Activist and musician Bob Geldof has been announced as the keynote speaker at World Biofuels Markets 2009 (WBM09) to be held March 16-19 in Brussels, Belgium. Geldof, an Irish musician who launched his activist career by organizing Live Aid in 1985, will discuss how he believes biofuels can help developing countries become more energy independent without impacting food production. He …
Support for Increasing Ethanol Blend Levels
Increasing the approved level for ethanol that can be blended into gasoline is the number one priority for the ethanol industry this year, and recently support for that goal has been indicated by two major players in Congress and the administration. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said in a recent New York …
Ethanol Outlook Brighter
Despite bankruptcies and attacks by environmentalists, the outlook for ethanol is improving, according to the chairman of USDA’s World Agricultural Outlook Board. USDA’s February corn outlook says ethanol blender and producer margins have recently improved and weekly production of gasoline blends with ethanol is on the rise. “We’ve seen relatively lower corn prices as of late and even producers now …
Ethanol Ten Year Projections
USDA’s Economic Research Service last week released its latest long term forecasts for the food and agricultural sector. For ethanol, USDA projects increases in corn-based ethanol production to slow over the next few years, but ethanol demand is expected to remain high and affect the production, use, and prices of farm commodities throughout the sector. According to the report, “continued …
Alt Fuels & Energy Savings Get $80 Billion from Stimulus Package
Congress has passed the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus package, and alternative fuels and energy saving measures will get nearly $62 billion in spending and another $20 billion in tax credits and bond provisions from the measure that Pres. Obama has promised to sign on Monday. This article from ItsGettingHotinHere.org details how some of the money will be spent: Research, …
Stimulus Bill Has Money for Renewable Energy
Renewable energy could get a share of the nearly $800 billion in the compromise version of the U.S. House and Senate’s economic stimulus bills. This story from CNNMoney has details: The provisions in the bill – a deal hammered out between House and Senate negotiators late Wednesday that still needs to be passed by both chambers – will primarily give …
Chicago Auto Show Pushes E85 Vehicles
This week at the Chicago Auto Show, a wide array of vehicles are being displayed; many of which are alternative fuel vehicles. Even though the price of gasoline is much lower than in past months, the CAFE rule that mandates auto manufactures average 35 mpg for their fleet of vehicles still applies, meaning more vehicles are being offered with an …
Corn Growers Defend Ethanol Against Attacks
The nation’s corn growers called comments made Wednesday by a coalition of radical environmental groups “just another attempt to prevent the ethanol industry from decreasing the United States’ dependence on foreign oil.” “These environmental groups are stirring up fear for the American public at a time when Americans are already struggling due to the faltering world economy, job losses and …
Study Shows Cellulosic Ethanol Goals Attainable
A new study finds that large scale production of cellulosic ethanol beyond the level of the Renewable Fuel Standard is achievable and sustainable by 2030, with accelerated development of biofuel and agricultural technology. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today announced the release of “The 90-Billion Gallon Biofuel Deployment Study,” a new report by Sandia National Laboratories and General Motors Corp. …