A new study released today during the 7th Annual Renewable Fuels Summit quantifies how biodiesel production boosts revenue for Iowa’s crop and livestock farmers. The study’s results demonstrate that when Iowa farmers use biodiesel, they not only positively impact Iowa’s economy, they boost their own bottom line. The study was conducted by John Urbanchuk, an economist with Cardno Entrix and …
WSJ Attacks Biofuels, Again
The Wall Street Journal editorial board is attacking biofuels, again. In their opinion piece, “Zero Dark Ethanol,” they write that advanced biofuels have not made much progress in the past six years and the cellulosic ethanol mandate, that was vacated last week by the U.S. Court of Appeals is “only a fantasy mandate will motivate the industry to make enough …
Sweetwater Energy Closes Cellulosic Deal
Sweetwater Energy has announced a 15-year commercial agreement with Front Range Energy to produce cellulosic ethanol at Front Range’s current corn ethanol facility located in Weld County, Colorado. Sweetwater will install its process to convert local biomass, such as crop residues, energy crops, and woody biomass, into sugar that will then will converted to ethanol. “It’s very exciting to be …
Ametis Takes Advantage of EPA Sorghum Pathway
California-based Aemetis is taking advantage of the new EPA approved grain sorghum along with biogas and combined heat/power pathway as part of the Renewable Fuels Standard as an advanced biofuel. The company says this ruling creates a “level playing field” for U.S. ethanol producers by providing the same RIN value that is received by Brazilian sugarcane ethanol producers selling biofuel …
Advanced Biofuels Gets Court Win
Last week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the advanced biofuels requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Biodiesel is classified in the RFS as an advanced biofuels, and last year more than 1 billion gallons were produced by U.S. biodiesel producers. In response, the National Biodiesel Board’s Anne Steckel, vice president of federal …
What Cellulosic Biofuel Ruling is Not
The American Petroleum Institute hailed today’s circuit court ruling to “vacate the 2012 cellulosic biofuel standard” as a “decision to end mandate for non-existent biofuels.” Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen says it is not. “The mandate for cellulosic ethanol is not ended by this decision by any way shape or form,” said Dinneen, calling API’s characterization “the …
Mixed Messages for Advanced Biofuels
There are some mixed messages coming from the D.C. Circuit today as they ruled to vacate the 2012 cellulosic biofuel standard, yet affirmed the 2012 advanced biofuel standard as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The biofuels industry reacted to the decisions and noted that although the court vacated the cellulosic standard, it also rejected API’s argument that EPA …
Iowa Renewable Fuels Marketing Awards
John Gilroy from Harney Oil Company in Coralville, Iowa and Jim Becthold from Linn Coop Oil Co. in Marion, Iowa have been awarded the 2013 Secretary’s Biodiesel and Ethanol Marketing Awards. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey presented the awards that were created by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to recognize fuel marketers that have gone above …
Biodiesel Production Exceeds 1 Billion Gallons
According to statistics provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) biodiesel production in the U.S. broke the 1 billion mark for the second consecutive year. The total volume of nearly 1.1 billion gallons was roughly flat over 2011 production, exceeding it by just 6 million gallons. “These numbers reflect the ongoing growth and development of our industry and represent real …
Marginal Lands Well Suited for Biomass
According to an article in Nature, researchers with Michigan State University (MSU) show that marginal lands can serve as prime real estate for meeting alternative energy production goals. By growing mixed-species cellulosic biomass, marginal lands could annually produce up to 5.5 billion gallons of ethanol in the Midwest alone. “Understanding the environmental impact of widespread biofuel production is a major …