The manager of a biodiesel refinery from the Nation’s largest biodiesel producer believes the uncertainty in the green fuel’s future will disappear. I caught up with Bryan Christjansen, a general manager for Renewable Energy Group’s Albert Lea, Minn. and Mason City, Iowa plants, shortly after a news conference where several biodiesel producers joined with a group of U.S. senators to …
Iowa Gov Says Biofuels Cure for Climate Change
As members of a federal task force visit Iowa and say that “climate change is here and now,” that state’s governor says biofuels, which are also here and now, are at least one way to fight the changes in climate. This article in the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier says this is the third meeting of the White House task force …
Another Day, Another Oil Spill
An oil pipeline ruptured in Los Angeles on LA Street yesterday and in response Americans United For Change said, “Like oil spills? You’ll love what happens after dismantling the Renewable Fuel Standard. 50,000 gallons of crude oil spilled out onto the streets and in some areas the crude oil was knee-high. Jeremy Funk, spokesperson for pro renewable energy and pro …
Biodiesel Producers, Farmers Take to The Hill
Biodiesel producers and farmers who raise the feedstocks for the biodiesel industry took to Capitol Hill this week, joining a group of U.S. Senate Democrats in their calls to end policy uncertainty that is hurting their industry. “The uncertainty caused by these policy setbacks in Washington, with this proposed retreat on biodiesel volumes under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) and …
Advanced Biofuels Industry: Obama Please Reconsider RFS
More than two dozen advanced biofuel producers have submitted a letter to President Obama today calling on him to reconsider the proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rule for 2014. Led by the Advanced Ethanol Council and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the groups write: “The RFS is necessary because the highly consolidated, vertically integrated oil industry is not otherwise going …
Biofuels Industry Urges VP Biden to Stand RFS Strong
The Iowa biofuels industry is asking United State Vice President Joe Biden to stand “RFS Strong”. A recent Reuters article claimed that Vice President Biden played a major role in attempting to get the Obama administration to gut the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The article detailed an exchange between Vice President Biden and Philadelphia Congressman Robert Brady, who contacted Biden …
Senate Dems Against Obama on Biodiesel Proposal
Normally, they would be considered pretty staunch allies of President Obama. But a group of Democratic U.S. Senators have taken the Administration to task for its handling of the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to drastically reduce the amount of biodiesel required to be blended into the Nation’s fuel supply. “The EPA’s preliminary November rule will be disastrous,” said Illinois Senator …
Five Reasons To Love the RFS
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has created a new video that briefly and creatively outlines five major reasons why the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is good for America. 1. The RFS saves money – 50 cents to $1.50 per gallon last year 2. The RFS reduces oil imports – ethanol displaced $48 billion in imported oil last year 3. The …
Reuters Story at Odds with Philly Energy Independence
The mayor of Philadelphia delivered a “Declaration of Energy Independence” today to recognize the city’s and region’s contributions to domestic energy and energy security. At the same time Reuters broke a story claiming that Philadelphia oil refinery connections were the main forces behind the Obama administration proposal to lower volume requirements for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) this …
RFS at Odds with National Climate Assessment
In a letter to President Obama sent today, leaders of America’s renewable fuel industry are urging the Administration to rethink its proposal to weaken the bipartisan Renewable Fuel Standard – a proposal that is at odds with the National Climate Assessment the White House released earlier this week. The letter is signed by Abengoa Bioenergy, the Advanced Ethanol Council, the …