The policy paper released by Rice University recently (see previous story ) is set to continue the orchestrated campaign to limit, and ultimately eliminate, the use of biofuels, according to a statement issued by the US Renewable Fuels Association. The RFA statement continues by suggesting that in its commentary, researchers from Rice rely upon out-of-date information and questionable assumptions to denigrate Congress, farmers, and ethanol producers for their support of domestically-based renewable fuels.

The United States needs to fundamentally rethink its policy of promoting ethanol to diversify its energy sources and increase energy security, according to a new policy paper by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.

The paper, "Fundamentals of a Sustainable U.S. Biofuels Policy," questions the economic, environmental and logistical basis for the billions of dollars in federal subsidies and protectionist tariffs that go to domestic ethanol producers every year. "We need to set realistic targets for ethanol in the United States instead of just throwing taxpayer money out the window," said Amy Myers Jaffe, one of the report's authors.

A team of scientists has developed an air-lift loop bioreactor which, it says, will make the production of biofuels more energy efficient, has won the Moulton Medal from the Institution of Chemical Engineer. The team, from Sheffield University, has worked on developing a new more energy efficient bioreactor using microbubbles which, it says, has the potential to revolutionise the energy-efficient production of biofuels.

Qatar Airways yesterday (11th January) unveilled a biojet fuel development programme that will be backed by Qatar Science & Technology Park, Qatar Petroleum and Airbus. The programme follows the company's successful trail of a Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) fuel blend, as part of a commercial flight, last October.

A-Power Energy Generation Systems, Ltd today (22nd December) announced it has signed a definitive distributed power generation (DG) contract with Thailand's Biomass Electricity Co., Ltd to develop a 150 MW biomass firing power plant in Prachinburi, Thailand. The contract covers the design of the power station, the procurement and installation of the three main engines and other auxiliary equipment. In addition, A-Power will be the general contractor for the five main power station systems: the civic engineering system, the chemical water treatment system, the output system, the electrical system and the thermal control system.

The UK Nuffield Council on Bioethics has today (22nd December) called for people's views on the potential of new types of biofuels, such as fuel produced by algae, to provide us with a greener source of renewable energy. "We want to hear people's views on how we can best promote, provide incentives for, and regulate new types of biofuels in ways that are both ethical and sustainable, and we will use our findings to advise policy makers," explained Professor Joyce Tait, Chair of the Council's Working Party on biofuels at the launch of the project.

The European Biodiesel Board has called on the Argentinean authorities to step in and take a positive stance in balancing the trade in biodiesel between Argentina and Europe. In a statement issued last week the EBB explained that it had been growing increasingly concerned by the sharp increase in biodiesel exports from Argentina that the EU has been facing since January. It went on to say that it stood ready to take any appropriate step to restore, what it saw, as balanced market conditions.

The UK government's announcement that the duty differential for Used Cooking Oil biodiesel will continue for two years from April 2010, made in last week's Pre Budget Report, has been welcomed by UK Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance (UKSBA). In an announcement made today (15th December) the UKSBA said that it had been lobbying against the loss of the 20 pence per litre duty differential that the government had proposed for next year.