Genencor has announced its next generation cellulosic ethanol enzyme, Accellerase TRIO. The enzyme will help biofuel producers more cost-effectively produce cellulosic ethanol from a wide-range of renewable feedstocks including switchgrass, wheat straw, corn stover and municipal waste. In essence, this enzyme improves the effectiveness of converting biomass into sugars, one of the critical steps in the production process. Accellerase TRIO …
Boat Race to Highlight Ten Percent Ethanol
Ethanol will be in the spotlight this weekend as boat racing teams from more than twenty states will gather to compete at the National Boat Racing Association (NBRA) “Garnett Ethanol Hydroplane Nationals” this weekend, June 23-26 in Garnett, Kansas for a chance to break national straight away speed records using E10. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) partnered with NBRA earlier …
Iowa Corn Indy 250 Going Green for Ethanol
The Iowa Speedway will experience a “green out” under the lights on Saturday night with the fifth running of the Iowa Corn Indy 250, presented by Pioneer and powered by 100 percent home grown ethanol. Officials and fans will be wearing green apparel to the first Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented under the lights, with the green flag dropping at …
EPA Proposes 2012 Renewable Fuel Standards
Cellulosic ethanol targets were reduced while biodiesel was increased under the latest standards proposed by the federal government for the Renewable Fuel Standard program (RFS2). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed the 2012 percentage standards for four fuel categories under the RFS2 based on the annual renewable fuel volume targets. EPA once again lowered the target for cellulosic …
US Ag Secretary to Defend Biofuels at G20 Meeting
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says he intends to defend biofuels at the G-20 Summit of Agricultural Ministers in Paris this week, stressing their importance to the economy and the environment. “America is working on developing new feedstocks that don’t pit food versus fuel but that create new rural economic opportunities and allow us to continue to expand on our efforts …
Electric and Ethanol Power Win EcoCAR Competition
Cars designed to run on electricity and 85 percent ethanol took top honors in a competition to engineer a more fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly vehicle. A team from Virginia Tech University designed an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) using 85 percent ethanol (E85) to win first place in the three-year EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge competition sponsored by the Department of Energy …
Crazy Week for Ethanol in the Senate
For those of you who might be wondering just what the heck happened this week in the Senate, where they voted in favor of ethanol before they voted against it and then for it again, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen offers some insight in a post on The E-xchange blog. Dinneen explains that the vote Tuesday to …
House Cuts Ethanol Blender Pump Funds
While an amendment to cut federal funding for ethanol blender pumps failed in the Senate, another one passed in the House. The amendment, offered by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) to the Agriculture Appropriations bill passed by a vote of 283-128. As the sun sets after a busy day on Capitol Hill for ethanol interests, the question is whether any of …
Ethanol Loses One Vote and Wins Another in Senate
The Senate voted to preserve federal funding for blender pumps right after it voted to end the ethanol blenders tax credit (VEETC) and associated tariff immediately. The amendment by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) to prevent federal funding to help pay for installing alternative fuel infrastructure such as blender pumps and storage tanks at gasoline stations. The measure failed on a …
Senate Votes to End Ethanol Blenders Tax Credit
The same amendment to end the ethanol blenders tax credit (VEETC) that failed in the Senate on Tuesday passed today on a vote of 73 to 27. The only difference between the two amendments is that Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) took the lead on it instead of Republican Tom Coburn of Oklahoma who broke procedure to bring it to the …