September 3, 2008
USDA Awards $35 Million for Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy
More than 600 farms and rural businesses throughout the United States will soon get a share of $35 million in grants and loan guarantees. The funds will help buy new renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements, thanks to a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). More
September 3, 2008
Cellulosic Ethanol Facilities Marching Ahead
AE Biofuels, Inc. opened a demonstration facility in Butte, Montana, in early August to produce ethanol from a variety of biomass sources, while similar facilities are planned for South Dakota and Tennessee. Commercial-scale facilities are also planned for California, Iowa, Michigan, and Nevada. More
August 29, 2008
DOE to Invest $7 Million to Speed Clean Energy Commercialization
DOE will invest up to $7 million to accelerate the process of moving post-research, clean energy technologies from DOE's national laboratories to the marketplace. The funds will be divided among seven DOE national laboratories. More
August 13, 2008
EPA Declines Texas Request to Reduce Renewable Fuel Requirements
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declined a request from Texas Governor Rick Perry to cut the renewable fuels mandate in half for 2008 to ease grain prices. The EPA argues that changing the mandate would have little or no effect on grain prices. More
July 31, 2008
DOE and USDA Award $10 Million for Cellulosic Biofuel Research
DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on July 31 their plans to award 10 grants, totaling more than $10 million, to accelerate fundamental research in the development of cellulosic biofuels. More
July 30, 2008
Companies and Utilities to Launch Algae Farm in Hawaii
A power plant on Maui may have a chance to lower its carbon dioxide emissions if a planned project to build an adjacent algae farm pans out. HR BioPetroleum is operating a pilot-scale algae facility on the Big Island of Hawaii and plans to build its commercial-scale facility on Maui by 2011. More
July 29, 2008
New Report from Harvard Kennedy School Researchers Calls for Changes to Biofuels Incentives
In new report issued by Harvard's Center for International Development and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Henry Lee, William Clark, and Charan Devereaux caution that "governments should avoid simplistic and precipitous changes in course such as rollback or moratoria on existing biofuels mandates or incentives". More
July 23, 2008
USDA Awards $6.9 Million for Renewable Energy, Efficiency Projects
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will award $6.9 million in loans and grants for 27 renewable energy systems and energy efficiency projects at farms and rural small businesses across Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Vermont, and Wisconsin. More
July 23, 2008
Renewable and Efficient Inventions Earn Nine R&D 100 Awards for DOE
DOE national laboratories and other facilities were lauded with 30 R&D 100 Awards, and nine of those were in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Five national labs won awards for their work in solar cells, biofuel production, lithium batteries, appliance controllers, and other technologies. More
July 14, 2008
DOE Supports the Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative
DOE announced on July 14 that it will provide $850,000 to support the Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative, an effort of the National Governors Association to establish state- level energy policies that will help develop and deploy cleaner sources of energy. More