In Minnesota, student-led Fossil Free Minnesota is pushing for higher alternative use, saying that token amounts of blended biofuel “isn’t going to cut it”. They’re cutting for a total transition away from fossil fuels. Though discussions in the Legislative Energy Commission that met last week centered around the possibilities for hydrogen and green electricity for […]
In Washington, comprehensive analysis of real-world land use data recently released by Iowa State University raises serious doubts and concerns about the reliability and accuracy of economic models used by regulatory agencies to penalize ethanol for purported “indirect land use changes,” or ILUC. The new report found that farmers around the world have responded to […]
In Washington, the new wave of Republican legislators heading to the national capital in 2015 aren’t likely to have a major impact on the Renewable Fuel Standard, though one in particular may try. The three main ethanol groups agree that the fuel is bipartisan, having more to do with regions than parties, as congressmen from […]
In Iowa, the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition has announced the 2015 chairman and vice chairman, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, respectively. “I look forward to working with Governor Nixon to advance the bipartisan work of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, as the production and use of biofuels increases family incomes in rural America, […]
In the Netherlands, a new study from Ecofys says that the European Commission is underestimating the GHG savings of biofuels by as much as 50%. The recently published Commission methodology proposal on the Fuel Quality Directive (98/70/EC) sets the 2010 baseline greenhouse gas intensity of fossil fuels at 94.1 gCO2eq/MJ. It still, however, proposes to compare […]
In Washington, Platts is reporting that traders expect the 2014 RFS to have a final biodiesel blending mandate of less than 1.5 billion gallons or even as low as 1.28 billion gallons. Biodiesel production reached 1.22 billion gallons as of September and the National Biodiesel Board has sought a mandate of 1.8 billion gallons. If […]
In Washington, Growth Energy submitted initial comments to the state of Washington on their draft report regarding the potential implementation of a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Growth Energy’s comments outline how an implementation of a LCFS could potentially displace clean burning, domestically-produced renewable fuels without significant environmental benefit. Upon submission of the comments, Chris […]
In Brazil, UNICA says that Petrobras boosting gasoline prices by 3% won’t have a significant impact on demand for ethanol as pump prices will only go up by about 1.5%. UNICA’s secretary general says that the modest move in prices shows that the government continues to care more about Petrobras than for the ethanol industry […]
In California, the Low Carbon Fuels Standard (LCFS) is being overhauled, and the California Air Resources Board (ARB) is requesting input during the rulemaking comment period by November 17th. Two of the issues most important to the low carbon fuels industry are the carbon intensity curve and cost containment issues including a potential ceiling and […]
In India, a Cabinet note is being circulated by the oil ministry proposing a 5% biodiesel blend that could help reduce the country’s fossil fuel import bill while also boosting the local biodiesel industry. The policy would only apply to bulk users such as government agencies and the railroad, however, until the quality of the […]
