The chairman of the National Biodiesel Board will be presenting an update on the U.S. industry during a global biofuels conference next week. Renewable Energy Group Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Gary Haer will present during the “Global Biodiesel Production and Trading” panel at the World Biofuels Markets Congress & Exhibition on Wednesday, March 14 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. “The U.S. …
Australia Ethanol Firm Gets Sustainable Certification
An Australian ethanol producer has received the first completed commercial certification from the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB). The Manildra Group, through its subsidiary Shoalhaven Starches Pty Ltd, produces bioethanol from starchy wastewater generated by their wheat processing facility in New South Wales, Australia. The RSB certification means that “Manildra offers tangible evidence that sustainable biofuels may be efficiently and …
Sao Paulo Ethanol Import Tax Could Violate GATT
*Updated with clarification comments from UNICA* The president of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) this week wrote a letter to the U.S. Trade Ambassador asking for an investigation into news that the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo was imposing a 25% tax on all imported ethanol. “Because ethanol produced in Sao Paulo is tax exempt, ethanol imported into Sao Paulo …
GRFA: FAO Director General’s Comments Misguided
As the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture draws to a close in Berlin, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) has challenged new United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Director General Jose Graziano Da Silva on his critique of biofuels and their alleged impact on commodity prices. “Mr. Da Silva has failed to recognize that the rising price of …
IEA Warns of Insecure Fossil Fuels Future
The world is heading for an insecure and inefficient energy future unless there is a “bold change of policy direction” soon, warns a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The 2011 edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO), released by IEA last week in London, said there is still time to act, but the window of opportunity is …
Europe Charges US With Unfair Ethanol Imports
The association which represents European ethanol producers is requesting that the European Commission take action “against unfair imports of fuel ethanol from the United States.” ePure claims that U.S. ethanol policy has encouraged production to the point that it can be sold at much lower prices on the world market. “Massive and sudden imports of US ethanol, combined with unfairly …
Ethanol Supporting Former Brazilian President Honored for Hunger Efforts
A strong supporter of ethanol was honored this week for his efforts to fight hunger and poverty in Brazil. Former Brazilian President Lula da Silva was recognized with the 2011 World Food Prize for his Zero Hunger strategy, which resulted in Brazil reducing by half its proportion of hungry people (with 93 percent of children and 82 percent of adults …
ICM Designs Cassava Ethanol Plant in Mozambique
Ethanol plant design company ICM, Inc. of Colwich, Kansas has designed and constructed equipment for a “one gallon per minute ethanol plant” currently under construction in Mozambique that will use locally grown cassava as a feedstock. The project is part of CleanStar Mozambique, a company founded by Novozymes and CleanStar Ventures to protect forests, produce food, deliver energy, reduce air …
International Groups Urge Ending Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Two international organizations are recommending reform of fossil-fuel subsidies to improve the economy and the environment. An analysis by the International Energy Agency (IED) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that governments and taxpayers spent about half a trillion dollars last year supporting the production and consumption of fossil fuels and that removing such subsidies would …
Global Biofuels Group Calls Qatar Comments “Self-Serving”
The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is calling comments made this week by a Qatari government advisor about biofuels contributing to world hunger “self-serving.” At a global grains summit in Turkey on Monday, Quatari food security program advisor Mahendra Shah was quoted as saying, “Biofuels will trigger an increase in agricultural prices. Biofuels will result in another 120 million people …