The Environmental Protection Agency’s public hearing on the proposed rule for the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) is now underway in Washington, DC. The first testimony presented was from Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen, who expressed the ethanol industry’s major concerns about the agnecy’s attempt to measure greenhouse gas lifecycle analysis including international indirect land use changes. “There …
Ethanol Industry Looking Forward to RFS Hearing
The ethanol industry is looking forward to a public hearing and workshops this week in Washington, DC to address the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rulemaking for the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2). Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen will be testifying at the public hearing on Tuesday. “While we generally applaud EPA’s efforts to get the rule out, we …
Bright IDEA Could Help Ethanol and Hog Producers
A bright IDEA from Novus International could help both hog producers and the ethanol industry. IDEA stands for “Immobilized Digestive Enzyme Assay” which Dr. Brad Lawrence with Novus says helps measure the digestibility of lysine and other amino acids in dried distillers grains (DDGS), the livestock feed by-product of ethanol production. “Distillers is one of the few ingredients that we …
Another New Ethanol Plant in Iowa
A new ethanol plant in Merrill, Iowa celebrated its grand opening last week. The Plymouth Energy plant has been operating at full capacity since last month and will produce 55 million gallons of ethanol a year using 18 million bushels of locally-grown corn. The plant is located north of Sioux City in the northwest corner of Iowa and the company …
Mini Ethanol Brewer Gets Governor’s Blessing
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled the final production model of the world’s first home ethanol system last week at the California State Capitol. The E‐Fuel MicroFueler™, which we first reported on here at Domestic Fuel in May 2008, looks like a washing machine and creates ethanol fuel from organic waste or leftover alcoholic beverages. “Ethanol holds a promise of reducing …
More Time to Trade Ethanol Contracts
Early risers will now have a little more time to electronically trade futures contracts for ethanol on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). Electronic trading hours for CBOT grains, oilseeds and ethanol contracts will be expanded in the morning by one hour and fifteen minutes, until 7:15 a.m., starting July 1. The new electronic trading hours will run from 6:00 …
Phoenix Airport Taxis Could Run on E85, Propane
Catching a cab at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport could soon be a greener proposition. The Arizona Republic reports that the city council has voted in a new rule that will require taxis at the airport to use one of several alternative fuels: Under the new rules taxicabs would have the choice of using compressed natural gas; liquid propane gas, …
Harkin: Indirect Land Use Rule Not Good Science
The chair of the U.S. Senate’s Ag Committee says the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Indirect Land Use Rule, which would make biodiesel ineligible for mandates and federal subsidies, is not good science… and he believes there are enough votes in Congress to keep it from going into effect. Agriculture Online reports that the EPA’s proposal would use the concept of …
DF Cast: Global Debate on Biofuels
Biodiesel and ethanol have borne the brunt of criticism in the food versus fuel debate… being blamed, unfairly as it turns out, for the spike in food prices last year. The issue was one that came up at the recent World Ag Forum in St. Louis (see our coverage of the event over at our sister Web site, AgWired.com) that …