Cellulosic ethanol targets were reduced while biodiesel was increased under the latest standards proposed by the federal government for the Renewable Fuel Standard program (RFS2). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed the 2012 percentage standards for four fuel categories under the RFS2 based on the annual renewable fuel volume targets. EPA once again lowered the target for cellulosic …
Electric and Ethanol Power Win EcoCAR Competition
Cars designed to run on electricity and 85 percent ethanol took top honors in a competition to engineer a more fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly vehicle. A team from Virginia Tech University designed an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) using 85 percent ethanol (E85) to win first place in the three-year EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge competition sponsored by the Department of Energy …
Crazy Week for Ethanol in the Senate
For those of you who might be wondering just what the heck happened this week in the Senate, where they voted in favor of ethanol before they voted against it and then for it again, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen offers some insight in a post on The E-xchange blog. Dinneen explains that the vote Tuesday to …
House Cuts Ethanol Blender Pump Funds
While an amendment to cut federal funding for ethanol blender pumps failed in the Senate, another one passed in the House. The amendment, offered by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) to the Agriculture Appropriations bill passed by a vote of 283-128. As the sun sets after a busy day on Capitol Hill for ethanol interests, the question is whether any of …
Ethanol Loses One Vote and Wins Another in Senate
The Senate voted to preserve federal funding for blender pumps right after it voted to end the ethanol blenders tax credit (VEETC) and associated tariff immediately. The amendment by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) to prevent federal funding to help pay for installing alternative fuel infrastructure such as blender pumps and storage tanks at gasoline stations. The measure failed on a …
Senate Votes to End Ethanol Blenders Tax Credit
The same amendment to end the ethanol blenders tax credit (VEETC) that failed in the Senate on Tuesday passed today on a vote of 73 to 27. The only difference between the two amendments is that Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) took the lead on it instead of Republican Tom Coburn of Oklahoma who broke procedure to bring it to the …
More Ethanol Dialogue Needed
The ethanol industry is anxious to continue talks about the future of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) and how best to balance the budget while still ensuring the ethanol industry can move forward. Yet while many believe the Senate’s defeat of Sen. Coburn’s ethanol amendment opens the door for dialogue, others believe today’s action does little to move …
Ethanol Future Could be Headed to Senate Showdown
After the defeat Tuesday in the Senate of an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) to immediately eliminate the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), the ethanol industry is supporting another approach and the two concepts could be heading for a showdown in the Senate before the end of the month. “That indeed has been teed up with a commitment …
Coburn Amendment Quashed
In a vote of 40-59, Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) Amendment No. 436 to immediately eliminate the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) and the tariff on imported ethanol was quashed. Coburn’s proposal needed 60 votes to move forward but fell short by 20 votes. Shortly after the news hit, the ethanol industry began calling for “real reform.” “The fight is …
Ethanol Expected to be Debate Topic
Ethanol is expected to be a hot topic when Republican presidential hopefuls debate tonight in New Hampshire. The candidates who are scheduled to participate include Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, businessman Herman Cain, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. Renewable …