While many are breathlessly waiting for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from the United States to begin in 2015, there’s a natural gas export boom already happening right under the noses of most investors. I’m talking about rapidly growing gas exports from the United States to our southern neighbor, Mexico. LNG exports, which are travelling via pipeline, are at their highest levels ever and growing.
France currently grants new car buyers a credit of 6,300 euros ($8,400) if they purchase an electric vehicle. But if a new bill submitted to Parliament by France’s Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy is approved, customers will be eligible for an additional bonus of 10,000 euros if they switch from a diesel powered vehicle to an electric one. That’s a total of 16,300 Euros or about $22,000.
China is considering a massive government program to build more charging stations for electric vehicles and boost demand for the eco-friendly cars. The policy, which could provide as much as 100 billion yuan ($16 billion) in funding, will be announced soon, two people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News this week.
The Galveston County Economic Alliance announced on Tuesday that Fund Connell USA Energy and Chemical Investment Corp. is exploring plans to build a large methanol production and export facility at Shoal Point, Texas City.
In the US, ethanol production averaged 937,000 barrels per day for the week before last, or 39.35 million gallons daily, up 6,000 b/d from the week before.
It’s better times for California’s ethanol producers, with investment dollars flowing into technology to make production plants more efficient and diverse in the feedstocks they accept.
“We are just about there,” said Paul Koehler, spokesman for Sacramento-based Pacific Ethanol, referring to the long-time effort to begin making ethanol from farm waste and nonfood feedstock instead of corn
The Chicago Tribune editorial “Repeal renewable fuel standard,” (Aug. 6) was undoubtedly off the mark when it claimed the Renewable Fuel Standard had “flopped” at encouraging the development of advanced biofuels in the United States.
When people talk about waste at a coffee shop, they tend to fixate on the massive pile of disposable cups that ends up in landfills. But the average coffee shop also throws out around 22 pounds of coffee grounds a day; in a city like London, that adds up to around 200,000 tons a year. Now, a new startup plans to start turning that waste into fuel for cars and energy to heat local homes.
The report “Biofuel Sustainability Performance Guidelines,” was commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and authored by LMI, a not-for-profit government consultancy. It comes as large fuel consumers begin to pivot toward more plant-based fuel options to boost their “green” credentials and sustainability efforts while reducing their use of fossil fuels. The report is intended to help guide fuel buyers such as federal, state and municipal bulk fuel procurement officers, contractors and suppliers, and corporate sustainability officers.
In the US Energy Information Administration’s August issue of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, ethanol production has averaged approximately 940,000 barrels per day over the past three months.
