A pending trade dispute between the U.S. and China could hurt solar power in both countries, but an industry group believes it has a plan to head off the problem. This story from Bloomberg says the Washington-based Solar Energy Industries Association has floated a proposal to eliminate tariffs on solar gear, as well as putting together a fund with contributions …
Oil Cos. Ordered to Up Biodiesel Blend in Indonesia
Two major foreign oil companies operating in Indonesia are being told to comply with that country’s law and increase the amount of biodiesel in the mix at their filling stations. Biofuels International reports PT Shell Indonesia and PT Total Oil Indonesia must increase to at least a 10 percent biodiesel mix in all diesel sold by this coming January or …
Ethanol Group Wants Apology After Big Oil Compares RFS to Cancer
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any lower, Big Oil manages to take it to another level… a much lower level. In a story from Reuters, the American Petroleum Institute’s Jack Gerard is quoted as comparing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to cancer. While talking about how Congress should address ethanol Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs), Gerard is reported saying, …
Former Phillips 66 Marketer Shuns Big Oil for E15
A man who used to market fuels under the Phillips 66 name has decided to forgo the Big Oil brand so he can offer consumers the choice of E15 ethanol. “They changed the rules mid-stream for what they would allow me to do once E15 came out,” said Scott Zaremba, a Kansas retailer who sold fuel under the Phillips 66 …
Study: Algae-based Biofuels Cut CO2 by 50-70%
A new study shows that biofuels made from algae can reduce life cycle carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 50 to 70 percent compared to petroleum fuels. And according to the Algae Biomass Organization, citing the study in the journal Bioresource Technology, algae biofuels are approaching the Energy Return on Investment (EROI) values that conventional petroleum has. “This study affirms that …
EPA Report Recommends Better Monitoring of RFS
A new internal report recommends the Environmental Protection Agency improve its monitoring of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. This article in Biodiesel Magazine reports the EPA’s own Inspector General conducted the audit and made the recommendation in response to the generation of millions of dollars of fraudulent renewable identification numbers (RINs). According to the report, the EPA did not …
Renewable Fuels Association Chooses 2014 Leaders
Some familiar faces will stay in leadership roles for the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), as the group elected its officers to the Board of Directors during today’s annual RFA membership meeting held in Minneapolis, MN. Neill McKinstray, President of the Ethanol Group, The Andersons, Inc., remains Chairman of the RFA Board of Directors for a second year after previously serving …
World’s Largest Community Wind Farm to be in Texas
Everything’s bigger in Texas, right? Well, that certainly seems to be the case for a massive wind farm slated for West Texas. Tri Global Energy, LLC has created Hale Community Energy, LLC (HCE) to be the managing company for a wind farm exceeding 122,000 acres owned by more than 340 landowners and having more than 450 shareholders. As the world’s …
EPA Expands Heating Oil Definition to Allow RINs
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expanding the definition of heating oil as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. This means that renewable heating oil, such as bioheat, a mixture of biodiesel and heating oil, could fall under the category to allow for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). The expanded definition of heating oil will encourage the growth …
Pure Biodiesel OKed for Deutz Agripower Engines
Some agricultural diesel engines made by German manufacturer Deutz are greenlighted for running on pure biodiesel. In this article from Biodiesel Magazine, testing funded by the German oilseed organization Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) shows Deutz Agripower engines of the series TCD 7.8 L6, TCD 6.1 L6 and TCD 4.1 L4 can use B100. In the course …