Biofuels
Biodiesel producers have written to President Obama requesting a higher biofuel blending mandate under the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard to enable sustained industry growth. On May 29, 2014, 117 biodiesel companies and businesses represented by the National Biofuel Board (NBB) wrote to President Obama petitioning for a higher biofuel blending mandate under the 2014 Renewable…...
Despite the recent surge in domestic crude oil and natural gas production, diesel-fueled passenger vehicles and natural gas-fueled fleet vehicles still face challenges in achieving large-scale adoption. Overview Diesel-fueled vehicles provide an option for manufacturers to meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions standards and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration average fuel-efficiency standards of 54.5 miles…...
U.S. biomass-based diesel imports witnessed a 10-fold growth between 2012 and 2013, reflecting increased demand to meet renewable fuel blending mandates. On May 2, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that U.S. biomass-based diesel imports increased to record levels from 61 million gallons (MG) in 2012 to 525 MG in 2013,…...
EPA has significantly reduced the volumetric requirement for cellulosic biofuels under 2013 RFS to reflect actual production data. On April 22, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the cellulosic biofuel mandate under the 2013 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirements issued in August 2013. EPA significantly reduced the 2013 cellulosic biofuel volumetric requirement from six…...
On February 5, 2014, The New York Green Bank (NYGB) issued its first solicitation for project funding. With project funding commencing, NYGB aims to create a sustainable stream of private capital to replace intermittent grants and subsidies from state and federal sources, and be the first U.S. Green Bank to target $1 billion in capitalization…....
The Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act would create small-denomination treasury bonds to fund clean energy incentives. On April 8, 2014, Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced the Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act of 2014, aimed to create treasury savings bonds – modeled after the victory bonds sold during World War II –…...
DOE has released a five-year Strategic Plan outlining priorities to address the nation’s energy, security, economic, and environmental challenges. On April 7, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) released its Strategic Plan for 2014-2018 to advance its mission of enhancing U.S. security and economic growth through transformative science, technology, and market solutions to address energy,…...
In 2013, net U.S. energy imports declined to its lowest level since 1985, driven by growth in oil and natural gas production. On April 2, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that the U.S. imported a net 12.74 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of energy in 2013, the lowest level since…...
Biofuel production from biomass energy sources contributed to significant growth in U.S. biomass energy consumption over the past decade. On March 18, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing 60 percent growth in U.S. biomass energy consumption from 2002-2013, driven by increased production of biofuels from biomass sources. According to EIA, biomass…...
To date, the 2009 Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has invested $900M for innovative projects leveraging $625M in private funding. On February 25, 2014, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) announced that it has advanced 22 innovative projects over the past five years, leveraging approximately $625M private funding following its…...
On February 7th, 2014, president Obama signed the latest American farm bill, the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2014. Title IX of the new farm bill, the Energy Title, will authorize a total of $879M in mandatory spending on energy programs through 2023, according to the congressional budget office (CBO). Programs receiving funding…...
President Obama has directed EPA and DOT to develop fuel efficiency and emissions standards for medium- and heavy duty vehicles beyond model year 2018. On February 18, 2014, President Barack Obama directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop the next phase of…...