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 …
Ethanol Exports Down 58% in May
The high volume of ethanol exports plummeted in May by 58 percent from April’s totals. U.S. producers exported just 17.1 million gallons in May, while they exported 40.8 million gallons in April and 48.3 million gallons in March. Despite the drop, May exports were still above the five-year monthly average. In addition, to date in 2010, the U.S. has exported …
ADM Opens Nebraska Ethanol Plant
Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) opened a new 300 million gallon per year ethanol plant in Columbus, Nebraska on Friday. The grand opening ceremony featured ADM President Patricia Woertz, U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Nebraska Lieutenant Gov. Rick Sheehy and other honored guests. “We at ADM are proud to harness the power and ingenuity of American agriculture to help …
GAO Urges Changes to Energy Department Loan Program
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to make changes to its current loan guarantee program to make it more effective. This program is intended to support “early commercial production and use of new or significantly improved technologies in energy projects that abate emissions of air pollutants or of greenhouse gases” including …