Energy Secretary Steven Chu says for the sake of our children and grandchildren, the United States “must decrease our dependence on oil, use energy in the most efficient ways possible, and lower our carbon emissions.” Chu told the House Science and Technology Committee this week that in order to make that happen, the government needs to increase funding and “support …
DOE Conference Focuses on Biomass Future
With appropriate policies to help overcome current fiscal constraints, the advanced biofuels industry can meet environmental goals, create new green jobs and contribute to economic growth, according to industry leaders who met this week at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of the Biomass Program’s Biomass 2009: Fueling Our Future conference. During the conference opening plenary session, titled “Dispelling …
Oil Company Buys Ethanol Plants
When the dust finally settled yesterday, oil company Valero came out with the winning bid of $477 million for seven ethanol plants owned by bankrupt producer VeraSun Energy. According to a release from VeraSun, Valero Renewable Fuels was selected as the successful bidder for assets contained in the “VSE Group”, in addition to ethanol production facilities in Albion, Neb., and …
ACE Thanks EPA Administrator for Support
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) sent a letter this week to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson thanking her for EPA’s consideration of the application for approval to use ethanol blends up to E15. Just a few days before the waiver petition was filed, Administrator Jackson met with a group of 30 ethanol supporters who traveled to Washington DC …
Ethanol Workshop Celebrates 25 Years
2009 marks the silver anniversary of the Fuel Ethanol Workshop, the industry’s largest and most widely attended expo and educational event. With the economy in mind, the 2009 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo has joined with the 2009 International Distillers Grains Conference & Trade Show and the Advanced Biofuels Workshop, to give industry professionals the ability to attend all …
California Low Carbon Fuel Standard Criticized
The California State Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing heard testimony Monday from the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) criticizing the proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). RFA Vice President of Research Geoff Cooper testified on behalf of the ethanol industry that under the standard proposed by the state Air Resources Board (ARB) “biofuels are penalized for a highly uncertain and …
Joint Work Toward Ethanol Pipeline
The nation’s largest ethanol producer is joining forces with a fuel transportation and distribution company to work on the development of a pipeline to deliver ethanol from the Midwest to distribution terminals in the northeastern United States. South Dakota-based POET just signed a joint development agreement with Magellan Midstream Partners of Tulsa, Oklahoma to continue assessing the feasibility of constructing …
Brazil and US Talk Ethanol Tariffs
President Barack Obama and President Lula da Silva of Brazil talked about the touchy topic of ethanol tariffs when they met for the first time on Saturday. Asked about their discussions during a joint press conference, President Obama praised Brazil for its leadership in biofuels but acknowledged that “the issue of Brazilian ethanol coming into the United States has been …
Navy Exchange Pumped Up on E85
The opening of an E-85 pump on Friday at Oceania Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, Virginia received enthusiastic response from the public and the media. The Virginia-Pilot reported that, “A crowd of Navy officers, energy executives, a congressman and camera-toting media circled the first customer who pulled up to the shiny new pump, Petty Officer 1st Class Lacresha Fears.” …
Obama Wants to Maintain Ethanol Progress
Ethanol came up in a meeting this week between President Barack Obama and regional newspaper reporters in Washington D.C. According to the Des Moines Register, the president did not say whether the administration would increase the amount of ethanol that could be added to regular gasoline, as requested by the ethanol industry, but did indicate he would ultimately make that …