There is an incredible amount of news this week coming from Paris during COP21. Much of the focus this week is getting commitments from 143 countries to significantly reduce their carbon emissions, and many key attendees are practicing what they are preaching – traveling carbon free to and from the events. This week a network of carbon-free trains arrived in …
Study Raises Doubts About Dev of New Fossil Fuels
A new study is raising doubts about future development of new fossil fuel resources. Published in Global Environmental Change and authored by Richard Heede and Naomi Oreskes, the report looks closely at the potential of global warming emissions that could be unleashed from carbon reserves held by the globe’s largest fossil fuel producers. Some key findings of the study include: …
Joule, Red Rock Biofuels to Merge
CO2 liquid fuels pioneer Joule will merge with biofuel refinery maker Red Rock Biofuels. This news release from Joule says the merger will help them create an industry-leading carbon-neutral fuel production platform. In association with this merger, after a year of important service at a critical transition phase for the company, Joule also announced that President and CEO, industry veteran …
28 COP21 Countries Using Biofuels for CO2 Reduction
According to a new report from the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), 28 countries attending the climate talks in Paris in December have submitted carbon reduction strategies that use biofuels to help meet goals. Not included in this number? The U.S. despite its Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The RFA report found that America’s action plan did not acknowledge the important roles …
Energy Companies Sign On to Climate Pledge
Energy company across the U.S. have signed on to support the American Business Act on Climate Pledge, a program the White House announced in July 2015. The 81 companies are part of the third round of pledges and have committed to reduce their impact on Earth. Abengoa Bioenergy US, Aemetis, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Biogen, Novozymes, Pacific Ethanol and Tri-Global Energy …
Joule Receives EPA Cert for CO2 Ethanol
Joule’s fuel grade Sunflow-E ethanol has been registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for commercial use in E10 and E15 gasoline blends. The fuel is derived from recycled CO2. “We are approaching commercialization with a technology that is first of its kind, able to convert CO2 directly into multiple drop-in fuels. It is critical to prove its readiness …
GREET Model Advances
When determining how much a fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions as compared to pure gasoline, most use Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET Life-cycle model (Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation Model). In recent years, the model has seen some advancements and during the recent ACE Ethanol Conference, Dr. Jeongwoo Han, assistant energy system analyst with Argonne National Labs, …
EPA Releases Final Clean Power Plan Rules
Final rules for the Clean Power Plan have been released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as announced by President Obama. The plan calls for carbon reduction from the power sector (aka utilities) by 32 percent below 2005 levels in 2030. According to the EPA, power plants are the largest drivers of climate change in the U.S. emitting nearly one-third …
Time is Now for Non-Renewable Carbon Fee
Advanced Biofuels USA has gone public with a new idea for capturing externalities of non-renewable fuels for funding needed research – a Non-Renewable Carbon Fuel User Fee. The organization made the announcement during the Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO + Forum that took place in Washington D.C. on July 9, 2015. “If we’re serious about reducing Climate Change …
Joule CO2-to-Ethanol Gets Financing, US & Europe Specs
Renewable energy maker Joule has secured $40 million for its carbon dioxide-to-ethanol plant and has the green fuel meeting U.S. and European specifications. The company says the money will help build a staged industrialization of its patented, reverse-combustion process, including the near-term expansion of Joule’s production field in Hobbs, New Mexico and a longer-term build-out of a 1,000-acre plant to …