The Renewable Fuels Association has launched a new online destination for ethanol information called Choose Ethanol. The new website features a section dedicated exclusively to E85, plus a news center and quick facts, as well as links to follow RFA on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. The site also invites visitors to sign up to “stay informed, share your stories …
Climate Bill Debate Begins in Senate
The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee began debate on the so-called climate bill Tuesday with testimony from four top members of the Obama administration – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson. Secretary Vilsack testified discussed the importance of engaging farmers and ranchers in crafting …
Canada Plans Advanced Energy Research Center
Enerkem, a leading waste-to-biofuels and green chemicals technology company, today announced that it will jointly form an advanced energy research center with the City of Edmonton and the Alberta Energy Research Institute (AERI). The research center will focus on the development and demonstration of novel catalytic conversion processes to produce advanced biofuels and green chemicals from non-hazardous industrial waste (generated …
Pickens and Propane
Billionaire oilman and energy activist T. Boone Pickens says propane is an important part of the “Pickens Plan”, citing propane’s environmentally friendly profile and ample production in the United States. Pickens made that announcement at a recent propane industry event in Washington with the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). “America has the opportunity today to reduce its dependence on …
Growth Energy Adds New Staff
Two experienced Capitol Hill insiders have joined the staff of Growth Energy. Anne Steckel will be Director of Government Affairs for the ethanol organization and Ted Monoson has been named Director of Legislative Affairs. Steckel is a former aide to Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and most recently served as the Director of Congressional Relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation. …
Celebrate Energy Independence
As Americans celebrate Independence Day this weekend, it is a good time to reflect on our need to increase our energy independence. The good news is, we are becoming less dependent on foreign sources of oil for our transportation fuel needs. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), ethanol displaced almost 322 million barrels of oil in 2008. The Renewable …
Ethanol Industry Welcomes EPA Comment Extension
The Environmental Protection Agency today formally announced a 60 day extension of the comment period on the proposed rule revising the national Renewable Fuel Standard program, commonly referred to as RFS2. The original comment period was to end on July 27, 2009 and will now end on September 25, 2009. “With the 60-day comment period extension, EPA seeks to provide …
EPA Official Wrong on Ethanol and Biodiesel Yields
A YouTube video of EPA official Margo Oge testifying before a House panel in May reveals her providing radically incorrect information about the amount of corn and soybeans it takes to make biofuels. The blunder occurred when Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL) asked Ms. Oge, who is responsible for regulating all emissions within the United States, about the indirect land use …
YouTube Videos Provide Ethanol Answers
Will corn crop meet demand of both food and fuel? Even before the USDA planted acreage report was released this week, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) had the answer to that question posted on YouTube. In one of three recent videos posted by the ethanol organization, RFA Vice President of Research Geoff Cooper says the 2009 corn crop is going …
More Corn Could Support Higher Ethanol Blend Rate
The combination of more corn planted this year than expected and more corn stocks could mean a better chance of the ethanol blend rate being increased. According to Terry Francl, senior economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, “For the 2009/2010, the greater availability of corn supplies makes it more likely that the EPA will increase the ethanol blend rate …