Our ethanol FOE, Friends of the Earth, is back in action with a new TV campaign, “No Sense,” designed to encourage policymakers in DC to dump ethanol subsidies. The campaign was launched just in time for the first Republican presidential debate set to take place in New Hampshire next Monday at St. Anselm College. The campaign is a joint effort …
Biofuels Benchmarking Annual Report Released
Christianson & Associates, a CPA and consulting firm for the ethanol, biodiesel and renewable energy industry, today released its 2nd Annual Biofuels Benchmarking Report. The report found several key findings: profitably increased for the industry on average 8 cents; equity to asset ratio increased more than 10 percent; and working capital improvements enabled plants to decrease long-term debt by an …
Biodiesel Advertising Campaign Launched
An advertising campaign to spotlight biodiesel as America’s advanced biofuel has been launched by the U.S. biodiesel industry. The multi-million dollar project will include national television advertising, coupled with regional print and radio advertising as well as an online presence. The centerpiece of the education effort is a 30-second spot that will air across the nation on Sunday-morning network talk …
More Ethanol Dialogue Needed
The ethanol industry is anxious to continue talks about the future of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) and how best to balance the budget while still ensuring the ethanol industry can move forward. Yet while many believe the Senate’s defeat of Sen. Coburn’s ethanol amendment opens the door for dialogue, others believe today’s action does little to move …
Coburn Amendment Quashed
In a vote of 40-59, Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) Amendment No. 436 to immediately eliminate the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) and the tariff on imported ethanol was quashed. Coburn’s proposal needed 60 votes to move forward but fell short by 20 votes. Shortly after the news hit, the ethanol industry began calling for “real reform.” “The fight is …
NBB Study Shows Biodiesel’s Benefits
According to a new study released today by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), the U.S. biodiesel industry will grow to support more than 74,000 jobs throughout the economy by 2015. These jobs will create nearly $4 billion in household income and generate almost $1.6 billion in local, state and federal tax revenues. The study was conducted by Cardno ENTRIX and …
Brazil Exports Ethanol, Struggles to Meet Its Ethanol Demand
This month, Brazil has resumed exporting ethanol to the United States, at the same time the country is struggling to meet its own country’s demand for ethanol to fuel is flex fuel vehicles (FFVs). Ethanol producers in the country have expanded exponentially – there are more than 115 ethanol plants many of which have come online since 2005. However, despite …
Fuel Retailer Opposes Thune/Klobuchar Bill
Earlier today, Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) created waves when they announced their new biofuels bill the Ethanol Reform and Deficit Reduction Act. This act is designed to address federal budget issues while phasing out ethanol tax incentives (VEETC) that are designed to go to the fuel blender of record. While the ethanol industry came out in …
ASTM Close to Approval on Renewable Jet Fuel Specs
You hear a lot about the role biofuels could take in the aviation sector. Just a few weeks ago, the U.S. Air Force successfully tested renewable jet fuel in several of their fighter planes. Biojet fuel is poised to become a big player for the U.S. military which is the largest user of fuel in the country. But what might …
DOE Announces $36M in Advanced Biofuels & Chemicals Funding
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced today $36 million in federal grants to fund six small-scale projects in five states designed to produce drop-in advanced biofuels and other bio-based chemicals. Each project’s goal is to improve the economics and efficiency of converting non-food biomass feedstocks into biofuels, bioproducts and biochemicals. “Projects such as these are helping us to diversify …