (Growth Energy/Biofuels Digest) There is no greater hurdle to the expansion of the American biofuels industry than the artificial barriers to the market. Through flawed policy and outdated regulation, these barriers serve as a mandate for the
April 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Study: Gas from ‘Fracking’ Worse than Coal on Climate
by Ben Geman (The Hill) Cornell University professors will soon publish research that concludes natural gas produced with a drilling method called “hydraulic fracturing” contributes to global warming as much as coal, or even more. The conclusion is explosive because
April 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Lack of Input for EPA Biofuels Report Could Impact Future Policy
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The first triennial report on biofuels being drafted for Congress by the U.S. EPA lacks input from industry experts, which could result in negative information being falsely presented as fact to policymakers later this
April 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Lott, Dorgan, Jones, Reilly form Bipartisan Policy Center Energy Project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, former Senators Trent Lott (R-MS) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND), former National Security Advisor General Jim Jones (Ret.) and former EPA Administrator William K. Reilly announced they will lead the new Bipartisan Policy Center
April 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuels: Ethical Issues
The latest report from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, Biofuels: ethical issues, is published today. ... The report considers the ethical, social and policy issues raised by biofuels. The rapid adoption of biofuels has been driven by targets and other policy
April 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels Leader Tells Senate Committee Consistency Is Key
(Advanced Biofuels Association) A consistent commitment by Congress that avoids the ups and downs of public opinion will be crucial to the success of transforming America's energy policy to cleaner and renewable sources, that's what Michael McAdams, president of the
April 13, 2011 Read Full Article
House Appropriations Committee Releases Final Continuing Resolution; Incrementally Positive for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Industries
(Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati) On April 12, 2011, the House Appropriations Committee released the final Continuing Resolution bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 (the CR).1 As described below, the CR amends the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) authority
April 13, 2011 Read Full Article
E.P.A. Eases Way for Alternative-Fuel Engine Conversions
by Paul Steinquist (New York Times) The Environmental Protection Agency has revised its alternative-fuel conversion regulations for light and heavy-duty vehicles, making it easier for manufacturers to sell conversions that are compliant with clean-air laws. The 186-page ruling provides an exemption
April 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Reality Check: Benefits of Biodiesel and the 2% Renewable Fuels Standard
(Marketwire/Canadian Renewable Fuels Association) The 2% federal renewable fuels standard for biodiesel set to come into force on July 1, 2011 will create new jobs, clean the air, and benefit farmers and drivers alike. The Canadian Trucker's Alliance (CTA) is
April 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Shift Fossil Fuel Subsidies to Back Clean Tech-IEA
by Nina Chestney (Reuters) Fossil fuel subsidies worth $312 billion should be realigned to ensure the growth of renewable energy and curb the world's reliance on carbon-intensive fuels, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report. Demand for fossil fuels
April 11, 2011 Read Full Article
USDA Changes Corn Wording after Ethanol Makers Complain
by Charles Abbott and Christopher Doering (Reuters) The government introduced new wording on corn use on Friday following complaints from ethanol makers that they were not getting credit for the corn byproducts that are fed to livestock. Instead of saying "corn for ethanol"
April 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Protecting Big Oil at the Expense of Consumers
by Daniel J. Weiss and Richard W. Caperton (GreenTechMedia) Paul Ryan’s budget proposal eviscerates green technology projects, but leaves massive subsidy loopholes for the oil industry. House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan’s(R-WI) proposed FY 2012 budget resolution is a backward-looking plan
April 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Senate Energy Committee Explores Biofuel Infrastructure Expansion
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Senate energy committee held a two-hour hearing April 7 to discuss proposed legislation to expand the domestic biofuels market, but expanded its scope through testimony and committee member questions to cover nearly every
April 08, 2011 Read Full Article
USDA Program Provides Consumers More Choices at the Pump With Flex-Fuel Options
(US Department of Agriculture) Funding for Flex-Fuel Pumps Will Help Build Out Critical Infrastructure and Promote Greater Use of Biofuels Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that Americans will soon have more choices at the gas pump through a USDA program
April 08, 2011 Read Full Article
FACT SHEET: National Clean Fleets Partnership
(U.S. Department of Energy) In 2008, America imported 11 million barrels of oil a day. On Wednesday, the President announced a bold goal of cutting that amount by one-third by 2025. To achieve this goal we will harness a broad
April 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Enabling the Navy's Great Green Fleet
by Louise Poirier (Fuel Magazine/Ethanol and Biofuels News/Hart Energy) Amid persistent concerns about supplying the enormous energy demands of the United States' armed forces, the military is pursuing alternatives, and the Department of the Navy is leading the way. For
April 07, 2011 Read Full Article
EU's Airline Emission Goals under Scrutiny
(Euractiv.com) When the European Commission unveiled plans to slash transport CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050 last week, many assumed the figure would apply to road, rail and air travel in the same way. But EurActiv has learned that
April 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Next-Gen Biofuel Depends on Subsidies, Senate Told
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Even as President Barack Obama renewed his push for next-generation biofuels, an industry official warned that cuts in biomass subsidies could discourage farmers from providing corn residue and other needed feedstocks. If farmers “see the
April 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Obama Announces Clean Fleets Partnership
(SustainableBusiness.com) ...The public-private partnership aims to assist large companies in reducing diesel and gasoline use in their fleets by incorporating electric vehicles, alternative fuels, and fuel-saving measures into their daily operations. AT&T (NYSE: T), FedEx (NYSE: FDX), PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), UPS
April 04, 2011 Read Full Article
What About Diesel? Group Makes the Case that Obama's Energy Plan Should Include Diesel Fuel.
by Josh Cable (Industry Week) The nonprofit Diesel Technology Forum responded to President Obama's energy speech earlier this week by declaring that diesel fuel "can and must be part of our current and future national energy strategy." ..."The diesel engine is
April 03, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Hoping for Surge
by Kate Galbraith (New York Times) Cellulosic ethanol could be poised for a surge — finally. Around the country and especially in the Midwest, a number of proposed plants that would turn corn cobs, wheat straw and other plant-based feedstocks
March 31, 2011 Read Full Article
Senate Hearing Examines Oil Price Spikes, Role of Biofuels
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) During a U.S. Senate committee hearing on March 30, Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said that focusing on advanced biofuels for homegrown energy is in the best interest of the United States. “I think that
March 31, 2011 Read Full Article
Leveling the Playing Field for Algae-Based Fuels
by Mary Rosenthal (Biofuels Digest/Algal Biomass Organization) ...Our federal tax policy actually discourages the production of low-carbon, renewable algae-based fuels, including drop-in gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, as well as ethanol, by failing to provide them the same incentives accorded
March 31, 2011 Read Full Article
Obama Talks Energy Policy as Gas Prices Climb
(AP/MSNBC) ...Even if Obama's efforts can reduce U.S. demand for foreign oil, experts say that is unlikely to bring down the cost of gasoline, since oil is priced globally and increased demand from China and other developing nations continues to
March 30, 2011 Read Full Article
Will the DOE Loan Guarantee Program Be Chopped by Congress, as US Falls to 3rd in Cleantech Investment?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, 34 cleantech CEOs, are trying to make sure the DOE doesn’t drop its loan guarantee program despite threats of budget cuts from Congress. Signatories to the letter include Abengoa Bioenergy EVP Christopher
March 30, 2011 Read Full Article
Alt Energy Groups Ask Congress to Support DOE Programs
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A multitude of leading energy trade associations today wrote to Congressional leaders with a request for Congress to maintain support and funding for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) including the Loan Guarantee Program. The program, in
March 29, 2011 Read Full Article
Hold the Thin Green Line by Protecting Farmers
by Wesley Clark (Kansas City Star) ...The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City credits agriculture with being at the forefront of the nation’s economic recovery. Unfortunately, the Fed also warns that farm debt is rising to dangerous levels, leaving the
March 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Cheap Grain: Winners & Losers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Here is dilemma of agricultural prices. Reducing demand, and commodity prices, benefits meat and dairy producers, and oil & gas companies. High prices benefit farmers, and technology companies creating new markets and co-products from land
March 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Combatting Today’s High Gas Prices
by Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Waterloo) (GlobeGazette) ...For too long, we’ve depended on foreign countries for our oil — and we’ve sacrificed our independence and our national security in the process. But there’s no one, easy solution to the problem. We need
March 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Congressional Budget Office Publishes Alternative Approaches to Funding Highways
(Congressional Budget Office) The federal government collects revenues from taxes paid by highway users, mostly from those levied on gasoline and diesel fuel, and credits them to the Highway Trust Fund. Those revenues and others are subsequently used for federal spending on
March 25, 2011 Read Full Article
Update from the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification Association
(Task 39) Around 140 guests followed the invitation of ISCC to the first General Assembly and discussed the status quo and development of sustainability certification with speakers like Ron van Erck from the European Commission and Dr. Hans-Jürgen Froese
March 25, 2011 Read Full Article
New Hampshire House Bans Ethanol
(KRVN) The New Hampshire House has passed a bill that would ban the sale of corn-based ethanol in the state. Earlier the House Science Technology and Energy Committee voted down the piece of legislation, however, Representative David Campbell spoke up
March 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Taking the American Biofuel Industry to the Next Level; From Talk to Action
(Novozymes) The United States has a lot riding on the success of its biofuel industry – energy independence, job creation, and environmental stewardship. But really, how far is the country in achieving its goals? There is no definitive answer to
March 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Playing “Clue” at World Biofuels Markets
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...At World Biofuels Markets 2011 in Rotterdam, the overwhelmingly remarkable impression is the ramp-up in the quality and quantity of strategic investment and off-take partners. Closely followed by the rise of renewable chemicals, and the
March 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Proposed Senate Bill S.559: Securing America’s Future with Energy and Sustainable Technologies Act Comment on the Bill from an Advanced Biofuels Perspective
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) US Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) recently introduced Senate Bill S.599, the “Securing America’s Future with Energy and Sustainable Technologies Act” or SAFESTA. This bill contains numerous amendments to existing
March 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Boeing And EPFL Join Forces To Lower Sustainability Certification Costs
(DailyMarkets/PR Newswire) Boeing and the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) today announced the creation of the Sustainable Biomass Consortium, a research initiative focused on increasing collaboration between voluntary standards and regulatory requirements for biomass used to create jet fuel and
March 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Boeing and Algae Fuels, a Euro Perspective
(Algae Industry Magazine) In the aviation biofuels market, as goes Boeing, so goes the industry. Boeing was a founding member of the Algal Biomess Organization (ABO) and is committed to a future of renewable fuels. “Without biofuels we cannot get
March 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Proposal: VEETC Phased Out, Replaced with Variable Tax Credit
(OPIS) ...According to sources familiar with the proposal, the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, the American Coalition for Ethanol and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) have agreed to phase down the current 45 cts/gal ethanol tax credit over three
March 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Obama's Visit to Brazil Yields 'Encouraging' Renewable Fuels Cooperation, According to Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association
(PR Newswire/EIN News/UNICA) Two important announcements involving renewable energy made on the opening day of U.S. President Barack Obama's official visit to Brazil, both directly relevant to Brazil's successful sugarcane ethanol industry, are encouraging signs that Brazil and the U.S. are on a
March 21, 2011 Read Full Article
American Soybean Association Expresses Concerns about EU Renewable Energy Directive to USDA and USTR
(American Soybean Association) The American Soybean Association (ASA), joined by other U.S. oilseed producer and industry organizations, has expressed serious concerns to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk about the requirements
March 21, 2011 Read Full Article
California Should Promote the Use of Diesel and Biodiesel-Powered Vehicles
(Diesel Technology Forum) An interesting White Paper by Serj Berelson concludes that the State of California would benefit from implementing new policies to promote the use of diesel and biodiesel-powered vehicles to assist California’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions
March 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Governors Call for Improved Corn-for-Ethanol Reporting
(Western Farm Press) A coalition of 34 U.S. governors from Washington to New York to Texas have called on U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to alter the way his department reports the use of corn for ethanol production. They argue
March 17, 2011 Read Full Article
USDA Calls March 21 Meeting with Major US Biofuels Trade Association Heads
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the USDA has called the heads of nearly every major biofuels association into a “friendly, open” discussion, but on an urgent timetable, to discuss opportunities to find common ground and synchronize biofuels industry
March 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Swazi Biofuels Strategy Complete, Awaiting Cabinet Approval
by Winile Mavuso (The Swazi Observer) ...Director of Energy Henry Shongwe said the document was basically a policy which would guide companies which want to venture into the bio fuels industry. Such companies include among others; D1 Oils and others.
March 17, 2011 Read Full Article
EU Bioethanol Group Weighs U.S. Subsidy Lawsuit
By Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck (Reuters/Forexyard) European bioethanol producers will decide by the end of March whether to file a legal complaint with the European Commission over U.S. subsidies, the EU's main bioethanol lobby said. Producers such as Germany's CropEnergies and Spain's
March 17, 2011 Read Full Article
Action Required Now if Alternative Aviation Fuels Are to Help Meet Emissions Targets, Concludes Major European Study
(GreenAirOnline) The transfer from fossil fuels to biofuels is a must if the air transport industry is to survive beyond the middle of century, was the stark message from Dirk van Vreckem of the European Commission’s mobility and transport directorate
March 16, 2011 Read Full Article
Sustainability and the Environment I: Uncertainty in Indirect Land Use Change in the Life Cycle of Biofuels: Impacts for Legislation
by Adam J. Liska (Department of Biological Systems Engineering at University of Nebraska-Lincoln) Liska opens his presentation with the formerly impending climate change legislation H.R. 2454, and states that the act would have done away with the inclusion of
March 16, 2011 Read Full Article
Sustainability and the Environment I: Advanced Biofuels: Technology Trends and Policy Opportunities
by Amy Ehlers (Biotechnology Industry Organization) The group BIO (Biotechnology Industry Organization) is a trade association which is located in Washington D.C. and has over 1,200 member companies in both the U.S. and 31 other countries. Their industrial biotechnology member companies
March 16, 2011 Read Full Article
Budgets & Biotech: Congress Urged to Continue Supporting Advanced Biofuels
(BIOtechNOW) Industry leaders point out that biotech-enabled advanced biofuels spur job growth and reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil. Three leading biotechnology trade groups are urging Congress to protect important bioenergy program funding. In a Feb. 25 letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry
March 16, 2011 Read Full Article
U.S. Sen. Grassley: Ethanol and Energy
(IowaPolitics.com) Floor Speech of Sen. Chuck Grassley Ethanol and Energy Independence Delivered Monday, March 07, 2011 ...We must look to alternative and renewable resources so we can improve our energy and national security. This includes supporting energy from wind, biomass, hydroelectric, solar,
March 16, 2011 Read Full Article
Letter to Editor: Ethanol Helps Stabilize Energy Prices
by Matt Hartwig (Renewable Fuels Association/Baltimore Sun) The Sun may have cut back its foreign bureaus, but your editorial writers ("End subsidies for corn-based ethanol," March 14) must still be aware of the turmoil in North Africa and the Middle
March 16, 2011 Read Full Article
Corn Growers To Explore Payment Shift
(Wallaces Farmer) ...NCGA (National Corn Growers Association) delegates attending the meeting in Tampa, Fla., adopted ethanol policy that states "NCGA supports reforming existing ethanol tax policy. Ideas to replace existing tax law, in the following priority order, should be a variable
March 16, 2011 Read Full Article
USDA Seeks Applications for Renewable Energy Funding, Loan Guarantees
(US Department of Agriculture) Funds Will Help Win the Future by Spurring Investment to Increase the Production and Use of Renewable Energy Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is seeking applications to increase the production and use of renewable energy
March 15, 2011 Read Full Article
Amid Rising Gas Prices, President Obama Calls for Long-Term Energy Strategy
by Andrew Restuccia (The Hill/E2Wire) President Obama called Friday for a "comprehensive energy strategy" in which the administration continues to develop the country’s oil and gas resources in the short term, but begins to wean the country off oil in
March 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Maize Farmers Lobby to Supply Biofuel Industry
by Stephanie Nieuwoudt (Interpress Service News Agency) South African maize farmers are pushing hard to change a government decision to exclude their crops as feedstock for bioethanol, in view of food security concerns. Shortly after the government unveiled its biofuel strategy last
March 14, 2011 Read Full Article
“Aviation Industry Needs to and Can Be First to Transition to Alternative Fuels”: Avalon 2011
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, CAAFI executive director Rich Altman and Dr. Susan Pond of the US Studies Center at the University of Sydney, ... provided an overview of the Alternative Aviation Fuels Forum at the Australian International
March 14, 2011 Read Full Article
ACE says Ethanol Better Solution than Tapping into Oil Reserves
(American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) With oil prices now in triple digits and gas prices averaging 75 cents higher than last year, some are calling for oil to be released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a way to
March 13, 2011 Read Full Article
Big Meat and Its Big Lie
By Stephanie Dreyer (Growth Energy/RenewableEnergyWorld.com) Smithfield, the world's largest producer and processor of pork, reported record profits this quarter as the global economy continues to recover and exports rise. ...Despite these record earnings, just yesterday the American Meat Institute supported legislation introduced from Senators
March 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Klobuchar, Johnson Introduce Legislation to Promote Domestic Energy Production
(Senator Amy Klobuchar) Bill would reduce U.S. dependence on oil, strengthen rural economies, and spur innovation in the energy sector U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) introduced legislation today that focuses on developing and deploying safe, reliable domestically
March 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Top Advanced Biofuels Groups Meet in Washington for Collaborative Discussion and Capitol Hill Briefing
(Sun Herald) The top trade groups representing the advanced biofuels industry in the United States met today in Washington, D.C. to continue industry-wide collaborative efforts begun last year aimed at improving communication among stakeholders while building a more cohesive industry
March 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Propel Fuels Hosts USDA’s Judith Canales
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Propel Fuels hosted Judith Canales, Administrator for Rural Business and Cooperative Programs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), yesterday at one of the fuel retailer’s stations in Oakland, California yesterday to promote the positive and
March 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Budget Hawks: Does US Need to Give Gas and Oil Companies $41 Billion a Year?
by Mark Clayton (Christian Science Monitor) As President Obama and Congress look for budget cuts, some experts say federal energy subsidies are ripe for trimming. Among oil companies, nuclear power, and coal, who gets what from US taxpayers? ...But the American
March 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Grassley Says Corn-Based Fuel Part of Overall Energy Picture
by Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa) At a political event in central Iowa last night, former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer promised to end ethanol subsidies if he’s elected president. Roemer’s comment didn’t wow the crowd in the heart of the nation’s
March 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Feels Squeeze as Congress Tightens Belt
by Elana Shor (Greenwire/New York Times) ...Major oil companies, Hartwig added, "make $50 billion a quarter in profits, yet still get billions of dollars of permanent subsidies in the tax code each and every year. Is that a wise
March 08, 2011 Read Full Article
New Study – More Ethanol Commitment Needed to Meet RFS2
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) In a new study from Air Improvement Resource, Inc. (AIR) commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), the requirements of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) can be met with ethanol if more infrastructure is put into
March 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Who’s the Boss? The Salt-Water, Fresh-Water Divide in Agricultural Research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Reporter Bob Brooks followed up on the Digest’s story on phosphorus reserves with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, asking about opportunities with and research in aqua farming and salt-water tolerant species. “USDA’s scope is limited to
March 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Too Vulnerable to Reliance on Foreign Oil
by Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind (IndyStar) ...Washington over the years has failed to focus sufficient attention on our oil vulnerability and generate momentum behind substantive, concrete proposals with definable goals. In 1999, former CIA director James Woolsey and I published
March 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue
by Gene L. Dodaro (Comptroller General of the United States/US Government Accountability Office) ...Domestic ethanol production: Congress supported domestic ethanol production through a $5.4 billion tax credit program in 2010 and through a renewable fuel standard that applies to transportation fuels used in
March 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Energy Secretary Chris Huhne Addresses CentreForum on the UK's Energy Future
by Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP (Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change/CentreForum) ...Policymakers around the world understand that climate change is real, is happening, and is worth defending ourselves against. ...What does a low carbon economy look like?
March 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Global Realities
by General K. Wesley Clark (Ret.) (Growth Energy/Biofuels Digest) ...(E)very Administration has warned of America’s addiction to foreign oil but none has dealt successfully with it. ... And today we are paying the price. We have seen our military presence in the
March 07, 2011 Read Full Article
Scientific Panel to Review EPA's Triennial Biofuels Draft Report
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has scheduled an independent peer review meeting for March 14 to review a draft report it is preparing for Congress which will detail the current and potential future environmental impacts associated
March 03, 2011 Read Full Article
The Washington Compromise
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A unified biofuels policy? The hour is nigh. As Benjamin Franklin was reputed to say at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang
March 03, 2011 Read Full Article
House Thwarts Dem Bid to Kill Oil Tax Breaks
by Ben Geman and Mike Lillis (The Hill/E2Wire) House Democrats on Tuesday used debate on a short-term spending package to force a largely symbolic vote on ending tax breaks for major oil companies like Exxon and Shell. The "motion to recommit"
March 02, 2011 Read Full Article
Coalition of 90 Groups Blast Ethanol Tax Credits
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, a coalition of 90 organizations urged Congress to let the refundable Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) expire and to resist calls for spending on infrastructure for conventional biofuels. The coalition says: “Congress has
March 02, 2011 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Starts "No to OPEC" Ad Campaign
(Growth Energy) Today, as Congress returns to Washington, DC, we are sending lawmakers a timely message through a strategic ad campaign: “Say No to OPEC – Say Yes to America.” The ad campaign includes a display ad in Roll Call and
March 01, 2011 Read Full Article
Sustainability and the Environment I: The Intersection of Biofuels/Bioenergy & Climate Change Legislation
by Brent Yacobucci (Congressional Research Service) The CRS (Congressional research Service) is a “nonpartisan, analytical, research and reference arm of the Library of Congress”. In this presentation, CRS specialist in energy and environmental policy Brent Yacobucci covers how climate change
March 01, 2011 Read Full Article
USDA Expands Efforts to Develop Crop Insurance for Biofuels Producers
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced February 25, 2011, that USDA will soon seek proposals to study the feasibility of providing crop insurance to producers of biofuel feedstocks, including corn stover, straw and woody biomass. These feasibility
February 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack to Sign MOU to Support Continued Development of Biofuels and Related Products
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that he will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to encourage the continued development of bio-based products for energy consumption, animal feed, chemicals and other uses. " This agreement will strengthen public,
February 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Report Criticises the UK over Its Refusal to Earmark EU ETS Carbon Revenues for Financing Green Projects
(GreenAirOnline) According to a report by carbon offsetting company Carbon Retirement, the United Kingdom has earned more than one billion euros ($1.35bn) from the auction of EU Allowances since its first auction in Phase II of the EU Emissions Trading
February 25, 2011 Read Full Article
Is It Time for an Oil Tax?
by Henry Blodget (Huffington Post) ...Over the long term, of course, given a finite supply of oil and ever-increasing demand for it, oil prices are going to keep on rising. And remaining in denial about that -- and postponing the
February 25, 2011 Read Full Article
The Magoo Congress
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The response to all this worry over oil? The United States House of Representatives in a new series of measures just passed, is doing its level best to ensure the failure of the only at-scale,
February 24, 2011 Read Full Article
INTERVIEW-Mideast Unrest Shows Need for Alternative Fuels-Mabus
by Andrea Shalal-Esa (Reuters) Oil price rises spurred by spreading unrest in the Middle East underscore why the U.S. military should reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, said U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. Every $10 increase in the price of a
February 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Mideast Turmoil Hits U.S. Wallets
by General Wesley Clark (Politico) ...How long chaos continues in that critical corner of that world remains unknown. But one thing is certain: As long as there is chaos and fears of access to Mid East oil upsets the market,
February 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Why We Still Don't Know How Much Money Goes to Fossil Energy
by Mike Casey (Renewable Energy World) The national conversation about wasteful welfare for highly profitable dirty energy corporations has gone from the dramatic statement by the Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency that fossil fuel subsidies are one of the
February 23, 2011 Read Full Article
CARB Tackling Crude Oil’s Carbon Intensity in LCFS
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...(S)till under fire is CARB’s final ruling on the carbon intensity levels given for ethanol and biodiesel. When CARB determined the original levels of corn ethanol, it essentially barred the fuel from qualifying as a low
February 23, 2011 Read Full Article
National Security Leaders, CEOs Call for Action to Reduce California Oil Dependence
(CalSTEP) Former Sec Shultz and Panel Cite Skyrocketing State Oil Imports, Price Shocks, Federal Inaction in Report A diverse group of leaders, including President Reagan’s Secretary of State, released a report today that said California would benefit if it took a
February 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Obama Stands Behind Plan to End Tax Breaks for Industry
(Fuel Fix) President Barack Obama today defended his plan to raise tens of billions of dollars for the federal government by axing tax incentives long enjoyed by the oil and gas industry. Congress has already rejected two earlier calls by Obama to
February 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Bad Time to Kill E15, Retired Navy Leader Says
by Daniel Looker (Agriculture.com) On a day when Libya teeters on the brink of civil war and cuts oil production, Retired Vice Admiral Denny McGinn takes little comfort from an announcement by the remaining members of OPEC that it will
February 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuel Crops to Fall within Assurance Chain
by Julian Gairdner (Farmers Weekly Interactive) Grain destined for the biofuel chain looks set to fall within farm assurance following negotiations between Assured Food Standards, the NFU and the European Commission. Ensuring there was a single assurance programme was a key objective of
February 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Government Hands May Be Tied on Ethanol: USDA Official
by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters) ..."The fact is the industry has pretty much been built," USDA Chief Economist Joe Glauber told reporters on the sidelines of a Commodity Markets Council conference. "This isn't a question of just saying 'cut it off.'
February 22, 2011 Read Full Article
The Money Identity, the Bond Supremacy, the Washington Ultimatum: Biofuels and Loan Guarantees
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Essentially, despite rising banking sector profits and good results from stress tests, the bank financing market has not returned for biofuels – the financing source for whom the USDA loan guarantee was developed in the
February 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Development of Measurements and Standards for Biofuels
(National Institute of Standards and Technology) With concerns over the limited supply of non-renewable forms of energy, there is growing interest in renewable sources of energy such as biofuels. The change to renewable energy, however, presents new questions as combustion
February 21, 2011 Read Full Article
25x'25 Offers New Food-versus-Fuel Information FAQ
(25 x '25) Last week, USDA reported that surplus corn stocks have hit their lowest point since 1995 and corn prices have risen from $3.50 per bushel in July 2010, to $6.10 in January 2011. Critics of biofuels charge that
February 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Advanced Ethanol Leaders Join RFA to Form New Advocacy Council
(Renewable Fuel Association) Cutting edge leaders in the world’s advanced ethanol industry announced today that they are coming together in conjunction with the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) to form the Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC). The AEC will be singularly focused
February 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Top Dems Call on House GOP to Eliminate Oil Industry Tax Breaks
by Andrew Restuccia (The Hill/E2Wire) Top Senate Democrats are calling on House Republicans to agree to a plan to eliminate oil industry tax breaks as a means of reducing the deficit. The proposal comes as House Republicans have pledged to cut
February 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Echols Hopes Discussions Will Spur Ideas on Alternative-Fuel Vehicles
by Walter Jones (Morris News Service/The Augusta Chronicle) Georgia’s rookie state energy regulator is crossing the state in search of ideas for making the roads more friendly to cars and trucks that run on electricity, solar power, natural-gas and other
February 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Gets Seat on California LCFS Panel
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Vice President of Research and Analysis Geoff Cooper has been selected to represent the ethanol industry on the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Low Carbon Fuels Standard (LCFS) Advisory Panel. Panel
February 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Editorial: Florida Should Be a Leader in Biofuels
If any state should be leading the way in biofuels development, it’s Florida. With abundant sunshine, a long growing season, and plentiful waste from agriculture and from a big human population, the possibilities are obvious for refining biological materials, including algae,
February 12, 2011 Read Full Article
RIN-Tin-Tin: Will the RINs Mechanism Save the Day, Power Biofuels to New Heights?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...RINs- those pesky Renewable Information Numbers that have so many digits they give 140-character tweets on Twitter a run for their money. The bar code of biofuels – the thing that virtually no one understands,
February 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Military Defends Alternative Fuel Efforts
by Joshua Philipp (The Epoch Times) A movement in the military to develop affordable alternative fuels may be moving the industry toward fruition, yet has fundamental gaps, according to a recent report from the RAND Corporation. ...Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy
February 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Get the Energy Sector Off the Dole
by Jeffrey Leonard (Washington Monthly) Why ending all government subsidies for fuel production will lead to a cleaner energy future—and why Obama has a rare chance to make it happen. ...If President Obama wants to set us on a path to a sustainable
February 05, 2011 Read Full Article
10 to watch: Senators on Energy
by Darren Goode (Politico) With Republicans controlling the House and ramping up oversight and investigations of the Obama administration, focus at least initially in the next Congress will be on the Senate to lay a potential pathway for legislative compromise
February 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Air Force Tells Biofuels Industry to ‘Bring It’
by Grace V. Jean (National Defense Magazine) The Air Force within the next five years wants to be able to go on a shopping spree to snap up several hundred million gallons of alternative fuels produced within U.S. borders. As
February 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuels Play Increasing Role in Reduced U.S. Oil Imports & Reduced Vulnerability
by Jon H. Harsch (Agri-Pulse) ...Energy Committee Chair Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. pointed to the EIA forecast that after peaking in 2005-06, U.S. oil imports should continue to decline – showing that the U.S. has already reduced its dependence on imports.
February 04, 2011 Read Full Article
RAND Van Winkle: an Inside Look at RAND’s Controversial Survey of Military Alternative Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...A large number of leading companies, and industry associations, reported that they had had no contact with the RAND report team. There have been allegations that the RAND team, either through naivete or deliberately, ignored projects
February 03, 2011 Read Full Article
What the RAND Report on Biofuels Really Said
by Robert Rapier (Consumer Energy Report/R Squared Energy Blog) The just-issued RAND report Alternative Fuels for Military Applications has generated quite a bit of controversy. However, in my opinion many of the news stories covering the report got the gist of
February 03, 2011 Read Full Article
RFA Analysis of EPA’s “Preliminary” Triennial Report on Biofuels and the Environment to Congress
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) In compliance with Section 204 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to report to Congress every three years on the environmental and resource conservation
February 02, 2011 Read Full Article
Netherland Launches Biofuel Certification Scheme
(Argus Media) The Netherlands has launched the first system for the certification of all types of sustainable biomass. The system was launched last week by standardisation institute NEN and the Rotterdam Climate Initiative (RCI). The system is based on the Dutch
February 02, 2011 Read Full Article
State of the Union Talks Trade and Biofuels
(AgWired.com) President Obama made some folks in the ag industry happy with his State of the Union (SOTU) address Tuesday talking about the importance of both biofuels and free trade agreements. Corn farmers and representatives of the renewable fuels industry were especially pleased
February 01, 2011 Read Full Article
Senate Panel to Put Ethanol under the Microscope
by Ben Geman (The Hill) The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s agenda this year includes new scrutiny of ethanol. A spokesperson for committee Democrats said a hearing is in the offing but hasn’t been scheduled yet. Whenever it occurs, the session
February 01, 2011 Read Full Article
Energy Industry Braces for Cuts
by Darren Samuelsohn (Politico) ... In his State of the Union speech last Tuesday, Obama cracked a smile as he repeated a call he’s made the past two years for the elimination of billions of dollars in tax breaks for oil companies.
February 01, 2011 Read Full Article
Gingrich to Obama: Focus on Energy
by Kathie Obradovich (Des Moines Register) Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is mulling a 2012 run for president, called on President Obama to use his State of the Union speech tonight to make the American energy production a “major
January 31, 2011 Read Full Article
Is BCAP on the Chopping Block?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, sources indicate that “the interim final rule is at the printer for the federal register” with respect to Section 9003 (Farm Bill) loan guarantees from the USDA, indicating that the new round should
January 28, 2011 Read Full Article
USDA Accomplishments in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
by Tom Vilsack (USDA) At President Obama’s direction, the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) is working hard to unleash the power of America’s innovators and entrepreneurs to build a green energy economy. By producing renewable energy – especially biofuels – America’s farmers,
January 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Missed Today's Town Hall with Sec. Chu?
by Ginny Simmons (Energy.gov) During the event, Secretary Chu highlighted several parts of the President Obama’s clean energy and innovation agenda: • Ending taxpayer subsidies for fossil fuels so we can increase our investments in clean energy by a third; • Creating
January 28, 2011 Read Full Article
An Opportunity to Kick our Fossil-Fuel Addiction
(The Independent) Pressure on Opec, which has a vested interest in a high oil price, offers no long-term solution Is the world on the brink of another ruinous oil shock? The International Energy Agency (IEA), which speaks for the big industrialised consumers
January 28, 2011 Read Full Article
The Bitter Taste of India’s Sugar Woes
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest-Asia) India’s recent flip-flops on sugar supply and exports have angered many in the sensitive global commodities markets and even been ascribed to a sort of national dementia. But as is often the case in business,
January 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels Association Responds to Faulty Study by RAND
(Advanced Biofuels Association) ABFA President Michael McAdams responded to the RAND Corporation’s release today of results of its study, Alternative Fuels for Military Applications: “Shame on the RAND Corporation as it does a great disservice to itself and our nation by
January 25, 2011 Read Full Article
Algal Biomass Organization Questions Flawed RAND Report
(Algal Biomass Organization) Today, the RAND Corporation published a study and accompanying press release calling into question the effectiveness of renewable fuels for military use. The report can be found here:http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2011/RAND_MG969.pdf A copy of the press release can be found here:http://www.rand.org/news/press/2011/01/25.html It is
January 25, 2011 Read Full Article
No Direct Military Benefit from Use of Alternative Fuels by Armed Forces
(RAND Corporation) If the U.S. military increases its use of alternative fuels, there will be no direct benefit to the nation's armed forces, according to a new RAND Corporation study. Any benefits from investment in alternative fuels by the U.S. Department of
January 25, 2011 Read Full Article
The Future of Ethanol
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) ...What is lacking is the infrastructure to get that ethanol to the consumer. Juan Sesmero, Asst. Professor of Ag Economics at Purdue, says improving the infrastructure is key to ethanol‘s future, “Improving the
January 25, 2011 Read Full Article
Fate of the Union: 3-Point Plan for biofuels
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Biofuels Digest) ...While some would choose to ignore reality, the nation can produce more ethanol sustainably using grains like corn, wheat and barley. ...The nation can also produce significant volumes of renewable fuel from non-grain
January 25, 2011 Read Full Article
EPA Announces a Waiver to Allow the Use of Gasoline Containing Greater than 10% Ethanol in 2001 though 2006 Light-Duty Vehicles.
(US Environmental Protection Agency) In response to a request by Growth Energy under section 211(f)(4) of the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has partially granted a waiver to allow fuel and fuel additive manufacturers to introduce into
January 22, 2011 Read Full Article
The Path Forward for Federal Biofuel Incentives
(25 x'25) The belief that the ethanol industry is entering a new era is nearly universal. As Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President Bob Dinneen put it this week, “new challenges to ethanol policies will be mounted from within the new
January 22, 2011 Read Full Article
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces BioPreferred Final Rule
(USDA) BioPreferredSM Program Designates Eight New Biobased Product Categories; More than 600 additional biobased products now eligible for preferred Federal purchasing Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the designation of eight additional biobased product categories which are eligible for Federal procurement preference. With
January 20, 2011 Read Full Article
Spinning ILUC Policy the European Way
by Robert Vierhout (ePURE/Ethanol Producer Magazine) It took the European Commission several stakeholder meetings, two public consultations and many more economic modelling studies to conclude that the indirect land use change (ILUC) effects of biofuel demand are not that obvious.
January 18, 2011 Read Full Article
EPA Delays Climate Rules for Biomass Industry
by Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) In another sign that the Environmental Protection Agency is moderating its climate policy, it announced Wednesday it would exempt the biomass industry from limits on greenhouse gas emissions for three years. More than two dozen lawmakers had urged EPA
January 13, 2011 Read Full Article
View from the Top: Federal Investments in Energy Infrastructure: What’s Worked before Can Work Again
by Mary Rosenthal (Algal Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) ...The federal government must follow its long history of investing in national energy initiatives. ...Recently, any call for increased government funding or involvement in this nascent industry has been met with criticism or
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Farm Bureau Supports Change in Biofuels Policy
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) The American Farm Bureau Federation is supporting a new direction in biofuels policy away from the blenders tax credit and toward increasing infrastructure. “The whole discussion has been evolving within the industry and within the Congress,” said AFBF President
January 12, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol 'All about National Security'
by Daniel Looker (Agriculture.com) To farmers who pioneered the ethanol industry, the goal was creating another market for corn. To retired General Wesley Clark, it’s about patriotism and national security. Clark, who is co-chairman of the ethanol lobbying group, Growth Energy,
January 10, 2011 Read Full Article
Confederation of Indian Industry Proposes Bio-Diesel Price Hike
(The Economic Times) The government should raise the price of bio-diesel obtained from the jatropha plant to support the bio-diesel industry's sustainability efforts, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) says. ...The study estimates that if the industry becomes sustainable and
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Biofuels Not Sustainable as Fuels for Automobiles in India: Ramesh
(India Transport Portal) While biofuels are being considered as the alternative fuel for the vehicles in number of countries, they are not the sustainable option as the fuel for automobiles in India, said Jairam Ramesh, Environment Minister of Indian Union
January 06, 2011 Read Full Article
Will Biogenic Emission Regulation Curb Biomass Growth?
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) ...In December 2010, Forisk Consulting released a study titled, “Economic and Regional Impact Analysis of the Treatment of Biomass Energy Under the EPA Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule.” According to NAFO, the study found that the U.S.
January 04, 2011 Read Full Article
John Block: Encouraging Ethanol:Good for Rural America
(State Journal-Register) ...As a former secretary of agriculture, I know that continuing to encourage the ethanol industry is good for rural America and the entire nation. Ethanol generates jobs, preserves the environment, and protects our energy security. With some 17 percent
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
China to Exempt Consumption Tax on Biodiesel
(Reuters) China's Finance Ministry has retroactively exempted consumption tax on pure biodiesel made from waste animal fats or vegetable oils, and will refund taxes already paid over the last two years. The policy is backdated to January 1, 2009... It will make
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
2010: Asia’s Biofuels Boom Charges Ahead
by Joelle Brink (Biofuels Digest Asia) 2010 is sure to be remembered as the year Asia’s biofuels boom became self-sustaining. Double digit Asian economic growth, government and private investment, international business collaborations and research networks drove progress as national policy mandates
December 30, 2010 Read Full Article
Swiss Study Urges Support to Second Generation of Biofuels
(Khabrein) A new Swiss Study by the federal office of power and environment assured that the so-called "second generation of Biofuels" has good chances for the environment and development as well. "Second generation biofuels impress, because of the characteristic that raw materials
December 29, 2010 Read Full Article
10 to Watch: GOP Freshmen on Energy
by Robin Braverder (Politico) ...Cory Gardner (Colo.) — Like many of his colleagues, this newcomer with strong agricultural ties hopes to advance “hearty oversight” of the EPA from his new perch on the Energy and Commerce Committee. On the energy front, look for
December 28, 2010 Read Full Article
Excise Cut May Leave Ethanol in a Pickle
by Mathew Murphy (The Sidney Morning Herald) ...NSW and Queensland's attempts to increase the local ethanol industry are being stymied by the federal government's planned reduction in excise for foreign ethanol from 38¢ to 25¢ in July next year, she
December 28, 2010 Read Full Article
Fuel Vs. Food: Ethanol Helps Boost Meat Prices
by Kathleen Masterson (NPR / WOI / Harvest Public Media) ...And according to USDA data, meat now costs as much as 12 percent more than last year. ...But let's get out of the kitchen for a minute — this is
December 23, 2010 Read Full Article
Biofuels: Europe Adopts Report on Indirect Land Use Change
by S.C. (TeatroNaturale International) The Commission published today (December 22, 2010) a report on indirect land use change related to biofuels and bioliquids. The report acknowledges that indirect land use change can reduce greenhouse gas emissions savings associated with biofuels,