Category: Policy

Year-round E15 bill may get Senate committee vote on Wednesday

Year-round E15 bill may get Senate committee vote on Wednesday

July 20, 2017 |

In Washington, a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee vote on the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act that seeks to allow sales of E15 year-round could be held as soon as Wednesday. The fight over the bill has brought together pro-ethanol states and industries on one side against those who say the law would […]

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EU to cut anti-dumping duties on Argentine and Indonesia biodiesel by almost half

EU to cut anti-dumping duties on Argentine and Indonesia biodiesel by almost half

July 19, 2017 |

In Belgium, following rulings by the World Trade Organization, the European Commission will lower anti-dumping tariffs against Argentine biodiesel imports by up to 10.6% and up to 6.9% for imports from Indonesia, roughly half of the levels that had been in place in 2013. Argentine companies who cooperated with the EU’s investigation could see their […]

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India getting closer to bamboo ethanol policy

India getting closer to bamboo ethanol policy

July 18, 2017 |

In India, the petroleum minister has so far signed 15 supply contracts for bamboo-based ethanol as part of the government’s push towards diversification of biofuel feedstocks. The transport minister said he has so far held three meetings with the Prime Ministers office on a proposed bamboo-based ethanol policy and believes it should be ready soon. […]

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Malaysia and Indonesia ready to fight EU at WTO over palm oil ban

Malaysia and Indonesia ready to fight EU at WTO over palm oil ban

July 17, 2017 |

In Malaysia, during a meeting between the trade ministers for Malaysia and Indonesia, the countries expressed deep disappointment in the allegedly unfair treatment by the EU on palm oil in favor of other vegetable oils and commodities which they say also contribute significantly to deforestation. This EU resolution as well as the unfair labeling practices […]

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Trump Nominates Soybean CEO Censky as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture

Trump Nominates Soybean CEO Censky as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture

July 15, 2017 |

In Washington, DC, President Trump nominated American Soybean Association CEO Steve Censky to serve as deputy secretary of agriculture to manage day-to-day operations at the USDA. Censky has been CEO of the American Soybean Association for 21 years, making this a big change for him. He grew up on a soybean, corn, and diversified livestock […]

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MEP blasts REDII proposal for attempting to phase out conventional biofuels

MEP blasts REDII proposal for attempting to phase out conventional biofuels

July 13, 2017 |

In France, a lead negotiator on behalf of the European Parliament told members in Strasbourg that the European Commission’s proposals to further phase-out crop-based biofuels as part of the second Renewable Energy Directive “limits the options to decarbonize transport” and “would probably increase the share of fossil fuels.” Instead he suggested that biofuels that met […]

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German oilseed producers say global oversupplies leave plenty for 7% in EU

German oilseed producers say global oversupplies leave plenty for 7% in EU

July 12, 2017 |

In Germany, despite the raw material demand for the production of biofuels, the global raw material supply situation to the international markets is characterized by a structural oversupply. This was the conclusion of the “Supply report 2016/2017” published by the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen: […]

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Indian biodiesel industry calling for UCO policy to support collection

Indian biodiesel industry calling for UCO policy to support collection

July 11, 2017 |

In India, the national biodiesel association hosted a car rally to promote the collection of used cooking oil for producing biodiesel. Although the regulation permitting the blending of biodiesel into fossil diesel was at last published the end of June, there is no policy regulating UCO. With more than 22 million metric tons of cooking […]

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France looking to ban palm oil for biodiesel

France looking to ban palm oil for biodiesel

July 10, 2017 |

In France, the environment minister is looking to ban the use of palm oil for biodiesel in a move welcomed by Europe’s largest biodiesel producer, Avril that uses primarily rapeseed to produce biodiesel and animal feed. The minister said he is looking to end policy incoherence regarding issues related to climate change policy, such as […]

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EPA Releases Proposed Biofuel Volume Standards for 2018

EPA Releases Proposed Biofuel Volume Standards for 2018

July 8, 2017 |

In Washington, DC, the EPA released its first Renewable Fuel Standard proposal under the Trump Administration with numbers up for ethanol with a 15 billion gallon cap for 2018, but biodiesel staying the same at 2.1 billion gallons for 2019. Total advanced biofuels amount was slightly lowered for 2018 at 4.24 billion gallons (down from […]

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