In Washington, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) led a bipartisan group of 36 senators in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase the proposed volumes it set for biodiesel production under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “While the proposal is a positive step for […]
Douglas Schultz, Director of Loan Guarantee Origination at the US Energy Department posted a key update on project eligibility for the Loan Program. He writes: During the latest three solicitations issued by the Department’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) for approximately $24 billion in Title XVII loan guarantees for energy projects (Solicitation No. DE–SOL– 007791, 7154 and 6303), the LPO identified […]
In Italy, San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced the city will leapfrog its efforts to protect the climate from harmful effects of diesel emissions by phasing out the use of petroleum diesel in the municipal fleet and replacing it with renewable diesel by the end of this year. Lee made the announcement in […]
In Washington, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley secured the inclusion of tax incentives for wind energy, biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol in the bipartisan tax extenders bill the Finance Committee will consider on Tuesday. Cellulosic biofuels producer tax credit. Under the provision, facilities producing cellulosic biofuels can claim a $1.01 per gallon production tax credit on fuel […]
In Canada, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance announced that the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) has joined as its latest member. (UNICA) is the largest organization in Brazil representing sugar, ethanol and bioelectricity producers. It was created in 1997, following a consolidation process involving regional organizations in the State of São Paulo after government deregulation […]
In Washington, a group of biofuel trade organizations sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) encouraging extension of critical advanced biofuel tax incentives — the Second Generation Biofuel Producer Tax Credit, the Special Depreciation Allowance for Second Generation Biofuel Plant Property, the Biodiesel and Renewable […]
In Washington, more than 300 people took to the Hill in a corn ethanol fly-in to push the Environmental Protection Agency to increase the blending mandate for conventional ethanol. Among them was the Illinois Farm Bureau who attacked the EPA for its use of the term “ambitious” when setting out the blending mandate for 2015 […]
In Washington, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has thrown out a case against the Environmental Protection Agency for not approving tests of E30, saying that it had no choice in doing so because it is not a commercial fuel. Yet the court said many of the EPA’s arguments in the case were wrong, instead […]
In Belgium, EU Ministers have officially rubber-stamped new rules to address indirect land use change (ILUC) impacts associated with biofuels. The new rules, which have been discussed by the EU institutions for 3 years, must now be transposed and implemented quickly to ensure Europe meets its climate and energy targets for transport, says the European […]
In the UK, the Automobile Association says blending more ethanol to reach European Union goals of 10% renewables in transport under the Renewable Energy Directive by 2020 will cost drivers $124 more per year due to lower energy intensity of E10 versus gasoline. The AA says 8.6 million vehicles older than 2000 models aren’t compatible […]
