Chu nomination at Energy expected to win committee “yes” this week; Chu says ethanol not necessary to future; E10 blend wall needs study

In Washington, Secretary of Energy-designate Steven Chu faced the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee in his confirmation hearing.

The Des Moines Register reports that Dr. Chu “said that the next generation of biofuels will not necessarily be ethanol”, said he did not know whether the EPA should raise ethanol blending limits in non flex-fuel vehicles past 10 percent, and said that the US should take the first step in climate change to eliminate what he called a “standoff” on emissions.

Committee chairman Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) said that he did not see material opposition to the Chu nomination, and that he expects the committee to vote to recommend confirmation of Dr. Chu by the end of the week. Dr. Chu highlighted efforts at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to develop bacteria and yeasts needed to convert cellulose into “drop in” renewable fuels, equivalent to conventional gasoline or diesel.

In other news from Capitol Hill, Bob Dineen, the president of the Renewable Fuel Association, said that lawmakers were considering expanding the loan guarantee program for advanced biofuels from $320 million to $1 billion.

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