A larger trade show at a new venue will highlight the 6th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit hosted by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA). The Summit will be Tues., Jan. 24, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines. The event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required and online registration is now open. …
RFA Responds to EU Ethanol Probe
The European Union (EU) has initiated anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations regarding U.S. exports of ethanol to Europe and current U.S. policies surrounding ethanol production and use. Allegations by EU ethanol producers, represented by the organization ePure, suggest that U.S. ethanol exports to Europe are taking advantage of the expiring volumetric ethanol excise tax credit, or VEETC, prior to export …
Ethanol Group Hosts Farm Bill Listening Session
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) hosted a Farm Bill listening session with Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) and area agricultural leaders last week at the ACE office in Sioux Falls. “The farm bill plays a critical role in providing a safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers and has included important biofuel provisions in the past that we want to …
IRFA Announces Video Contest for Iowa High School Students
Lights, camera, cash prizes! The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) wants Iowa high school students to submit their best videos highlighting renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. The second annual “Fuel the Future” video contest is for students in grades 9-12 in public, private or home schools who can show how renewable fuels are important to local communities, Iowa …
Airport BP Offering E85 in Virginia’s Tidewater Area
Attention travelers in the Tidewater, Va. area, the Airport BP is now offering E85 ethanol at its full-service auto repair center and convenience store located near Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport. Airport patrons picking up a flex-fuel rental vehicle or FFV drivers in the beautiful Tidewater area can now easily fill up with E85 at Airport BP.
Scholarship Deadline Extended for Ethanol Conference
The Renewable Fuels Foundation and the Renewable Fuels Association are offering scholarships to six students in higher education to attend the 17th Annual National Ethanol Conference: Accelerating Industry Innovation. Interested students now have until December 23 to apply. The NEC will be held Feb. 22 to 24 in Orlando, Fla., at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. The NEC …
Government’s Role In Ethanol’s Future
At the recent National Agri-Marketing Association Trends in Agriculture conference one of our panel discussions focused on “Trends In Energy/Alternative Fuels.” On the panel were Nathan Schock, POET & Matt Roberts, PhD. Here’s what their session focused on. What are the main influences escalating the demand for ethanol and other plant-based energy? This session examines the trends in the alternative …
Novozymes Urges Committee to Explore Oil Alternatives
The president of biofuel enzyme producer Novozymes last week called on a House subcommittee to explore alternatives to drilling for oil to meet the country’s energy needs. In a written statement prepared for the House Committee on Natural Resources’ Subcommittee On Energy and Mineral Resources, Adam Monroe encouraged the committee “to explore renewable fuels: new technology and innovation already making …
Challenges Continue for 15% Ethanol Blend
Another challenge to the waiver allowing 15% ethanol blends in regular gasoline was made last week by Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) who introduced legislation to “require that the EPA certify, not only that a new fuel will not lead to emissions increases, but also that the fuel will not reduce fuel efficiency or damage engines.” The Renewable Fuels Association says …
Super Yeast Could Turn Pine into Ethanol
Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed a “super strain” of yeast that can efficiently ferment ethanol from pretreated pine. “Companies are interested in producing ethanol from woody biomass such as pine, but it is a notoriously difficult material for fermentations,” said Joy Doran-Peterson, associate professor of microbiology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. “The big plus …