News
Bill Gates Says US Clean Energy Spending Should Equal Defense Outlay
In a recent article for Science magazine,
Bill Gates advocated for spending levels for clean energy research that
equal those of health and defense research. Gates specified that the
government should not just be offering market incentives for research,
but should actually be spearheading the efforts themselves. Along with
the American Energy Innovation Council, he has also endorsed the
reduction of subsidies to other "well-established" sectors of the
energy industry.
E&E News (11/21)
White House Refuses to Say Whether Obama Would Sign Payroll Tax Extension that Adds to Deficit
This week the White House would not say
if President Obama would act to prolong income tax cuts that are set to
expire at the end of the year. Congressional Republicans say these
could be paid for using savings discussed by the supercommittee,
included agriculture assistance.
The Washington Post (11/29)
US Farm Income to Reach Record $100.9 Billion, USDA Says
Farm income is increasing by 28 percent
this year due to higher crop and livestock prices. The U.S. also
shipped $137.4 billion in farm goods overseas, making 2011 the highest
recorded year for exports of farm goods in U.S. history. The projected
higher incomes and land values for farmers could help with the purchase
of new equipment and building new infrastructure.
Bloomberg (11/29)
Ethanol Increases Second Day on Signs of Stronger US Economy
This week is the first time since Nov.
16 where monthly ethanol futures have shown improvement. The large
increase in the index is attributed to the increase in U.S. sales from
last week which rose 5.4 percent compared to last year.
Bloomberg (11/29)
Clean Food, via Clean Fuel
CleanStar Mozambique is a business in
Africa, partnered with IBC of America, which is pioneering the
replacement of black carbon with clean fuels to cook food. Their
upcoming facility will process cassava into an ethanol-based cooking
fuel, a clean alternative.
Biofuels Digest (11/24)
Iowa Farmers Prep for New Cellulosic Ethanol Biofuel Plant
Project Liberty is an ethanol refinery
in construction in Emmetsburg, Iowa set to open in 2013 which would be
the nation’s first biofuel plant to produce ethanol from corn waste on
a commercial scale. However, the POET biofuels company could see
problems if the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) receives cuts in
the 2012 federal budget.
Triple Pundit (11/14)
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