Corn growers and the ethanol industry are uniting to provide consumers with more choices at the pump, gas station owners with more product flexibility, and the nation with the ability to achieve its renewable fuels targets with a new campaign to increase the number of ethanol blender pumps nationwide. The campaign is a partnership between leading corn-producing states, the American …
Ethanol Group Proposes Biofuels Road Map
Growth Energy today introduced a renewable fuels road map desigened to “help America reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create new green collar jobs and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases.” Growth Energy co-chairman, retired General Wesley Clark announced the five-point plan at the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, NV. The five main points of the road map …
Congress Takes Cash for Clunkers from Loan Program
“Cash for Clunkers” has another $2 billion to get less fuel-efficient vehicles off the road – but the renewable energy loan guarantee program has $2 billion less for research into alternative fuels. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen says Congress should replace those borrowed funds as soon as possible. “While the cash for clunkers idea has merit, it …
Gator Tree Could Be Key to Cellulosic Ethanol
A spiky tree with a reptilian bark may be able to take a bite out of the cost to produce cellulosic ethanol. The tree is often called a sweetgum, but it also goes by the name “alligator tree” because it does look like one. So, it’s appropriate that researchers with the University of Florida – home of the Gators – …
Ethanol Industry Concerns About EPA Peer Review
The Environmental Protection Agency’s peer review of the renewable fuel standards lifecycle analysis released today is being characterized by corn and ethanol industry groups as biased, bizarre and puzzling. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) says the EPA “stacked the deck against biofuels in its process to “peer review” the agency’s indirect land use change analysis (ILUC) conducted for the Renewable …
Verenium and BP Launch Cellulosic Ethanol Venture
The joint cellulosic ethanol venture between BP and Verenium Corporation now has a name – Vercipia. The two companies announced that their 50-50 joint venture company will operate under the name Vercipia Biofuels, and corporate headquarters will be in Florida. Vercipia continues to focus on the development of one of the nation‟s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facilities, located in Highlands …
White House Responds to Brazilian Tariff Questions
Ethanol groups expressed concern and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) called for clarification this week on the White House’s position regarding the U.S. tariff on imported ethanol after a statement in favor of lifting the tariff was made by the President’s nominee for ambassador to Brazil. During his confirmation process, ambassador nominee Thomas Shannon said that removing the tariff would be …
Senators Urge EPA to Approve Higher Ethanol Blends
A bipartisan group of nearly 20 senators have sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging approval of up to 15 percent ethanol blends in regular gasoline. The letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson was signed by Senators John Thune (R-SD), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Claire McCaskill …
Nebraska Students Win Award for Ethanol Report
Eight journalism students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are receiving a national award for an in-depth report on ethanol. The report titled “Ethanol: Salvation or Damnation?” has taken first place in a student reporting category in the Society of Environmental Journalism’s 2009 awards. According to SEJ, “the students took a vital issue in their community and shone a light on …
Brazil Ethanol Group Supports E15
The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) provided comments to the Environmental Protection Agency in support of the request for increasing the amount of ethanol allowed to be blended into regular gasoline in the United States up to 15 percent. In the final days of the comment period for the waiver request, UNICA submitted a 15 page document to EPA outlining …