By Matt Carr, Executive Director, Algae Biomass Organization They say that politics makes for strange bedfellows, but what about global petro-economics? As the global price for a barrel of oil creeps lower and lower, the US algae industry ironically finds itself in the same position as Big Oil: We’d both prefer crude oil prices to […]
In Washington, Tim Searchinger is yet again hitting out at biofuels, calling for policies supporting them to be phased out. His new report from the World Resources Institute says that biofuels would require all of the crops grown today to provide the biofuels needed for 2050. He says solar is a better energy source because […]
In Washington, the National Biodiesel Board has sharply criticized a decision by the EPA to allow streamlined Argentinian biodiesel imports to the U.S. under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “This decision poses a tremendous threat to U.S. industry and jobs, not to mention the overriding goal of the RFS of developing clean, homegrown renewable fuels,” […]
In Vietnam, the prime minister has promised to set E5 prices at slightly below 92 octane unleaded prices in order to boost demand. He also wants ministries to explore export taxes on both ethanol and cassava to ensure enough supply for E5 demand.
In India, the country’s transport minister is so serious about promoting biofuels and eliminating fossil fuels for vehicles that his ministry is exploring tax breaks for biofuel production as well as for vehicles that run on biofuels. The government is preparing to issue fuel standards for E85 and ED95. He has made an open call […]
In Iowa, Governor Terry Branstad and Growth Energy has formed America’s Renewable Future aimed to bring biofuels policy back into the spotlight on the 2016 campaign trail amidst low oil prices and numerous setbacks. The need to lobby in the biggest biofuels producing state in the country demonstrates a new landscape in the renewables industry, […]
In Brazil, the government is set to approve an increase to the ethanol blend during the first week of February above the current 27.5%. The exact level of the blend hasn’t been announced yet because tests on compatibility with the national fleet are still ongoing.
In Thailand, the government is slashing the B7 mandate to just 3.5% in order to reserve palm oil supplies. With stocks down to just 100,000 metric tons, the importation of 50,000 tons has been approved to ensure enough supplies for cooking oil. The smaller stocks is a result of the annual dry season period when […]
In Brazil, the government has announced it will raise one tax on gasoline and diesel on Feb. 1 and another tax 90 days later, a move which is expected to make both fuels more expensive at the pump and as a result drive demand for ethanol. The hope is that the move will encourage mills […]
In New York state, New York City Council is looking at legislation that would require city-owned vessels including Staten Island Ferry to use B5 and later work up to higher biodiesel blends, but the Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Protection are pushing back saying blending with biodiesel would cause a host of operational […]
