Any way you look at it, this hasn’t been a good year for biofuel feedstocks. In the US rising crop costs have squeezed both farmers’ and producers’ margins, while in Brazil high sugar prices have made ethanol uncompetitive with subsidized gasoline, Europe is awash in biodiesel amid shrinking production and low demand, and in the […]
In South Africa, the Department of Energy is expected to publish its final regulations on biofuel blending next month. Both ethanol and biodiesel blends will be set with rules on who gets paid what, from cane farmer to retailer including a financing mechanism that is meant to support the development of the industry. More on […]
Business Confidence with the RFS Under Attack In Florida, Biofuels Digest and BIO have launched the latest Bioenergy Business Outlook Survey. What is your level of confidence in the industry, now that petroleum refiners have launched a multi-million dollar pr campaign against the biofuel industry? Has your confidence been shaken? Do you see opportunity beckoning […]
In Washington, Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced a bill that would see Master Limited Partnerships expanded to allow MLPs to own and finance renewable energy and biofuel projects, a move which some say could substantially reduce the cost of financing renewables that currently rely on the participation of the tax equity market. More on the […]
In Washington state, Governor Christine Gregoire claims that U.S. Congressional demands to block the federal government from buying biofuels for Department of Defense use threaten efforts by U.S. industry to build a leadership position in a key alternative fuel source for civil air transport. Governor Gregoire has criticized restrictions recommended by the House and Senate […]
In Washington, a Coast Guard ship completed its first biofuel-powered voyage last week on a 50/50 diesel and algae oil blend. The Coast Guard has been partnering with the Navy as it prepares for its Great Green Fleet demo in the Rim of the Pacific beginning on June 29. The Navy, who provided the fuel […]
In Washington, a bipartisan coalition of Senators rejected a series of amendments designed to reduce or eliminate the Farm Bill energy title, and passed the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said, “I am grateful for the Senate’s progress toward providing a reformed safety net for producers in times of […]
In Washington, Mike Breen, Vice President of the Truman National Security Project, testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations at their hearing entitled, “The Federal Green Jobs Agenda.” In his written testimony, Breen addressed the dangers of man-made climate change and the policy measures needed to secure America and strengthen […]
In Brazil, “end fossil fuel subsidies” has emerged as a theme at the Rio+20 Summit is underway, where a flash mob of protesters, organized by Earth Day, 350.org and youth groups attending the summit protested $1 trillion per year in subsidies that they said posed a significant barrier to the adioption of clean energy. Also […]
In Washington, the EPA is being sued jointly by the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) and the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) over cellulosic blending requirements in the RFS. The lawsuit, filed through the D.C. Circuit Court, comes after the EPA denied a petition filed by the two organizations and the American Petroleum Institute […]
