In a commentary on the Natural Resources Defense Council blog, the organization’s Director of Renewable Energy Policy Nathanael Greene criticizes the ethanol industry for what he calls a “highly inflated jobs study” released earlier this week. Greene claims the industry’s jobs numbers are “way off” because they use both inflated jobs multipliers and inflated economic impact, creating what he calls …
Growth Energy to Unveil Ethanol TV Campaign
Growth Energy is set to unveil an aggressive new television advertising campaign on Monday and is planning “watch parties” and press conferences at different locations around the country to kickoff the new commercials, as well as a live webcast. The $2.5 million national TV advertising campaign is being called a first for the ethanol industry. Growth Energy leadership, including co-chairman …
Ethanol Starts 2010 With Record Production
U.S. ethanol production began 2010 on a record pace. The latest report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) puts January 2010 ethanol production at an average of more than 818,000 barrels per day, compared to 188,000 in January 2009. EIA also reports fuel ethanol imports of 1.4 million gallons in January. Ethanol demand, as calculated by the Renewable Fuels Association …
Pine Beetles Provide Feedstock for Biobutanol
A nasty little beetle is destroying millions of acres of lodgepole pine trees across the western United States and so far, no one has been able to stop it. But, in the tradition of making lemonade from lemons, the biofuels industry has been working on ways to use the dead trees for energy – and one company is now claiming …
Loss of Ethanol Incentives Could Cost Jobs in Half the Nation
New research indicates that allowing the ethanol tax incentives to expire at the end of this year would mean job losses in 25 states, not just the Midwest. According to additional research conducted by economist John Urbanchuk, non-traditional ethanol producing states like California, Texas, Georgia, Colorado, and Tennessee would be hit by job losses due to the expiration of the …
Anti-Ethanol Machine Back in Action
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and fellow ethanol foes have been fairly quiet since food prices began moderating last year, but the coalition has gotten back into action this past week with a new campaign opposing E15. A scathing editorial in the Washington Times Monday followed directly on the heels of a full-page ad in “The Hill” last week sponsored …
Study Shows Impact of Removing Ethanol Tariff
Brazil is eliminating its tariff on ethanol imports and wants the United States to do the same, but a recent study shows Brazil has far more to gain in that deal. The study, prepared by IHS Global Insight, determined that eliminating import tariffs and increasing the tax on domestic ethanol would have severe economic consequences for both American ethanol producers …
Ethanol Company Posts a Profit
Investors in California’s BlueFire Ethanol should be pleased to see that the company posted a profit in 2009. The company, which is focused on the production of ethanol and other biofuels from non-food cellulosic wastes, reported 2009 revenue of $4,318,213 – which amounts to a four cent profit per share. According to BlueFire CEO Arnold Klann, “Through BlueFire’s continued progress …
Brazil Eliminates Tariff on Ethanol Imports
In a bid to get the United States to eliminate tariffs on imported ethanol, the Brazilian government has announced it will reduce their tax on ethanol imports to zero from the current 20 percent through the end of next year. The Brazilian Chamber of Foreign Trade (CAMEX) announced the temporary reduction Monday and it is expected to go into effect …