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 …
Major Global Companies Sign on to WindMade™ label
Major global companies including Motorola Mobility, Deutsche Bank, Bloomberg, Method and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Co.) announced their commitment to use at least 25 percent wind energy and become certified under the new WindMade™ consumer label at a Global Launch event in New York last week. The label allows participating companies to communicate the share of wind power and other …
Challenges Continue for 15% Ethanol Blend
Another challenge to the waiver allowing 15% ethanol blends in regular gasoline was made last week by Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) who introduced legislation to “require that the EPA certify, not only that a new fuel will not lead to emissions increases, but also that the fuel will not reduce fuel efficiency or damage engines.” The Renewable Fuels Association says …
Super Yeast Could Turn Pine into Ethanol
Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed a “super strain” of yeast that can efficiently ferment ethanol from pretreated pine. “Companies are interested in producing ethanol from woody biomass such as pine, but it is a notoriously difficult material for fermentations,” said Joy Doran-Peterson, associate professor of microbiology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. “The big plus …
Biodiesel Board Announces Officers
National Biodiesel Board members this week elected seven returning governing board members and one new member to serve on the leadership committee as part of the organization’s membership meeting in Washington D.C. Officers elected to lead the board are: Gary Haer, chairman, Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (Producer) Ed Ulch, vice chair, Iowa Soybean Board (Farmer) Ron Marr, secretary, Minnesota Soybean …
USDA Announces Biomass to Energy Project Funding
USDA has announced funding for a series of projects to convert biomass to energy through USDA’s Rural Energy for America program (REAP). The announcement this week concludes 2011 biomass project funding assistance for a total of 52 projects with just over $31 million in grant and loan note guarantees through program. Among the companies receiving funding is NC-CHP Owner I, …