This briefing paper reviews evidence of the impacts of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on food prices, with a focus on corn and soy, and presents new analysis on the impact of the RFS on U.S. livestock farmers. Studies examining the relationship between food prices and biofuel demand conclude …
Petrobras, Brazil’s state-run oil company, plans to almost triple its share of the country’s ethanol production by 2015, staking its claim to one of the world’s leading alternative energy markets. Foreign oil companies such as Shell and BP have piled into the industry this year, vying for an ever greater …
The Indian government will oppose the European Union’s proposal to make airlines buy carbon credits for using its airspace on the grounds that it is unilateral and unfair on carriers from developing countries. EU’s proposal to cap planetwarming gases under its emission trading system (ETS) makes it mandatory for airlines …
It has been estimated that the number of hungry people in the world rose from 820 million in 2007 to more than a billion in 2009, following a spike in food prices; and that while this figure may since have dropped to about 900 million, about 16 percent of the …
Renewable, sustainable sources of energy are an essential part of the transition to a low carbon, resource-efficient Green Economy. All forms of energy have, to a greater or lesser extent, an impact on water resources, and the relation between water and bioenergy (renewable energy derived from organic materials such as …
This paper examines the linkages between the energy sector and forests at local to global levels, covering wood fuel use and the competition for land between forests and biofuel feedstock crops. The paper suggests a number of policy options that may be part of a REDD+ strategy that also contributes …
The emergence of biofuel as a renewable energy source offers opportunities for climate change mitigation and greater energy security for many countries. At the same time, biofuel represents the possibility of substitution between energy and food. For developing countries like India, which imports over 75% of its crude oil, fossil …
Passing carbon dioxide through slag left over from steel-making turns the waste product into a strong material that can be used for construction. Pumped into greenhouses, it provides a growing boost for crops. Put into tanks of algae, it can be used to make biofuels. Waste carbon dioxide can even …
Cellulosic biomass is an abundant and underused substrate for biofuel production. The inability of many microbes to metabolize the pentose sugars abundant within hemicellulose creates specific challenges for microbial biofuel production from cellulosic material. Although engineered strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae can use the pentose xylose, the fermentative capacity pales in …
A dream climate change cure to turn planet-warming greenhouse gases into useful products from jet fuel to plastics will take years to develop from the lab and pilot projects, a report found on Thursday. Pilot projects already use carbon dioxide (CO2) to feed plants, for example to boost tomatoes in …
Crop prices sprang higher as warm weather settled over the central US, intensifying worries about corn that lifted other grains as well. High temperatures have blanketed farm states this week at the moment that corn enters its critical pollination stage. If hot weather were to persist, it could reduce how …
The Energy Department said on Tuesday it would install 18 fuel cell backup power systems at eight U.S. military posts, as part of a partnership with the Defense Department to bolster energy security. "Projects like these fuel cell systems will help reduce fossil fuel use and improve energy reliability at …
Energy efficiency analysis for different biomass-utilization scenarios would help make more informed decisions for developing future biomass-based transportation systems. Diverse biofuels produced from biomass include cellulosic ethanol, butanol, fatty acid ethyl esters, methane, hydrogen, methanol, dimethyether, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, and bioelectricity; the respective powertrain systems include internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, …
Europe's biodiesel industry could be wiped out by EU plans to tackle the unwanted side effects of biofuel production, after studies showed few climate benefits, four papers obtained by Reuters show. Europe's world-leading $13 billion biodiesel industry, which has boomed in the wake of a decision by Brussels policymakers in …
There is a view that we are now in the midst of the emergence of a new world food regime, characterised by three important and interrelated features – the rise of large corporate food empires with oligopolistic powers over entire food supply chains, the growing dominance of cash crops at …
The Energy Department plans to provide a $105 million loan guarantee for the expansion of an ethanol factory in Emmetsburg, Iowa, that intends to make motor fuel from corncobs, leaves and husks. Experts say that the new factory, being built by POET, a major producer of ethanol derived from corn …
A jury in Maryland awarded plaintiffs suing oil company Exxon Mobil about $1.5 billion for a 2006 leak at a gasoline station, according to court documents. Verdicts released by the Baltimore County Circuit Court on Friday showed the jury awarded the 160 plaintiffs in the case against the oil company …
American automobiles have a limited diet, but gasoline's monopoly at the pump may be ending. The giant of U.S. automakers is turning to something cheaper and cleaner: natural gas. General Motors Corp announced plans this week to develop its first natural gas-powered engine, overcoming its long aversion to alternative fuels …
