Biomass-to-Biofuel Plant Gets USDA Loan Guarantee

John Davis

A Louisiana biomass-to-biofuel operation received a $91 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This news release from USDA says the agency will back the loan under the Biorefinery Assistance Program to finish building the Cool Planet plant at the Port of Alexandria in Louisiana. The Cool Planet facilities will produce approximately 8 million to 10 million …

biofuels, biomass, Government, USDA

Governors’ Biofuels Coalition: Restore RFS

Joanna Schroeder

The Governors’ Biofuels Coalition has sent a letter to the Obama Administration urging action on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and for the restoration of biofuel levels as designated by the mandate. This, the group said, will protect consumer choice, ensure jobs and reduce dependence on foreign oil. The initiative was led by Governor Pat Quinn and Iowa Governor Terry …

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, RFS

Algae-based Biofuels to Get $25 Mil from Feds

John Davis

Algae-based biofuels will be the beneficiaries of a government-backed effort to get the fuels made from microbes down to less than $5 per gasoline gallon equivalent (gge) by 2019. The U.S. Department of Energy announced $25 million to reduce those production costs, hopefully down to an eventual goal of $3 gge by 2030. The funding announced today will support projects …

algae, Biodiesel, biofuels, Government

Urban Air Initiative Launches Public Campaign

Joanna Schroeder

Urban Air Initiative has launched a public awareness campaign with the first phase the launch of a new website. The consumer-focused site draws attention to the problem of toxic compounds in gas with a call to action for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate some of the most harmful components in fuel. According to Urban Air Initiative President David …

biofuels, Education, Environment, Ethanol

Fuels America Campaign Focuses on Nat’l Security

Joanna Schroeder

As the U.S. government fights ISIS, this week oil fields became a target in the war on terror Fuels America is running a new series of ads online, radio, cable and in the Washington, D.C. market. The ads tell the public and decision makers that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) could end American’s addiction to foreign oil. The radio ads …

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Fuels America, RFS, Video

EPA Inaction on RFS Increasing GHG Emissions

Joanna Schroeder

According to a new white paper, inaction by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on finalizing the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rules is increasing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) equal to 4.4 million additional cars on American roads. The paper, published by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) updated earlier estimates of GHG emissions due to the proposal to reduce biofuel use …

BIO, biofuels, EPA, RFS

Orrie Swayze: EPA is Destroying Grain Prices

Joanna Schroeder

Orrie Swayze, from Wilmont, South Dakota is a long-time ethanol advocate and has been involved with the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) since its inception more than 20 years ago. He has been following the progress of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) writing of the final 2014 final rule for the Renewable Fuel Standard and as a retired farmer, he …

biofuels, corn, EPA, Ethanol, RFS

Impact of Ethanol Mandates on Fuel Prices Nill

Joanna Schroeder

Professors Sebastien Pouliot and Bruce A. Babcock with Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) have released a new paper, “Impact of Ethanol Mandates on Fuel Prices When Ethanol and Gasoline are Imperfect Substitutes“. The authors note papers that consider the two transportation fuels “equal” have been of limited use in informing current policy debates because the …

biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Research, RFS, RINS

Is Obama is Own Worst Enemy on Climate?

Joanna Schroeder

“The People’s Climate March” has received worldwide attention to kick off Climate Week in New York and an ad in the New York Times is asking if President Obama is his own worst enemy when it comes to climate. The ad tells the president that if his administration accepts the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to alter the Renewable Fuel Standard …

AEC, BIO, biofuels, Climate Change, Ethanol

Maryland Gets New E85 Station

Joanna Schroeder

Three Brothers/A1 Auto Repair and Protec Fuel joined forces to launch a new E85 station in Baltimore, Maryland. The public can now fuel with E85 at 3041 Frederick Avenue thanks to partners Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board (MGPUB) and the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, Clean Cities Coalitions. This is the first E85 station for owner Paul Goeller whose stationhttp://www.a1autothreebroscarrepair.com/ …

biofuels, E85, Ethanol