Brazilian government officials say the country will buy, operate and maintain up to five hydrogen-cell-fueled buses, as well as putting in a station to produce hydrogen to supply the buses. The project is part of country’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) partnership with the Urban Transportation Metropolitan Enterprise in Sao Paulo to develop cleaner urban public transportation in Brazil. …
Biodiesel Not on Agenda for US-EU Trade Talks
Just as the European Union was extending for five years the temporary duties the EU has slapped on American biodiesel, you would think would be the time the U.S. Trade Representative would want to talk about the protectionist tariffs with his European counterpart. Nope. Ambassador Ron Kirk had bigger fish to fry when he met with European Union Trade Commissioner …
Europe Slaps American Biodiesel with Duties
The fight between the Europeans and Americans over U.S. biodiesel continues as the European Commission now proposes to impose anti-dumping duties on the yankees’ green fuel. Hoosier Ag Today reports that the 27-country bloc recommended the punitive final duties at a meeting in Brussels today: The Commission suspects U.S. biodiesel is heavily subsidized. The duties will come into force by …
Is There a Link Between Climate Change and Poverty?
Oxfam International released an interesting report yesterday called, “Suffering the Science: Climate Change, People and Poverty”. The crutch of the report is to demonstrate how the effects of climate change are impacting people in poor communities much harder then in developed regions. Issues that are linked to poverty and development include access to food and water as well as health …
World Bank Issued an “F”
The World Bank received a failing grade this week for its lack of support to developing countries trying to implement biofuels project. The “F” comes from the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) representing over 65 percent of the world’s biofuels production from 44 countries. In a letter to Robert Zoellick, President of World Bank, from Bliss Baker, President of the …
More Distillers Grains Heading North
Poor crop conditions and higher grain prices north of the border are causing an uptick in exports of the ethanol co-product dried distillers grains (DDGS) to Canada. According to the U.S. Grains Council, 350 cars containing approximately 31,500 metric tons of DDGS were purchased last week by Canada’s largest distiller’s grains importer, Rycom Trading Ltd. Ryan Slozka, senior trader at …
Presentations from Brussels Biofuels Congress Available
Just in case you missed last March’s World Biofuels Markets congress in Brussels, Belgium, now you have a chance to see and hear the presentations from the three-day event. Green Power Conferences, which put on the international meeting, is making the entire set of presentations available… for a fee: The complete set contains: * The speaker presentations from the three …
Ethanol Bob in Brazil
Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen is in Brazil for the Ethanol Summit 2009 in Sao Paulo and is providing an up-to-the-minute account of his visit via Twitter. Among Dinneen’s comments so far since he arrived in Brazil early this morning: “Just passed a fuel station. Alcohol (ethanol) was 1.09, gasoline was 2.29. Units are litres and Rials, …
Vancouver to Host Hydrogen/Fuel Cell Event
Some believe the future of renewable energy is with hydrogen. If that’s true, the future… and the world… will be coming to Vancouver next week for Hydrogen + Fuel Cells 2009… billed as Canada’s premier international hydrogen and fuel cell event. Organizers say the event, which runs from May 31 – June 3, will “showcase Canada’s leadership in commercialization of …
World Ag Congress Discusses Biofuels
Biofuels from the perspective of India and East Africa, as well as Europe and the United States, were part of the discussion at the World Ag Congress in St. Louis on Tuesday. Henk Joos with London-based D1 Oils moderated the panel focusing on an integrated approach to biofuels. He stressed that the purpose of the panel was to find solutions. …