Category: Policy

73 House Members say “no more VEETC” ethanol tax credit

73 House Members say “no more VEETC” ethanol tax credit

December 14, 2011 |

In Washington, 73 House members from both parties have sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) asking them to “allow ethanol subsidies set to expire to do just that and to resist calls to expand or create new ethanol subsidies in the eleventh hour.” “Congress anticipated the […]

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Squeal! Pig farmers call for hearing on impact of RFS

Squeal! Pig farmers call for hearing on impact of RFS

December 13, 2011 |

In Washington, D.C., a coalition of U.S. livestock and poultry industry associations is requesting a hearing to discuss the Renewable Fuel Standard’s impact on the economy. The groups cited ongoing pressure on domestic feed grain supplies and a discovery of $9 million of fraudulent renewable identification numbers as justifications for a hearing in a letter […]

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Sugar industry in policy crisis, says Sri Lankan analyst

Sugar industry in policy crisis, says Sri Lankan analyst

December 12, 2011 |

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 […]

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DOE to streamline collaboration between national labs, ventures

DOE to streamline collaboration between national labs, ventures

December 9, 2011 |

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 […]

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RFA says ActionAid, others, misrepresent NAS biofuels report

RFA says ActionAid, others, misrepresent NAS biofuels report

December 8, 2011 |

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 […]

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UNICA "disappointed" by US ethanol tariff extension bid

UNICA "disappointed" by US ethanol tariff extension bid

December 7, 2011 |

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 […]

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UNICA “disappointed” by US ethanol tariff extension bid

UNICA “disappointed” by US ethanol tariff extension bid

December 7, 2011 |

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 […]

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Zambia to establish biofuels depots

Zambia to establish biofuels depots

December 6, 2011 |

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 […]

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Boston Globe says Congress has fallen short on renewable energy

Boston Globe says Congress has fallen short on renewable energy

December 5, 2011 |

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 […]

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Michelle Bachman says; subsidize flex-fuel conversion, not E85 fuels

Michelle Bachman says; subsidize flex-fuel conversion, not E85 fuels

December 2, 2011 |

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 […]

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