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 …
AE Biofuels Changes Name to Aemetis
AE Biofuels has a new name to better reflect the company’s business strategy. The industrial biotechnology company which produces renewable chemicals and advanced fuels using patented microbes and processes became Aemetis, Inc. as of November 15. In June 2011, AE Biofuels acquired Zymetis, Inc., a Maryland industrial biotechnology company. The name Aemetis was derived from “AE” which means “The One” …
POET CEO Update on Cellulosic Ethanol
Ethanol industry leader POET is making “tremendous strides” in the development of ethanol from biomass for commercial use, according to company CEO Jeff Broin. Broin talked with farm broadcasters at last week’s National Association of Farm Broadcasting meeting last week in Kansas City to provide an update on Project LIBERTY, a cellulosic ethanol plant project in Emmetsburg, Iowa. “When we …
Bachmann Urged to Clarify Stand on RFS
With presidential candidate Michele Bachmann in Iowa this week, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has urged her to clarify where she stands on the federal renewable fuels standard (RFS). In a letter to Rep. Bachmann, IRFA President Walt Wendland wrote: “As a neighboring Minnesotan who was born in Iowa, you know the large, positive impact renewable fuels have had …
SIGMA Joins Coaltion for E85
The Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA) has officially joined the Coalition for E85 in the effort to have 85 percent ethanol designated as an alternative fuel under the tax code. The recently-launched coalition is made up primarily of fuel retailers who are concerned about the future of E85 once the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) expires …