Benefits of Biodiesel Topic During IRFA Summit

Joanna Schroeder

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has announced additional speakers for its 2014 Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit and Trade Show. These new speakers will address the biodiesel market through policy initiatives and broader distribution networks. The event takes place January 28, 2014 at The Meadows Conference Center at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa. The “More B for Me: Growing …

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Iowa RFA, Renewable Energy

Grupo T-Solar Powers Up Plant in Cali

Joanna Schroeder

Spain-based Grupo T-Solar has successfully completed its first photovoltaic solar plant in El Centro, California. The solar plant, located in the municipality of Centro (Imperial Valley, California), occupies 140 acres of land and will produce 55 GWh per year, equal to an energy consumption of more than 12,000 inhabitants. The sale of energy is regulated by a 30-year Power Purchase …

Alternative energy, Solar

China’s Offshore Wind Power Industry on Track

Joanna Schroeder

During the 18th Congress of Chinese Communist Party meeting, a call was made to create a “Biological Civilization” strategy that would encompass a plan for more use of green energy including offshore wind. On June 4-6, 2014 Offshore Wind China 2014, Wind Farm O&A China 2014 and Distributed Generation China 2014 are simultaneously taking place at the Shanghai New International …

Clean Energy, conferences, Electricity, offshore wind, Wind

Protect The RFS

Joanna Schroeder

There are events springing up around the Midwest to rally consumers into helping support the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Some of the leaders of this movement are state legislators including Iowa Governor Terry Branstad along with Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds have launched a new website in an effort to counter the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed reduction of 2014 …

Biodiesel, biofuels, Education, Ethanol, RFS

E15 Now Available in Northern Illinois

Joanna Schroeder

E15, a blend of 15 percent ethanol, 85 percent gasoline, is now available in Rochelle, Illinois complements of the partnership between Illinois River Energy and the Rochelle Petro Travel Plaza. E15 is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for vehicles 2001 and newer and is the most tested fuel in EPA approval history. It has been available for more …

biofuels, E15, Ethanol, RFA

Biodiesel Booth at NAFB Talks Food & Fuel

Cindy Zimmerman

Biodiesel producers had plenty to talk about … and plenty of ears to listen … during the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB) meeting in Kansas City. Makes sense, when you consider how connected the farming and biodiesel industries have been over the years. We caught up with two folks from the National Biodiesel Board at the group’s booth …

Audio, Biodiesel, NBB

Google Invests $80 Million in Six Solar-Power Plants

Joanna Schroeder

Google has made a $80 million equity investment in six solar-power plants – five located in California and one in Arizona. All six of the solar projects are expected to begin operations in January 2014 and provide enough electricity to power 17,000 homes. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP represented Google who partnered with leading private equity investor KKR & …

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

Veterans Enter Fight for RFS

Joanna Schroeder

Two new organizations have entered the fight for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) today as concerns about the future of the RFS deepen with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed 2014 renewable fuels volumes going south. VoteVets.org and Americans United for Change held a press teleconference to announce their participation in the counteroffensive against what they are calling, “Big Oil’s …

Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, RFS

Project Aims to Convert Natural Gas to Butanol

Joanna Schroeder

A new project spearheaded by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are using their expertise in protein expression, enzyme engineering and high-throughput assays to develop biocatalyst technologies that can convert natural gas to liquid fuel or methane to butanol for transportation. The $34 million project by the Advanced Research Project Agency Energy (ARPA-E) is one of a set of 15 Reducing …

Alternative energy, biobutanol, Natural Gas, Research

Repub. & Dem. Senators Call for Biodiesel Support

John Davis

Nearly a third of the U.S. Senate, with lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle, calls for support from the Obama Administration regarding biodiesel and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The National Biodiesel Board says the group represents people from Washington state to Minnesota to Maine and calls for a volume requirement of at least 1.7 billion gallons next …

Biodiesel, Government, Legislation, NBB, RFS