Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian agriculture is sequestering more carbon than originally thought, but it’s also burning more diesel fuel, according to a new report from the National Farmers Union. In August, the NFU released the third edition of its Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Canada report. It reflected updated information from the latest national inventory that the federal […] Read more
NFU report adjusts sequestration, fuel emissions numbers
Uncertainty about absolute numbers isn’t the same as uncertainty about trends: author
U.S. EPA denies nearly all biofuel blending exemption petitions
Refineries didn't prove hardship, agency said
New York | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday denied almost all outstanding petitions from oil refiners asking to be exempted from mandates that require them to mix biofuels into their fuel. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has the authority to issue the exemptions, denied 26 petitions from 15 small refineries […] Read more
Bunge expects U.S. renewable diesel capacity of about five billion gallons by 2024
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. renewable diesel production capacity will more than double to about five billion gallons by 2024 from about two billion gallons, Bunge CEO Greg Heckman said on Tuesday. The agricultural commodities trader has not altered its own capacity plans due to a U.S. government proposal on biofuels announced last week, Heckman […] Read more
Haiti gang blockade causing catastrophic hunger, U.N. says
Situation "close to breaking point," WFP rep says
Miami | Reuters — Haitians are experiencing catastrophic hunger because of gangsters blockading a major fuel terminal, U.N. officials said on Friday, with more than four million facing acute food insecurity. A coalition of gangs has prevented the distribution of diesel and gasoline for over a month to protest a plan to cut fuel subsidies. […] Read more
Co-op, AGT plan to crush canola at Regina
Crusher would feed FCL's planned renewable diesel plant
Federated Co-operatives’ plans for a renewable diesel processing plant at Regina now also include processing the canola oil needed to supply that plant. Federated Co-op (FCL) on Monday announced a memo of understanding has been signed with Regina grain and pulse crop processor AGT Foods on a joint venture that will “look to construct” a […] Read more
U.S. EPA proposes biofuel mandate cuts
Proposal seen as boost to pandemic-hit refiners
New York | Reuters — The Biden administration proposed on Tuesday a reduction in the amount of biofuels that U.S. oil refiners were required to blend into their fuel mix since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The long-awaited decision offers some relief to the U.S. refining industry after the health crisis slammed domestic demand […] Read more
Going green could be golden for canola growers
Ottawa’s new ‘clean fuel’ rules could quadruple the amount of canola processed into biodiesel
Reading Time: 4 minutes Ottawa’s new “clean fuel” rules aren’t in place yet — much less new biodiesel plants — but going green will be a big win for canola growers, say industry officials. “We are excited about the opportunity because what drives the demand for feedstock is the ability of that feedstock to lower the carbon emissions of […] Read more
Agricultural biomass in the spotlight
Reading Time: < 1 minute Using agricultural biomass to create fuels, chemicals, and materials will be in the spotlight at an upcoming conference in Edmonton promoting innovation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while advancing the bio-industrial sector. While many of the speakers are from the energy sector, there will be several presentations with an agricultural focus. A trio of professors […] Read more
What makes the best firewood?
Reading Time: < 1 minute Pound for pound, what is the best firewood? Actually, they’re all the same. “The main variation between different species is the tree density, which means they have different calorific values (amounts of heat) per volume of wood,” said bioenergy/agroforestry specialist Toso Bozic. “A cubic foot of air-dried white birch weighs about 16 kilograms, while the […] Read more
Canadian biofuels aren’t a ‘blunder,’ they’re a success story
Well-designed renewable fuel policies can be good for the environment, the economy, and agricultural producers
Reading Time: 3 minutes In an opinion piece published in the previous edition of this paper (Biofuels are one of our greatest environmental blunders), Gwyn Morgan questions the benefits of biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Mr. Morgan would have it that biofuels are a “blunder.” In our opinion, biofuels are a home run for the environment and the rural economy. […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
