French energy company Total and California-based renewable products firm Amyris have announced a joint venture to develop, produce and commercialize a range of renewable fuels and products. The two companies agreed to expand their ongoing research and development collaboration to accelerate the deployment of Biofene® and develop renewable diesel based on this molecule produced from plant sugars. The program launched …
RFA Responds to EU Ethanol Probe
The European Union (EU) has initiated anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations regarding U.S. exports of ethanol to Europe and current U.S. policies surrounding ethanol production and use. Allegations by EU ethanol producers, represented by the organization ePure, suggest that U.S. ethanol exports to Europe are taking advantage of the expiring volumetric ethanol excise tax credit, or VEETC, prior to export …
Solar Decathlon May Move
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is looking for a new location for Solar Decathlon 2013. DOE hopes to provide other communities with the opportunity to host the competition and share the economic and education and outreach benefits of the event. Since 2002, the Solar Decathlon has been held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where it has successfully …
California Biodiesel Alliance to Hold Conference
The California Biodiesel Alliance has announced the agenda for the first annual statewide conference on Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel. The conference will be held on January 16th, 2012 in downtown San Francisco as part of BBI International’s Pacific West Biomass Conference to be held January 16-18 at the Marriott Marquis. Topics on the agenda include panel discussions on California’s Low …
Ethanol Group Hosts Farm Bill Listening Session
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) hosted a Farm Bill listening session with Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) and area agricultural leaders last week at the ACE office in Sioux Falls. “The farm bill plays a critical role in providing a safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers and has included important biofuel provisions in the past that we want to …
Biodiesel Production Sets New Record
According to the latest government figures, U.S. biodiesel production has already set a new record this year. National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is proud to report that the industry has produced more than 802 million gallons of biodiesel in plants from Florida to Iowa to Washington state, more than doubling last year’s production of about 315 million gallons and breaking the …
Scholarship Deadline Extended for Ethanol Conference
The Renewable Fuels Foundation and the Renewable Fuels Association are offering scholarships to six students in higher education to attend the 17th Annual National Ethanol Conference: Accelerating Industry Innovation. Interested students now have until December 23 to apply. The NEC will be held Feb. 22 to 24 in Orlando, Fla., at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. The NEC …
Ethanol Not to Blame for Higher Turkey Prices
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the retail cost of menu items for a classic Thanksgiving dinner including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the basic trimmings increased about 13 percent this year. That’s still less than $50 to feed ten people – not even $5 per person. The turkey itself is what gobbled up most of …
U.S. Navy Successfully Runs Ship on Biofuel
The U.S. Navy successfully concluded the largest demonstration of shipboard alternative fuel use last week when the Self Defense Test Ship (SDTS) arrived on November 17 at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme, Calif. The SDTS is a decommissioned Spruance-class destroyer ex-Paul F. Foster (EDD 964) reconfigured to provide the Navy an at-sea, remotely controlled, engineering test and evaluation …
Novozymes Urges Committee to Explore Oil Alternatives
The president of biofuel enzyme producer Novozymes last week called on a House subcommittee to explore alternatives to drilling for oil to meet the country’s energy needs. In a written statement prepared for the House Committee on Natural Resources’ Subcommittee On Energy and Mineral Resources, Adam Monroe encouraged the committee “to explore renewable fuels: new technology and innovation already making …