Back in 2003, the European Union instituted some major reforms in its agricultural sector, which are now known as the “Fischler Reforms” after the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries at the time, Franz Fischler. Among the policies instituted at the time was a very small incentive for farmers to produce crops on set aside land that could be …
New Ethanol Plant Slated for OK Panhandle
A new ethanol plant planned for the Oklahoma panhandle town of Guymon will produce the green fuel… and also help the oil industry. This story in the Hays (Kansas) Daily News says it’s designed to be a more efficient model: The plant, to be built by Mainline Fuels LLC and its partner, ICM Inc. of Colwich, Kan., would produce 40 …
Expert Predicts Shakeout in Ethanol Industry
Change is on the way for the ethanol industry… and it could be quite dramatic. That word comes from a leading biofuels venture capitalist, and this story in the Des Moines Register says it could lead to more plants being owned by fewer and bigger investors: Sano Shimoda of BioScience Securities Inc. in Venice, Calif., said at the first Renewable …
U.S.; European Biofuel Makers Blast Anti-ethanol Report
A paper critical of world ethanol production, written by the chair of the Round Table on Sustainable Development at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)… but not officially the view of the OECD… has been blasted by the leaders of the European Bioethanol Fuel Association (eBio) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Those biofuels leaders are asking the …
USDA Hands Out $18.2 mil in Renewable Energy Grants & Loans
USDA Rural Development officials have announced that 345 proposals in 37 states have been tapped to get about $18.2 million for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. This release from the Ag Department says the $13.4 million in grants and $4.8 million in loan guarantee/grant combinations are being awarded through USDA’s Section 9006 Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements …
North Dakota Ethanol Plant will Limit Fresh Water Usage
One of the big knocks against ethanol is that it uses too much water. But an ethanol plant in North Dakota is finding a way to limit its use of freshwater. This AP story on the KXMC-TV (Minot, ND) web site says what could have been a one-million-gallon-a-day drain on the local freshwater source has been significantly reduced: Duaine Espegard …
Verenium to Present at Big Apple Conferences
Cellulosic ethanol leader Verenium will present at two upcoming conferences… one on biofuels and one on life sciences… next week in New York City. This article on CNNMoney.com has more details: John A. McCarthy, Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Verenium, will be presenting at the ISI Biofuels Conference. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 10:00 …
Ethanol at the EC
Leaders of the biofuels industry in both Europe and the United States are calling on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to disavow a paper issued last week critical of world ethanol production. Europe is well behind the United States in biofuels production and use, but the European Commission is moving ahead with its plans to have biofuels …
Ethanol Prices Lower than Regular Gasoline
Gas prices all over the country are higher than ever – more than 50 cents a gallon from a year ago – and with the latest spike in crude oil prices hitting record levels of more than $82 a barrell, expect those prices to continue to climb. But KELO-TV in Sioux Falls, South Dakota says while regular unleaded is hitting …
RFA Refutes Claims Against Ethanol
The Renewable Fuels Association is fighting back against the latest report put out by the nation’s livestock and food and meat processing industries that tries to blame ethanol for the rise in corn prices and the harm to consumers. Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen has issued the following statement to respond to the latest smokescreen from meat and poultry …