In Sri Lanka, economic analyst Bandula Sirimanna believes the sugar industry is in crisis. He blames a lack of coherent government policy towards growers and consumers of sugarcane for the rapid decline of the sugar industry. He asserts that government regulation of management in the private sector management must be expanded, but not ad hoc […]
In Washington, Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman announced a new pilot initiative to reduce hurdles that prevent innovative companies from working with the DOE’s national laboratories. The new Agreements for Commercializing Technology will help businesses bring job-creating technologies to the market faster by allowing them to work with the DOE’s national laboratories from start […]
In Washington, the Renewable Fuels Association has sent a letter to the Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works refuting claims made by anti-biofuel organizations including ActionAid that they say misrepresent recent studies on US biofuel policy. The RFA claims that the organizations may not have even read the reports from the National Academies of […]
In Washington, UNICA says it is disappointed about the introduction of H.R. 3552, legislation sponsored by four members of the U.S. House of Representatives to extend the import tax on foreign ethanol. “These trade barriers prevent U.S. consumers from abundant and potentially more economical choices from friendly nations like Brazil…The elimination of the import tariff […]
In Washington, UNICA says it is disappointed about the introduction of H.R. 3552, legislation sponsored by four members of the U.S. House of Representatives to extend the import tax on foreign ethanol. “These trade barriers prevent U.S. consumers from abundant and potentially more economical choices from friendly nations like Brazil…The elimination of the import tariff […]
In Zambia, the government is setting up biofuel depots throughout the country to store local biofuel feedstock. Next year the government will purchase seed crushers to allow local farmers to press their own oil for biofuel production which will then be blended at Indeni Petroleum Refinery. The government will buy all the national biofuel production […]
In Massachusetts, the Boston Globe released a scathing editorial regarding American energy policy. Discussing the case of Solyndra, the article suggested that the failure indicated that Congress has fallen short in its support for renewables. The article then argued that public investment into private companies is necessary for the industry to take off; Congress needs […]
In Iowa, presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann is pushing for a subsidy to offset the cost of converting traditional gasoline cars to flex-fuel cars in order to boost E85 consumption, rather than subsidies like the blenders credit. She says the cost is only about $80 per car but that’s likely just the equipment required for the […]
In Washington, the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced a new pilot program of insurance for camelina beginning with the 2012 crop year.The new pilot program will be available in selected counties in Montana and North Dakota for the 2012 crop year, with a sales closing date of February 1, 2012. The camelina plan […]
In Belgium, the Globalization Institute warns that the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive’s discrimination towards feedstocks from outside the EU—such as sugarcane and palm oil—and the lack of transparency in criteria for different raw materials will lead to a WTO conflict between EU and countries such as Brazil, the United States, or Asian nations.
