In Washington, the US Department of Agriculture has updated and improved its USDA Energy website. The portal, which launched in January, includes interactive map, graphing analysis tools, and the USDA Energy Matrix. These instruments enable review of USDA investments, USDA energy programs biofuels and bioenergy data. “Ideally it is a one-stop shop for stakeholders,”USDA Energy […]
In India, oil marketing companies are at last preparing to float a global tender to seek up to 1.1 billion liters of ethanol to comply with the country’s E5 blending mandate. As the companies don’t have the infrastructure to transport or store the ethanol, offers will have to include transport to one of the 350 […]
In the UK, Chatham House says in a new report that major grain-based and oilseed-based biofuel-producing countries could collectively purchase call options from their biofuel industries. This arrangement would act as a virtual global food reserve. These contracts could specify a trigger – based on a price index – which when activated would obligate the […]
In Switzerland, Argentina has formally complained to the WTO about Europe allegedly blocking imports of its biodiesel. The country’s foreign minister claims that the move by Spain to block imports is in retaliation for Argentina nationalizing the local arm of YPF Repsol last year, claiming that a double standard exists between developed and developing countries […]
In Iowa, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) recently sent letters to the Iowa Congressional delegation in an attempt to have the biodiesel tax incentive reinstated. The letter cautioned that the leaders should not falter after the biodiesel industry’s recent progress, arguing that the biodiesel industry has stalled since the expiration of the tax credit […]
In Qatar, The World Energy Council’s (WEC) global ranking of country energy sustainability performance was released, revealing that “most of the over 90 countries assessed are still far from achieving fully sustainable energy systems.” The 2012 Energy Sustainability Index, published within the WEC’s 2012 World Energy Trilemma report, “Time to get real – the case […]
In Switzerland, the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s Global Subsidies Initiative has prepared a policy brief, Cultivating Governance: Cautionary tales for biofuel policy reformers, which investigates the challenges of designing and implementing good biofuel policies. The policy brief pays particular attention to how policies can be effected by pressure from various interest groups. The paper stresses […]
In Texas, the state’s Farm Bureau is unclear about the direction it wants to take, with a plank for its state lobbying efforts approved that will seek to eliminate ethanol blending mandates while also ratifying its support of the national Farm Bureau’s policy to maintain the RFS mandate.
In Washington, the National Association of Fleet Managers is taking a stand on the renewal of advanced biofuel and biodiesel tax credits, encouraging its members to stand in favor of the credits because they are among of the early adopters of biofuel vehicles. In a letter to the members of NAFA Fleet Management Association, Executive […]
In Florida, AAA is reporting that a recent survey finds a strong likelihood of consumer confusion and the potential for voided warranties in the use of E15 gasoline. AAA reports, “An overwhelming 95 percent of consumers surveyed have not heard of E15, a newly approved gasoline blend that contains up to 15 percent ethanol. With […]
