Air Force Aims High on Alternative Fuels
The men and women who wear U.S. Air Force blue are looking to help preserve your freedoms, while gaining their own freedom from non-renewable petroleum. This article from National Defense Magazine says the service wants the biofuels industry to step up its game to provide the millions of gallons the Air Force will need when it converts to 50-50 blends …
DOE Offers Funding for Next Generation Biofuels
The U.S. Department of Energy is now accepting applications for up to $30 million in total funding for small-scale process integration projects that support the development of advanced biofuels that will be able to replace gasoline or diesel without requiring special upgrades or changes to the vehicle or fueling infrastructure. “Developing the next generation of American biofuels will enhance our …
Sen. Grassley Defends Ethanol Tax Credit
During his Tuesday morning press call with agriculture reporters, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) once again defended the tax credit for ethanol being extended in the tax bill poised to be passed by the Senate. “Extension of both the ethanol credit and tariff have garnered a great deal of attention,” Grassley said. “It’s easy to see that ethanol has proved its …
Ethanol Tax Incentive Cost Perspective
The cost of extending the ethanol blenders tax credit for another year is well worth it, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. Extending the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) is estimated to cost about $6 billion dollars in 2011 at the current rate in the Senate bill of 45 cents per gallon. The United States spends about $750 million …
Biodiesel Tax Incentive Clears Cloture; NBB Optimistic
The federal $1-a-gallon biodiesel blenders credit has cleared an important legislative hurdle, and the National Biodiesel Board is optimistic it will become law. Earlier today, the U.S. Senate voted to end debate (invoking cloture) on the package of tax credits, including the biodiesel incentive, by a bipartisan 83-15 margin. As the vote was going on, I talked to the NBB’s …
Navy Hybrid Ship Recognized for Energy Award
A good friend of mine from my Air Force days alerted me to a story about a U.S. Navy ship that was recently recognized for its hybrid technology during some recent energy awards. Chris Hatch, who now does Congressional and Public Affairs for the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division in the Philadelphia, PA area, sent me this release explaining …
Senate Deal Includes Ethanol and Biodiesel
A renewal of the ethanol blenders tax credit, reinstatement of biodiesel incentives and help for wind and solar companies have all reportedly made it into the Senate compromise that extends both unemployment benefits and expiring tax cuts. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, the compromise legislation would extend the current Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) just through 2011 at …
Ethanol Tax Credit Said to be in Deal
Word is that the ethanol tax credit and possibly other renewable energy incentives will be included in the deal being cut on Capitol Hill this week. Bloomberg has reported that Democratic Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) both say the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) for blending ethanol with gasoline is part of the package. Feinstein opposes …
Deal May Include Ethanol and Biodiesel Tax Breaks
Nobody seems to be happy about the tax breaks/unemployment benefits deal announced by President Obama yesterday and no one is sure what all it ultimately will include, but Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that ethanol blenders tax credit and associated tariff, as well as the biodiesel tax credit may be in it. During his regular weekly conference call with reporters …