In Florida, a controversial Florida state bill supporting renewable fuels development went into law without Governor Rick Scott’s signature. Scott resisted pressure from conservatives to veto HB 7117 after heavy lobbying from Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who said that the state needs the bill to stimulate the development of bio-based industry in the state. The […]
In Washington, the USDA released its eighth round of new BioPreferred categories and their minimum biobased content. This regulatory action added more than 1,500 biobased products to the 8,900 biobased products already eligible for preferred Federal procurement. The new categories are Blast Media with 94% minimum biobased content, Floor Covererings (non-carpet) at 91%, Wood and […]
In Zimbabwe, the government says that it has no immediate plans to introduce ethanol blending policies, so Green Fuel should export its product in order to get the maximum benefit. The energy minister says enacting a blending policy would be akin to creating policy to support an individual. He said that merely by giving the […]
In Bulgaria, the government is considering dropping its biodiesel-blending requirement in an effort to reduce diesel prices. But eliminating biodiesel, fuel could be 3.3 cents cheaper per liter. The government already temporarily halted biodiesel last year in an attempt to reduce prices, but for this year it is also looking at other options including reducing […]
In Virginia, Representative Randy Forbes, R-Va, has raised concerns regarding Navy Secretary Ray Mabus’ goals regarding alternative energy usage in the navy. Concerns revolved around the cost of biofuel, which was around $26 a gallon in December when the Navy purchased 450,000 gallons of an algae and cooking oil blend. Forbes was met by dissent […]
In Washington, Senators John Hoeven, Roy Blunt, Amy Klobuchar, and Mike Crapo introduced bipartisan legislation, the Domestic Fuels Act of 2012. Among numerous provisions, the act looks to streamline the process so that all fuels, both traditional and renewable, can be stored and dispensed with common equipment. The bill requires the EPA to develop streamlined […]
In New Zealand, the Sustainable Biofuel Bill, which would have legislated conditions for the sustainable production and sale of biofuels, was defeated at its second reading in Parliament. The bill was voted down 69-51, with National, New Zealand First, Act and United Future parties opposing it. Opponents concluded that the legislation was “unnecessary and impractical” […]
In Washington, U.S. Department of Agriculture – along with the Department of Energy, and the Department of Navy – will co-host an Advanced Biofuels Industry Roundtable in Washington D.C. on May 18, 2012 as the next step in the partnership with the private sector to produce advanced biofuels to power military and commercial transportation. Agriculture […]
In India, sugar mills are diverting ethanol to ENA and industrial ethanol applications away from the fuel market because the government has yet to officially boost the price to 34 rupees from the current 27 rupees despite having already agreed to do so. About 2.4 billion liters of ENA can be produced from this year’s […]
In Vermont, Senator Bernie Sanders voiced his support for a sustainable energy policy that would reduce the likelihood of further wars for oil. He also voiced his support for the actions of the Air Force and Navy in embracing biofuel: “It’s a huge breakthrough. Commercial airlines are looking into this, too — so the implications […]
