One of the biggest advocates for renewal of the $1-a-gallon federal biodiesel blender’s tax incentive looks for renewal of the credit sometime next month. Agriculture.com reports that Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley has been working with the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus to get it restored very soon: “It would be my hope that we would have this …
Obama’s Message: Hope, News Jobs & Clean Energy
The nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the country that leads the global clean economy and America must be that nation,” said President Obama tonight during his first State of the Union address. “I will not accept second place.” There were several major focuses of his speech including the support of small businesses, building a stronger financial …
Obama Talks Clean Energy But Little About Renewables
If renewable energy advocates had hoped for a big mention during Pres. Barack Obama’s first State of the Union address, they probably are walking away from tonight’s speech feeling a bit left out. While the president did make quick mentions of solar, biofuels and clean energy, Obama did not unveil any grand plan to use renewable energy to help move …
Culver Makes Case for Biodiesel Incentive in DC
The governor of a state that has a big stake in the biodiesel biz traveled to Washington, DC to make the case for renewal of the federal $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax incentive. Iowa Governor Chet Culver testified before a Senate Subcommittee just how important the incentive is to the Iowa biofuels industry, an $8 billion operation supporting about 80,000 jobs: “This …
USDA, Navy to Work on Advanced Biofuels
The USDA and the Department of the Navy (DoN) have agreed to work together to develop advanced biofuels and other renewable energy systems. This USDA press release says the agreement is part of the government’s plan to build a clean energy economy, create new jobs and reduce American dependence on foreign oil, while building a strike force that will run …
Ethanol Group Schedules Biofuels Beltway March
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has scheduled the organization’s second annual DC fly-in. The “Biofuels Beltway March” will take place March 22-23 on Capitol Hill. “There has never been a more urgent time to bring grassroots voices to Capitol Hill in support of ethanol,” said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of ACE. “We want our ACE members to speak …
Stimulus Bucks to Fund Algae Biofuels Research
Money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act … aka the Stimulus Bill … will go to fund research on algae-based biofuels. This press release from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory says the lab will get about $14.2 million for its role in two biofuels research consortia: [Energy Secretary Steven] Chu funded the consortia with nearly …
Growth Energy Lays Out Agenda
Domestic, renewable ethanol can be a major contributor to job creation as well as cutting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing dependence on foreign oil, Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis told a summit of agricultural legislative leaders meeting in Orlando this week. “We are poised to create as many as 136,000 jobs in the United States with one regulatory move – …
Iowa State Gets $8 Mil for Advanced Biofuels Research
Iowa State University will get $8 million of a $78 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to research and develop advanced biofuels. This press release from the school says two teams will share the funds: Victor Lin – professor of chemistry, director of the Institute for Physical Research and Technology’s Center for Catalysis at Iowa State and chief technologist and …
Loss of Biodiesel Incentive Costs Farmers, Consumers
Biodiesel producers aren’t the only ones who are being hit by the loss of the federal $1-a-gallon tax incentive. This story from Agriculture Online says farmers and consumers are also being hurt: Ohio Soybean Association president Jeff Wuebker estimates that failure to renew the tax credit, which expired at the end of 2009, will cost him about $12.50 an acre …