In the US, the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration will allow federally-registered lobbyists to be nominated for its renewable energy and energy efficiency advisory committee, which the group is reestablishing. Members will serve a two-year term to advise the secretary on the development and administration of programs and policies to expand the competitiveness of […]
In Chile, the US Navy and the Chilean Navy will extend their four-year collaboration for mutual research on advanced alternative fuels. The latest agreement enables both nations to boost energy security and deliver an increased certainty of energy supply and cost; the US Navy aims to have 50% of overall organizational use powered by alternative […]
In the US, the Federal Railroad Administration has awarded two grants totaling $350,000 to improve the safety of rail transport of hazardous materials by developing a Short Line Safety Institute. After recent concerns over chemical and oil spillage from trains transporting fuel products, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Patty Murray, D-Wash., introduced legislation in June to authorize […]
In Nebraska, the Keystone XL pipeline will be a key and divisive issue in the gubernatorial race between Republican Pete Ricketts and Democrat Chuck Hassebrook. Hassebrook, against the pipeline, believes that Nebraska should focus on alternative energy development, such as wind and biofuels, as a response to global warming. Ricketts, a supporter of the pipeline, […]
In Iowa, a survey of registered voters asserts that 77% of respondents support expanding the RFS to increase biodiesel in the fuel supply, and 69% said a Congressional candidate’s position on the RFS was “very” or “somewhat” important. The study shows Iowans have a positive opinion about biodiesel in general. Additionally, after a series of […]
In Washington, with the EPA expected to announce RFS blending mandates for 2014 in September at the earliest, the biodiesel industry is suffering from sinking prices as buyers wait on the sidelines until the mandate is announced. The preliminary rule announced in November saw the 2014 mandate mimic the 2013 mandate of 1.28 billion gallons […]
In Brazil, the ethanol industry is standing behind Marina Silva, former environmental minister under former president da Silva and the expected vice-presidential pick from the socialist party’s candidate who was killed Aug. 13 in a plane crash. He had supported better pricing for ethanol and bagasse-based electricity, policies Silva is expected to continue supporting.
In Washington, the DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office said that DOE intends to issue a funding opportunity announcement (FOA), “Targeted Algal Biofuels and Bioproducts.” DOE said: “BETO’s 2019 projected state of technology for the cost of algal biofuels is modeled at about $7 per gallon gasoline gallon equivalent, without valuable co-products such as animal feed or […]
In Washington, Malaysian officials recently agreed to permanently exempt imports of U.S. distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and corn gluten meal (CGM) from that nation’s new, more stringent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and inspection regulations for agricultural commodities. The decision makes permanent a temporary exemption, granted in May, for the period from July 31 […]
In North Carolina, North Carolina Petroleum and Convenience Marketers Association (NCPCM) is reporting the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina in New Bern has upheld the North Carolina law designed to expand ethanol blending opportunities for marketers. The North Carolina law was challenged by the American Petroleum Institute and the National […]
