In Wisconsin, a study claims ethanol blending saved consumers $1.09 a gallon last year. The research, performed jointly by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Iowa State University was backed by the Renewable Fuels Association. “According to study data, regular grade gasoline prices average $3.52 per gallon in 2011, but would have been close to $4.60 […]
In Wisconsin, United Cooperative was selected to receive nearly $500,000 from a Rural Energy for America grant to install 36 ethanol flex-fuel blender pumps in Wisconsin. The renovations will be completed by the end of 2012 in Iron Ridge, Pickett, Poynette, Reedsburg, and Wyocena. More on the story.
In Canada, W2 Energy has completed its purchase of Agri-Green Biodiesel. After signing a Letter of Intent in May 2010 to purchase a 60% interest, the purchase has expanded to 100% in exchange for the assumption of Agri-Green’s corporate debt. Mike McLaren, President and CEO of W2 Energy, said of the purchase, “We consider this […]
In Canada, Beijing’s ambassador to Ottawa indicated that China can buy its oil elsewhere at a speech in Calgary. Beijing’s ambassador to Canada insisted in his “crude” remarks that China’s just as eager to learn the oil business as it is to import Canada’s oil. Investment by state-owned Chinese companies in Canadian oil-sands and shale […]
In New Jersey, a student is creating a biobutanol out of bamboo at Princeton University. While the process is far from being commercially viable, Amanda Rees was able to treat bamboo sawdust acid with enzymes to produce a small amount of fuel. Rees has hopes for the project, as bamboo’s resilience and status as inedible […]
In Washington, Gary Haer, chairman of the National Biodiesel Board, testified at a House Agriculture hearing in favor of biofuels’ benefits for rural economies. The testimony, which urged the committee to include key programs like the Biodiesel Fuel Education Program and the Bioenergy Program for Advance Biofuels in the 2012 Farm Bill, estimated that biofuels […]
In Illinois, researchers at NCERC have announced a successful production of ethanol from the cellulosic portion of the corn kernel. “Any of the 211 existing ethanol plants in the United States could be retrofitted with existing bolt-on technologies to produce cellulosic ethanol from corn without the need to build new facilities,” said NCERC Director John […]
In Hungary, a 240 MMly corn-to-ethanol plant called Pannonia Ethanol was recently constructed by Ethanol Europe Renewables, a joint venture of the Fagen and Turley families. The development company has already announced its intention to build a second ethanol plant in Mohacs, Hungary, about an hour away from the first plant. “Hopefully, by the end […]
In Brazil, the process for biodiesel sales has been revamped after regulators found evidence of collusion to keep prices high amongst competitors. Under the previous system, contracts to supply biodiesel were signed with Petrobras, the state-controlled oil giant, and didn’t differentiate producers on the basis of the quality of their products. The new model may […]
In New York, China, India, and Brazil crop protection chemicals market revenue is expected to grow at a rate of 7.2% from 2011 to 2016, with Brazil growing to be the second largest market after China by 2016, according to a new report published by Transparency Market Research. In Brazil, the major consumers of crop […]
