The virtual 2021 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo officially launches next Tuesday, January 19th, with a full agenda on-line to allow participation from anywhere. The theme of this year’s conference is “Rise” and National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Chief Operating Officer Doug Whitehead says it reflects the resilience of the industry. “We’re rising up to meet the challenges of yesterday, today, …
Supreme Court Will Hear RFS Waiver Case
Late Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the 10th Circuit Court decision made a year ago this month that invalidated several small refinery exemptions issued by EPA under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The decision is in response to a petition submitted in September by HollyFrontier Corporation and CVR Energy, two of the refineries named in the case. The …
Groups Reject EPA Excuse for Non-Compliance with Court Order
Farm and biofuel organizations are rejecting the Environmental Protection Agency‘s excuses for failure to comply with a 2017 court order invalidated the agency’s improper waiver of 500 million gallons for 2016. The coalition, which includes the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National Biodiesel Board, American Coalition for Ethanol, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, and National Sorghum Producers, this …
Nuseed Carinata Feedstock Grows Global Potential
The global potential for Nuseed’s Carinata as a renewable fuel feedstock is advancing with the harvest of a commercial crop currently underway in Argentina and of Nuseed R&D trial plots in Southern France. “The Nuseed Carinata R&D plots show good potential, growing Nuseed Carinata hybrids between rotations in the same region as Europe’s largest biofuel producers would be a huge …
Ames Adds New 100% Biodiesel Powered Trucks
Renewable Energy Group and Optimus Technologies recently partnered to help Ames, Iowa grow its fleet of sustainable vehicles. The City of Ames is adding seven new all-purpose dump trucks to their fleet that have the Optimus Technologies advanced fuel system integrated into their new vehicle specification. The Optimus system enables the engines to operate year-round on 100 percent biodiesel (B100) …
COVID Relief Bill Passes with Aid for Biofuels Producers
Agricultural and biofuels groups as well as farm state lawmakers are pleased that the new COVID relief package passed by Congress last night includes help for producers excluded from previous aid legislation. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) says relief includes the Paycheck Protection Program for Producers Act. “The bill also includes funding to allow the Department of Agriculture to provide additional …
COVID Deal Includes Previously Excluded Biofuels
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) says the latest COVID relief deal moving through Congress this week has new provisions to provide help for food and agriculture sectors impacted by the pandemic restrictions, including biofuels. In addition to a 15 percent increase in benefits for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for six months, Peterson pointed specifically …
Biofuels Groups Pleased with Vilsack Nomination
Tom Vilsack has officially been nominated to serve as Secretary of Agriculture in the Biden Administration, reprising the role he held under President Obama for eight years, and the biofuels industry is quite happy with that decision. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper says Vilsack is an excellent choice. “We are especially happy to have someone in the …
Biofuels Coalition Challenging Small Refinery Waivers in 2018
A coalition of six biofuel and farm organizations filed a brief Tuesday challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s August 2019 decision to exempt 31 small refineries from their obligations to comply with the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2018. The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, National Biodiesel Board, American Coalition for Ethanol, and National Farmers Union, collectively known …
Renewable Energy Group Announces Changes
Renewable Energy Group, Inc. this week announced organizational changes in its senior leadership team intended to “accelerate the company’s performance as a leader in a rapidly growing industry.” Chad Stone will move from the Chief Financial Officer position into a newly created role of Senior Vice President, Commercial Performance, overseeing the company’s planning, scheduling and optimization functions to drive commercial …