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Monday, May 12th, 2008
Desicritics.org:
In this year’s budget, the Government reduced the excise duty on electric cars from 8 per cent to nil. Recently the Government repeated the same with 2 and 3 wheel electric vehicles. (Full article here) Why? Well, if one were to believe the advertisements, this is because the Government wants to promote these “eco […]
Ethanol Producers Come Under Fire In Congress
Wednesday, May 7th, 2008Minnesota Public Radio:
The growing backlash against ethanol arrived today at the U.S. House. Ethanol consumes about one-fifth of the U.S. corn harvest. And some groups blame ethanol for pushing up food prices.
One proposal before Congress would roll back a federal law requiring additional ethanol production. Opponents of that idea say it would hurt the […]
Fiat Likely To Invest E10 Million On Ethanol Engines
Friday, May 2nd, 2008RedOrbit:
Fiat Powertrain Technologies is planning to invest about E10 million in developing an ethanol-powered engine to be used in trucks and agricultural machinery in Brazil, Reuters has reported quoting Franco Ciranni, the company’s regional manager.
The company expects to launch the engine by 2010. Experts say that the engine will not face any danger from […]
BP Buys Into Brazilian Ethanol Venture
Friday, April 25th, 2008Times Online:
BP is moving into the plantation business, taking a half share in a billion-dollar venture to produce ethanol from Brazilian sugar cane.
The British oil multinational is joining forces with two Brazilian agribusinesses, Santelisa Vale and Maeda Group, investing more than $560 million (£284 million) in Tropical Bioenergia, a joint venture company that will farm […]
Embraer Sells Its 50th Ethanol-Powered Ipanema Crop Duster
Thursday, April 24th, 2008Wired News:
The good old Ipanema. It entered service in 1973, and it’s changed with the times.
Neiva, a subsidiary of Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer, recently delivered its 50th ethanol-powered Ipanema, a low-wing agricultural monoplane.
Since 1973, Neiva has sold over 1,000 of the crop dusters, most of them in the Latin American market. The company began […]
Green Options Fuel Future
Thursday, April 17th, 2008Metro Canadá:
Environmentally sound alternative fuel options offer great emissions savings over traditional gasoline, but what are they all about? Here’s a roundup of each:
Battery-electric and hybrid-electric vehicles:
Battery-electric cars draw all their power from an onboard battery, while hybrids use a combination of battery and gas motors to drastically increase fuel efficiency.
Both types produce much lower […]
Small Business Bets On Alternative Energy
Friday, April 11th, 2008MLive.com:
Perceived demand for energy efficiency and renewable-energy services continues to lure new and existing small businesses in the region.
For instance, 15-year real-estate broker William Snyder plans to open an energy-auditing construction company on May 1 called EnergyChek. Also a developer in southwest Michigan, Snyder has hired six employees and fielded numerous calls already, which he […]
Sugar-Powered Cars ‘In 10 Years’
Thursday, April 10th, 2008Channel 4 News:
Sugar-powered cars could be the sweet solution to traffic pollution, say scientists.
Researchers have found a way to generate hydrogen directly from plant sugar. They expect the breakthrough to provide a cheap and efficient source of green transport fuel.
In future, motorists could be stopping at grocery stores instead of petrol stations to fill up […]
End Of Fuel Scarcity In Sight
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008This Day:
As the nation groans under the crippling effects of the week-long fuel scarcity, the end may be in sight with the resolution of the delayed release of the N17 billion owed Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
The association is believed to be behind the current dearth of petroleum products as the marketers failed to […]
Alert On Risks Of Ethanol Subsidies
Monday, April 7th, 2008The Australian:
The Productivity Commission wants the Rudd Government tourgently review the multi-million-dollar assistance for the ethanol industry amid growing warnings the program is pushing up the price of feed grain.
The commission’s latest trade and assistance review estimates the commonwealth will spend $31.9 million on the ethanol production subsidy scheme this financial year and demands a […]
Time Magazine vs. Biodiesel Industry?
Friday, April 4th, 2008dBusinessNews Houston:
The most recent cover of Time Magazine raises questions and may muddy waters, according to Kent Batman, President of Hardin Fuels. The magazine treats biodiesel and ethanol as if they are synonymous. That could not be further from the truth, according to Batman.
In near prophetic fashion, Batman wrote an article about the confusion created […]
Less Corn Bad News For Ethanol Industry
Friday, April 4th, 2008Medill Reports:
More trouble is in store for the already ailing ethanol industry based on a government report released earlier this week.
The United States Department of Agriculture forecasts there will be 8 percent fewer acres of corn planted this year compared with last year, which will likely raise the price and further squeeze ethanol producers, industry […]
Alternative-Ethanol Firm Gets Funding
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008Wall Street Journal:
A group of investors is placing one of the biggest bets yet on a type of ethanol production that doesn’t involve food crops.
Range Fuels Inc., a start-up in Broomfield, Colo., on Tuesday is announcing $130 million in new equity funding. The money will go toward the first phase of construction on a plant […]
Ethanol And Beyond
Tuesday, March 25th, 2008Wall Street Journal:
What’s the future for biofuels? Advocates say biofuels - including ethanol - can play a major role in meeting the world’s growing energy needs. Two companies actively involved in producing biofuels are Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. and BP Alternative Energy North America, a unit of British petroleum giant BP PLC.
Patricia Woertz, ADM’s CEO and president, […]
Many Hope Plant Will Bring New Life To Ethanol Industry
Monday, March 24th, 2008LubbockOnline:
Hockley County farmers hope a new Levelland ethanol plant encourages more than fuel alternatives.
Cotton growers and board members hope the Levelland/Hockley County LLC plant that began producing its first gallons last week will encourage local farmers to rotate crops and breathe new life into a struggling elevator.
The 40 million-gallon a year plant began testing processes […]
Car Makers Go Green At New York Auto Show
Friday, March 21st, 2008Chevy Equinox fuel cell car runs toward the future.
MarketWatch:
From the outside, the Chevy Equinox fuel cell vehicle looks a lot like any other sport utility vehicle, but sit behind the wheel, turn the key and the differences abound.
No engine roars to life. Instead, a faint hum comes from the car as its hydrogen tanks feed […]
Japanese Refiners To Push Biofuels Use By 2013
Thursday, March 20th, 2008Oil & Gas Journal:
Fumiaki Watari, chairman of the Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ), said Japanese refiners will aim to substitute biofuels for 500,000 kl/year of oil equivalent of fuels by the business year ending in March 2013.
The refiners’ stated aim will more than double the initial target of a cut in refining of 210,000 […]
Problems With Energy
Thursday, March 20th, 2008Intellectual Conservative:
The March 2008 edition of Energy Tribune focuses closely on the issues of energy efficiency, alternative fuels and carbons sequestration which are the three central pillars of post-Al Gore environmentalism. Here are a few highlights.
Late last year I was fortunate enough to attend a continuing education seminar which featured a speech by Michael Economides, […]
Japanese Refiners To Double Bio-Ethanol Target To Cut Emissions
Tuesday, March 18th, 2008Bloomberg:
Japanese refiners led by Nippon Oil Corp. will boost use of bio-ethanol to blend into gasoline in response to appeals by the government to accelerate efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Nippon Oil and others will raise the use of bio-ethanol consumption to as much as 500,000 kiloliters in oil equivalent, Chairman Fumiaki Watari, who also […]
Trash-To-Ethanol Company Gets $19.5 Million More
Friday, March 14th, 2008CNET News:
Coskata, a start-up that wants to make ethanol out of tires and other stuff found in the dump, has raised $19.5 million in a second round of funding, according to SEC documents scoured by Private Equity Week.
Earlier this year, General Motors announced it had invested in the company and that Coskata would build GM […]