Leading industries in the race to commercialize next generation biofuels told a House agriculture subcommittee hearing on Thursday that more funding and stable government policy are needed to do the job. “The current financial crisis has prevented venture capitalists and bankers from investing in many worthwhile investments,” BP Biofuels North America president Susan Ellerbusch testified. “The industry and investors must …
Next Gen Biofuels Hearing Today
The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research will hold a hearing today to review the future of next generation biofuels. Subcommittee chairman Tim Holden (D-PA) will preside over the hearing, which will include testimony from U.S. Department of Agriculture officials, as well as representatives from several companies involved in exploring new technologies and new feedstocks for biofuel …
BlueFire Ethanol Locating Plant in Mississippi
California-based BlueFire Ethanol received approval from the Department of Energy (DOE) recently to locate its second planned cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Fulton, Mississippi. The company was awarded a $40 million dollar grant from DOE for a second facility in 2007 that was originally to be located in California. However, development and licensing concerns, coupled with the challenging business climate in …
Loan Program Needs Changes to Advance Cellulosic Ethanol
An ethanol industry group says the loan guarantee program at the U.S. Department of Energy needs to function more efficiently and effectively to make capitol available to advance next generation biofuels like cellulosic ethanol. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is asking US Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu to make needed changes in the loan guarantee program for biorefineries. …
ND Offers $2 Mil for New Ethanol Blender Pumps
The State of North Dakota has launched a program that will make $2 million in grants available for fuel station owners who install new, multifuel pumps that will mix ethanol right at the point-of-sale. This post on InForum, the forum of Fargo-Moorhead, says buyers will be able to choose from pure gasoline up to E85 ethanol: “We’re excited about this …
Ethanol, Biodiesel to be Part of Navy’s Green Fleet
The U.S. Navy has launched a new program to green its fleet… and biodiesel and ethanol are important elements of that campaign. This article in the Pacific Coast Business Times says that during a seech this week in Santa Barbara, California, U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus launched the idea of a “Green Fleet,” an ambitious goal to use …
Air Force, Navy On Track to Use Biofuels
U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots could soon be flying on renewable fuels, specifically, biodiesel made from camelina and algae. Aviation Week reports that the Air Force is working on certification for its planes to use synthetic Fisher-Tropsch (F-T) fuel by 2011 and also is launching a similar certification for hydrotreated renewable jet (HRJ) biofuels: “We have a certification schedule …
Ethanol Issues Addressed at South Dakota Forum
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Monday for a Rural Issues Forum in Bath, South Dakota which was attended by an estimated 300 people who were able to ask questions about issues impacting the rural economy. South Dakota’s contribution to biofuels production was discussed during the forum. Rep. Herseth Sandlin joined 28 members of …
BIO to Congress: Don’t Put Biofuels in Double Jeopardy
The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) is trying to head off any possible efforts to subject biodiesel and ethanol to another set of greenhouse gas emission regulations that would effectively put the green fuels under a double jeopardy situation. Arguing that biofuels are already regulated under the Renewable Fuels Standard, BIO has sent a letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chair …
Ethanol Production Up in July
U.S. ethanol producers continue to set new production records. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), American ethanol facilities produced 728,000 barrels per day in July 2009. That is up 114,000 barrels from a year ago. EIA also reports fuel ethanol imports of 42.4 million gallons in July. Ethanol demand, as calculated by the Renewable Fuels Association, continues to outpace …