A plan by the United States and Canada to develop jointly clean energy technologies, including biofuels, garners praise from each country’s leading advocates for the green fuels. The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) and the U.S. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) sent a letter to leaders commending both governments for the United States – Canada Clean Energy Dialogue Action Plan II …
Study: High Corn Lowers Indirect Land Use for Biofuels
A new study seems to add credibility to the arguments that high corn prices, often driven by demand for biofuels, are not increasing the actual indirect land use effects. This press release from the Iowa Corn Promotion Board says researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of Illinois at Chicago found that as prices for corn go up …
Solazyme’s First Algae Oil Refinery in Illinois Online
More good news for renewable oil maker Solazyme. On the heels of last week’s announcement that the California-based company had partnered with Bunge in Brazil to produce renewable oil from sugarcane, Solazyme has now announced the commissioning of its first fully integrated biorefinery (IBR) in Peoria, Illinois, to produce oil from algae: Solazyme has been running routine fermentations at commercial …
Dealer Uses Truck to Wave Bioheat Flag
A Massachusetts Bioheat dealer believes there’s no better way to show patriotism this 4th of July than parading his newly wrapped truck proclaiming the goodness of the green heating fuel. Cleghorn Oil, a Bioheat dealer based in Fitchburg will have his truck, complete with the Bioheat wrap courtesy of the National Biodiesel Board’s Bioheat outreach program, in his town’s Independence …
Pacific Ethanol Looks to Raise $12 Mil in Stock Sale
Pacific Ethanol, Inc. makes an underwritten public offering to sell 28 million units at $.43 a share expected to raise $12 million. This company press release has details: Each unit consists of (i) one share of common stock; (ii) one warrant to purchase one share of common stock (“Series I Warrant”); and (iii) one warrant to purchase 1/2 of a …
Nebraska Corn Board Funding More Blender Pumps
Retailers in Nebraska will get some help putting in pumps that give more choices when it comes to ethanol. The Nebraska Corn Board will give grants of $30,000 for acquisition and installation of the first blender pump at a location and $10,000 for a second pump to qualifying retailers: Blender pumps allow retailers to more easily offer additional ethanol blended …
Corn Prices Shutter Another Valero Ethanol Plant
It looks like there’s more trouble for Valero’s corn-based ethanol plants. In just more than a week, the company has shuttered a second ethanol plant. This Reuters article says this one is in Linden, Indiana, but the reasons are the same as last week’s closing of Valero’s Nebraska facility: high corn prices: The 110-million-gallon-a-year (500-million-liter) Linden plant is the second …
Vatican Gets First Electric-Powered Vehicle
While he might be known for his red shoes, Pope Benedict XVI also shows his affection for green as the Vatican has received its first electric car donated by Italian electric car company NWG. This Fox News article says this is just one of the measures “The Green Pope” has taken to reduce the Vatican’s carbon footprint: A 2-seat electric …
USDA, GE Combine Efforts for Biofuels for Jets in Ohio
The USDA and General Electric are a couple of the key collaborators on a biofuels for jets program at GE Aviation’s Cincinnati-area facilities. During remarks at an event today, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack highlighted the work, along with the Ohio Aerospace Institute, air carriers and producer groups, to develop a Midwest-regional strategy to provide renewable-jet fuel in Ohio: “We …
Solazyme & Bunge Break Ground on Facility in Brazil
Renewable oil producer Solazyme, Inc. and agribusiness and food company Bunge Limited broke ground on a 100,000 metric ton renewable oil facility right next to Bunge’s Moema sugarcane mill in Brazil. This press release says that the companies have also brought on as general manager Hildo Henz, an experienced engineer who has led major refinery projects during his career, to …