It should be no surprise to anyone that the American ethanol industry produced a record amount of fuel ethanol in 2007. According to year-end figures released by the Energy Information Administration, U.S. ethanol production averaged 423,000 barrels per day, totaling 6.48 billion gallons for the year. That is an increase of 108,000 barrels per day over 2006. Ethanol demand, as …
Outlook Puts Biofuels in Focus
Biofuels had a seat on the plenary panel entitled, “Getting It Right: Responding to Market Forces” at USDA’s 2008 Outlook Forum last week. Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen noted that while ethanol is “not a silver bullet” for all of America’s energy, economic and environmental issues, but “biofuels are absolutely a part of addressing each of them to some …
Pennsylvania Gets First Ethanol Plant
BioEnergy International was the first to break ground in Pennsylvania and construct an ethanol plant. Pennsylvania will be home to a new Bionol Clearfield biorefinery. BioEnergy International, LLC announces ground breaking for the Bionol Clearfield LLC, 100 mgpy corn ethanol biorefinery under construction in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. The corn and cellulosic pilot plants to be built in Clearfield are core to …
Industry Optimism
The chairman of the Renewable Fuels Association is excited about the developments in cellulose technology for the future of the ethanol industry. “And we fully believe that many of these technologies will in fact be proven to be economically viable on a commercial scale,” said Chris Standlee, who is executive vice president of Abengoa Bioenergy in St. Louis. He says …
Biofuels Put on Defensive Again
Biofuels were put on the defensive once again as the journal Science published new studies that claim biofuels are worse for global warming than fossil fuels. Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen issued a statement which said the studies took a simplistic view of land use. “Understanding the land use changes occurring around the globe is important to developing strategies …
RFA to Testify on Energy Act
The president of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will present testimony Thursday to the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee at a hearing on the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Dinneen’s intends to tell the committee that the American ethanol industry stands ready to do its part to make the law successful. Putting the importance of developing a …
Ethanol Outlook for 2008
2008 could be an even better year than 2007 for the ethanol industry. That’s the outlook of Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen. In the first “Ethanol Report” podcast for 2008, Dinneen gazes into his crystal ball and sees blue skies and big challenges for the ethanol industry this year. “I think we will continue to see dramatic growth in …
Happy ReNEWable Fuels Year
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 will get the new year underway with a burst of renewable fuels. The bill, signed by President Bush on December 19, includes an expanded Renewable Fuels Standard that requires significant development of other feedstocks to produce ethanol. This edition of “Fill up, Feel Good” features comments by President George W. Bush, EPIC …
Biofuels Conferences in the Sunshine State
As the Midwest (where I’m at) thaws out of a major ice storm that shut down the power (my home for a little while last night) and prepares for ANOTHER round this weekend, some time in Florida this winter sounds mighty inviting. Well if the escape from the Midwest ice and snow is not enough for you (or if you’re …
Podcast on Informa Report
The latest “Ethanol Report” podcast from the Renewable Fuels Association features comments from Informa Economics CEO Bruce Scherr and Renewable Fuels Foundation chairman Bill Lee on the report that “puts to bed” the food versus fuel debate. Here’s a link to the post on the RFA blog. The study was commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Foundation, the education and research …