On Monday, Cindy announced to our DF readers that the EPA has approved the first E15 applications. This was welcome news to the biofuels industry who needs a greater use of higher blends of ethanol to break through the blend wall. Today, after a successful two days in Washington, D.C. meeting with federal policy makers about the importance of biofuels …
World Crude Prices Threaten Global Economy
World crude prices are threatening the global economy is the call from the International Energy Agency’s Chief Economist, Fatih Birol. In response, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is calling for the G20 to enact agressive biofuels policies that will reduce reliance on crude oil. Those hit hardest, says GRFA, are underdeveloped countries because at the slightest rise in oil …
Biodiesel – A Year Round Biofuel
It may feel like summer already, but spring only arrived on March 20th. And believe it or not, some areas actually had snow this winter. Okay, so what’s my point? Biodiesel once again had success with cold temperatures around the country. Let me give you a few examples. ➢ Cranmore Mountain Resort in New Hampshire was the first resort to …
Vilsack Announces Advanced Biofuels Roundtable
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed the 2012 Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference, presented by Biofuels Digest, Tuesday in Washington D.C. and announced an upcoming Advanced Biofuels Industry Roundtable to be held next month. Vilsack said the Roundtable will be a joint effort between USDA, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Navy and will be held on May 18 “as …
Farm Bill Energy Legislation Introduced
Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Al Franken (D-MN) introduced legislation this week that would reauthorize and fund the primary energy programs included in the current Farm Bill. The Rural Energy Investment Act would include a mandatory total of $1.275 billion over 5 years to strengthen the biobased markets program, fund the Biorefinery Assistance Program, …
Senate Rejects Obama Push to End Oil Subsidies
Despite a last minute plea by President Obama, the Senate today rejected a plan to end oil company subsidies. “Right now, the biggest oil companies are raking in record profits –- profits that go up every time folks pull up into a gas station,” said Obama in a Rose Garden speech this morning. “But on top of these record profits, …
GROWMARK Tracking Biofuels Legislative Issues
Legislative issues related to biofuels on both the Illinois state level and the national level are priorities for the GROWMARK agricultural cooperative system this year, according to government affairs director Chuck Spencer. On the state level, Spencer says Illinois will be looking at updating sales tax incentives this year with the pending introduction of 15% ethanol blends in the consumer …
Novozymes CEO Named BIO 2012 George Washington Carver Award Winner
The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has named Novozymes President and CEO Steen Riisgaard as the recipient of its 2012 George Washington Carver Award for innovation in industrial biotechnology. A panel selected Riisgaard as this year’s winner “to recognize his significant contributions to the industrial biotechnology field.” Under Riisgaard’s leadership, Novozymes is creating tomorrow’s industrial biotechnology solutions and improving the use …
W. Scott Thurlow Joins CRFA
W. Scott Thurlow has joined the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) as the new president effective April 2, 2012. Thurlow, a lawyer, has past experience in government relations, legislation and regulation. Most recently, he was a Vice President with Temple Scott Associates where he provided strategic government relations advice to both corporations and nongovernmental organizations. Tim Haig, Chair of the CRFA Board …
Quick Brief Delves Into Bio-Industry Sustainability
How do we make the biofuels and bioproduct industry sustainable? This question is answered in the lastest “quick brief” published by Advanced Biofuels USA. According to the paper, the key is the development of low cost, decentralized biomass to biofuel production systems that can economically increase the travel distance of biomass. It is also important to make biomass available year …