The U.S. Navy is working with Arizona State University to develop biofuels from algae. This article from the school says Dennis McGinn, U.S. Navy Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations and Environment, visited the school’s Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI) to discuss how the Navy and civilian industry have some key overlapping issues, such as cost, sustainability, efficiency …
Wind, Solar Solution for New EPA Power Plant Rules
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce later today new rules to reduce carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants by 30 percent by 2030, and a couple of renewable energy sources could help states comply. This article from the Boston Globe says solar and wind energy might be part of the compliance mix. Under the rule, states will …
Aventine Re-Opens Ethanol Plant Using Sugar
A Nebraska ethanol plant is back up and running after being idled for two years. But this article from the Lincoln Journal Star says the biggest surprise is the fact that Aventine Renewable Energy Inc. in Aurora is making the green fuel from sugar, not the usual corn feedstock. The company is using sugar because it can. It’s even simpler …
Rural Wind Energy Development Act Introduced
A bill to help rural areas get more power from the wind has been introduced. Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) and Tom Cole (OK-04) say their Rural Wind Energy Development Act will provide an investment tax credit to ranchers, farmers, and small businesses to offset the up-front costs of owning a distributed wind turbine. Small wind turbines (generating up to 20 …
DF Cast: Senators, Industry Push EPA on Biofuels
Time is ticking down for the Environmental Protection Agency to make a decision on how much renewable fuel will be mixed into the nation’s fuel supply, and ethanol and biodiesel groups are pressing for a change to what’s being proposed. On the biodiesel side, nearly 120 companies have just sent the White House a letter trying to reverse the proposed …
Biodiesel Maker REG Making $125 Mil Public Offering
Biodiesel giant Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG) intends to make a $125 million public offering. This company news release says proceeds will be used to help pay for its stake in a recently acquired renewable diesel plant in Louisiana. REG intends to use approximately $100 million of the net proceeds from this offering to replace the letter of credit that …
Biodiesel Industry Wants Obama to Stick with Support
Nearly 120 biodiesel companies and affiliated businesses are calling on President Obama to stand behind his past support of their industry. This news release from the National Biodiesel Board says the group sent the White House a letter outlining the extensive damage that would result from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) current Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) proposal, which would set …
State Incentives, Grants Help Open VA Ethanol Plant
Some seed money and a few years of production incentives offered by the state are finally helping open an ethanol plant sitting dormant since its building completion in 2010. This article from Petersburg, Va.’s Progress-Index says the Vireol Bio Energy LLC plant is up and running, and most importantly, selling ethanol. The company will receive subsidies to operate from the …
Voluntary Quality Control Pays Off for Biodiesel
A voluntary quality control program is paying dividends to the biodiesel industry as it has helped maintain high standards for the green fuel, and in turn, kept demand up for it. This article from Biodiesel Magazine says the BQ-9000 programs help those selling and using biodiesel. “Implementing BQ-9000 and getting accredited is a lot of work, but we find following …
Microbes Future for Biodiesel, Hydrogen Cells
Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) looks to turn microbes into the next big thing for biodiesel and hydrogen fuel cells. This story from MIT says scientists at the school are looking to capture energy that might be flushed away in wastewater. “Even if you could get only a fraction of that back, you could offset the amount …