The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) held teleconferences last week in an effort to discredit the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). During the call, AFPM blamed increased gas prices on renewable fuels, which, says, Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, is false. “Manipulating data and spreading misinformation is not the way to educate lawmakers and drive policy decisions. Our energy …
Suggestions to Obama to Address Climate Change
The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), a group of leading scientists and engineers who make policy recommendations to the White House, has released a detailed report outlining how the Obama Administration could address climate change in the near term. Climate change was a major topic during President Obama’s recent trip to Argonne National Laboratory as well …
Turning Cow Manure Into Brown Gold
In the heart of Wisconsin, a project is underway to produce energy from a resource that is in little danger of running low: cow manure, or “brown gold.” Thanks to a $7 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI), the University of Wisconsin-Madison and several state companies have formed a consortium to pilot the …
Stover Harvesting Requires Careful Management
According to Purdue University researchers, removing corn stover from agricultural fields to produce cellulosic ethanol requires careful management to avoid adding greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion to the environment. However, environmental impacts from stover removal can be reduced by switching to no-till corn or adding winter cover crops, but these practices likely would increase production costs, researchers reported in …
RFS & E10 Blend Wall White Paper Released
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee has released a “white paper” analyzing the federal renewable fuels standard (RFS) and the so-called E10 blend wall. On page two, the white paper highlighted that new fuels are banned from competing with petroleum products unless first approved for use by the federal government. According to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), this federal …
Bioenergy Bytes
On June 12, the Sustainable Energy Coalition – in cooperation with Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucuses – will host the 16th annual Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency EXPO + Forum. The event is FREE and will be held at the Cannon House Office Building – Caucus Room U.S. …
What’s the Real Deal with E15?
What’s the real deal with E15? Do we hate it? Do we love it? Well Big Oil certainly has not shown an affinity for the ethanol fuel blend. But why? According to Ron Lamberty, Senior Vice President for American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), American Petroleum Institute (API) began its campaign against E15 as part of its attempt to get rid …
Sapphire Energy To Sell Algae-Based Crude to Tesoro
Sapphire Energy has entered into an agreement to sell its algae-based Green Crude oil to Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company. Under the agreement, Tesoro will purchase crude oil from Sapphire Energy’s Green Crude Farm in Columbus, New Mexico, which recently reached a new milestone: continuous cultivation and crude oil production. This begins the first step of a commercial relationship to …
What is a RIN?
Recently, Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) gave a one minute briefing on what, exactly, is a Renewable Identification Number (RIN). Shimkus explained: “Mr. Speaker, there’s been a lot of media coverage on RINs. A RIN is a Renewable Identification Number, which is given to refiners upon the purchase of renewable fuels. It is then used by refiners every February to establish …
Big Oil’s Big Stall
Big Oil lobbed another attack today against the biofuels industry. Brian Jennings, executive vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) responded by saying the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is not about the oil industry’s comfort; it is about providing cleaner American-made alternatives to consumers. “The RFS costs taxpayers nothing and is doing exactly what Congress intended; saving consumers …