Today in Biofuels Opinion: “When Wall Street firms started investing their own money in renewable energy companies, they left ethanol far behind.”

The Toronto Globe and Mail: “Cheer up. The market crunch has produced some good news too. Here’s one: The ethanol producers’ lush, green fields are turning into Death Valley. An industry that should never have thrived is getting its comeuppance. The scientific, environmental and fuel-security arguments made by the ethanol industry were always, at best, dubious, at worst, wildly and dangerously exaggerated. But Big Ethanol had one thing going for it – a torrent of cash from taxpayers and investors that proved irresistible to Bill Gates and other high-profile investors and funds.”

Heidi Moore in the Wall Street Journal: “Once upon a time, ethanol was seen as the future of clean energy and as leading the U.S. to energy independence. That was 2004, but Wall Street wised up fast that ethanol was ready for a bust. So, in 2006 and 2007, when Wall Street firms started investing their own money in renewable energy companies, they left ethanol far behind.”

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Today in Biofuels Opinion: “The WSJ edit page really, really doesn’t like ethanol or government mandates to keep producing the stuff.”

From Platts: "U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said calls by congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, to merge energy and climate change legislation and pass the bill this...

Renewable Fuels Association getting flack from Wall Street Journal for $50 billion in proposed ethanol industry loan guarantees

In Washington, the Renewable Fuels Association continues to receive flack for its proposal for $1 billion in short-term loans from the government, and $50 billion in long-term loan guarantees. The Wal...

NCGA publishes summary of renewable tax provisions included in Wall Street bailout bill

The National Corn Growers Association published a summary of the tax provisions and credits for renewable energy passed in last week's Wall Street bailout bill. Among the provisions, the Alternative F...

Today in Biofuels Opinion: “At scale, there is no capital efficient investing in energy.”

From Reuters: "News of the $300 million fund raised by Netscape founder Marc Andreessen and his longtime partner, Ben Horowitz, has been dominating the webosphere...Interestingly enough, Andreessen te...

Today in Biofuels Opinion: “The entire U.S. will go to a 10% [ethanol] blend; the course has been set”

Don Endres, CEO of VeraSun Energy, commenting on the $1.21 spread between ethanol and gasoline prices: "In the fuel business, dollar-plus margins are unheard of. The entire U.S. will go to a 10% [etha...

Today in Biofuels Opinion: “We’re going to double the amount of energy that comes from renewable sources by the end of my first term and that means investing in solar and wind and biodiesel.”

Senator Barack Obama of Illinois: “We’re going to double the amount of energy that comes from renewable sources by the end of my first term and that means investing in solar and wind and biodiesel...