While the basketball national championship might have been decided on the court, it could be the courts that decide the future of advanced biofuels in this country. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) joined forces with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Justice to fight an attempt to dismantle the Renewable Fuel Standard (NBB). In the current case, Monroe …
Minnesota Biodiesel Mandate Faces Uncertain Future
A delay in Minnesota’s biodiesel mandate could have a ripple effect for more targets in the law’s future. This article in the Mankato Free Press says nearly three years ago, state regulators delayed implementing a B10 mandate scheduled for 2012. Now that officials in Minnesota believe they’re ready for the higher blend, it’s running dangerously close to another target, B20, …
New Biodiesel Mandate Pleases Canadian Farmers
The new biodiesel requirement north of the border is pleasing farmers in that area. The trade group Grain Farmers of Ontario welcomed its province’s new 2 percent biodiesel mandate, expected to be a boon for soybean farmers. “The creation of an Ontario Greener Diesel mandate will reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by the transportation sector and will help build a …
Biodiesel Tax Incentive Moves Out of Committee
A measure that would renew the federal $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax incentive has cleared a congressional committee. The credit, which expired at the end of 2013, passed the Senate Finance Committee as part of a package of tax provisions. The news was welcomed by the National Biodiesel Board, which still appeared miffed it expired in the first place, as Congress let …
Sustainability Ctr. Gets Springfield Biodiesel Refiner
A maker of biodiesel equipment has donated a processor to a center dedicated to sustainable farming practices. California-based Springboard Biodiesel gave the Center for Sustainable Energy Farming (CfSEF), a nonprofit research organization, its industry-leading biodiesel processor. The processor, a BioPro™ 380, is an appliance that converts a wide variety of vegetable and animal oils into premium-grade biodiesel. This fully automated …
ASA Applauds Biodiesel Tax Credit in Package
Soybean growers are welcoming news of a couple of important measures moved forward in legislation for biodiesel. The American Soybean Association says a two-year extension of the dollar-per-gallon biodiesel tax incentive and a reinstatement of the pre-2014 expensing amounts for farm infrastructure and equipment under Section 179, both in the Senate Finance Committee Chairman’s Tax Extenders Package, are key issues …
Iowa Senate Votes for Renewable Fuels
The Iowa State Senate has voted unanimously (48-0) to pass Senate File 2344. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) commended the Senate and noted the policy move showed tremendous, bipartisan support for renewable fuels. “I applaud the Iowa Senate for voting unanimously to protect Iowa jobs and access to homegrown, clean-burning renewable fuels,” said IRFA Policy Director Grant Menke. “This …
ASA Concerned over Argentine Biodiesel for RFS
While Argentine biodiesel is having a hard time getting into Europe, its prospects to make it into the U.S. could be boosted. And that is worrying soybean growers in this country. This story from Agri-View says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering whether it should allow Argentine biodiesel to be eligible under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The potential …
Florida Biodiesel Delivers Refinery to Africa
Biodiesel processor maker Florida Biodiesel, Inc. has delivered one of its refiners to Africa. This company news release says a B-500 biodiesel plant was sold to the Lorymat Corporation in the Ivory Coast. The Lorymat Corporation has chosen the B-500 Biodiesel processor for their prime transesterification facility. The B-500 Biodiesel plant is economical to operate and will allow the Lorymat …
IRFA: Strong Plantings Report Calls for Strong RFS
Expected big plantings of corn and soybeans underscore the need for a strong Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). New estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show a possible record amount of soybeans expected to be planted this year and the fifth largest corn acreage to be planted as well. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) says these factors show …