Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) led a bi-partisan group of Senators in writing a letter to the President last week urging him to direct the Environmental Protection Agency to approve higher blends of ethanol in commercial gasoline. The current maximum blend for non-flex fuel vehicles is 10% ethanol. “The current 10% standard, or blend wall, will …
Biofuels Research at Arizona State
The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University is launching a Renewable Biofuel Research Initiative. Science Foundation Arizona and energy company BP are funding the initiative meant to propel the development of a renewable source of biofuel. The research effort focuses on using a specially optimized photosynthetic bacterium to produce biodiesel, a sustainable high-energy fuel that can be used in conventional …
Dinneen Discusses New Poll and New Coalition
Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen is pleased with new poll results that show Americans want renewable fuels and he’s excited about a new coalition that is working to make that happen. Dinneen says the poll affirms what many in the industry have known for a long time “that Americans absolutely believe we need to be maximizing the use of …
Poll Cites Several Causes for Higher Food Prices
A new poll indicates that Americans are better informed about the various factors affecting food price increases than one might think. The poll, commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Association, found that 46 percent of Americans believe rising oil prices is the number one cause of increasing food costs, followed by 15 percent citing increasing global demand. By contrast, just 7 …
Conoco Officials Tout Need for Biofuels
There’s nothing like a New England town hall meeting, and officials from ConocoPhillips got an earful of Yankee questions from a group at a hotel in New Haven, Connecticut. The New Haven Independent reports about 100 people turned out to hear what the oil giant had to say and to quiz the officials about the future of energy in this …
Imperium to Provide Biodiesel for Hawaiian Electric
Seattle-based Imperium Renewables has inked an exclusive deal with Hawaiian Electric Company, which provides 95 percent of electricity for residents of the islands, to provide biodiesel for some of the utility’s generators. This post from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has more details: The contract, which runs through 2011, calls for Imperium to supply between five million and 12 million gallons of …
Biofuel to Hit the Skies
From the coverage we’ve provided on energy.agwired.com so far, I think it’s safe to say biofuels are continually gaining traction with ground transportation and machinery. So, it seems quite natural that air travel would be the next frontier for biofuels. Yahoo!News reports that Virgin Group CEO, Richard Branson plans to fuel one of his jets with biofuels in 2008. Here’s …
Wisconsin Lawmakers Getting Calls on Biofuels
As legislators in Wisconsin continue their months-long wrangling over what should be in the state budget, biofuels advocates are making sure renewable energy is not left by the wayside. The Wisconsin Legislature was supposed to have approved a budget starting by July 1st, but that process is not complete… making the state the only one without an approved budget right …
Ethanol on the Cob II
Citigroup is presenting “Ethanol on the Cob II,” a biofuels conference, October 2 in New York City. A number of companies with a biofuels interest will be presenting at the event, including Bunge North America. Tim Gallagher, Executive Vice President, Bunge North America and Todd Bastean, Vice President & General Manager, Bunge North America Biofuels, will address the conference and …
Financial Firm ING Purchaes Wind Credits
Dutch-based insurer and financier, ING Group, will buy wind energy credits to make up for the power it will use at its American locations. This article in the Hartford (CT) Courant says the company is having to buy the wind energy credits because it can’t directly buy the wind power for its properties: Initially, the Dutch financial services firm will …