Biofuels from the perspective of India and East Africa, as well as Europe and the United States, were part of the discussion at the World Ag Congress in St. Louis on Tuesday. Henk Joos with London-based D1 Oils moderated the panel focusing on an integrated approach to biofuels. He stressed that the purpose of the panel was to find solutions. …
Sunoco Offers $8.5 Million for Ethanol Plant
Philadelphia-based Sunoco outbid companies that offered $1 million for the plant. Northeast Biofuels creditors claim they owe about $172 million. Many of the creditors have filed objections to the proposed sale. Now a bankruptcy judge must approve the sale. The plant achieved “Mechanical Completion” on July 30, 2008 and “Interim Completion” on August 24, 2008. The plant was supposed to …
New Fuel Economy Rules Applauded by Industry
A new National Fuel Efficiency Policy was passed today adding to recent efforts to curb America’s dependence on foreign oil while spurring development in new clean transportation technologies that will help curb greenhouse gas emissions. This new policy, which sets the toughest fuel economy requirements in the country’s history, speeds up, by four years, the fuel economy standards that were …
Alltech Ethanol Project On Hold
A cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Kentucky has been put on hold due to funding concerns. A little more than a year ago, Alltech of Lexington, KY announced plans for a $70 million plant to be partially funded with state and federal grants. “We’ve basically looked at where ethanol is today and decided to put that project on hold,” says project …
Pacific Ethanol Files for Bankruptcy
Pacific Ethanol, Inc. announced today that its has filed for Chapter 11 of the U.S Bankruptcy Code. Pacific Ethanol is just one of many ethanol plants that have filed bankruptcy protection over the past 12 months. The Company and its marketing subsidiaries, Kinergy Marketing LLC (“Kinergy”) and Pacific Ag. Products, LLC (“PAP”), have not filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Pacific Ethanol …
Valero Invests in Cellulosic Company Qteros
Valero continues to position itself as a growing player in the ethanol industry through its investment in Qteros (formerly SunEthanol), a Massachusetts based company who owns the Q Microbe(TM) technology which turns biomass into ethanol. The investment was established through its acquisition of certain assets of Verasun Energy. Valero purchased several Verasun Energy plants this past April. Qteros, has developed …
More Time for Higher Ethanol Blend Comments
The Environmental Protection Agency is allowing another 60 days for comments on the proposal to allow an increase in the amount of ethanol that can be blended into regular gasoline. The original public comment period was to end on May 21 and will now end on July 20. Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis said, “We are aware of over 10,000 …
House Bill Seeks to Improve Renewable Fuels Standard
The House Agriculture Committee last week introduced a bill to change provisions in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that are “limiting the potential for clean, homegrown renewable biofuels to meet our nation’s energy needs.” The Renewable Fuel Standard Improvement Act (H.R. 2409) was introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) along with …
Fourth Florida Farm to Fuel
Plans for the fourth Florida Farm to Fuel® Summit are progressing well and organizers expect the event on July 29-31 to be bigger and better than ever. This year’s summit will once again include leaders from the agricultural, government, academic, technology, and financial communities who will share their progress in reaching the commercial production of biofuels and renewable energy in …
EPA Responds to Indirect Land Use for Ethanol Issue
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has received a response from the Environmental Protection Agency explaining the decision to include indirect land use change in calculating estimates of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions for biofuels, but the senator still believes it should not be a factor in the Renewable Fuels Standard. According to the letter from EPA acting assistant administrator Elizabeth Craig, the …