The National Corn Growers Association Ethanol Committee has established a task force of corn farmers to focus on climate issues, such as land use change, greenhouse gas emissions, cap-and-trade policies, carbon sequestration and low carbon fuel standards. The team includes farmers from Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio. “There is a wealth of information and research on climate change that …
New Partnership for Cellulosic Ethanol Technology
California-based AE Biofuels is partnering with Merrick & Company to commercially implement its enzyme-based technology for the production of cellulosic ethanol. Merrick provides engineering and architectural design-build, procurement, construction management, and geospatial services. According to a press release, the companies will work together “to rapidly deploy AE Biofuels’ next-generation biofuels technology to address the significant demand for cellulosic ethanol created …
Tulsa Trucker Faces Charges After Dumping Ethanol
A trucker from Tulsa, Oklahoma has been charged in Willow Springs, Missouri for dumping nearly 500 gallons of ethanol fuel in a ditch. Carl Wescott is faced with a year in jail and/or a fine not less than $2,500 but not greater than $25,000. The incident took place in March of 2008. Missouri Highway Patrol noted that Wescott admitted to …
More Criticism of CA Low Carbon Fuel Standard
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger received at least two more letters this week protesting the state’s proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Over 65 retired members of the U.S. armed forces and intelligence community wrote to the governor about their concerns that applying the LCFS in its current state would penalize renewable fuels to the benefit of petroleum and other fossil …
Senators Caution EPA Over Indirect Land Use Calculations
Senators from ethanol producing states are asking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not to propose regulations assuming that greater U.S. biofuels use would increase carbon dioxide emissions. Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) spoke on the Senate floor about the issue on Monday, following a letter sent by 12 senators to EPA administrator Lisa Jackson last week. Grassley expressed fears that EPA …
World Congress Focuses on Biofuels Progress
Progress toward next generation biofuels will be a focus of the 2009 World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, to be held July 19-22, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Now in its sixth year, the conference will move to its largest venue to date, the Palais des congrès de Montréal (the Montreal Convention Centre). The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has …
Cellulosic Firms Urge EPA to Approve 15% Ethanol
Nine cellulosic ethanol companies have sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson in support of the Green Jobs waiver that would increase ethanol used with gasoline from 10 percent to up to 15 percent.
Illinois Offering Bioenergy Masters Degree
Knowledge is power, and the folks at the University of Illinois are giving a new crop of students the power they’ll need in the fields of bioenergy… biodiesel and ethanol. The Center for Advanced BioEnergy Research (CABER) on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus is offering the first new master’s degree in bioenergy approved by Illinois Board of Higher …