Thirty-six U.S. senators from both sides of the political aisle urged the Obama administration to strengthen biodiesel volumes in a pending Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) proposal from the EPA. The National Biodiesel Board welcomed the call. “While the proposal is a positive step for biodiesel, we remain concerned that the proposed biodiesel volumes for 2016 and 2017 fail to adequately …
Renewable Tax Credits Before Committee
A Senate committee will consider a package of tax credits for wind, biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa included the tax incentives in the bipartisan tax extenders bill the Finance Committee will consider today. “Certainty and predictability in tax policy are both important for retaining and creating jobs,” Grassley said. “The Finance Committee leaders deserve credit for …
Hope for Renewable Energy Tax Credits
The Senate Finance Committee is set to vote Tuesday on a two-year extension of tax benefits, including the production tax credit for wind power, and credits for biodiesel and cellulosic biofuels production. “This markup will give the Committee a timely opportunity to act on extending a number of expired provisions in the tax code that help families, individuals and small …
REG Upgrading Illinois Biodiesel Plant
Renewable Energy Group is investing $31 million to upgrade and enhance the company’s Danville, Illinois biodiesel refinery. This company news release says the improvements will add biodiesel distillation capabilities to the 45-million gallon nameplate capacity biorefinery, as well as making pretreat capacity improvements, along with storage, logistics and other optimization enhancements. “REG Danville already has a proven record of success …
Canadians Support Renewable Fuels
Canadians believe in renewable fuels. A recent survey finds 88 percent of Canadians believe more renewable fuels should be produced in Canada and that government should do more to promote the industry. The poll was was commissioned by the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) and shows that 85 percent of respondents feel pride in Canada’s biofuels industry. “This poll reinforces …
Tennessee Couple Busted in Fake Biodiesel Scheme
Officials in Tennessee are cracking down on those trying to bilk the state out of money for biodiesel, maintaining the integrity of the state’s program. This article from the Chattanooga Times Free Press says John and Lisa Brichetto both were found guilty of trying to take the state of nearly $150,000 in a fake biodiesel energy scheme. The Brichettos were …
Letter to Congress: No Changes to RFS
A broad group of companies supporting the renewable fuels industry sent a letter urging members of Congress to reject proposals that ‘amend, repeal, defund or otherwise modify or interfere with the Renewable Fuel Standard‘(RFS). This included the amendment from Rep. Barry Loudermilk that would defund the RFS. The letter compares renewable fuel favorably to gasoline on environmental measures and argues …
Biodiesel Industry Testimony on RFS
While ethanol got most of the attention at the recent EPA hearing on proposed volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), biodiesel producers had their say as well. At least two dozen biodiesel representatives from across the country testified at the hearing to thank EPA for increasing volumes in the latest proposal while at the same time calling for …
Our Poll on RFS Changes Gets Mixed Results
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Will EPA change RFS volume proposal?” The EPA recently released a new proposal for biofuels volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard – one that has made no one happy but particularly corn farmers and ethanol producers who note that the agency is not implementing the law as intended. EPA held a public hearing …
Biodiesel to Power Swedish Train Line
A train line in Sweden has plans to convert its fleet to run on biodiesel. This article from Global Rail News says Inlandsbanan AB wants to make the conversion by the year by 2020. Inlandsbanan AB has received funding from the EU to assess the feasibility of converting its diesel trains to RME, a biodiesel produced from rapeseed. The initiative …