UN Panel Recommends Increased Biofuels Use

Cindy Zimmerman

The United Nations Foundation has released a report outlining a “roadmap for reducing risks from climate change.” Among the report’s recommendations are “mproving efficiency in the transportation sector through measures such as vehicle efficiency standards, fuel taxes, and registration fees/rebates that favor purchase of efficient and alternative fuel vehicles” and “expanding the use of biofuels through energy portfolio standards and …

Biodiesel, Energy, Ethanol, Flex Fuel Vehicles, global warming, Government, News

Broin Receives Energy Department Grant

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the awarding of grants to fund six cellulosic ethanol projects nationwide. Among them is Broin Companies’ $200 million expansion of a conventional corn dry mill facility in Emmetsburg, Iowa into a bio-refinery that will include production of cellulosic ethanol from corn cobs, according to a Broin release. Energy Secretary Samual Bodman made the …

Energy, Ethanol, Government, News

Bush Charged Up Over Alternative Automobiles

Cindy Zimmerman

A day after getting a close-up look at a 100 percent ethanol-powered IndyCar, President Bush checked out the battery-powered options on the White House South Lawn, calling on Congress to fully fund his budget request for alternative sources of energy. “It’s going to require collaboration between the public sector and the private sector. It’s going to require making sure our …

Energy, Government, News

Company Announces “100% Green” Biofuels Technology

Cindy Zimmerman

Arizona-based Diversified Energy, has announced a “breakthrough biofuels technology” that they say “offers a “100% green” biofuel product containing no fossil fuel components.” According to a company release, the patent-pending process, termed Centia™, “provides several key advantages when compared with other biofuel processes like biodiesel, ethanol and others.” Centia™, a name derived from Crudus Potentia (meaning “green power” in Latin), …

Energy, Ethanol, News

Natural Gas Solution

Cindy Zimmerman

A California-based company will begin providing natural gas created from animal waste to the state’s largest electricity provider by this summer. BioEnergy Solutions, a Central Valley waste-to-energy company, announced an agreement with Pacific Gas & Electric Company to deliver renewable electricity to customers in central and northern California. BioEnergy Solutions is expected to break ground on the project in the …

Energy

President’s Radio Address Focuses on Energy

Cindy Zimmerman

In his weekly radio address to the nation Saturday, President Bush expressed optimism that energy policy is one area where both Republicans and Democrats can work together and make some progress. “Republicans and Democrats both recognize these problems. We agree on the solution: We need to diversify our energy supply and make America less dependent on foreign oil,” said the …

Biodiesel, Cellulosic, Energy, Ethanol, Government, News

BP Funds Energy Biosciences Institute

Cindy Zimmerman

BP has chosen the University of California Berkeley, the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to join in a $500 million research program that will explore how bioscience can be used to increase energy production and reduce the impact of energy consumption on the environment. According to a news release, the Energy Biosciences Institute will perform …

Biodiesel, Energy, Ethanol, News, Research

Ag Outlook Forum Focuses on Energy

Cindy Zimmerman

The theme for USDA’s 83rd annual Agricultural Outlook Forum next month is “Agriculture at the Crossroads: Energy, Farm and Rural Policy.” “USDA’s 2007 Agricultural Outlook Forum explores renewable energy’s future in biofuels, cellulosic, methane, and wind,” said Johanns. “The Forum’s national conversation about agriculture centers on the fascinating opportunities and challenges of renewable energy in the next farm bill and …

Biodiesel, Energy, Ethanol, Government, News

President Calls For Increasing Alternative Fuel Supply

Cindy Zimmerman

As anticipated, President George W. Bush devoted a significant portion of his 2007 State of the Union address Tuesday evening to energy. “For too long our nation has been dependent on foreign oil,” said President Bush. “It’s in our vital interest to diversify America’s energy supply. The way forward is through technology.” The audience applauded seven times during the four …

Audio, Biodiesel, Energy, Ethanol, Government, News

Biogas Energy Project

Cindy Zimmerman

The Propane Education & Research Council recently joined the University of California-Davis, Onsite Power Systems, and industry partners at the official start-up of the anaerobic biodigester system for UC Davis’ Biogas Energy project. The project will demonstrate an innovative waste-to-energy technology with possible environmental and economic advantages, including potential as a renewable energy source. Anaerobic biodigesters use bacteria to break …

Energy