A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 42 percent of Americans oppose the climate bill that passed the House last week because respondents believe the bill will hurt the economy. Well, the more I dig into the nuances of the proposed climate bill, the more I realize that this bill will do more damage than good. Here are …
New RAND Study: Energy Security Benefit Overblown
As we approach America’s independence day, the “energy security” benefit many organizations and government officials tout may be overblown, according to a new study conducted by RAND Corporation. The study, “Does Imported Oil Threaten National Security?” evaluated the risks to national security associated with U.S. imports of oil and assessed the costs and benefits of policies to address these risks. …
Climate Bill Compromise Better for Ethanol
Farm state lawmakers led by Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) have reached a compromise with Democratic leadership in the House on the so-called climate change bill that makes it more palatable to agriculture and biofuels interests. Part of the agreement includes allowing USDA to have oversight for agricultural carbon offset programs instead of EPA. “The climate change bill will include a …
Renewable Electricity Use Continues to Grow in 2009
Non-hydro sources of electricity continues to gain market share according to the latest statistics published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its “Electric Power Monthly” report released on June 15, 2009. The even better news is while renewable energy is growing, coal and natural gas use in steadily decreasing (five and four percent respectively) while nuclear power has …
Ethanol and Biodiesel Testimony Presented at EPA Hearing
The Environmental Protection Agency’s public hearing on the proposed rule for the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) is now underway in Washington, DC. The first testimony presented was from Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen, who expressed the ethanol industry’s major concerns about the agnecy’s attempt to measure greenhouse gas lifecycle analysis including international indirect land use changes. “There …
USDA Meets Obama Biofuels Objective
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA has met President Obama’s 30-day directive to expedite and increase the production of biofuels. “Further developing the biofuels industry helps create jobs and stimulates rural economies, an important part of getting our economy back on track,” Vilsack announced. “President Obama and I are committed to advancing clean and renewable energy as it creates jobs …
Biodiesel Could Benefit from Higher CAFE Standards
President Barack Obama has proposed that vehicle fuel economy standards be substantially increased to 35.5 miles per gallon by the year 2016… and biodiesel could be a big benefactor of that change. This article from Biodiesel Magazine says auto industry folks, such as Dave Barthmuss, group manager for General Motors Environment and Energy Communications North America, believe the new Corporate …
Fourth Florida Farm to Fuel
Plans for the fourth Florida Farm to Fuel® Summit are progressing well and organizers expect the event on July 29-31 to be bigger and better than ever. This year’s summit will once again include leaders from the agricultural, government, academic, technology, and financial communities who will share their progress in reaching the commercial production of biofuels and renewable energy in …