There are some mixed messages coming from the D.C. Circuit today as they ruled to vacate the 2012 cellulosic biofuel standard, yet affirmed the 2012 advanced biofuel standard as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The biofuels industry reacted to the decisions and noted that although the court vacated the cellulosic standard, it also rejected API’s argument that EPA …
Iowa Renewable Fuels Marketing Awards
John Gilroy from Harney Oil Company in Coralville, Iowa and Jim Becthold from Linn Coop Oil Co. in Marion, Iowa have been awarded the 2013 Secretary’s Biodiesel and Ethanol Marketing Awards. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey presented the awards that were created by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to recognize fuel marketers that have gone above …
Marginal Lands Well Suited for Biomass
According to an article in Nature, researchers with Michigan State University (MSU) show that marginal lands can serve as prime real estate for meeting alternative energy production goals. By growing mixed-species cellulosic biomass, marginal lands could annually produce up to 5.5 billion gallons of ethanol in the Midwest alone. “Understanding the environmental impact of widespread biofuel production is a major …
Nebraska Student Awarded NEC Scholarship
Wade Hunt, a native of Sterling, Nebraska, has been awarded the National Ethanol Conference (NEC) Scholarship. Wade began his university academic career at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a chemical engineering student. From there, he was accepted as a research internship for the Undergraduate Creative Academic Research Experience (UCARE) program. He also selected to participate in NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory …
BIO, Fuels America Talk 2013 RFS
As the ethanol industry awaits what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will release for targets for this year’s Renewable Fuels Standard, members of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and Fuels America expressed their support for the green fuel. BIO‘s Executive Vice President, Brent Erickson, said today in a news conference that they are expecting EPA’s release of the 2013 …
Pompeo Bill Would Increase Petroluem Favoritism
U.S. Representative Mike Pompeo (R-Kan) has introduced a bill dubbed the “Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act.” The bill eliminates tax credits for new industries attempting to compete with petroleum while maintaining billions in taxpayer subsidies for Big Oil. Furthermore, the bill would immediately eliminate every tax credit for alternatives to petroleum, including cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel and wind. Yet the …
2013 Waste to Biofuels Market Analysis
According to a recent white paper from Renewable Waste Intelligence, there are two key issues facing the biofuels industry: consumers and vehicle manufacturers must be persuaded to adopt new, more environmentally friendly gasoline blends; and advanced biofuels manufacturers must demonstrate commercial capability and play catch-up to Environmental Protection Agency targets for production. With feedstock prices high for several feedstocks, including …
AFPM Updates RFS Cellulosic Waiver Petition
The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) kicked off the year with a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to waive the 2012 cellulosic biofuel mandate. The organization says the biofuel industry has repeatedly failed to produce the cellulosic biofuel needed to meet the government mandate under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). On January 9, 2012, EPA announced the …
Pacific Adopts Edeniq’s Cellunator Technology
Pacific Ethanol is implementing yield enhancing technology at its ethanol facility in Stockton, California. The company is adopting Edeniq’s Cellunators technology to boost ethanol yields by increasing available starch for conversion. In addition to expected improvements in ethanol yield, the installation of Cellunators technology makes available the adoption of Edeniq‘s Pathway technology integrating the Cellunator with proprietary enzymes to convert …
Now is the Time to Invest in Renewables
The renewable industry remains abuzz about the American Tax Payer Relief Act that included the extension and modification of energy tax provisions. The tax extenders make investing in the renewables industry and in energy efficiency technologies a good move. Why? The firm of Faegre Baker Daniels LLP put together a brief overview of several key provisions that aid the industry …