The purchase of Renew Energy by Valero is being challenged. As originally posted, Valero was to purchase the 110 million gallon per year ethanol plant for $72 million. However, ALL Fuels & Energy out of Iowa has filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court stating that stated that they were the highest bidder for the plant and they should take ownership.
ALL Fuels & Energy has asked the bankruptcy court to reconsider Valero’s $72 million bid earlier this month when they said they submitted a bid of $77 million. ALL Fuels & Energy explained, “During the auction, at approximately 8:45 p.m., Valero submitted a $72 million cash bid as a ‘conditional’ bid, with an expiration time of 9:15 p.m,” the company explained. “At 9:01 p.m., a $77 million bid by ALL Fuels-Jefferson, LLC was announced, based on a discount formula, as a ‘bid of $72.1 million’. Blair and Bankers’ Bank [the lead creditor for the bankruptcy proceeding] then advised the auction participants that ‘time had run out, the auction closed,’ and announced that the ‘best bid is Valero,’ even though Valero’s bid was $5 million less than the All Fuels- Jefferson, LLC bid,” the company continued. “At 9:06 p.m., the ALL Fuels- Jefferson, LLC attempted to enter a substantially higher bid than its previous $77 million bid. ALL Fuels-Jefferson, LLC was not permitted to enter this bid by Blair and Bankers Bank.”
The court noted recently, “As the background facts of this case demonstrate, confirmation of Valero’s bid over that of ALL Fuels was in error; the auction was tainted by defects, and therefore it is within the court’s discretion to reconsider the Sale Confirmation Order, signed on Dec. 17, 2009…It would be manifestly unfair to ALL Fuels to allow the confirmation of sale to Valero to stand, when the procedures of the auction were so skewed and tainted.”
Rhode Island’s governor has selected Chevron Energy Solutions to install and operate six wind turbines on public land in the state.
A group that promotes the use of soybeans and a program that works to reduce local petroleum consumption are partnering again to promote the use of soy biodiesel next year.
Biodiesel producers have seen the last chance at renewing the federal biodiesel tax incentives before they expire at the end of the year slip away. But two key lawmakers have vowed the $1-a-gallon tax credit will be renewed, retroactively.
“These provisions are important to our economy — not only because they help create jobs, but also because they are used to address pressing national concerns,” the senators wrote.
Unfortunately, it looks as though another ethanol plant has filed for bankruptcy. Hawkeye Energy currently owns and operates ethanol plants in Iowa Falls and Fairbank, Iowa and has filed for reorganization and Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
If Santa is bringing you a new 
In this holiday edition of “The Ethanol Report,” we hear more details about the apps from RFA Director of Market Development Robert White and what they are working on down the road for other GPS devices and even the iPhone. The available applications can be downloaded now from 
A company that says it is “introducing biodiesel to the petroeum industry” has announced the first biodiesel terminal in South Texas.
The cold conditions of Canada will put biodiesel to the test as our friends north of the border take part in a year-long test of the green fuel.
I found an interesting piece by Lyle Estill, a founder of 
By the summer of 2009 the biodiesel industry was on the ropes. Feedstocks were too expensive to be used for fuel.
Questions by the Secretary of Agriculture himself about the USDA’s and EPA’s climate change analysis has prompted the two ranking members of the U.S. Senate and House Ag Committees to ask questions as well.