Members of the European Biodiesel Board have asked the European Union to impose punitive tariffs on American biodiesel over complaints that U.S. subsidies on the green fuel are unfair. But their American counterparts at the National Biodiesel Board aren’t taking the threats lightly as they promise to hit back on what the NBB says are unfair trade barriers by the Europeans.
This Reuters story says at the heart of the dispute are the U.S. subsidies for “B99” biodiesel. It’s blended with a small amount of mineral diesel, and the Europeans say that breaks World Trade Organization rules. In addition, U.S. exports qualify for EU subsidies as well:
The head of a U.S. biodiesel group accused the EU sector of trying to use litigation for protectionist ends and said his group would “aggressively challenge” EU trade obstacles.
“It is hypocritical for the European Biodiesel Board to cry foul while they benefit from a blatant trade barrier,” said Manning Feraci, vice president of federal affairs at the National Biodiesel Board.
He called EU biodiesel fuel specifications discriminatory.
“Our industry will aggressively challenge existing EU trade barriers — such as the EU’s discriminatory biodiesel fuel specification — and other EU biofuel policies that are inconsistent with WTO rules and provide preferential treatment to European fuel producers,” Feraci said in a statement.
U.S. trade representatives remind the Europeans that everyone benefits from a dynamic biofuel industry, worldwide.
EU officials now have 45 days to decide to start an investigation into the complaint, and then they would have nine months to impose tariffs.
GM Vice President of Environment, Energy and Safety Policy Beth Lowery says the Lucerne, the first flex-fuel capable Buick passenger car, will be among more than 15 GM models with flex-fuel capability in 2009.
“The state of Georgia is quickly becoming a recognized leader in alternative energy and fuel,” said Governor Perdue. “Our goal is to develop a bioenergy industry that provides substantial economic benefit to Georgia and produces 15 percent of the state’s transportation fuels by 2020 from locally produced biofuels.”
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White and Cohen were in the position of defending biofuels. Leading in with a story that the Texas governor is calling for waiving half of the Renewable Fuels Standard to help cut food prices, White noted that there have been multiple studies, “including one from the great state of Texas this past month that clearly state that it’s energy prices, in particular petroleum prices, that are driving up food prices – three times as much as anything that commodity prices could do – ethanol just being one of those components of the corn market.”
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The aim of the workshops is to promote direct marketing relationships between ethanol producers and fuel retailers and reduce costs for all parties involved. Ethanol plants, petroleum equipment suppliers, petroleum marketers and auto dealers are encouraged to attend these free workshops. Presentations will address E85 handling and storage, regulations and safety procedures, applying for the ethanol blender tax credit, and direct marketing of E85 from ethanol plant to retailer. 
As oil prices rise, so does the price of diesel fuel. Truckers, construction companies and municipalities are feeling the pinch of $4-plus-a-gallon diesel fuel, and one town in Alabama has figured out that a less expensive… and greener… solution is biodiesel.
Gas City, Ltd. earned the VE85™ Retailer of the Year Award, VeraSun’s most prestigious award for 2007. The independent petroleum marketer is located in Frankfort, Ill., and owns and operates stations in northeast Illinois, northwest Indiana, Florida and Arizona. Currently, Gas City has 34 fueling locations in Illinois and Indiana offering VE85™. In addition to the Retailer of the Year Award, the company also received the Driving Change Award and the Fueling Growth Award for three of its Illinois VE85™ fueling locations in Schaumberg, Shorewood and Romeoville. Gas City’s Executive Vice President William Shireman was awarded the 2007 Ambassador of the Year Award.