Today in Biofuels Opinion: “The House of Representatives has passed a stimulus bill with a provision to allow renewable energy projects to get direct payments.”

Jeff St. John in Greentech Media: “The House of Representatives has passed a stimulus bill with a provision to allow renewable energy projects to get direct payments instead of tax credits…The Senate bill did contain some good renewable energy provisions, O’Brien said. Chief among them was a 30 percent manufacturing tax credit available to companies that make solar panels, wind turbines and other equipment for renewable energy projects – something he said will be key to getting manufacturers to build factories in the United States. That credit has a $2 billion cap.”

C. Scott Miller:  “One of the prime characteristics of the bioenergy paradigm is the shift from centralization to decentralization…The logistics for bioenergy solutons are based on short radius resources basins of 75 miles or less. Rather than expending vast sums for shipping remotely accessed raw materials from the corners of the world, biorefineries will depend on utilizing resources indigenous to the immediate vicinity. What is sustainable in one resource basin is totally different than another. Soil fertility, water availability, climate, and cultural mores vary greatly as do stakeholder interests. To mandate global sustainability criteria without factoring in indigenous variables would be pure folly.”

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Four DOE, USDA and Treasury biofuels financing programs

Here's a recap of four major funding programs offered by the US Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture and the Treasury Department: 1. The DOE has announced up to $30 Billion in direct...

US House passes 25 x 25 Energy Resolution, 25 percent renewable energy target for 2025

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a "25 x '25" Energy Resolution, was introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte (R...

US Senate passes $256 billion Farm Bill; includes cellulosic ethanol, other biofuels tax credits for farmers

The US Senate passed the $256 billion Farm Bill by a vote of 79-14. The bill includes tax credits for farmers involved in cellulosic ethanol or other biofuels production. The bill moves to a confer...

US House of Representatives to vote today on climate change bill; issue in doubt; scramble for votes

In Washington, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote today on the climate change bill. The biofuels industry got behind the bill this week after winning concessions on the implementati...

US House extends old Farm Bill until April 25 as new bill approaches completion

The US House of Representatives voted to extend the existing Farm Bill until April 25 to give lawmakers more time to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the new Farm Bill, whi...

US Senate passes Farm Bill by veto-proof majority; override of expected veto now likely

In Washington, the US Senate passed the Farm Bill by a "veto proof" majority of 81-15, and the bill now goes to President Bush, who has promised to veto it. The $300 billion Farm Bill contains $209 bi...