Hundreds of people from the Midwest turned out to submit comments today to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the “Hearing in the Heartland: Supporting the Renewable Fuel Standard” hosted by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds. The EPA held only one public hearing in Washington, D.C. last year in response to their 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard …
New Analysis Shows RFS Lowers Gas Prices
A new independent analysis from the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) at Iowa State University has found that increased ethanol production under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program has reduced gas prices, not increased them as opponents of the RFS claim. “Our results should reassure those in Congress and the Administration who are worried that following the RFS …
Views on the Biodiesel Policy Climate
Two former members of Congress talked about attacks on the Renewable Fuel Standard at the National Biodiesel Conference this week in San Diego. Former Democrat Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, now a DC policy advisory, says the EPA proposal to lower RFS volume obligations this year is inexplicable. “The Obama Administration has always supported renewable fuels,” he said during …
Cape Wind Wins Again
Cape Wind has again defeated the efforts of its opponents to block the country’s first offshore wind farm. In a historic decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the FAA’s approval of the Cape Wind project, rejecting every argument that had been advanced by the project’s opponents. “The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, the …
GRFA: Biofuels Must Be a Priority
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is kicking off and this week the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) called on attendees to make increasing global biofuels use a top priority. During the week, global leaders will address the energy and sustainability challenges of the future. In addition, the World Future Energy Summit is also taking place. “Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and it’s …
Texas Researchers Turning Yeast into Biodiesel
Everything might be bigger in Texas, but some scientists in the state are looking to tiny yeast cells to yield big feedstocks for biodiesel. This news release from the University of Texas at Austin says researchers at the Cockrell School of Engineering have developed genetically engineered yeast cells to produce the lipids to go into biodiesel production. Assistant professor Hal …
Biodiesel Giant REG Expands with LS9 Buy
Biodiesel maker Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG) continues to get bigger, this time with an expansion into renewable chemicals. This company news release says the Iowa-based biodiesel giant has bought renewable chemical technology developer LS9, Inc. for up to $61.5 million and will call the new operation REG Life Sciences. “This acquisition is a major step in realizing REG’s strategy …
Eye on Biodiesel Industry Partnership Award
The Eye on Biodiesel Award for Industry Partnership was presented to Kirk Leeds, Iowa Soybean Association this morning. Kirk is Chief Executive Officer of the Association and has been a leader among soybean organizations in supporting biodiesel efforts since the industry’s inception. ISA’s support of the National Biodiesel Board over the years has allowed the industry to prepare and face …
CARB Receives Eye on Biodiesel Award
Receiving the National Biodiesel Board’s Eye on Biodiesel Impact Award for the California Clean Air Resources Board was Richard Corey, Executive Officer. The State of California continues to serve as a national and world leader in regulations related to environmental sustainability, and the California Air Resources Board is at the heart of those efforts. In January of 2010, Air Resources …
NBB Lifetime Achievement Award
A very special award was presented to John Deere’s Don Borgman today at the National Biodiesel Conference. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to the industry. Later this year Borgman will be retiring from John Deere after over 40 years of service. Most recently he served as the Director of Agricultural Industry Relations for John Deere’s North …