A Louisiana biomass-to-biofuel operation received a $91 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This news release from USDA says the agency will back the loan under the Biorefinery Assistance Program to finish building the Cool Planet plant at the Port of Alexandria in Louisiana. The Cool Planet facilities will produce approximately 8 million to 10 million …
B10 Biodiesel Blend in Minnesota a Success
The first summer of Minnesota running a 10 percent biodiesel (B10) mandate is being called a success. The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) says as the state moves back to a B5 mandate over the winter months, the group is celebrating how well the higher blend made mostly from its soybeans went. “The implementation of B10 went very well,” said …
Corn Harvest Could Affect Propane Supplies, Prices
A big corn harvest this year could affect the supply and price of propane, a big fuel for drying the crop. This story from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says if the weather allows farmers to dry their crops in the field before harvest, there will be plenty of supply, and prices will be stable … unlike last year’s …
Algae-based Biofuels to Get $25 Mil from Feds
Algae-based biofuels will be the beneficiaries of a government-backed effort to get the fuels made from microbes down to less than $5 per gasoline gallon equivalent (gge) by 2019. The U.S. Department of Energy announced $25 million to reduce those production costs, hopefully down to an eventual goal of $3 gge by 2030. The funding announced today will support projects …
Administration Offers New Renewable Initiatives
As USDA announced the investment $68 million in 540 new renewable energy and energy efficiency projects nationwide today, the White House offered new administrative actions to advance solar deployment and promote energy efficiency. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack made the USDA announcement while in North Carolina to highlight USDA’s investments in rural renewable energy projects being funded through USDA Rural …
Iowa RFA Ad Challenges Biden on RFS
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) took out a full page ad in today’s Des Moines Register to ask Vice President Joe Biden to set the record straight on reports that he may have intervened to reverse the Obama Administration’s previous support for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). With the headline “Say it ain’t so, Joe” the ad questions the …
Senate Committee Considers Energy Tax Reform
The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing today on Reforming America’s Outdated Energy Tax Code, led by chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR). “It’s past time to replace today’s crazy quilt of more than 40 energy tax incentives with a modern, technology-neutral approach,” said Wyden at the start of the hearing, adding that the disparity in how the tax code treats energy …
EIA: Nat Gas, Biofuel to be More of World Fuel by 2040
Natural gas and biofuels will make up the biggest share of the increase in what are known as “other liquid resources” in the world liquid fuel supply. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) International Energy Outlook for 2014 (IEO2014) says those fuels that include natural gas plant liquids (NGPL), biofuels, coal-to-liquids (CTL), gas-to-liquids (GTL), kerogen (oil shale), and refinery gain, …
Nat Gas, Solar and Wind Lead Power Capacity Adds
During the first half of this year, natural gas, solar and wind lead all sources when it comes to new utility-scale generating capacity to come online. This report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) says that 4,350 megawatts (MW) of new utility-scale generating capacity came online, with natural gas making up the lion’s share of those additions but solar and …
Biodiesel Imports Set Record for Year-to-Date
The U.S. is importing biodiesel at a record rate for the year so far. This article from Platts cites U.S. Census Bureau data that shows imports reached a 2014 year-to-date record in July of 69,474 metric tonnes, more that twice the previous record set in March. Low palm oil prices seem to be the big driver, although biodiesel imports are …