In Brussels, the European ethanol association ePure is investigating possible dumping of US ethanol on the European market via cheap E90 exports. The blended ethanol is subject to 6.5% import duty rather than the significantly higher import duties against pure ethanol, equaling a roughly $210 savings per cubic meter. More on the story. Meanwhile, In […]
In Washington, more than a half dozen Senators are standing up against the recent approval by the Environmental Protection Agency to boost ethanol blend levels to 15%, saying that higher blends can damage cars—especially in boats, power tools and planes—and more research needs to be done. More on the story.
In Florida, a U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle successfully completed a biofuels trial at Eglin Air Force Base using Hydrotreated Renewable Jet (HRJ) blended with traditional JP-8 jet fuel. Ground testing also included a blend of JP-8 jet fuel, HRJ, and a synthetic fuel made from coal. This is Pratt & Whitney’s second military engine […]
In Thailand, the Government agreed to raise biodiesel subsidies from .35 to .85 baht per liter for B3 biodiesel and to 1.50 baht for B5. The structure of the subsidy gives .20 baht to the pump price and .30 baht to the service stations. Without the subsidy, the going rates for B3 diesel would have […]
In Washington, the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association just filed suit against the Environmental Protection Agency over the decision to allow the sale of gasoline containing higher blends of corn-based ethanol, the second major group to protest the ruling. In October, the Obama administration approved gas stations to start selling the ethanol blend for vehicles […]
In Indiana, Purdue University released a policy study suggesting that the U.S. does not have the necessary infrastructure to meet the federal mandate for renewable fuel use with ethanol, but could meet the standard with significant increases in cellulosic and next-generation biofuels. Researchers at Purdue used U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency data […]
In Paraguay, industrial and policy leaders are gathering this week to solve the problem faced by biodiesel producers: low biodiesel prices. The national petroleum company is offering producers prices far below production costs, so policy suggestions include increasing the blend to 5% from the current 1%, as well as exporting animal fats to Brazil for […]
In Florida, American Biofuels Now has been organized as a coalition of producers, military, energy activists, political leaders and energy users “who think that the time for American Biofuels isn’t “someday”, it’s now.” Supporters of the coalition, which plans to educate consumers, public officials and media, among other constituencies, on the benefits of biofuels, include […]
In Washington, Digest sources continue to point toward a release of USDA loan guarantees this week – Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack is pressing his team to finalize conditional offers prior to the new Congress convening on Capitol Hill. USDA loan guarantee funds were previously zeroed out in an omnibus spending bill which died right […]
In South Korea, Reuters reports that the Government announced on 12/29 that the current voluntary blending of B2 biodiesel would become mandatory as of 2012. A statement released by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy noted, “We are introducing a required bio-diesel mix rate system from 2012, as tax benefits on bio-diesel will expire by the […]
