In India, Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said that the commerce ministry made an offer to the U.S. to resolve trade issues between the two countries, including various agricultural and IT trade sectors. The trade balance is in favor with India currently with India’s exports to the U.S. in 2017-18 at USD 47.9 billion, while imports […]
In Argentina, local press reports that the soy industry is blaming a shift in government policy that no longer favors value-added products to a decimation of biodiesel exports during the first two months of the year. During January and February there were no biodiesel exports at all compared to exports valued at $176 million during […]
In Japan, Reuters reports that the national trade and industry ministry has pushed back the requirement for palm oil used in biomass power plants to have Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certification until 2021 rather than the previously planned March 31, 2019 deadline. The extension came as part of bilateral cooperation negotiations with Indonesia. Japan […]
In Washington, the Environmental Protection Agency’s administrator has thrown the spotlight on the Department of Energy, blaming them for delays in approving hardship waiver applications from 2018. The approvals were meant to be announced by the end of March but the DOE is yet to send the EPA its input. The administrator expects the delays […]
In Estonia, the ERE national news agency reports that E10 and B7 mandates came into place on April 1 in compliance with the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive but pumps have already seen an increase in price. Ethanol with 10% blending as of April 1 compared to 5% since May 2018 saw a nine cent […]
In Michigan, the debate between the oil industry and rural farming continued on Friday during the Environmental Protection Agency public hearing to discuss proposed ethanol policy changes including year-round E15, small refinery exemptions, and RIN reform. RFA, Growth Energy, Fueling Jobs Coalition, American Petroleum Institute and several others had lots to say about the proposed […]
In Indonesia, the Jakarta Post reports that the European Union’s ban against palm oil for use in biodiesel due to its indirect land use change calculations is the driver for Indonesia to race towards implementation of a B30 mandate, helping to absorb some of the surplus oil that would typically go to Europe. Introduction of […]
In Washington, Bloomberg reports that the Trump Administration quickly wound up research into the viability of year-round E15 sales after the president promised last summer that the fuel would be approved in time for the 2019 summer driving season. The Environmental Protection Agency backed away from doing an environmental impact assessment of the proposed policy […]
In Washington, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), its member companies, and stakeholder organizations delivered a letter to House leaders, urging them to make a multiyear extension of the biodiesel and renewable diesel tax incentive an urgent priority. In February 2018, Congress retroactively extended the tax incentive for 2017, leaving it expired for 2018 and beyond. […]
In Washington, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor has called on the U.S. Department of Transportation to help expedite rail delivery of biofuels amid historic flooding. The recent flooding has not only had devastating impacts on residents but has delayed the transportation of critical supplies of biofuel, which in turn, could impact consumer fuel costs. In […]
