Advanced BioFuels USA

AFPM Sees Alignment with Biden on Trade, Economy

by Elliott Blackburn (Argus Media) … (President-elect Joe) Biden also campaigned on goals to increasingly electrify the US vehicle fleet and maintain support for renewable fuels, which would erode market share for the petroleum fuel that dominates AFPM membership’s output.

But chief executive Chet Thompson expects to find common ground on immediate priorities of restoring confidence in the US response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the economy and a unified country.

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The US downstream group hopes to work with the Biden administration on easing years of foreign trade hostilities, including tariffs with China and regulatory obstacles for private energy investment in Mexico.

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Biden’s administration will have considerable authority over the chief federal instrument for compelling a higher portion of liquid renewable fuels in the US transportation supply, the Renewable Fuel Standard. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must this year set three years of blending mandates, including one left overdue by the Trump administration, and write a new framework for the primary US program used to drive higher levels of renewable fuels into the transportation fuel supply.

Biofuel fortunes under Trump were marked by reductions — in barriers to blending ethanol into the US gasoline supply, in the volumes of major overseas biodiesel production that could be imported, and in the mandates that drive the blending of those fuels each year.

The program was intended to force uncomfortable change on the prevailing petroleum-based fuel system. But the mandates as written more than a decade ago greatly exceeded anything the US could execute, and limited EPA’s ability to change course so long as a supply of renewable fuels existed.

AFPM wants the review to set lower, attainable targets, Thompson said.

“We are not anti these alternative fuels — we are making them,” Thompson said. “We just do not like when the government mandates what consumers must buy and what we must make.” READ MORE

Biden poised to decarbonize U.S. economy (Houston Chronicle)

U.S. EPA Eyes Extending Refinery Biofuel Deadlines, No Action on Waivers

by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday it would propose to extend deadlines for refiners to prove compliance with biofuel laws, but signaled it would not decide on a slew of pending waiver requests submitted by the industry.

The agency’s proposal represented mixed news for refiners hard hit by slumping energy demand during the coronavirus pandemic and eager to sidestep regulatory costs associated with U.S. biofuel blending policy.

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The agency said it is proposing to extend the compliance deadline for 2019 biofuel blending obligations to Nov. 30, 2021, and an associated deadline for submission of attest engagement reports to June 1, 2022. The EPA is also proposing to extend the 2020 deadlines to Jan. 31, 2022, and June 1, 2022.

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“While we don’t agree that EPA needs to wait as long as it is proposing, particularly for the 2020 compliance year, we do agree with EPA that the outgoing administration should refrain from any further action on the pending small refinery petitions,” said Geoff Cooper, president of the Renewable Fuels Association. READ MORE

EPA proposed extending 2019 and 2020 compliance deadlines (Politico’s Morning Energy)

RFA is fired up over ethanol waiver rumors (RFD TV)

Ethanol Watches EPA Warily on RFS: EPA Gives Refiners Extra Time to Meet RFS Requirements as New Exemptions Possible (DTN Progressive Farmer)

EPA proposes extending Renewable Fuel Standard compliance deadlines (Agri-Pulse)

Iowa leaders: Trump waivers for big oil would be ‘devastating blow’ for ethanol, farmers (Des Moines Register)

Why Small Refinery Exemptions Would Leave Stain on Trump Administration (Farm Journal Ag Web)

BIOFUELS, WHICH ARE CRITICAL FOR SOY GROWERS, HAVE ROLE TO PLAY IN CLIMATE CHALLENGE (Brownfield Ag News)

Excerpt from Politico’s Morning Energy: —EPA proposed extending2019 and 2020 compliance deadlines under the Renewable Fuels Standard. In a proposed rule published today, the agency called for extending the deadline for 2019 biofuel blending obligations to Nov. 30, 2021, and the corresponding deadline for submission of attest engagement reports until June 1, 2021. It also proposed extending the 2020 compliance deadlines to Jan. 31, 2022, and June 1, 2022. Though EPA was looking to issue some small refinery exemptions before President Donald Trump’s term had ended, the agency appears to have backed off that position. The proposed rule said that due to ongoing litigation, the agency would “take no position” on the availability of small refinery exemptions for the 2019 compliance year. READ MORE

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Adam Comora

“Companies operating Class 8 trucks are quickly realizing that they don’t have to wait for new, unproven technologies and infrastructure to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and save on fuel costs—our RNG does that today.” — Adam Comora, President and CEO of TruStar Energy talking about renewable natural gas fuel. READ MORE

‘Essential Energy,’ the Theme of the Upcoming National Ethanol Conference

by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ‘Essential Energy,’ the theme of the upcoming National Ethanol Conference, is inspired

January 16, 2021 Read Full Article

Air Quality Impacts of Palm Biodiesel in Indonesia

by Jane O’Malley, Stephanie Searle, and Tenny Kristiana (International Council on Clean Transportation) As Indonesia moves toward more advanced vehicle emission standards,

January 16, 2021 Read Full Article

Malaysia to File WTO Lawsuit against EU on Jan 15, Says Minister

by Shaheera Aznam Shah (Malaysian Reserve) Mohd Khairuddin says we will continue to fight against any discriminatory actions which pose a

January 16, 2021 Read Full Article

Total and Engie Partner to Develop France’s Largest Site for the Production of Green Hydrogen from 100% Renewable Electricity

(Total) Total and Engie have signed a cooperation agreement to design, develop, build and operate the Masshylia project, France’s largest renewable

January 16, 2021 Read Full Article

CALL FOR SPEAKERS: International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo (FEW) — July 13-15 2021 — Minneapolis, MN DEADLINE: March 12, 2021

Now in its 37th year, the FEW provides the global ethanol industry with cutting-edge content and unparalleled networking opportunities in