Push for E20

Cindy Zimmerman

Thune Senator John Thune (R-SD) is asking federal officials to approve the use of a 20 percent blend of ethanol in vehicles.

Thune said in a press release, “Conditions are ripe for the next big step forward in bolstering America’s energy independence. After several years of success, it is time for the federal government to prepare for the production and use of a new blend of ethanol, E-20. I have requested that EPA begin preparing for certification of the E-20 ethanol blend for use in automobiles.”

About half the gasoline sold in the nation is now a blend of ten percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline. In a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, Thune urged the agency to prepare now for an upcoming waiver request from the state of Minnesota asking that the EPA approve the use of E20 in automobiles, which would ultimately pave the way for other states to follow that lead.

Ethanol, Government, News

Seeking Sponsor for AFVI Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

Alternative Fuels and Vehicles National Conference & Expo 2007Last year I covered what was then known as the Clean Cities Congress here on Domestic Fuel. This year it has a new name and we’re seeking a sponsor for our coverage. I know it’s coming up fast but we thought we had a sponsor for this and that didn’t work out.

If you’re interested in being our event sponsor please contact me as soon as possible. This is the premier event for fleet vehicles and I’m sure it’s going to be attracting more attention than ever this year.

As a sponsor your company would have its logo, linking back to your website, in every post done at the event. You can see all of my coverage from last year using this link.

Uncategorized

Illinois Eyes Cities’ Requirement on Hybrid, Alt-Fuel-Using Vehicles

John Davis

An Illinois state lawmaker wants to see cities in his state use vehicles that run on more alternative fuels.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Rep. Mike Boland has introduced legislation that would require cities to buy vehicles that run on more ethanol and biodiesel:

Rep. Mike Boland “We have an opportunity to really bring about an economic renaissance to rural Illinois by the increased use of ethanol and biodiesel,” Boland said. “We know there are a number of new (ethanol and biodiesel) plants that are being constructed around the state. … What this does is, it brings hundreds of construction workers to small towns … and a permanent work force of anywhere from 35 to 75 workers.”

The measure builds on similar legislation that passed last year that required the state to buy alternative fuel vehicles.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, News

“Hood Up, Head Down and Alone with Thoughts”

John Davis

Will Steger Those are the words of Will Steger, famed Arctic explorer, now on a four-month-long, 1200-mile expedition across the Canadian Arctic’s Baffin Island.

Global Warming 101 So what is Steger trying to prove as today he and his sleddog team approach Iqaluit, Canada through -50 degree wind chills? Ironically enough, global warming.

Listen here to his audio dispatch from Day 5 that might be one of the most telling accounts of what global warming seems to be doing to at least this part of the world:
“The terrain is noticeably different than it was before. In particular, the snow conditions have changed. Very, very hard-packed snow conditions.”

“We didn’t see any tracks of wildlife… the migrations have changed.”

Meanwhile, his Global Warming 101 web site is providing updates on the effects to the local Inuits as his team travels from village to village:

During the week-long visits to each Inuit village, the team will listen to and document the Inuit’s experience with climate change. These collected images, sounds and stories will illustrate the dramatic climate-related changes happening in the Arctic: starving polar bears, retreating pack ice, melting glaciers, disrupted hunting and traveling, and the unraveling of a traditional way of life.

EPIC The ethanol industry, through the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) and Fagen, Inc., are natural sponsors for Steger’s expedition as both try to show there are better ways to treat the planet than our dependence on fossil fuels.

Check out updates including interactive maps, pictures,and even audio updates from Steger at the Global Warming 101 web site!

EPIC, global warming, International, News

Additive to Reduce NOx Approved for Texas Biodiesel

John Davis

Oryxe California-based Oryxe Energy International has announced that Texas has approved the company’s biodiesel fuel additive, ORYXE LED for Biodiesel, for use in the state. In a release on the Oryxe web site, it’s touted as the first biodiesel additive to reduce NOx emissions. While biodiesel reduces other emissions, this additive will help the fuel reduce the damage done by NOx to the ozone:

There are so many benefits to biodiesel, and ORYXE Energy is pleased to offer a NOx solution that adds one more plus to the fuel,” says James M. Cleary, ORYXE Energy chairman and chief executive officer. “The approval of ORYXE LED for Biodiesel gives the state, biodiesel producers and consumers another tool to improve air quality.

The release goes on to point out that Texas is one of the largest biodiesel producers in the country with 15 major plants producing and more on the way. The state is expected top crank out 250-million gallons of biodiesel this year… double that of just a year ago.

Check out the Oryxe podcast on the subject here.

Biodiesel

Biofuels Take Center Stage at NFU Convention

Cindy Zimmerman

NFU Indy CarThe National Farmers Union 105th annual convention in Orlando recently was very focused on alternative energy.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi spent a significant portion of her keynote speech at the convention talking about alternative energy, from ethanol to wind. “By making the investments we need to make in renewable energy, we can turn America’s farms and fields into the victory gardens of the 21st century,” Pelosi told the group.

The NFU convention also featured House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson of Minnesota who also talked about domestic fuels. “We need to develop the ethanol industry nationwide, not just in the Midwest,” he said. Peterson went on to stress the importance of keeping ethanol companies in the hands of their rural communities, a priority for NFU members.

During the convention, National Farmers Union delegates approved a policy position to enhance energy and environmental opportunities for rural America which includes supporting expanded research and development dollars for renewable energy technology; expanding the Renewable Fuels Standard; establishing a Renewable Portfolio Standard that requires 25 percent of energy usage to come from renewables by 2025; incentives for local ownership of renewable energy production; and extension and expansion of renewable energy tax credits, including permanent extension of the renewable energy production tax credit.

Listen to Pelosi’s comments about alternative energy here: Listen to MP3 File Pelosi at NFU (6 min MP3)

Photo: Representatives Collin Peterson and Nancy Pelosi with NFU President Tom Buis (courtesy NFU)

Audio, Ethanol, News, Wind

Obama on Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Obama Presidential candidate Barak Obama visited the nation’s number one ethanol producing state over the weekend. During his visit to Davenport, Iowa, he did an interview with local television station WQAD-TV during which he was asked about his support for ethanol, in light of the current high price of corn.

“I think what we’re seeing is the market for alternative fuels expand and there’s going to be some growing pains,” Obama answered. While he admits that hog farmers are being affected by higher feed prices, he believes ethanol is the most promising way for the U.S. to reduce dependence on foreign oil.

“What we’re going to need to do is set up a distribution system. Gas stations need to be carrying E-85 gasoline. We had a bill last year that I introduced, that passed, that would provide incentives for stations to start having E-85 pumps. We’re going to have to continue creating a science that makes ethanol more efficient as the distribution systems and production start aligning, then I think we’re going to see this to be one of the most promising areas to wean ourselves off Middle Eastern oil but there’s going to be periodic disruptions as a consequence that the market for ethanol is not fully developed.”

Read the full interview with WQAD.

The picture found on Senator Obama’s website is from an appearance he made in August at the Bunge Plant in Cairo, Illinois after the company announced that it would begin building a new bio-diesel plant.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, Government, News

Feedback on Bush’s Brazil Biofuels Business Trip

Cindy Zimmerman

Bush Brazil Lawmakers and special interests have been chiming in with reaction to the US-Brazil biofuels agreement announced last week.

In a press statement, Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana praised the agreement. “Working with Brazil will help turn ethanol into a global commodity and reduce our dependence on oil. It also demonstrates to our friends in the Hemisphere that we are ready partners in advancing our common interest for energy security. If implemented vigorously and funded generously, a policy of partnerships in biofuels production could rehabilitate the U.S. in the eyes of everyday Latin Americans,” Lugar said.

The Illinois Corn Growers Association issued a release calling the memorandum of understanding “a natural and positive step forward for the development of a international ethanol industry,” but officials say they “will watch these developments closely to assure any future agreements are formulated in the context of fair trade.”

However, the National Farmers Union says the agreement could have “negative impact on family farmers, ranchers and American taxpayers.” In a statement, NFU President Tom Buis expressed concerns that the partnership could allow foreign ethanol investors to receive U.S. tax subsidies and compete with U.S. producers. “Decreasing our reliance on foreign oil while increasing our reliance on foreign biofuels is the wrong move when attempting to become energy independent. Ethanol production is the only sector in agriculture that has seen a decrease of consolidation, a direct result of farmer-owned biofuels production facilities. We should not jeopardize this achievement by having U.S. taxpayers foot the bill for foreign-owned biofuel production.”

Ethanol, Government, International, News

Presidents Talk Biofuels

Cindy Zimmerman

Bush Brazil During a press conference Friday with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President Bush said, “I hope the citizens of Brazil, like the citizens of the United States, are as optimistic about the future as these two Presidents are. And one reason we’re optimistic is because we see the bright and real potential for our citizens being able to use alternative sources of energy that will promote the common good.”

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding Friday that includes joint research to develop commercial cellulosic ethanol, developing industrial biofuels standards and helping Caribbean and Central American countries produce more ethanol. Bush and Lula will meet at Camp David on March 31 to continue discussions.

President Lula noted that the agreement will also include joint development of biodiesel between the two countries. “In the field of ethanol we have an extremely successful program that’s come out of over 30 years of very much work and technological innovation. We are doing the same thing in our betting on biodiesel. By 2010, Brazilian diesel, 5 percent of it will come from native abundant plants in our country, such as African palm, cottonseed, sunflower, castor beans, and many other seeds,” said Lula.

“Also, our biodiesel program has a major social impact. It is aimed at small farmers to family farmers. It will help create jobs and income in the poorest regions of our country, especially in the northeastern semi-arid region, where many of these crops are actually native.”

The agreement makes no mention of the tariff on Brazilian ethanol imports to the United States, which is meant to offset the blenders tax credit for ethanol use that provides an incentive for domestic production and utilization. Bush had said going into the discussions with Brazil that the tariff would remain in place and was not open to negotiation.

Read the entire text of the presidents’ press conference from the White House website.

Biodiesel, Ethanol, International, News

25 x ’25 Action Plan

Cindy Zimmerman

25x25 Leaders from a broad alliance of agricultural, energy, environmental, business and labor groups recently rolled out a set of specific recommendations for reaching an ambitious renewable energy goal: 25 percent of the nation’s energy supply from renewable sources by 2025. Members of the 25x’25 Alliance were at the recent Commodity Classic to answer questions and discuss goals with members of the agriculture industry.

The 25x’25 Action Plan: Charting America’s Energy Future was written by the 28-member 25x’25 Steering Committee based on the consensus reviews and policy recommendations of the more than 400 organizations that have endorsed the 25x’25 vision.

25x25 logoThe Action Plan, which was presented to Congressional leaders, contains 35 specific recommendations that “would cost just five percent of what America spent on imported oil in 2006 and would result in a dramatic increase in new jobs and economic activity, along with significant reductions in oil consumption and global warming emissions.”

The recommendations include expanded research and development for cellulosic biofuels and long-term incentives for renewable electricity generation; new infrastructure for expanding delivery of renewable fuels and renewable energy; new program to ensure increased availability of flex-fueled cars; a new requirement for use of renewable energy by the federal government; new mechanisms for renewable energy credit trading among states, and new funding for renewable energy systems.

Biodiesel, Commodity Classic, Ethanol, Government, News