Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says he intends to defend biofuels at the G-20 Summit of Agricultural Ministers in Paris this week, stressing their importance to the economy and the environment. “America is working on developing new feedstocks that don’t pit food versus fuel but that create new rural economic opportunities and allow us to continue to expand on our efforts …
Millons Spent on Lobbying for VEETC Reform
Last week was a crazy week in DC as several amendments to alter or kill the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) were voted on by the Senate. While the first vote was in favor of ethanol (it defeated the Coburn amendment), the industry took a hit when Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) bill was passed, essentially killing VEETC and the …
Blaming Biofuels for Higher Food Prices One-Sided
In an effort to curb global rising food prices and food insecurity concerns, members of G20 nations will be meeting in Paris this week. A major focal point of discussion is set to be biofuels and earlier this month a report from Oxfam concluded that biofuels were part of the reason food prices are rising. The ethanol industry deems this …
Self Powered Cellulosic Refinery Launched
Back in 2009, Allard Research and Development debuted its small ethanol and biodiesel refineries. This month, they have released the first self-powered modular cellulose ethanol refinery that uses cellulose feedstock grown as part of the system in hydroponic shipping containers. The system can produce 20 gallons per hour and fits into 3,600 square feet and can be attached together to …
New Energy & Commodities Investment Team Formed
Cary Street Partners has formed a new Energy & Commodities Investment banking team focused on energy and its related sectors including traditional and alternative energy as well as agriculture services. Joining the new group is Craig Shealy who was formerly the founder of Osage Bio Energy, currently up for sale. Shealy will serve as managing director and group head. “We …
UNICA Launches Sugarcane Website
The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) recently launched a new website to promote “clean solutions from sugarcane.” SugarCane.org was launched during the 2011 Ethanol Summit in São Paulo, Brazil. “We decided to launch this new site to share knowledge and information with a growing global community of people who want to know how their food and energy choices affect our …
Electric and Ethanol Power Win EcoCAR Competition
Cars designed to run on electricity and 85 percent ethanol took top honors in a competition to engineer a more fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly vehicle. A team from Virginia Tech University designed an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) using 85 percent ethanol (E85) to win first place in the three-year EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge competition sponsored by the Department of Energy …
Crazy Week for Ethanol in the Senate
For those of you who might be wondering just what the heck happened this week in the Senate, where they voted in favor of ethanol before they voted against it and then for it again, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen offers some insight in a post on The E-xchange blog. Dinneen explains that the vote Tuesday to …
House Cuts Ethanol Blender Pump Funds
While an amendment to cut federal funding for ethanol blender pumps failed in the Senate, another one passed in the House. The amendment, offered by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) to the Agriculture Appropriations bill passed by a vote of 283-128. As the sun sets after a busy day on Capitol Hill for ethanol interests, the question is whether any of …
Ethanol Loses One Vote and Wins Another in Senate
The Senate voted to preserve federal funding for blender pumps right after it voted to end the ethanol blenders tax credit (VEETC) and associated tariff immediately. The amendment by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) to prevent federal funding to help pay for installing alternative fuel infrastructure such as blender pumps and storage tanks at gasoline stations. The measure failed on a …