Environmental Groups Sue EU over Release of Biofuel Studies

Four environmental activists in Europe Monday filed a lawsuit against the European Commission (EC) for refusing to release documents concerning the impact of indirect land-use changes (ILUC) on the green credentials of biofuel production.

NYT: Deal to Save Everglades May Help Sugar Firm

The New York Times reports that an expensive plan for the state of Florida to purchase many thousands of acres vital to the potential restoration of the Everglades from a major landowner, United States Sugar Corp., overvalued the land by up to $400 million, according to independent reviews of the deal.

Rep. Pete Stark Doesn’t Like Corn Ethanol Subsidies

With the news that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has picked Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA) to replace ousted Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) on the Ways and Means Committee, we thought it would be useful to look at Stark’s record on ethanol.

U.S. Produced 10.7 Billion Gallons of Corn Ethanol in 2009

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) says U.S. corn ethanol production exceeded 10.75 billion gallons in 2009, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Syngenta Keen on Sugarcane Biotech Research in Brazil

European biotech giant Syngenta has set up partnership with Brazil’s Instituto Agronomico (IAC) to increase development of sugarcane varieties, particularly for the production of ethanol.

Brazil’s ETH and Brenco to Merge

Brazilian companies ETH and Brenco announced a merger that would create what they hope will be one of the world’s biggest ethanol producers with 800 million gallons capacity.

REUTERS: New U.S. EPA rules on Corn Ethanol may Hurt Environment

According to Reuters’ Ayesha Rascoe, the recently published Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may well lead to more corn ethanol hurting water, air quality, as larger corn crops lead to more fertilizer run off. Reuters says, “U.S. corn growers expressed relief when the Obama administration unveiled new environmental rules that would boost use of corn-based biofuel, but green groups complained the guidelines may fill the air with nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas viewed as more potent than carbon.

CARB names Indirect Land Use Expert Group

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has just released the list of experts that will be advising CARB on the “refining and improving the land use and indirect effect analysis” in the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). According to CARB’s website the workgroup will start meeting next week (February 26) in Sacramento.

Two U.S. Retailers Reject Canadian Oil Sands-derived Fuel

According to the Canada’s Hamilton Spectator, “Two Fortune 500 retailers have announced they won’t buy fuel derived from Alberta’s oilsands as part of their efforts to fight climate change. Organic food store Whole Foods and home furnishings chain Bed, Bath and Beyond, both U.S.-based, are believed to be the first major private-sector companies to tell their fuel suppliers they don’t want gasoline or diesel refined from crude oil coming from the oilsands.”

EPA Confims Sugarcane Ethanol is a Low Carbon, Advanced Renewable Fuel

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson has signed new rules on measuring carbon emissions from biofuels such as sugarcane ethanol. The revised Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) requires that all biofuels but existing corn ethanol facilities must emit less greenhouse gases than gasoline over the lifecycle of the fuel, from production to the vehicle’s tailpipe. Advanced biofuels, like sugarcane ethanol, would have to be at least 40% cleaner than gasoline. According to EPA, sugarcane ethanol far surpassed the minimum threshold with 61% less GHG emisisons than gasoline.

Could Sugarcane Ethanol be headed to Sunoco’s Plants?

Sunoco announced it is selling its polypropylene plants in Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia to Brazil’s Braskem for $350 million. As readers of this blog know, Braskem has been investing heavily in the sugarcane sector to use ethanol not as a fuel for cars but as a feedstock for its plastics business. While Braskem has not said anything about how it may change the way it uses its new assets in the U.S., one has to wonder if what works in Brazil works for the U.S.?

Soros-Backed Venture Weighs IPO to Fund Brazil Ethanol Mil

Billionaire George Soros’s Adecoagro venture, which invests in agriculture and renewable energy in Latin America, is considering an initial public offering to help fund projects in Brazil that include a $700 million sugar mill.

Brazil’s Cosan, Shell in $12 billion Ethanol Distribution Deal

Brazil’s Cosan, the world’s largest ethanol and sugar processor, agreed on Monday to merge its ethanol and fuel distribution business with Royal Dutch Shell in a deal worth as much as $12 billion. The transaction expands Shell’s biofuels operations in Brazil, continuing a trend from 2008 when BP took a stake in a big Brazilian biofuels project and announced $1 billion in investments.

BP Biofuels’ Sustainability Data Criticized in UK; Chevron and Others Miss Altogether

Renewable Fuels Agency says BP did not give enough information about the biofuels that it mixes with gasoline

Europe Buying Up U.S. Corn Ethanol

According to a report in Platts, various European ethanol traders are buying up U.S.-made corn ethanol for import into the European markets. Ironically, Platts notes that Europe may be buying up corn ethanol since “there are still no restrictions regarding the percentage of greenhouse gas savings the product needs to achieve.” Platts quotes a source saying, “Before the RED [Renewable Energies Directive] comes into place, there is no reason why we could not buy US corn-based ethanol.” The European directive requires that any biofuel used in the European Union needs to save 35% greenhouse gases but, as Platts notes, “US corn-based ethanol ranks below such a target.”

UK’s Greenergy forms Brazilian Sugarcane Ethanol JV

According to Reuters, UK biofuels supplier Greenergy International said on Monday it has formed a joint venture with French sugar and ethanol group Bauche to source and sell sustainable Brazilian ethanol in the European market. Greenergy, the leading importer of Brazilian bioethanol into Britain, will have a 70 percent stake in Sao Paulo-based Greenergy Brasil and Bauche the remaining 30 percent.

New Study Questions Algae Biofuel Carbon Savings

With many companies investing heavily in algae-based biofuels, researchers from the University of Virginia’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering have found there are significant environmental hurdles to overcome before fuel production ramps up. They propose using wastewater as a solution to some of these challenges.

Brazil Sugarcane Industry Calls for Scrapping Ethanol Import Tariffs

News surface today that the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) has been working behind the scenes in Brasilia, the country’s capital, to scrap the 20% import tariff Brazil imposes on ethanol.

New Report Focuses on Food Chain Emissions, not just Biofuels

A new report on the food chain emissions says the food British eat accounts for 30% of the UK’s carbon footprint. The report How Low Can We Go? Was published today by World Wildlife Fund (WWF-UK) and the Food Climate Research Network (FCRN). The report is adding to the debate about the connection between diet, sustainability, health and global food security. Previous estimates put the figure closer to 20%, but this study is the first to take account of the way land is used overseas in the production of our food.

Ship Loading Ethanol in NY Ruptures

According to the Associated Press, the tank of a ship with nearly 2 million gallons of ethanol ruptured tank in the New York Harbor on Sunday.