Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) signed a joint final rule that establishes greenhouse gas emission standards and corporate fuel economy standards for light duty vehicles for model years 2012-2016. This National Fuel Efficiency Policy requires passenger cars and light trucks to get an overall average of 35.5 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2016 …
High School Students Win Eco-Marathon With Ethanol
Several high school students from Durand High School in Wisconsin, took first place in the national Shell Eco-Marathon, with their ethanol entry. The challenge was to build a car with the best fuel economy and the Wisconsin team was the only team to enter a vehicle fueled by ethanol. After a snafu with another vehicle that ran into their car, …
Sugarcane Harvest Begins in Brazil
Brazil’s 2010/2011 harvest officially begins today, and it is predicted that there will be a 10 percent increase in sugarcane production this year, as compared to last year. This according to the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) who is estimating that the sugarcane harvest should reach 595.89 million tons, compared to 541.50 million tons last season. Final 2009/10 production numbers …
UK Report on Food Crisis Vindicates Ethanol
A new report commissioned by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has concluded that drought and high oil prices, not biofuels, were behind the so-called food crisis of 2007/2008. “Available evidence suggests that biofuels had a relatively small contribution to the 2008 spike in agricultural commodity prices,” the report noted. “Studies which have found a large …
More Corn Acres for Food and Fuel
More corn acreage is in the forecast for this year, according to the USDA Prospective Plantings report out today, and there is still plenty more in storage. According to the forecast, farmers intend to plant 88.8 million acres of corn in 2010, three percent more than both last year and 2008. Meanwhile, the Grain Stocks report shows corn stocks as …
New Energy Plan – Offshore Drilling
President Obama gave a speech this morning from a hanger at Andrews Air Force Base reiterating our country’s need for energy independence. This will be done, he says, through energy initiatives and the government will “lead by example.” In the background, a Navy Green Hornet jet that will fly on a mix of 50 percent biomass on earth day next …
Free RFS2 Workshop Announced
For those who are interested in learning more about how RFS2 will be affecting your biofuels business, there is an RFS2 Workshop being held in Des Moines, Iowa at the Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel on April 6th. The workshop is being hosted by the Renewable Fuels Association, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and the National Biodiesel Board. …
Ethanol Bob Tweeting President’s Energy Speech
Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen is on location at the site of President Obama’s speech this morning on energy initiatives for the United States. The event is being held in a hanger at Andrews Air Force Base with the backdrop of a Navy Green Hornet jet that will fly on biofuels on Earth Day. The president is …