The largest government purchase of biofuels for military application was announced today. U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack jointly announced that the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) signed a contract to purchase 450,000 gallons of advanced drop-in biofuel. The biofuel to be purchased is made from a blend of non-food waste (used cooking oil) …
General Motors Seeks to Reassure Volt Owners
General Motors is working to offer assurances and incentives to owners of Chevy Volts in the wake of concerns about the potential of damaged batteries in the electric cars catching fire, and may ultimately have to take the car of the future back to the drawing board. Earlier this week, GM announced initiatives for customer satisfaction and battery safety research …
Corn Grower’s Viewpoint on VEETC – It’s Over
National Corn Growers Association president Garry Niemeyer, a farmer from Illinois, penned an editorial this week in an effort to let those still complaining about the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) know that the game is over. Read that commentary below. Back in August, the Green Scissors Project identified ways the federal government could shave $380 billion from the …
USDA Announces Insurance Program for Biofuel Crop
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a new pilot program of insurance for camelina beginning with the 2012 crop year. According to a release from USDA, “Camelina is an oilseed crop with the potential to create new renewable energy markets in the United States, generate rural jobs here at home, and decrease America’s dependence on foreign oil. The new …
Iowa Corn Caucus Grades Candidates on Energy
The Iowa Corn Caucus released its report card for presidential candidates today, giving grades for different policy areas related to agriculture, including energy and biofuels, and an overall grade for each candidate. The highest overall grade went to Newt Gingrich, who scored straight As on every single policy issue. Second in the class was Rick Santorum, who received straight As …
Amyris and Total Partner for Renewable Fuels
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 …