Save the date for the Biodiesel and Bioheat Forum taking place August 19, 2015 in Mankato, Minnesota. States up and down the East Coast have ventured into new markets and uses for biodiesel that offer significant potential for Minnesota and U.S. soybean farmers as well as the entire biodiesel industry. One market includes the Bioheat market – nearly 6.2 million …
Neb Governor Ricketts On Global Biofuels Tour
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts has been spending the past few weeks on a global agriculture and biofuels promotion tour. Ricketts attended Expo Milano 2015 last week and while there, he visited the “Sustainable Farm Pavilion” sponsored by New Holland where with a group that included CNH Industrial discussed Nebraska’s ethanol industry. CNH Industrial operates a Combine Center of Excellence in …
USDA Funds 544 REAP Projects
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded 544 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects more than $6.7 million as part of the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement at the Snake River Brewing Company, in Jackson, Wyoming. The company received a $13,810 REAP grant to install a solar panel to generate energy …
“May Day, May Day” Video Released
Americans United for Change has released a new video in response to the recent oil spill in Santa Barbara, California as well as several other recent oil spills. ‘May Day, May Day‘ is a roundup of news coverage showing why May was another messy oil spill month. The nonprofit notes the images of beach-goers trudging through tar to rescue oil …
CHS Acquires Patriot Renewable Fuels
CHS Inc. has acquired the Patriot Renewable Fuels ethanol plant from Patriot Holdings, LLC, Annawan, Ill. The Annawan, Illinoise facility produces 125 million gallons of ethanol annually, and is the second ethanol plant that CHS has purchased. In June 2014, CHS acquired the former Illinois River Energy plant at Rochelle, Ill. The facility will be rebranded as CHS and it’s …
ACE Launches E15 Retailer Website
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has launched a new website for retailers focused on E15: www.FlexFuelForward.com. The site is designed to answer retailer-focused questions about E15, E85 and mid-level ethanol blends. “When convenience store owners consider a new product, the information they trust most comes from people like them – other retailers who have already done what they’re thinking …
Candidate Clinton Clean Energy Commentary
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton came out in favor of domestic, renewable energy in an op-ed for the Cedar Rapids Gazette this week. “I believe the United States can and must be the clean energy super power for the 21st century,” writes Mrs. Clinton. “We can’t afford to cede our leadership in developing and deploying the advanced, clean fuels of the …
EPA Announces Volume Obligations Under RFS
Beating the announced deadline of June 1, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed the volume requirements under the RFS program for 2014, 2015, and 2016 for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel. EPA is also proposing the volume requirement for biomass-based diesel for 2017. EPA is proposing to set the renewable fuel standards for 2014 …
NREL Releases E15 & Infrastructure Report
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released a paper addressing the compatibility of E15 with gas station equipment. “E15 and Infrastructure” looks at compatibility of E15 through a literature review of published works by refueling equipment manufacturers, industry groups and federal agencies. The paper also includes a summary of applicable codes and standards, review of equipment manufacturer products, and …
USDA Turning Wildfire Fuel into Biofuels
The fuel for wildfires is being converted to biofuels. This posting on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) blog says the agency is tackling the issue of what to do with the trees killed by bark beetles, a source of fuel for forest fires. While the huge bioenergy resource (projected to be 46 million acres) has potential, it faces some …