The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that a record 119 million gallons of “Biomass-based Diesel” were produced in September, up eight percent over the previous high of 110 million gallons in August and marking the sixth consecutive monthly record. Of that total, about 95 percent was biodiesel production, which now totals 686 million gallons for the year so far as …
New Propane Autogas Facility Planned for Washington
Blue Star Gas is planning to break ground on a new propane autogas station and distribution facility in the Puget Sound region of Tukwila, Wash. Blue Star already has autogas stations across California and Oregon but this will be the first in Washington state. “The Blue Star Gas facility in Tukwila now extends the reach of our propane distribution and …
American Ethanol Racer Wins at Talladega
American Ethanol spokesman Clint Bowyer won his first race of the year in the Richard Childress No. 33 Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday as he raced to the front in the last lap to claim victory in the Good Sam Club 500. Bowyer, a Kansas native, paired up with Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton as a draft-push partner …
Event to Promote Open Fuel Standard Act
Ethanol and other alternative fuel industry leaders will be on Capitol Hill Tuesday to urge Congress to an Open Fuel Standard (OFS). Representatives John Shimkus (R-IL) and Elliot Engel (D-NY) introduced the Open Fuel Standard Act in June with the support of the Open Fuel Standard Coalition. Tuesday’s event in the nation’s capitol will include an Energy Security Roundtable and …
Coaltion Wants Energy Title in New Farm Bill
A coalition of nearly 50 trade groups and organizations representing renewable energy, energy efficiency, farm, and forest interests is urging leaders of the House Agriculture and Senate Agriculture Committees to include an energy title in any new Farm Bill legislation. A $23 billion reduction in funding has been proposed to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction by the committees …
Navy Gets Electric Vehicle
The U.S. Navy took delivery of its first fully electric car this week, a brand new Chevy Volt. “This vehicle will save 280 gallons of fuel per year,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy Tom Hicks. “This builds to our goals the Secretary of the Navy has laid out for us to reduce our petroleum consumption by …
Petroleum Marketers Join Coalition for E85
The Petroleum Marketers Association of America (PMAA) has become the newest member of the Coalition for E85 to help educate policymakers about the need for 85% ethanol blended gasoline to be designated as an alternative fuel in the tax code. “If we don’t enable E85 to compete with gasoline, we could see the entire Flex Fuel industry disappear,” said Dan …
RFA Chairman on Ethanol Issues
Chuck Woodside, General Manager of farmer-owned KAAPA Ethanol in Minden, Nebraska, was just re-elected for a second year as chairman of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). I caught up with him this week for an update on the state of the industry, how this year has been, progress on implementing EPA’s E15 waiver, challenges to the RFS2, the importance of …
Bioheat Campaign Blankets New York
A new Bioheat® advertising campaign is underway in New York City targeting oilheat customers who want a better, cleaner fuel. The message is that consumers who use oilheat to heat their homes have the power to change – without changing a thing – by choosing Bioheat®, “a home heating fuel made with biodiesel, a renewable, cleaner-burning fuel that supports American …
Biodiesel Scholarship Honors Minnesota Farmer
An annual scholarship for Minnesota high school seniors has been launched under a new name to honor the memory of a soybean farmer. This year’s scholarships are given in memory of the late father of Mike Youngerberg, senior director of field services for the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association. Reuben Youngerberg owned a farm in Blue Earth County, where he held …