In Washington, the Department of Transportation released a final rule that requires a phase-out or retrofit of all DOT-111 railcars transporting crude oil and ethanol by May, 2023. Bob Dinneen of the Renewable Fuels Association applauded the DOT for recognizing the difference between ethanol and oil and prioritizing oil train retrofits: “Secretary Foxx appears to […]
In the UK, in light of recent EU legislation changes affecting biofuel production, the NFU is urging the Department for Transport to raise the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation to restore confidence in markets for farmers and processors and meet the country’s current EU biofuel target. The cap on the volume of crops allowed to be […]
In France, the European Parliament approved the reform of the Renewable Energy Directive approved earlier this month by the Parliament’s environmental committee. Crop-based biofuels will be limited to 7% of overall fuel consumption compared to the 10% mandate all EU member states must achieve by 2020, while ILUC will be monitored rather than have an […]
In Indonesia, even though the government has implemented a 15% biodiesel blend nationally, it admits that it doesn’t have the institutional capacity or regulatory environment set up yet to ensure that the biofuels used are produced sustainably, saying that could take a few more years. Land use expansion isn’t seen as necessary for the current […]
In Italy, a three-day hands-on modeling course on the economics of bioenergy policies will take place in Ravello (Amalfi Coast, Italy) on June 20-22, 2015. The course is partially based on the newly released text, The Economics of Biofuel Policies: Impacts on Price Volatility in Grain and Oilseed Markets, by Harry de Gorter, Dusan Drabik and […]
In Illinois, a new analysis from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s principal research economist, Dr. Steffen Mueller, found that giving Illinois consumers more access to cleaner fuel options such as E15 (gasoline with 15 percent ethanol blend) would provide significant environmental benefits – reducing carbon pollution from Illinois by up to 663,646 tons per […]
In Australia, Queensland will publish a decision paper on using ethanol in the state, a move welcomed by Canegrowers but criticized by MP Rob Katter for not going far enough by issuing a blending mandate under an independent commission. Pushing for an ethanol mandate is one of his party’s key negotiating points. An assistance and […]
In Washington, Arizona Senator Jeff Flake has introduced bill S. 934, known as the Phantom Fuel Reform Act, to require EPA to set the cellulosic biofuel mandate under the RFS based on existing production and to remove biogas-based fuels from qualifying. The volume would be fixed based on the average produced at facilities between Jan. […]
In Belgium, the European Commission confirmed that on March 24, 2015, Commission officials carried out an unannounced inspection in Spain at the premises of a company active in the production, distribution and trading of ethanol, a biofuel. It follows inspections that the Commission and the EFTA Surveillance Authority undertook in May 2013 in the crude oil, […]
In Minnesota, the state’s trucking association has sued the state in U.S. District Court in Minnesota for the B10 blending policy, alleging truckers must ignore warranties that only guarantee up to B5 compatibility and that the price of fuel is more expensive due to the higher blend. Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, […]
