Category: Policy

Sweetwater Energy lands $2.5M grant from NYSERDA for industrial sugars project

Sweetwater Energy lands $2.5M grant from NYSERDA for industrial sugars project

December 23, 2013 |

In New York, Sweetwater has received a $2.5 million funding grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to build five facilities in New York. The first facility is to supply sugar to Naturally Scientific US (NSUS), which has signed a $250 million, 15-year contract for Sweetwater’s sugars. The second facility […]

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54 Representatives ask EPA and White House to boost biodiesel blend

54 Representatives ask EPA and White House to boost biodiesel blend

December 19, 2013 |

In Washington, Platts is reporting that 54 members of the House of Representatives from 24 states have sent a letter to the EPA administrator and the White House asking for biodiesel blending to be increased in 2014 rather than hold steady at 1.28 billion gallons. Industry says that it can produce 1.7 billion gallons of […]

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Grassley expects biodiesel credit to be renewed after current one expires

Grassley expects biodiesel credit to be renewed after current one expires

December 18, 2013 |

In Washington, Iowa senator Chuck Grassley said he expected the biodiesel tax credit to be extended next year but expected the current credit to expire beforehand. The National Biodiesel Board warned that allowing the credits to expire would introduce additional risk into the market but Grassley said the Senate’s finance committee chairman already had tax […]

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Calif. Rep introduces bills to support advanced biofuels

Calif. Rep introduces bills to support advanced biofuels

December 17, 2013 |

In Washington, Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) has introduced H.R. 3758, the “Second Generation Biofuels Extension Act of 2013.” This legislation would extend the Second Generation Biofuel Producer Credit and the Special Allowance for Second Generation Biofuel Plant Property. He also introduced H.R. 3757, “Igniting American Research Act,” that would extend and increase the tax credit […]

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USDA sells remaining sugar for ethanol to two producers

USDA sells remaining sugar for ethanol to two producers

December 16, 2013 |

In Washington, The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announced the results of the Dec. 3 invitation to sell the remainder of its recently acquired sugar inventory for non-food uses. CCC successfully sold its entire remaining inventory, 79,750 short tons, for $8.2 million. Quality Feeds Ltd. bought 90 million pounds of cane sugar […]

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Two groups of Senators working on bills to dump corn-based ethanol

Two groups of Senators working on bills to dump corn-based ethanol

December 11, 2013 |

In Washington, Senators Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md. and David Vitter, R-La. are working on legislation that would reduce the amount of corn ethanol required under the RFS while boosting the amount of advanced biofuels. On the other hand, Senators Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Tom Coburn, R-Okla. are working on legislation that would eliminate the quota […]

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US biofuels association write to Congress to extend expiring tax credits

US biofuels association write to Congress to extend expiring tax credits

December 10, 2013 |

In Washington, More than 60 advanced biofuel companies and four leading trade organizations on Monday wrote to leaders of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees, encouraging Congress to extend critical tax provisions set to expire at the end of this month. The Advanced Ethanol Council, Advanced Biofuel Association, Algae Biomass Organization and Biotechnology […]

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UK seeks to lower EU renewables target by double counting biofuels

UK seeks to lower EU renewables target by double counting biofuels

December 9, 2013 |

In the UK, the government has proposed “double counting” biofuels as part of the renewable energy targets for 2020 that require 20% green energy. Up until now, the targets had been separate with 10% for transport and 20% for power, but the UK’s proposal would lower the 20% power target to 19.5%. The move in […]

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RFS supporters, dissenters alike converge at EPA hearing

RFS supporters, dissenters alike converge at EPA hearing

December 9, 2013 |

In Washington, an EPA hearing last Thursday had supporters of the RFS arriving in force. The only EPA hearing scheduled on the RFS numbers, held in front of the EPA’s five-member panel, had testimony from policy organizations and private companies alike. Growth Energy’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, Chris Bliley summed up the policy position: “The […]

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Ethanol plants seen shuttered if RFS cuts come through for 2014

Ethanol plants seen shuttered if RFS cuts come through for 2014

December 5, 2013 |

In Illinois, as many as 20 ethanol plants are expected to be shuttered as a result of the cutbacks in ethanol blending for the RFS in 2014. Citigroup expects gasoline demand to be 13% less next year than estimated in 2007 when blending mandates were set, just 133 billion gallons compared to the 154 billion […]

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