During the general session of the 2010 Commodity Classic, American Soybean Association president Rob Joslin, who stressed the importance of getting the biodiesel tax credit back in place. “We need it now,” Joslin said. “It’s costing U.S. soybean farmers 25 cents for every bushel. On my 500 acres of soybeans, that’s over $6000 a year. Couple that with all the …
Industry Calls OPEC Report “Self Serving”
The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) has come out today calling a recent OPEC report “self serving.” The report, co-written by the former Secretary General of the OPEC oil cartel, criticized biofuels while according to GRFA, ignoring the overwhelming evidence on the devastating impact of crude oil on the environment and on our economies. The report will be released during …
Expert: Algae Must Be Commercial Scale or Just Playing
A man who is considered to be the father of genomics says that if algae-based fuel makers can’t start making billions of gallons of fuel, they are just playing with investors’ money. This post on earth2tech.com says Craig Venter, the founder of synthetic biology startup Synthetic Genomics, made the remarks at the Wall Street Journal’s Economics conference this week: In …
Biodiesel Standards Under Revision
One biodiesel standard is under review, while another one has been revised. This post on Truckinginfo.com says ASTM International is considering a cold weather biodiesel standard: Through the ballot, the group will decide if changes need to be made within the specification, D6751. If changes are needed, the group will determine whether they should apply to all biodiesel, or whether …
Iowa Biodiesel Mandate Still Alive
As if to borrow a line from Monty Python, the Iowa biodiesel mandate is “not dead yet!” The 5 percent biodiesel blend for every gallon of diesel sold in the state, although declared dead by many in the media (including yours truly), seems to be marching on. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the B5 legislation cleared the state Senate last …
Biodiesel Credit Gets New Life
It looks like the federal biodiesel tax credit that expired at the end of last year could have new life. An extension of the $1-a-gallon blenders credit has been attached to the new, $150 billion American Workers, State and Business Relief Act, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.). Biodiesel Magazine reports that the …
Book Review – Biodiesel America
Since the biodiesel industry is in a struggle for the extension of its $1 per gallon tax credit, I thought I’d spend some time learning more about biodiesel. This week, I read “Biodiesel America,” by Josh Tickell, who also produced the award winning film, “FUEL.” While the book is a tad bit dated (it was published in 2006) the basic …
Biodiesel Turns Sesame Street Green
Sunny days … and biodiesel … will be sweeping the clouds … and the smog … away as the studio that produces Sesame Street will switch to the green fuel for heat. The New York Daily News reports Kaufman Astoria Studios just became the greenest studio in town as it switches from traditional heating oil to “Greenheat,” a new blend …
Iowa Biodiesel Mandate Dies, But Could Be Reborn
A proposal to mandate a 5 percent biodiesel blend in every gallon of diesel sold in Iowa has died in one legislative committee … but could be reborn in another. The Fort Dodge (IA) Messenger reports that the House environmental protection committee’s ranking member, Rep. Steve Olson, R-DeWitt, declared the bill dead: Olson said the GOP caucus was opposed to …
Petroleum Company Buying Indiana Biodiesel Plant
Indiana-based e-biofuels, LLC is being sold to Imperial Petroleum, Inc. This press release posted on MarketWatch.com says Imperial will keep on e-biofuels principal management and make the 15-million-gallon-a-year biodiesel maker a wholly-owned subsidiary of Imperial: “We’re very excited about e-biofuels and its management joining our Company,” said Jeffrey T. Wilson, President of Imperial. “Through our research and development efforts over …