Canada has announced a carbon pricing strategy on emissions that takes effect in 2018 with a $10 per ton rate. The fees rise to $10 per ton per year until they are capped out at $50 per ton by 2022. As part of the legislation, provinces and territorial governments can select from two carbon pricing systems: carbon tax or cap …
EPA Proposes #Biofuels Market Growth Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday released a proposed update to Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) regulations “to better align our standards with the current state of the renewable fuels market and to promote the use of ethanol and non-ethanol biofuels.” According to the agency, the proposed changes are the result of “recent developments in the marketplace resulting in increased production …
Minnesota #Biodiesel Mandate Stands Firm
Minnesota has been and continues to be a leader in the support of biofuels and was the first state to pass a biodiesel mandate requiring B20 (20 percent biodiesel, 80 percent diesel), to be used in 2018. Last year a motley group of oil, gas, trucking, auto manufactures and dealers and trade groups, sued four key Minnesota state legislators directly …
DC Water Taps Into #Biodiesel
DC Water has been tapping into the benefits of biodiesel. All of its 230 diesel fleet vehicles are powered by a B20 blend of biodiesel. According to the company, between October 1, 2015-August 31, 2016 – the use of biodiesel displaced nearly 15,000 gallons of petroleum diesel providing an estimated 15 percent reduction in CO2, a 12 percent reduction in …
Neste Takes Leadership Role in EU Biojet Initiative
In 2011 the European Commission, along with other organizations, launched the European Advanced Biofuels Flightpath initiative to help the EU meet Paris Climate Agreement targets. It has been announced that Henrik Erämetsä, Head of Aviation Regulation at Neste has been appointed Co-Chair and will serve alongside Ruben Alblas from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Biofuel companies taking part in the initiative …
New York Increases Use of #Biodiesel
New York City has passed legislation to increase the use of biodiesel, in the form of Bioheat, and decrease the use of heating oil. The bill, which passed today by a 47-3 vote, increases the amount of biodiesel in heating oil from the current 2 percent level to five percent by October 1, 2017 then to 10 percent in 2025, …
Chevron, ISU Partner on Advanced Biofuel Project
Iowa State BioCentury Research Farm has entered into a joint project with Chervon, U.S.A. University engineers to develop a pilot plant to develop and demonstrate solvent liquefaction, an advanced biorenewables technology. The technology converts biomass into a bio-oil that can then be processed into biofuels or biochemicals and biochar, a fertilizer that has the ability to enrich soil. Iowa State …
Global Bioenergies Leads Wood Residue to Energy Team
A new team has been created, led by Global Bioenergies, to produce fuel from forest residues. The first step of the partnership, that also includes Preem, Sekab and Sveaskog, will be to conduct a conceptual scope study for building the first biorefinery in Sweden. Back in April the consortium announced its partnership with partial financial support from the Swedish Energy …
USDA Grant to Explore Waste-to-Energy
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a Rural Business Development Grant to fund a feasibility study to evaluate converting a coal-fired power plant into a waste-to-energy transportation fuel production facility. Partners in the project include the City of Becker, Minnesota, where the power plant resides, Wenck and VONCO. The idea was created after Xcel Energy announced plans to …
Borregaard Invests in Bioethanol Upgrade, Biogas
Norway company Borregaard has announced a bioethanol upgrade project. The company is committing NOK 63 million to the project that includes a new facility to capture and store biogas. Norwegian government agency Enova has awarded Borregaard a NOK 18.9 million grant. The funds are given to projects that promote environmentally friendly restructuring of energy end-use renewable energy production and new …