Finding the right place to fill up on alternative fuels might be as close as your iPhone. The Energy Department’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a new, free mobile application for DOE’s Clean Cities program that helps users find a place to top off their tanks, whether it’s electricity, natural gas, biodiesel, e85 Ethanol, propane or hydrogen. The …
Missouri Governor Voices Support for Ethanol
With the harvest nearing completion in Missouri, Governor Jay Nixon last week joined the Missouri Corn Growers Association at a grain elevator in the northeast part of the state to support the state’s corn growers and ethanol industry. “Each year about 20% of Missouri’s corn crop is turned into about 300 million gallons of ethanol – a renewable, domestic energy …
Farm Bill Conferees Urge Energy Funding
The Senate version of the farm bill includes $800 million in mandatory funding for energy programs while the House version contains zero – one of the relatively minor differences in the two bills that could get resolved quickly in conference. Several senators spoke in support of providing mandatory funding for the energy title during the first meeting of the House …
EPA Response to Calls for Lowering RFS
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a statement regarding the AAA call to lower the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), stressing that no decision has yet been made on for 2014. The Obama Administration remains firmly committed to furthering the development of all biofuels – including corn-based ethanol, cellulosic biofuel, and advanced biofuel – as part of the President’s commitment …
Dinneen: Lowering RFS Would be Mistake
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen fears “the Obama Administration is about to make a huge mistake” in lowering the volume requirements for ethanol under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In an interview for “The Ethanol Report,” Dinneen says it does appear that the Environmental Protection Agency is planning on changing the Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) for …
Proponents Wonder Why Can’t Biodiesel Fulfill RFS
A hat tip to my friend Jessica Robinson over at the National Biodiesel Board for pointing out this great article from Biofuels Digest. As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed lower targets for the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard, proponents of biodiesel are wondering why their green fuel is targeted a 20 percent reduction. Let’s review the background on …
Iowa Looks to Expand Ethanol, Biodiesel Blends
Officials in Iowa are looking to up the choices consumers will have when filling up with ethanol and biodiesel. Gov. Terry Branstad announced a new public-private partnership called “Fueling Our Future” that will use state dollars to leverage investments in existing renewable fuel infrastructure to establish more blender pumps containing E-30 and biodiesel at gas retailers around the state. “This …
No EIA Reports due to Funding Lapse
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is shutdown due to the shutdown. As a result of the lapse in appropriations for the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the EIA.gov website and our social media channels will not be updated after 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, October 11, 2013. Transactions submitted via the website might not be processed until appropriations are …
DC Update Ethanol Report
The nation’s capitol is “so quiet you can hear a pin drop” but the American Petroleum Institute (API) is still working to beat the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), and the government shutdown means E15 retailers are unable to get approval. “EPA right now is not answering the phones so they are not responding to marketers that are looking to offer …
Biodiesel Imports Drop Sharply in July
Numbers from the U.S. government show biodiesel imports, including all biomass-based diesel like renewable diesel, dropped sharply in July. This story in Biodiesel Magazine says the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed imports of biomass-based diesel at about 14.2 million gallons in July, less than half of June’s 28.6 million gallons. Indonesian biodiesel made up the majority of July’s imports, coming …