Biofuels Supporters Criticize Zero-Emissions Vehicles Bill

October 26, 2020

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by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) ... The Zero-Emissions Vehicles Act of 2020 would end sales of new vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2035 and boost the market for electric vehicles.

Monte Shaw with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says, as written, the bill would be a “hammer blow” to ethanol and biodiesel producers and would crush a vital market for farmers.

“Not only would this just eviscerate the market for farmers—and probably spark another farm crisis—it’s actually bad carbon policy, too,” Shaw says.

“Right now, today, if I’m driving my Chevy Tahoe down the road on E85, I have a lower carbon footprint than somebody in Minnesota driving an electric vehicle—because up there, it’s all powered by coal.

“I’m not saying it’s always better. But there are places right now where biofuels are lower carbon than electricity because of how the electricity is generated” Shaw says. “That’s why calling this ‘zero-emission vehicles’ is really a misnomer.”

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“EV’s are coming and I think they’re going to play an important role. But we need to have an honest, open debate about them—and we need to have a fair market where other low carbon options have a chance to compete.”

Shaw also sees opportunities to pair EV and biofuel technologies–hybrid EV-FFVs, for example–that could produce “superior performance and environmental results for consumers”. READ MORE

IRFA, IBB URGE IOWA CANDIDATES TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST ANTI-BIOFUELS LEGISLATION (Iowa Renewable Fuels Association)

Taking a stand against anti-biofuel legislation (Wallaces Farmer)

CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association reacts to the Zero Emission Vehicle Act (RFD TV; includes VIDEO)

Study Finds Gas Car Ban Would Hurt Biofuels and Farmers (Energy.AgWired.com)

Economic Impacts to U.S. Biofuels, Agriculture, and the Economy from Subsidized Electric Vehicle Penetration (Agricultural Retailers Association)

Grassley critical of Democrat environmental legislation (Radio Iowa)

IRFA, IBB URGE IOWA CANDIDATES TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST ANTI-BIOFUELS LEGISLATION (Iowa Renewable Fuels Association)

Banning ICE vehicles in favor of EVs would be a 'hammer blow' to American farmers (Biobased Diesel Daily)

Excerpt from RFD TV: According to Cooper (Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association), "The good news is this bill isn't going anywhere. We're two weeks away from and election, we're two months away from a new Congress. So, this bill will expire, it will die a quiet death, and Senator [Jeff] Merkley is really just trying to send a message here. That message is, that we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and that of course is a commendable goal and we agree... but mandating electric vehicles is probably not the best way to do that."

He goes on to note that electric vehicles are not zero emission.

For more information click HERE.

Excerpt from Iowa Renewable Fuels Association: Today the Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB) and Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) sent an open letter to all candidates in Iowa running for federal office, urging them to take a stand against legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that would limit market access for biofuels. If passed, it would restrict the sale of vehicles that can use biofuels as soon as 2025 and would ban biofuel-powered vehicles by 2035.“Needless to say, banning the sale of new vehicles powered by biofuels would be a hammer blow to Iowa’s ethanol and biodiesel producers and would crush a vital market for Iowa farmers,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw and IBB Executive Director Grant Kimberley in the letter. “Today, over half of Iowa’s corn crop goes into the production of ethanol and its coproducts, and over one-third of Iowa soybean oil goes to biodiesel production. Losing this market could very likely trigger another farm crisis.”

IRFA and IBB are urging all candidates to publicly oppose such legislation as it would do devastating harm to Iowa biofuel producers and farmers. Click here to view the full letter. READ MORE