The Renewable Fuels Association says yes to promoting a global ethanol market, but no to allowing Brazil to benefit from the U.S. tax credit for ethanol.
RFA President Bob Dinneen issued the following statement regarding President Bush’s upcoming meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva concerning a hemispheric partnership to expand ethanol production.
“Expanding the marketplace for ethanol around the globe is an admirable goal and one that should be commended and explored. But it must be done in the context of fair trade. No effort to encourage ethanol production in the Western Hemisphere or around the world should require American taxpayers to bear the burden. Yet, that is exactly what President Lula and the Brazilian government are asking for in calling on President Bush to end the credit offset which prevents U.S. taxpayer subsidies for foreign ethanol. The credit offset poses no barrier to Brazilian ethanol which has enjoyed more than 30 years of government support dating back to the military dictatorships of the 1970s.
“Simply put, the credit offset merely asks Brazilian ethanol producers to pay back the tax incentive for which their product is eligible. Congress correctly put this offset in place to prevent foreign ethanol industries access to American taxpayer dollars while not preventing access to the U.S. market. Last year, the U.S. imported 433 million gallons of ethanol straight from the shores of Brazil, representing roughly 10 percent of Brazil’s annual production. Clearly, Brazilian imports compete quite effectively when needed.
“We applaud President Bush’s effort to expand the role of renewable fuels around the world. And he is right to tell the Brazilians that discussion of the credit offset is off the table. While the U.S. ethanol industry wants to see a world market for ethanol develop, it ought not come out of the pockets of Americans.”
Osborn says the first race of the season is the 
Osborn says the alternative portion is the fact that his VW runs on diesel… an alternative to the racing petrol most other racers use. And he says since it does run on diesel, there is always the possibility of another alternative… biodiesel… could make it into his racer. “The performance issues with diesel and biodiesel are sonmething at their infancies in the United States, and something we’d like to puruse.”
While he likes to grab the checkered flag, Osborn says his racing has a bigger purpose. Chili Pepper Racing has been racing for charities for years. Now, he races for a more personal purpose. Last year, he lost his eight-week-old infant son to cancer. “Over the winter, we took some of this pain we had were feeling and tried to turn it into some positive energy and formed the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer.” Osborn says they’ll race this season in “Hatch’s” name.
The plant will produce up to five megawatts of electricity and will run on biodiesel from a 
Imperium Renewables has announced it has achieved a BQ-9000 certification for its Seattle-based refineries. 
To anyone concerned about high grain prices, the impact of biofuels on the livestock industry, or whether we will have enough corn to meet all needs, Dean Kleckner has just one message: “Let the market sort it out.”
According to 
The Renewable Fuels Association and the Energy Information Administration announced today that production of ethanol in 2006 reached 4.86 billion gallons… up 24.3% percent from 2005. Likewise, demand for ethanol is up by a third during the same time period.
“America’s ethanol industry is clearly stepping up to fulfill increased ethanol demand and help address the need to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil,” said RFA President Bob Dinneen. “The nearly 25 percent increase in ethanol production over last year is consistent with the type of growth our industry has experienced in recent years and this growth will continue. The bottom line is America’s ethanol industry is up to the challenges that lie before us.”
Woertz started off by saying that ADM intends to use a “holistic” approach to meet food and energy needs. “Our approach is to see these global needs–for food, heat, light, mobility, security and a healthy environment holistically. To see them all as fundamental human needs, that are—in fact— interconnected.”
School administrators might want to mark Tuesday, March 13th on their calendars as the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute holds the AFV School Bus Connection webcast from 10:30 a.m.-noon PST.