Policy News

Barrack Obama has announced a $3.99 trillion (€3.5 trillion) budget to tackle climate change issues, with a specific focus on preventing global warming. In its 2016 budget, the US government also wants to give $1.29 billion to advance its Global Climate Change Initiative, which includes $500 million for US contributions to the UN's Green Climate Fund, which is the first installment of the $3…
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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved fuels made from Algenol’s process as an advanced biofuel, meeting the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). Fuels produced from the industrial biotechnology company are now eligible for a Renewable Identification Number (RIN) under the D-5 classification. The EPA’s approval of…
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) declared that five airlines have recently successfully completed stages of the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) programme. IEnvA is a voluntary, two-stage evaluation process designed to drive airline environmental performance improvements by independent assessment. Both Finnair and South African Airways have completed the IEnvA Stage 2…
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On 17 December 2014, the European Parliament voted in support of a motion for resolution to reject the European Commission’s proposal to implement Article 7a of the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) but the vote did not gain the support of the required qualified majority needed to block the proposal. 337 MEPs voted to reject the Commission’s proposal, 325 MEPs supported it, 48 MEPs…
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Scientists are now successfully applying technologies utilised by farmers and ethanol facilities to maximise the quality and accuracy of carbon modelling for biofuels. A newly-released white paper, entitled 'Re-thinking the Carbon Reduction Value of Carbon Ethanol Fuel, written by Ron Alverson, president of the American Coalition for Ethanol board of directors, explains that this has resulted in…
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A recent study by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IFEU) in Heidelberg, Germany, found that biodiesel made from animal fat reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 85% compared to fossil fuels. The EU institutions have recognised that biodiesel made from animal fat is highly sustainable and offers significant potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Accordingly, the…
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From now, biofuel obligations in Germany will be based on a greenhouse gas (GHG) saving rather than a volume basis. EU-approved Voluntary Sustainability Schemes, such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), will play a key role in the new system. The German government presented important details about the new requirements in December. A biofuel blender in Germany can meet their…
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To achieve the renewable energy target of 72,000 MW by 2022, India must invest approximately $46.22 billion (€39 billion) into the industry, reports Research and Markets. India will also have to make investments to upgrade the transmission and distribution infrastructure, as well as old renewable plants. In total, India will have to invest $83.35 billion in the renewable energy market till…
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A new report by Allied Market Research, a market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics, called 'Global Second Generation Biofuels - Size, Industry Analysis, Trends, Opportunities, Growth and Forecast, 2013 – 2020', states that the global second generation biofuels market will reach $23.9 billion (€20 billion) by 2020, registering a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)…
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Predictions suggest that by 2017, up to 180 companies are expected to produce 1.7 billion gallons of advanced biofuel, doubling current capacity, according to a new market report released by the national nonpartisan business group Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). North America's advanced biofuel industry reached over 800 million gallons in production capacity in 2014, up from the previous year…
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USDA is making $5.6 million in grants to 220 producers across the US to support the production of advanced biofuels. The Department of Agriculture will also award over $4 million in additional grants in a bid to advance the bioeconomy and reduce the nation's reliance on foreign oil. 'Producing advanced biofuel is a major component of the drive to take control of America's energy future by…
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Leaders of Sustainable Biofuels (LSB), an industry coalition to promote advanced biofuels, met on 4 December at the European Parliament with Members of the European Parliament, Commission representatives, and stakeholders in Brussels. LSB, which is chaired by UPM's Marko Janhunen, is pushing for a strong EU-wide sub-target for advanced biofuels in the context of ILUC directive. Marie Donnelly,…
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The American Soybean Association (ASA) emphasises the industry's support for the establishment of a tax extenders package. It is calling for its members to contact their senators and representatives to extend the $1 (€0.80) per gallon biodiesel tax credit, bring back the  maximum $500,000 expensing, which was available in 2013, and restore the expired 50% bonus depreciation for…
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