The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy and Forestry was urged to reauthorize Farm Bill energy programs and provide them with mandatory funding during a hearing on “Formulation of the 2012 Farm Bill: Energy and Forestry Programs” on Friday. “American agriculture is the key to the successful development and commercialization of clean, abundant, renewable, domestic energy and biobased products in …
DOE Questions Petroleum Funded E15 Study
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today challenged test results released by the American Petroleum Institute claiming that 15% ethanol-blended gasoline (E15) can harm vehicle engines. In a post on the Energy.gov blog, DOE Vehicle Technologies Program Manager Patrick Davis said the study done by the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) failed on a number of counts. “We believe the study …
Driving The Bioeconomy Highway
The National Bioeconomy Blueprint was recently released by the Obama Administration. The report outlines the steps that agencies need to take to drive the bioeconomy highway. The Administration recognized the growing sector has a priority due to its potential for growth and job creation. The bioeconomy will also help drive new sources of bioenergy, improve the agricultural industry, change the …
New Tool for Solar, Wind Projects on Contaminated Site
A series of “decision trees” are now available to help companies develop projects on contaminated lands owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) along with the Department of Energy (DOE), the decision trees can be used to evaluate sites for renewable energy development ranging from solar to wind to geothermal and everything in between. There are …
Biodiesel Industry Urges Renewal of Tax Incentive
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) called on Congress this week to reinstate the biodiesel tax incentive “to avoid further disruption to an emerging American industry that is creating jobs across the country while diversifying U.S. energy supplies.” In written testimony submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures for a hearing on expiring tax provisions, …
Advanced Biofuels Moved From “Beaker to Barrel”
The head of the Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA) told a House subcommittee this week that America’s domestic advanced biofuels industry has “moved from the beaker to the barrel, all in record time.” AFBA president Michael McAdams testified before the U.S. House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade on Thursday, sharing some of the advance biofuels success stories …
Energy Title Funding Restored to Farm Bill
In the Senate Agriculture Committee markup of the 2012 Farm Bill on Thursday, an amendment was added to reauthorize mandatory funding for several national renewable energy programs. Renewable fuel organizations praised the action. “There is no more urgent need in this country today than creating new jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. The programs reauthorized and streamlined today …
Governors Want E85 Called Alternative Fuel
The Governors’ Biofuels Coalition is urging the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees to include E85 in the definition of the Alternative Fuel Tax Credit and recommending that the provision be extended as part of the pending “Extenders Bill.” In a letter sent to the leadership of both committees last week, the governors noted that E85 was considered …
Energy Coalition Disappointed in Farm Bill Draft
A coalition of trade groups and organizations representing renewable energy, energy efficiency, farm and environmental interests is disappointed in a 2012 Farm Bill draft out of the Senate Agriculture Committee that they say provides “no real funding for energy programs.” “The Committee draft bill moves the process forward, thankfully, and we support getting a bill done this year,” said Ag …
RFA Forms Renewable Fuels PAC
A Political Action Committee (PAC) has been formed by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Referred to as the Renewable Fuels PAC, it will be used by RFA members to support federal office candidates that are believed to be pro-biofuels and support domestically produced renewable energy, such as ethanol. RFA submitted its statement of organization on April 5, 2012 to the Federal …