The Bush administration wasted no time this week in translating the president’s State of the Union energy words into actions. “We will be proposing $1.6 billion in new funding for renewable energy, with a focus on cellulosic energy research and production as part of the administration’s 2007 Farm Bill proposals,” Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns announced Tuesday. “We’ve had great …
European Ethanol, Biodiesel Stocks Get Boost from Bush
It’s not just American alternative fuels seeing a boost from President Bush’s State of the Union speech last night when he pledged to reduce U.S. gasoline consumption by 20 percent in the next 10 years. Check out this story from Dow Jones posted on CattleNetwork.com: Michael McNamara, London-based senior equities analyst for Jefferies International, said European stocks are indirectly benefiting …
Domestic Fuel Industry Reaction
Some biofuel organizations were reacting to the president’s State of the Union address even before it was given. A statement from Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen was emailed to the media over two hours before the speech. “Recognizing the potential of our nation’s ethanol industry, President Bush used the unique forum of the State of the Union Address to …
President Calls For Increasing Alternative Fuel Supply
As anticipated, President George W. Bush devoted a significant portion of his 2007 State of the Union address Tuesday evening to energy. “For too long our nation has been dependent on foreign oil,” said President Bush. “It’s in our vital interest to diversify America’s energy supply. The way forward is through technology.” The audience applauded seven times during the four …
Missouri Sees Sharp Increase in Biofuels Investors
Another indicator of the viability of ethanol and biodiesel might be the increasing numbers of investors in the alternative fuels. In Missouri, for example, the Secretary of State’s office reports the number of the number of biofuels investments filed with the state increased from just five in 2005 to 15 last year. In this Associated Press story, government requirements are …
Upcoming Biomass Conference
Mark your calendars for Biomass and Biorefinery Deals 2007 March 26th-28th in Washington, D.C. Industry leaders along with government officials, and equity and venture financiers will get together at D.C.’s AED Conference Center to discuss the financial end of biomass operations. They will address federal incentives and programs for the development of new biomass energy projects, as well as the …
Pocatello Next on Biodiesel Bandwagon
A couple of days ago, I told you about how Cincinnati, Ohio had changed its bus fleet to biodiesel and saved the city nearly half-a-million dollars last year. Now, officials in Pocatello, Idaho are making the change to the cleaner form of fuel. They expect to change the city’s entire fleet… cars, buses, snowplows… over to a 20% blend of …
Cincy Buses Running on Biodiesel Save Nearly Half Million Dollars
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that buses in the city and the surrounding county ran on biodiesel, saving the city $450,000 last year. (The metro area’s) 390 buses used about 3.6 million gallons of fuel last year – half of which was biodiesel. But, there is one adjustment that has to be made for the city’s cold winters… During warm months, …
Arkansas Ag Chief Pushes Biodiesel
The Secretary of the Arkansas Agriculture Department wants his state to focus on biodiesel, not ethanol. The Arkansas News Bureau reports Richard Bell told state lawmakers other states that produce more corn are already dominating the ethanol field. Bell told the House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee that Arkansas will have a chance to break into the ethanol market …
Getting to a Biofuels Future
The Governors’ Ethanol Coalition has released a new report called Ethanol from Biomass: How to Get to a Biofuels Future. The report asks the President and members of Congress to adopt four recommendations: 1. Expand the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) to include a short-term target of 12 billion gallons a year of ethanol and biodiesel utilization by 2010, and longer-term …