The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is demanding the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) withdraw their Biofuels and Food Security report given its flaws and their refusal to release the report’s funding sources. The organization’s call to action comes as the Committee on World Food Security’s (CFS) annual Plenary gets underway in Rome, Italy. …
BioEnergy Bytes
Broadwind Energy, Inc. has announced $106 million in tower orders from a U.S. wind turbine manufacturer. Broadwind will produce these towers in its Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Abilene, Texas. facilities. Since the start of 2013, Broadwind has recorded $306 million in new tower orders. Canadian Solar has launched the Canadian Solar Residential Financing Program for the U.S. residential solar market, in …
Quest for Carbon Neutral Beer
Göss Brewery is one step closer to producing carbon neutral beer with the start-up of its new solar plant. The solar farm occupies nearly 1,500 m² and will generate a portion of the heat required for the brewing process. The brewery, owned by Brau Union Österreich and a member of the HEINEKEN Group, has embarked on a “Green Brewery” project …
NREL Calculates Emissions, Cost of Wind & Solar
According to new research from the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), found that carbon emissions induced by more frequent cycling are negligible (<0.2%) when compared with the carbon reductions achieved through wind and solar power generation. Cycling occurs when a utility, to accommodate higher amounts of wind and solar power on the electric grid, must ramp down and …
U of Cincy Team Captures Grease for Biodiesel
A student team from the University of Cincinnati is being recognized for their idea to capture waste grease and turn it into biodiesel. The school’s Team Effuelent, led by students Ron Gillespie, Ethan Jacobs, and Qingshi Tu won the $40,000 prize in the Odebrecht Award for Sustainability Development Competition with their concept of “Using Trap Grease As the Raw Material …
Argentine Biodiesel Makers Vow to Fight EU Duties
Calling European Union punitive duties on their biodiesel bad for biodiesel overall on the continent, Argentine producers say they will fight them. This story from Reuters says the proposed $330-per-tonne duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina are seen by the Argentinians as unfair and bad for biodiesel in Europe as well. “We will seek to defend ourselves against this decision, …
Study Refutes Land Use Change Myth
A recent report released from researchers in the Netherlands shows that current models assessing the impact of crops grown for biofuel production on land use (indirect land use change /ILUC) do not accurately reflect current production and land use realities. Given the impact of these models on bioenergy policy, the paper, “Biomass Research,” makes a strong case for updating the …
Call for Brazil to Reinstate Fuel Tax Policy
The Brazilian Industry Sugarcane Association (UNICA) is calling for the return of the ICMS tax policy that creates incentives to use ethanol over gasoline. When the tax policy is in place, funds generated from the fuel tax are used to subsidize public transportation. UNICA notes that the policy is a way to generate positive economic, social, environmental and public health …
Clean Energy Fuels Distributing “Waste” Natural Gas
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has announced that it will be the first company to commercially distribute a renewable natural gas vehicle fuel, called Redeem, made from waste streams such as landfills, large dairies and sewage plants, directly to fleets around the country. In addition, natural gas fleets will be able to purchase Redeem at the 35 public Clean Energy stations …
Darling Closing Deal to Buy Renderer for Biodiesel
Back in August, we told you about Darling International Inc.’s bid to buy Canada-based Rothsay, the rendering and biodiesel division of Maple Leaf Foods Inc. Darling is now expected to close that deal to give the company animal fats for biodiesel feedstock on October 28, 2013. Rothsay is the leading recycler of animal by-products in Canada and provides an essential …