In conjunction with F.O. LICHT´S World Ethanol 2007 conference being held in Amsterdam this week, leaders of the world’s largest ethanol production and trade associations issued a joint statement on the necessity of developing a robust and vibrant renewable biofuels industry around the globe. The statement was issued jointly by Gordon Quaiattini, President, Canadian Renewable Fuels Association, Canada; Robert Vierhout, …
Europeans Upset Over American Biodiesel Subisidies
The European Biodiesel Board (EBB) is threatening legal action against American biodiesel subsidies, which they claim as an unfair trade practice. Grainnet.com reports the Europeans are claiming the U.S.’s $1-a-gallon biodiesel mixture credit is artificially reducing the price of biodiesel sold in Europe by about 60-90 cents a gallon… compared to what European biodiesel goes for: The EBB’s press release …
Former EU Ag Commissioner on Biofuels
Back in 2003, the European Union instituted some major reforms in its agricultural sector, which are now known as the “Fischler Reforms” after the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries at the time, Franz Fischler. Among the policies instituted at the time was a very small incentive for farmers to produce crops on set aside land that could be …
Bio Gasoline Research in Japan
Researchers at Japan’s National Agricultural Research Center are working on developing Bio-Gasoline from plant oils and animal fats. According to researcher Ken Taniwaki, bio-gasoline has the same properties as petroleum gasoline and can be run in automobile engines without modifications. “This is not bio-ethanol. This actually contains the same components as gasoline,” he says. Taniwaki says bio-gasoline can be made …
Ethanol at the EC
Leaders of the biofuels industry in both Europe and the United States are calling on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to disavow a paper issued last week critical of world ethanol production. Europe is well behind the United States in biofuels production and use, but the European Commission is moving ahead with its plans to have biofuels …
OECD and FAO Not Friends of Ours
If you’re not familiar with the Organization for Economic Co-operation (OECD) you probably will soon since they’ve released their “OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook – 2007-2016” report and it’s already being quoted and used by the people who want to bash the development of biofuels, most especially ethanol. The report devotes quite a bit of misguided text to the subject of biofuels. …
Sweet Export
Dallas-based Maple Energy is planning to plant 20,000 acres of sugar cane in Peru to produce ethanol for export to the United States and Europe. According to this story from the Houston Chronicle, Maple plans to begin growing sugar cane on the acreage in northern Peru next year with a goal of producing 30 million gallons of ethanol a year. …
Good Fortune, Great Ethanol
Kirin Brewery Company of Japan reportedly plans to begin experimental production of ethanol using the residue of malt used to make beer as feedstock. According to an Autochannel.com story, an estimated 300 million yen ($2.5 million) will be invested to construct a pilot plant which will have the capacity to produce 15 kilolitres of ethanol a year. Production is expected …
US Tells EU No Way on Ethanol Ban
C Boyden Gray, the American representative to the European Union, says his country won’t be considering any ban on ethanol production for fuel. The US program has come under some fire for using a food source, corn, to make the fuel source, ethanol. Forbes.com reports his comments came during an international conference in Brussels, Belgium: ‘The only way to stop …
Texas A&M, Blue Diamond Team Up for Biodiesel
Texas A&M University and Blue Diamond Ventures, an agriculture, biofuels (including ethanol and biodiesel) and commercial development company with operations in Central America and the U.S. have joined together in a plan to make biodiesel in the Central American country of Belize. This company press release says the focus will be turning non-food sources into biofuels: “We are delighted that …