Seizing on last week’s CBO report and a proposal by Growth Energy to phase out and redirect the blenders tax credit for ethanol (VEETC), several long-time opponents of ethanol renewed their call for an end to all tax incentives for the home-grown fuel. In a press conference this morning, representatives from the American Meat Institute (AMI), Environmental Working Group (EWG), …
Export Exchange to Focus on Ethanol Co-Product
A partnership between the Renewable Fuels Association and the U.S. Grains Council will help bring producers of the ethanol co-product distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) together with interested international buyers to get answers, make connections, and build business. Export Exchange 2010 will bring together more than 150 international buyers of U.S. DDGS and coarse grains with more than 300 …
Novozymes to Develop Cellulosic Ethanol in Brazil
Novozymes has signed an agreement with a world leader in the sugarcane ethanol market to work on cellulosic ethanol production in Brazil. The agreement between Dedini and Novozymes is based on developing the commercial potential of cellulosic ethanol in Brazil due to the large availability of bagasse. Brazil is the world’s largest producer of sugarcane, crushing more than 600 million …
Ethanol and Ag Groups Fight to Keep Incentives
A proposal by Growth Energy to phase out ethanol tax incentives has brought the fight out in the two older ethanol advocacy organizations, along with several agricultural groups. Saying that it is too late in the congressional session to switch horses, the American Coalition for Ethanol and the Renewable Fuels Association have pulled rank on the younger Growth Energy group …
Indirect Land Use Uncertainty
I conducted a number of interviews with presenters at the recent Corn Utilization and Technology Conference and many of them were about biofuels, especially ethanol. Here’s one I thought you’d be interested in. The Land Use Conundrum . . . Corn, An Advanced Biofuel? That was the title of one of the sessions that was moderated by Jamey Cline, NCGA. …
CBO Report Fails to Look at the Larger Picture
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released a new report, “Using Biofuels Tax Credits to Achieve Energy and Environmental Policy Goals,” that according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), takes the issue of ethanol tax incentives out of context. The report provides no comparison to other technologies or types of biofuels against the destruction that goes hand in hand with …
E-85 Fuelfinder iPhone App
The Renewable Fuels Association just announced a new iPhone app – E-85 Fuelfinder (opens iTunes) to help flex-fuel drivers access the latest, most accurately geo-coded E85 stations throughout the United States. Can you say, E85 fuel? There’s an app for that! Hurry to get yours since it won’t be free for long. This application will also work on the iTouch …
BP to Acquire Verenium’s Cellulosic Ethanol Business
As BP struggles to stop the oil gushing out into the Gulf of Mexico, an announcement comes today that the company is making a major investment in cellulosic ethanol, as BP Biofuels North America is acquiring Verenium’s cellulosic biofuels business – which includes facilities in Jennings, LA and San Diego, CA – for $98.3 million. BP and Verenium have been …
Biodiesel Willing to Make Up Cellulosic Biofuels Shortfall
While the cellulosic ethanol industry is worried that it won’t be able to meet the U.S. EPA’s proposed advanced biofuels production volumes for the new Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2), the folks who make biodiesel believe they could pick up any slack. This article from Biodiesel Magazine points out that biodiesel plants in the U.S. have the ability to produce 2.2 …