Renewable fuels are alternative fuel sources such as ethanol, biodiesel (e.g. Renewable fuels have become particularly newsworthy with the signing of the Energy Bill, which expanded the current use of renewable fuels in the United
States. Founded in 2004, Altra is led by seasoned business leaders and veterans of the biofuels and energy industries. Altra acquires, develops and operates a portfolio of renewable energy projects throughout the United States. Altra is specifically focused on the production and sale of ethanol and biodiesel fuels that can help meet the world’s growing energy demands as it faces shrinking petroleum supplies that come from unstable regions of the globe. Political instability and increased world petroleum consumption have caused a corresponding rapid growth in the global demand for alternative and renewable fuels, which Altra believes will ultimately and permanently alter the dynamics of world energy markets.

With the biofuel industry growing faster than 20% per year for the past five years, renewable fuels are increasingly cost competitive with fossil fuels and are viewed as a necessary alternative as conventional fuel additives such as MTBE are phased out for environmental reasons. In the summer of 2005, as oil prices crossed the of $60+ per barrel mark, the U.S. Congress passed a sweeping Energy Bill that provided sizeable mandates to adopt renewable fuels.

According to the Environmental Protection Agencys new Renewable Fuel Standard, renewable fuels are defined as motor vehicle fuels produced from plant or animal products or wastes. Within this definition, two distinct forms of diesel fuel are specified: biodiesel and renewable diesel. Each is defined according to the process by which it is produced. The term “biodiesel” is often used very broadly to refer to any blend of conventional petroleum diesel with any renewable diesel product. In order to avoid confusion, the term biodiesel should be used in reference to pure biodiesel fuel meeting the ASTM D6571 standard.

This hearing on renewable fuels is the first in a series on small business participation in the energy industry. In the coming weeks, the committee will examine broader renewable energy issues, as well as legislation impacting small business energy needs.

Iowa currently has eight biodiesel refineries in operation with an annual production capacity of nearly 115 million gallons. In addition, there are six new plants and one major expansion under construction that will add over 200 million gallons of annual capacity. Several more projects are under development. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association was formed in 2002 to represent the state’s ethanol and biodiesel producers. The trade group fosters the development and growth of the renewable fuels industry in Iowa through education, promotion, legislation and infrastructure development. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association is working to correct myths and unscientific attacks on the renewable fuels industry. This compilation of issues, responses and resources was put together to aid the public in separating fact from fiction.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today announced that Iowa biodiesel refineries will produce a record 60 million gallons in 2006. This production represents a 240% increase over the 25 million gallons produced by Iowa biodiesel refineries in 2005. In producing the record amount of biodiesel, Iowa’s biodiesel refineries processed the oil from over 40 million bushels soybeans. According to a release from the Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa has 14 biodiesel plants with total production capacity of 317.5 million gallons of biodiesel annually. Two additional plants are under construction in Iowa which will have the combined capacity to produce an additional 35 million gallons. Biodiesel production and demand is growing exponentially and Iowa is leading the way according to Monte Shaw, IRFA Executive Director. Consider that last year the entire country produced only 75 million gallons of biodiesel and this year U.S. biodiesel production is estimated between 200 and 250 million gallons. Iowa farmers and entrepreneurs are leading the way in production and quality.