Brazil’s sugar cane growers are asking for some help from that country’s government to educate the public about ethanol. Elizabeth Farina, the President of the Union of the Industry of Cane Sugar Association (UNICA), said the industry needs to overcome prejudices caused by inadequate public policies and interference in the fuel market that hurts ethanol’s competitiveness. To that end, the …
IRFA 2014 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit Announced
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has announced the start of registration for the 8th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit and Trade Show. The Summit is free, open to the public, and will be held January 28, 2014 at The Meadows Conference Center at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa. With discussion over renewable fuels policy at fever pitch, the 2014 …
GPRE Acquires BioFuel Energy Ethanol Plants
Green Plains Renewable Energy (GRPE) has announced a definitive agreement to acquire two of BioFuel Energy Corp’s (BIOF) ethanol plants from its lender group. The ethanol plants are located in Wood River, Nebraska and Fairmont, Minnesota. The two facilities have a combined annual production capacity of approximately 220 million gallons, and the acquisition will increase GPRE’s production capacity by 28 …
Most Top Selling Cars Approved for E15
If you’re in the market for a 2014 F Type X152 Jaguar and want to use 15% ethanol blended fuel in it, you are in luck. It is one of the 70% of the Top 20 best-selling cars approved by automakers to use E15 in 2014 models, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. Maybe you would prefer a Mercedes C …
Farm Bill Conferees Urge Energy Funding
The Senate version of the farm bill includes $800 million in mandatory funding for energy programs while the House version contains zero – one of the relatively minor differences in the two bills that could get resolved quickly in conference. Several senators spoke in support of providing mandatory funding for the energy title during the first meeting of the House …
American Ethanol Storms Into the Lone Star State
American Ethanol is racing in the Lone Star State this week and team spokesman Austin Dillion is closing in on a championship. Ethanol supporters and NASCAR fans will be heading to Texas to cheer on their driver and interact with fans about ethanol. Dillon is known for his signature cowboy hat, but he wouldn’t mind trading in his hat for …
Bob Greco’s Greatest Hits
The fight over the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was not in recess during the government shutdown and the accusations and arguing are ratcheting up in fervor this week as the introduction of new anti-RFS legislation is pending as well as a Dear Colleague letter being circulated by Representative Bob Goodlatte sent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is causing a …
‘Cheap Corn Caucus’ Undermines American Biofuel Industry
A “Dear Colleague” letter is being circulated by Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) with dozens of signatures calling for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Administrator Gina McCarthy to reduce the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending requirements. In the letter that energy.agwired.com obtained, Goodlatte writes: “Last month, EPA conceded that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) will soon require more ethanol be blended …
Minnesota Welcomes E15 With Open Arms
Minnesota welcomed its first E15 station with open arms this week. The Penn Minnoco service station in Minneapolis now has four dispensers selling E15 to drivers of vehicle model year 2001 or newer. The Penn Minnoco service station is located at 6001 Penn Avenue South in Minneapolis. When asked by DomesticFuel why E15, station owner Rick Bohnen, who is also …
Legislation to Eliminate Corn Ethanol A “Killer”
Senator Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Coburn (R-OK) are introducing legislation to eliminate conventional biofuels from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). According to a story first published by Greenwire, the impending bill would leave the advanced biofuel targets in place, but would eliminate the corn-based ethanol target. “I think the mandate for ethanol, which is forcing a lot of additional use, …