Transportation – Advanced BioFuels USA

Honeywell and Wood Introduce Groundbreaking Technologies to Support Efforts toward Carbon-Neutral Sustainable Aviation Fuel

(Honeywell/PR Newswire) – Wood’s hydrogen plant technology coupled with Honeywell UOP EcofiningTM process technology and carbon capture and storage can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions 100% when compared to petroleum-based aviation fuels – Widespread use of Honeywell and Wood technologies have potential to remove the equivalent of 34 million metric tons

September 24, 2021 Read Full Article

Voos Altos e Sustentáveis no Futuro

by Laís Forti Thomaz and Cacia Pimentel (Estadão) O que a nova iniciativa dos Estados Unidos e a Organização Internacional da Aviação Civil (ICAO) podem representar para o Brasil? O governo dos Estados Unidos realizou uma reunião com integrantes de toda a cadeia produtiva do setor de combustíveis de aviação para

September 20, 2021 Read Full Article

FAA Awards $100M to Develop Next Generation of Sustainable Aircraft Technology

(Federal Aviation Administration) The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded more than $100 million for companies to help develop technologies that reduce fuel use, emissions and noise. The award is part of a series of steps President Biden is taking to coordinate leadership and innovation across the

September 13, 2021 Read Full Article

DOE Announces Nearly $65 Million for Biofuels Research to Reduce Airplane and Ship Emissions

(U.S. Department of Energy) Projects align with administration’s new goal of decarbonizing the aviation sector by 2050 – – As part of a White House roundtable to launch the Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Grand Challenge to decarbonize the aviation sector by 2050, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $64.7 million in funding for projects focused on producing cost-effective, low-carbon biofuels. These investments will advance technologies to create replacements for petroleum fuels used in heavy-duty forms of transportation, like airplanes and

September 10, 2021 Read Full Article

Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Advances the Future of Sustainable Fuels in American Aviation

(White House) New Actions Aim to Produce Three Billion Gallons of Sustainable Fuel, Reduce Aviation Emissions by 20% by 2030, and Grow Good-Paying, Union Jobs — Today (September 9, 2021), President Biden is taking steps to coordinate leadership and innovation across the federal government, aircraft manufacturers, airlines, fuel producers, airports, and

September 10, 2021 Read Full Article

Biofuels Offer a Cost-Effective Way to Lower Shipping Emissions

(Argonne National Laboratory/Tech Xplore) Marine shipping traffic has grown steadily over the past decade—and so have the associated greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon emissions from ships grew almost 10% between 2012 and 2018, and the industry is a large consumer of petroleum fuel. Substituting biofuel could reduce the amount of greenhouse

September 6, 2021 Read Full Article

Growth Energy’s Bliley Testifies before EPA on Proposed Emissions Standards

(Growth Energy) Today, Growth Energy’s Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley testified before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during its hearing on the proposed rulemaking, Revised 2023 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards. Earlier this month, the EPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed greenhouse

August 25, 2021 Read Full Article

Costly CAFE: The Biden Administration Is Considering Applying Higher Fines to Car Makers

by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Biden administration is considering applying higher fines to car makers who missed fuel economy targets for model years 2019 to 2021, potentially reversing one of Trump’s midnight regulations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration increased the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) penalties from

August 19, 2021 Read Full Article

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards for Model Years 2024-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks Public Comment DEADLINE: September 27, 2021 Hearing: August 25, 2021

(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) NHTSA, on behalf of the Department of Transportation, is proposing revised fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2024-2026. On January 20, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order (EO) 13990, “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To

August 13, 2021 Read Full Article

CAFE Penalty Review Slips

by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is behind schedule in reviewing the Trump administration’s delay of a congressionally mandated increase in the penalties for missing fuel efficiency targets under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, program. (Reg. 2127-AM32) “Review of the interim final

August 9, 2021 Read Full Article

Ethanol Groups to Biden: Biofuels Can Reduce GHG Emissions Now

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) President Biden on Aug. 5 signed an executive order that sets a target to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero-emissions vehicles. Representatives of the ethanol industry, however, say biofuels can make meaningful greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions now. … Zero-emissions vehicles

August 6, 2021 Read Full Article

Proposed EPA Vehicle Emissions Standards Fail to Address Biofuels

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA on Aug. 5 released a proposed rule to set light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards through 2026. Despite calls from government officials and industry trade groups, the rule does not address biofuels or a high-octane standard. The proposed rule aims to

August 6, 2021 Read Full Article

RFA to Biden: Renewable Fuels Provide a Clean, Low-Carbon Fuel Option Available Today

(Renewable Fuels Association) President Biden today announced a plan to greatly expand the production of clean cars and trucks, including a goal for electric vehicles to comprise 50% of new vehicle sales by 2030. The following is a statement from Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper: “We agree with the Biden

August 5, 2021 Read Full Article

Biden Seeks to Electrify Auto Industry: White House Driving Electric Vehicles, Raising Questions on Direction of Biofuel Policies

by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) The president will sign an executive order to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 “zero-emission” vehicles, including battery, fuel-cell and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The executive order also will set new long-term fuel-efficiency and emission standards “to save consumers money, cut pollution,

August 5, 2021 Read Full Article

U.S. to Set Electric-Vehicle Sales Target of 50% by 2030

by Ben Foldy and Katy Stech Ferek (Wall Street Journal) General Motors, Ford and Stellantis executives with union leaders are expected to join President Biden in announcing voluntary targets — Auto makers including General Motors Co. , Ford Motor Co. and Jeep maker Stellantis NV will aim to make electric

August 5, 2021 Read Full Article

Biden Wants to Turn America’s Auto Fleet Electric. It’s Harder than It Seems.

by Juliet Eilperin and Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) When it comes to meeting President Biden’s climate goals, the math is clear: Half of all cars and SUVs sold in 2030 need to be electric. Next week, the president, major carmakers and the nation’s largest auto union plan to promise to

July 29, 2021 Read Full Article

Buttigieg Hints Fuel Economy Standards Will Be Ambitious

by Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner’s Daily on Energy) Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stressed the importance of strict fuel economy standards to clean up the transportation sector because, even as the U.S. shifts to more electric vehicles, gas-powered cars will still be on the roads for some time. “No matter how good we get

July 12, 2021 Read Full Article

Report — Stronger Tailpipe Rules Coming

by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) EPA and the Transportation Department soon will propose a rule boosting federal tailpipe standards almost to Obama-era levels, with an eye toward more aggressive requirements later this decade to goose electric vehicle sales, the New York Times reports, citing unnamed sources. The proposal, anticipated

July 2, 2021 Read Full Article

Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) Implementation of CORSIA in the United States

by Dan Williams (FAA Office of Environment and Energy (AEE)) Introduction to CORSIA; U.S. CORSIA Policy and FAA CORSIA MRV Program; Implementation of CORSIA: Progress since 2018; Resources READ MORE WATCH RECORDING Click here for more CAAFI webinars, meeting presentations and presentation recordings.

June 8, 2021 Read Full Article

California Urges EPA to Let State Set Car-Emissions Standard

by Matthew Daly (Associated Press) Officials from California, New York and other states urged the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday to allow California to set its own automobile tailpipe pollution standards, an action that would reverse a Trump administration policy and could help usher in stricter emissions standards for new passenger

June 3, 2021 Read Full Article

Representatives Introduce Legislation Aimed at Reducing GHG Emissions

by Matthew Mercure (NGT News) U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., have introduced the Green Transportation Act. The legislation directs cities and states to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector. The sector represents the single largest source of carbon pollution in the U.S., which makes tracking

May 18, 2021 Read Full Article

Environmental Concerns Propel Research Into Marine Biofuels

(CaymanMamaNews/Globe Newswire/National Renewable Energy Laboratory) A global effort to reduce sulfur and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships has researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and other Department of Energy facilities investigating the potential use of marine biofuels. “Biofuels turned out to be very good options because they

May 17, 2021 Read Full Article

California Scores Tailpipe Emissions Win

by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) The EPA on Monday said it will reassess the Trump-era rule preventing California from setting stricter car pollution standards than the federal government after a similar move last week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If California is free to set its own

April 27, 2021 Read Full Article

Biden Administration Takes Step toward Allowing California to Set Its Own Tailpipe Emissions Standards

by Rachel Frazin (The Hill) … The Transportation Department’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed a withdrawal of its part of a Trump-era rule that preempted states from setting their own standards. Early next week, the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to take action on its piece of the issue:

April 23, 2021 Read Full Article

Experts on the Outside Looking in: EPA’s Technical Experts Were Largely Shut out

by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) EPA’s technical experts were largely shut out of the rulemaking process when the Trump administration rolled back tailpipe greenhouse gas standards, according to a report by the agency’s internal watchdog. OIG’s review could help the Biden administration in reversing the Trump-era move and bolstering

April 21, 2021 Read Full Article

Ethanol Infrastructure Push: RFA Makes Case for Including Biofuels in Infrastructure Plans

by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) After renewable biofuels appeared to be effectively shut out of President Joe Biden’s plan for infrastructure, leaders in the ethanol industry and their advocates on Capitol Hill are trying to make the case that biofuels can accelerate moves to a low-carbon economy. In a briefing

April 20, 2021 Read Full Article

Biden Wins CAFE Penalty Court Dispute

by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in New York has sided with the Biden administration in a lovers’ quarrel with green groups, blue states and Tesla over the Trump administration’s delay of a fuel economy penalty increase. A late-Trump rule (Reg.

April 7, 2021 Read Full Article

NBAA Welcomes Increased Capitol Hill Focus on Sustainable Aviation Fuel

(National Business Aviation Association/Biobased Diesel Daily) On March 30, the National Business Aviation Association recognized a bipartisan congressional request to the Government Accountability Office for a study exploring effective policy measures to expand awareness, availability and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). “This study offers an opportunity to answer the industry’s

April 6, 2021 Read Full Article

Will Biden’s $2.3 Trillion Infrastructure Plan Usher in Era of the EV?

by Sebastian Blanco (Car and Driver) While not targeting gas-powered cars for extinction, the plan intends to bring electric cars fully into the mainstream by spending $174 billion to promote EVs and build charging stations. — … There are a lot of things packed into President Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal,

April 5, 2021 Read Full Article

Tailpipe Litigation Put in Park

by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Despite procedural objections from states and environmentalists, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday granted the Biden administration’s request to pause litigation over federal auto emissions and fuel economy standards. That will give the agencies time to rewrite the SAFE Vehicles rule that

April 5, 2021 Read Full Article

Bill Includes Clean Cities Funding to Support Alternative Fuels

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Legislation introduced by the 32 democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 11 could provide federal funding to support the development of alternative fuel infrastructure and expanded use of alternative fuel vehicles. The bill, titled the Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America

March 26, 2021 Read Full Article

Byogy Commissions Sustainable Low Carbon Jet Fuel Plant in Japan Advancing ‘Alcohol to Jet’ to Zero Carbon

(Biogy/PR Newswire) Byogy Renewables Inc., the original architect of the “Alcohol to Jet” (ATJ) process for the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), has built, and is now commissioning, one of the world’s largest ATJ demonstration facilities converting cellulosic bioethanol into full replacement Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel in Japan.

March 24, 2021 Read Full Article

Meeting Emissions Goals Will Save Consumers A LOT of Money — Fact Sheet: Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards

(Consumer Reports) The Biden-Harris Administration has committed to getting the U.S. on a path to a low-carbon economy by 2050, bringing back the Obama-Biden vehicle standards, and setting new, ambitious ones. Meeting those commitments will require steady progress on gasoline vehicle fuel economy and zero emissions vehicle market share. Consumer Reports

March 23, 2021 Read Full Article

5 Key Tech Takeaways: Highlights from Tech Presented at ABLC 2020

by Iacovos Vasalos (Center for Research and Technology-Hellas/Biofuels Digest) This report summarizes highlights from the ABLC 2020 Biofuels Digest Virtual Conference, which took place in July 7-10, 2020. (And if you haven’t already registered for this year’s ABLC Digital on May 3-7, 2021, check it out now here.) There were almost 100

March 10, 2021 Read Full Article

Airline CEOs Urge White House Support for Greener Aviation Fuel

by David Shepardson and Tracy Rucinski (Reuters) The CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines and other airline officials met virtually with White House officials Friday to discuss tackling aviation pollution and urge U.S. support for greener aviation fuel. United Chief Executive Scott Kirby made clear the carrier was

March 1, 2021 Read Full Article

US Aerospace Industry Calls on New Administration to Provide Immediate Support to Reach Climate Goals

(GreenAir Online) US aircraft and engine manufacturers have called on the new Biden administration to provide sustained government support to help achieve its climate goals. In an open letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, Climate Envoy John Kerry and National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, the US Aerospace

February 26, 2021 Read Full Article

Dems Ask Sec. Pete to Revive GHG Reporting Rule

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) A coalition of congressional Democrats on Tuesday wrote to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urging him to reinstate a Federal Highway Administration regulation that required state planners to measure and report annual changes in greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles traveling on major interstates and highways. The

February 10, 2021 Read Full Article

Electric Cars Are Coming, and Fast. Is the Nation’s Grid Up to It?

by Brad Plumer (New York Times) GM’s decision this week to phase out gasoline vehicles is the latest in a major shift that will mean drastic new demands on electric utilities. Here are four things that will need to happen. … Generate More Juice If every American switched over to

February 1, 2021 Read Full Article

Farm, Biofuels, and Environmental Groups Oppose SAFE Rule

(National Farmers Union) An alliance of farm, biofuels, and environmental organizations last night filed an amicus brief in objection to the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficiency Vehicle (SAFE) Rule on the grounds that it both fails to account for toxic pollution from aromatic-laden fuel as well as ignores the important role that ethanol can

January 27, 2021 Read Full Article

Biden Administration to Review SAFE Vehicles Rule

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA’s Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficiency (SAFE) Vehicles Rule is one of the many federal regulations that are set to be reviewed by the Biden administration, according to an executive order issued Jan. 20. “Our Nation has an abiding commitment to empower our workers and communities; promote and

January 26, 2021 Read Full Article

‘Clean’ Truck Regs, Strong Rate Environment Likely for 2021

by Cristina Commendatore (Fleet Owner) President-elect Joe Biden has emphasized the importance of achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2050, and the industry will be paying close attention to environmental initiatives that could impact trucking after the Jan. 20 inauguration. READ MORE California governor proposes $1.5B for clean transportation (FreightWaves)

January 22, 2021 Read Full Article

MARAD and META Biofuel Opportunities: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Maritime Biofuels

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD)’s Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance (META) Program promotes the research, demonstration, and development of emerging technologies, practices, and processes that improve maritime industrial environmental sustainability with a focus on reduction in vessel and port air emissions. One

January 22, 2021 Read Full Article

Top 10 Bioeconomy Must-Knows in the Biden Transition

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Who are the key bioeconomy players in the new Biden Administration? What recent moves by the outgoing Trump Administration and Congress will set their budget and regulatory framework for 2021. What will the new Administration do, right away and this year? READ MORE 1. New

January 20, 2021 Read Full Article

NHTSA DelaysPenalty Hike for Automakers

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that a 150 percent jump in civil penalties for automakers that don’t meet fuel economy requirements won’t take effect until model year 2022, a move that could save manufacturers hundreds of millions of dollars. A panel of

January 13, 2021 Read Full Article

U.S. EPA Finalizing First-Ever Airplane Emissions Rules

by David Shepardson (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday said it was finalizing the first-ever proposed standards regulating greenhouse gas emissions from airplanes. The EPA said its new requirements for airplanes used in commercial aviation and for large business jets would align the United States with international

December 29, 2020 Read Full Article

Pete Buttigieg Wants to Put ‘Millions’ of Electric Cars on US Roads

by Michelle Lewis (Electrek) Pete Buttigieg, casually known as “Mayor Pete” since he was mayor of South Bend, Indiana, for eight years, was nominated last week by President-elect Joe Biden to be secretary of transportation. Buttigieg reiterated what he wants for the future of electric cars in the US late

December 23, 2020 Read Full Article

The Big, Big Package: What’s under the Christmas Tree for the Bioeconomy, in the $1.4T New Spending Bill?

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The $1.4 trillion spending package includes appropriation for Fiscal Year 2021, the COVID stimulus package, extensions of popular tax credits that otherwise expired on December 31st, and the Energy Act of 2020, a $35B version of a larger energy bill that has been drifting around

December 23, 2020 Read Full Article

Biden Fills up Climate Cabinet

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Enegy) With the selections of New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland for Interior secretary and North Carolina regulator Michael Regan for EPA chief, the Biden administration has rounded out the top brass of its climate team. — … CLIMATE CABINET FILLED: President-elect Joe Biden will tap Rep. Deb

December 18, 2020 Read Full Article

Pete Buttigieg Tapped as Biden’s Transportation Secretary Pick

(Our Daily Planet) Yesterday President-elect Joe Biden announced former South Bend mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg as his nominee for Transportation Secretary. Buttigieg would be one of the youngest cabinet secretaries and the first openly gay person to lead a federal agency. According to the Biden transition, if confirmed, Buttigieg would

December 16, 2020 Read Full Article

New Legislation Sets Policy Menu for Sustainable Aviation Fuels

by Jeff Overton (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) As the aviation industry recovers from the severe contraction caused by the pandemic, sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) will be essential to help the sector achieve a path to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Sustainable “drop-in” fuels, which can be used with existing

December 12, 2020 Read Full Article

California’s Climate Policy Goes National: Trump Fought Californian Environmental Officials. The Biden Team Wants to Learn from tThem.

by Miranda Green (The New Republic) … California’s pathbreaking climate measures range from a ban on future car combustion engine sales to setting a historic 100 percent clean energy goal by 2045. And in order to implement Joe Biden’s still more ambitious campaign promise to run the country entirely on carbon-free energy by 2035, the transition

December 11, 2020 Read Full Article

Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Isobutene

by Eva van Mastbergen (Global Bioenergies and SkyNRG/CAAFI) Production Pathway and Fuel Quality; GBE’s technology ferments sugars into isobutene (IBN) and upgrades the IBN into SAF. Raw feedstock for fermentation is sugar. Sugar can be derived from sugar crops (sugar beet, sugar cane) or 2nd generation feedstock such as wood

November 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Grant to Help U. of Tennessee Ag Institute Develop SAF Feedstock Supply Chains

(Biobased Diesel Daily) Researchers at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture have been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to evaluate regional biomass supply chains with regard to their potential for supplying feedstock for domestic fuel production as well as rural economic development―a potential game changer for

November 24, 2020 Read Full Article

California Official Sees State Auto Emissions Deal as ‘Template’ for Biden

by Nichola Groom, David Shepardson (Reuters) California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols, who sources say could be the next federal environment chief, said on Thursday her state’s agreement with manor automakers for fuel efficiency requirements could serve as a “good template” for federal standards through 2025. The Trump administration in

November 13, 2020 Read Full Article

Climate 21 Project Memos

(Climate 21 Project) The Climate 21 Project taps the expertise of more than 150 experts with high-level government experience, including nine former cabinet appointees, to deliver actionable advice for a rapid-start, whole-of-government climate response coordinated by the White House and accountable to the President. The memos below contain the Climate 21 Project’s recommendations for

November 13, 2020 Read Full Article

New California Port Emissions Data Shows Advanced Diesel Technology Boosts Clean Air for Frontline Communities

(Diesel Technology Forum) … “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimate that the Commercial Vehicle Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Standards Phase 1 rules saved 270 million tons CO2 and 530 million barrels of oil between 2014 and 2018, and that the Phase 2 rules

October 13, 2020 Read Full Article

A Testing Route to Market for Sustainable Aviation Fuels

by Steve Zabarnick (University of Dayton Research Institute) With increasing demand for a greater variety of sustainable alternative aviation fuels, the importance of a systematic pathway for the accurate testing, validation and approval of alternative jet fuels has never been more important. Part of this process is the FAA-sponsored “D4054 Clearinghouse”

October 9, 2020 Read Full Article

U.S. Department of Energy Report Looks at Best SAF Pathways: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainable Aviation Fuel

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The 106-billion-gallon global (21-billion-gallon domestic) commercial jet fuel market is projected to grow to over 230 billion gallons by 2050. Cost-competitive sustainable alternative jet fuels for aviation are needed to decouple carbon growth from market growth. With this in mind, the U.S. Department of Energy

October 7, 2020 Read Full Article

California, Automakers Finalize Emissions Deal

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Ford, Honda, BMW, Volkswagen and Volvo have formally committed to reducing the average greenhouse gas emissions of their vehicles through 2026, despite the Trump administration rolling back federal standards, Pro’s Debra Kahn reports. Under deals signed with California, the five automakers promise to maintain

August 18, 2020 Read Full Article

CAAFI Webinar Series: The State of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative) The State of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by Steve Csonka (CAAFI) Slide deck available here. Webinar recording available here. Click here for more CAAFI webinars, meeting presentations and presentation recordings.

August 12, 2020 Read Full Article

Can Airplanes Go Green? Val Miftakhov Flew Europe’s Largest Commercial-Grade All-Electric Passenger Plane Last Month

by Ilana Marcus (Washington Post) … Silicon Valley start-up called ZeroAvia, envisions a future of passenger planes that fly on hydrogen-powered electricity, not jet fuel. … Miftakhov’s Piper was powered by batteries, but his company is working on integrating a hydrogen fuel cell for aviation. … Think about the hydrogen

August 7, 2020 Read Full Article

Climate Crisis Staff Report Aims to Build Back a Cleaner, More Resilient Aviation Sector

by Jeff Overton (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On June 30, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released its staff report, Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America. The report is informed by over a year and

August 5, 2020 Read Full Article

E.P.A. Inspector General to Investigate Trump’s Biggest Climate Rollback

by Coral Davenport and Lisa Friedman (New York Times) The Environmental Protection Agency’s internal watchdog said Monday it had opened an investigation into the agency’s weakening of Obama-era regulations that would have limited automobile emissions by significantly raising fuel economy standards. The inspector general demanded that top E.P.A. officials turn over briefing materials

August 4, 2020 Read Full Article

DOJ Asks Court to Block Automakers from Suit

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Trump administration on Thursday asked a court to block Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW from becoming directly involved with litigation over the SAFE Vehicles rule (Reg. 2060-AU09). The automakers, which struck a voluntary emissions deal with California, last week moved to join the

July 10, 2020 Read Full Article

Weighing in: A Bipartisan Group of Former EPA and Transportation Department Chiefs Filed a Friend-of-the-Court Brief

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) A bipartisan group of former EPA and Transportation Department chiefs filed a friend-of-the-court brief this week criticizing the Trump administration’s revocation of California’s fuel economy waiver as having no “no valid legal, factual, or logical basis,” Alex also reports for Pros. The Trump administration

July 8, 2020 Read Full Article

Neste Is First to Deliver Sustainable Aviation Fuel via Pipeline to San Francisco

(Neste/Yahoo! Finance/PR Newswire) From production through delivery, Neste’s sustainable aviation fuel created benefits for U.S. businesses and will enable the aviation industry to combat climate change. — Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from waste and residue raw materials, successfully delivered its

July 8, 2020 Read Full Article

Jet Fuel from Junk

by Pamela Gregg (University of Dayton Research Institute) … ASTM International has approved the use of a synthetic oil derived from municipal waste in the manufacture of jet fuel at petroleum refineries. The co-processing of “syncrude” with petroleum at the refinery level is the second new specification for jet fuel approved

July 2, 2020 Read Full Article

Farming, Biofuels, Health Groups Challenge EPA on SAFE Rule

(Morning Ag Clips/South Dakota Farmers Union) Broad coalition challenges the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficiency Vehicle Rule; In response to EPA’s failure to credibly consider and advance mid-level ethanol fuel blends as an alternative to conventional fuels, the groups filed a petition for review in the Superior Court of the District

June 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Democrats Unveil $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Plan

by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) House Democrats unveiled a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan Thursday that calls for a huge increase in funding to repair roads and bridges while expanding broadband access in rural areas. Democrats described the bill as the biggest legislative effort to fight climate change, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) saying

June 19, 2020 Read Full Article

Inside the House’s Infrastructure Bill

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The House Transportation Committee’s five-year surface transportation bill — expected to be unveiled later this week — will include a hefty focus on climate mitigation, as House leadership had previously promised. The major themes of the $494 billion bill are state of good repair,

June 3, 2020 Read Full Article

Two New Alternative Jet Fuel Production Pathways Approved

(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative) CAAFI is happy to announce the latest industry alternative jet fuel (AJF) Production Pathway approvals, and ASTM publication of: 1) A new ASTM D7566 alternative jet fuel production pathway: ASTM D7566 Annex A7 – Hydroprocessed Hydrocarbons (HH-SPK, or HC-HEFA). This addition describes the hydroprocessing of

May 30, 2020 Read Full Article

States, Greens Sue over Car Rule

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) California and 22 other states sued the Trump administration over its rollback of auto emissions standards and fuel economy rules, Pro’s Alex Guillén reports. The Trump administration’s final Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles rule requires automakers to improve their fuel efficiency at a rate of

May 28, 2020 Read Full Article

Auto Industry to Fight Lawsuit Saying Auto Standards Too Stringent

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which includes automakers and vehicle parts manufacturers, on Friday moved to defend EPA’s auto emissions rollback — from a libertarian think tank that argues the weakened rule is still too stringent. Increasing the standards’ stringency gives the industry a

May 26, 2020 Read Full Article

Tom Carper (D-Del.), Laid out Concerns over EPA’s Final Auto Emissions Rule

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) … EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler will testify before a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee oversight hearing this morning, in his first appearance before the panel since the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. Ahead of the hearing, the top Democrat on the committee, Tom Carper (D-Del.),laid out concerns

May 20, 2020 Read Full Article

A4A Applauds Approval of New Sustainable Aviation Fuel Pathway

(Airlines for America) Number of Approved Pathways Grows to Seven — Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, applauds the addition of a seventh annex to ASTM International’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) specification, D7566, which will further enable the use of SAF by the U.S. airlines. “Even as

May 18, 2020 Read Full Article

Bill Authorizes $600 Million to Support Biofuel Infrastructure

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, on April 28 announced the introduction of the Clean Fuels Deployment Act of 2020. The bill aims to provide funding for installing and converting fuel pump infrastructure to deliver higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel. The bipartisan legislation is cosponsored by

April 29, 2020 Read Full Article

EPA, NHTSA Fail to Address High-Octane Fuel in SAFE Vehicles Rule

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA and U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released the final Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles rule on March 31. The rule sets corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) and CO2 emissions standards for model year (MY) 2021-2026 passenger cars

April 7, 2020 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Geoff Cooper and Renewable Fuels Association

“EPA’s rule assumes that electric vehicles have no “upstream” greenhouse gas emissions related to their use; in other words, the agency completely ignores emissions related to producing electricity from coal, natural gas, and other sources and distributing the electricity to the vehicle. … This rule should have established the roadmap

April 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Trump Administration Cuts Fuel Economy, CO2 Standards with Final Regulations

by Sean Szymkowski (Road Show) The changes, wrapped into the SAFE Vehicles Rule, will result in less stringent CAFE improvements through 2026. — The SAFE Vehicle Rule, announced by the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, lowers required fuel economy and CO2 improvements to 1.5% each year

April 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Trump Administration to Finalize Weaker Mileage Standards, Dealing a Blow to Obama-Era Climate Policy

by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis (Washington Post) The new rule will improve the U.S. car and light truck fleet’s efficiency by 1.5 percent a year, versus nearly 5 percent under current law. The new rule will improve the U.S. car and light truck fleet’s efficiency by 1.5 percent a year,

March 31, 2020 Read Full Article

Carper Asks EPA IG to Open Investigation into Process Irregularities and Potential Illegalities Associated with the SAFE Vehicles and Secret Science Rules

(Office of U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)) U.S. Senator Tom Carper, top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Inspector General (IG) to open an investigation into potentially unlawful efforts and procedural problems related to the preparation and review of both

March 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Pathway Approved by ASTM

(Biofuels International) ASTM International has approved a new production pathway for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), created by Applied Research Associates (ARA) and Chevron Lummus Global (CLG). The new production pathway, which is called catalytic hydrothermolysis jet (CHJ), is expected to help meet the global need for more sustainable aviation fuels.

February 20, 2020 Read Full Article

ASTM Approves ARA’s Synthetic Kerosene Process for the Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel

(GreenAir Online) A new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) specification has been approved for commercial airline use by standards development organisation ASTM International, with support from the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI). The new annex to the SAF specification D7566 establishes criteria for the production and use of catalytic hydrothermolysis jet

February 3, 2020 Read Full Article

Plan to Gut Obama’s Auto Mileage Rules Is Getting Dialed Back

by Ryan Beene and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Revised proposal will require modest annual efficiency gains; Draft rule is under review by White House budget office — … A draft of the final rule, now undergoing a final White House review, includes several changes that could make it easier to

January 22, 2020 Read Full Article

New Study Finds ‘Insignificant’ Link between US Biofuel Policy and Deforestation in Southeast Asia

(Biofuels International) A new study carried out by economic modelling experts from Purdue University in the US has found the impacts of US biofuel policy on deforestation in Malaysia and Indonesia to be insignificant. The study, titled ‘US Biofuel Production and Policy Implications for Land Use Changes in Malaysia and

January 21, 2020 Read Full Article

Auto Rollback Goes to OMB Review

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) EPA and NHTSA on Tuesday sent their new auto emissions and fuel efficiency rules to the Office of Management and Budget for review, EPA confirmed to ME. This is the second half of the SAFE Vehicles rule and covers model years 2021 through 2026,

January 15, 2020 Read Full Article

Advisory Panel Slams Trump’s Regulatory Rollbacks

by Sean Reilly, Kelsey Brugger, Maxine Joselow and Ariel Wittenberg (E&E News) … The SAB (Science Advisory Board) also lobbed extensive criticism at the Trump administration’s rollback of Obama-era clean car standards. “There are significant weaknesses in the scientific analysis of the proposed rule,” the board wrote in its draft report. The clean

January 9, 2020 Read Full Article

Cutting Edge Funding: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Debt and Equity Financing Mechanisms for Bioeconomy Projects

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Money, money, money – a growing bioeconomy needs lots of it. But with so many challenges like a lack of certainty in government programs or a perceived lack of funds at the company and project levels, what are the solutions? Mark Riedy, Partner at Kilpatrick Townsend shared

January 2, 2020 Read Full Article

Trump Says U.S. Will Finalize New Fuel Efficiency Rules Next Year

by David Shepardson (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his administration will finalize its rollback of Obama-era vehicle emissions standards next year and expected it would provoke a new legal challenge by California. … Trump said on Friday that the dispute was over “a tiny amount of

December 10, 2019 Read Full Article

New Consumer Reports Analysis Shows Near-Freeze of Fuel Economy Rules Would Cost Consumers $300 Billion

(Consumer Reports) Rolling back fuel economy requirements down to 1.5% annual increases would raise net cost per vehicle by $2,100 — As the federal government reportedly moves closer to finalizing plans to weaken fuel economy and vehicle emissions standards, Consumer Reports has analyzed several likely scenarios, including the recently-reported possibility of

December 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Federal Transit Administration Awards Nearly $9 Million for Biodiesel Buses

by Megha Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Federal Transit Administration awarded the City of Longview, Wash. $1.56 million to purchase new low-floor biodiesel buses to replace older buses that have exceeded their useful life. The new buses will be operated by RiverCities Transit and will improve access, mobility and transit

November 29, 2019 Read Full Article

California and Nearly Two Dozen Other States Sue Trump Administration for the Right to Set Fuel-Efficiency Standards

by Brady Dennis and Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) Lawsuit marks the latest in an escalating fight over one of the nation’s biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. — California and 22 other states sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday, asking a federal court to block the Trump administration from

November 16, 2019 Read Full Article

The Bioeconomy Initiative: Implementation Framework Published by Interagency Collaboration under the Biomass Research and Development Board

(Biomass Research and Development (BR&D) Board) Created through the Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000, the Biomass Research and Development (BR&D) Board facilitates coordination among federal government agencies that affect the research and development of biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. Since 2013, the BR&D Board has worked to shape an interagency

November 1, 2019 Read Full Article

House Energy Hearing Pits Ethanol vs. EPA, Administration

by Matt Kaye (FarmWeekNow.com) Renewable Fuels Association chief Geoff Cooper called the proposed supplemental rule issued by EPA a “bait and switch.” — … During a hearing before a U.S. House Energy subcommittee, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) chief Geoff Cooper accused EPA of secretly granting Small Refinery Exemptions (SRE) as

October 31, 2019 Read Full Article

Car Clash Hits Cap Hill: Motor Madness

by Gavin Bade (Politico’s Morning Energy) House lawmakers will hold a hearing today to critique the White House plan to roll back vehicle fuel economy standards, a day after GM, Fiat Chrysler and Toyota said they would side with the Trump administration on the proposal. … Lawmakers on the House Committee

October 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative Taps School of Engineering Lab as First in Nation for Screening

by Shawn Robinson (University of Dayton News) The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative has greenlighted the University of Dayton Heyne Energy and Appropriate Technology Lab and the University of Dayton Research Institute to be the first in the nation to prescreen alternative aviation fuels for viability to enter the American Society

October 23, 2019 Read Full Article

The Most Detailed Map of Auto Emissions in America

by Nadja Popovich and Denise Lu (New York Times) Transportation is the largest source of planet-warming greenhouse gases in the United States today and the bulk of those emissions come from driving in our cities and suburbs. The (interactive) map … shows a year’s worth of CO2 from passenger and freight traffic

October 10, 2019 Read Full Article

National Academies of Science Panel Calls for Review of Truck GHG Rules

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) A National Academies of Science panel on Friday called for EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct an “interim evaluation” of federal fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas regulations for medium- and heavy-duty trucks by 2022 “to ensure and improve their effectiveness

October 7, 2019 Read Full Article

White House Nixes Climate Change Language from Vehicle Emissions Proposal

by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) The White House removed language calling climate change a “serious challenge” from a proposal that limits California’s ability to set tougher vehicle emissions standards, according to reporting from E&E News. A draft of the document obtained by E&E shows the White House striking the phrase “while global climate

October 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Groups Sue Federal Government over Move to Block CA Emission Standards

by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Nine environmental advocacy groups are suing the Trump administration over its attempt to prevent California and other states from setting their own vehicle emission standards. The complaint challenges a final rule recently issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which claims that all state programs

October 2, 2019 Read Full Article

New Mexico Commits to Climate Action in the Face of Trump Administration’s Attack on Clean Car Standards

(Sierra Club) Today, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that New Mexico will join 14 other states in adopting clean car standards requiring new cars sold in the state to emit fewer greenhouse gases. They also mandate an increasing percentage of cars sold in the state to be zero emissions. The governor

September 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Market Movers

by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Projections for E15 have been inconsistent since the May 31 Reid vapor pressure waiver. Ethanol Producer Magazine explores some of the factors that will influence the blend’s trajectory in the coming years. … Before the waiver, retailers selling E15 had already planned to increase

September 24, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Administration Announces One National Program Rule on Federal Preemption of State Fuel Economy Standards

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) President Trump promised the American people that his Administration would address and correct the current fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards, and today (September 19, 2019), his Administration is taking steps to fulfill this promise. Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

September 20, 2019 Read Full Article

California Sues Trump Administration over Revoking Authority to Limit Car Pollution

by Dino Grandoni and Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) 22 other states, plus D.C., Los Angeles and New York City, joined in the lawsuit — California and 22 other states filed a lawsuit in federal court Friday against the Trump administration, challenging its decision to revoke the most-populous state’s right to

September 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Tweets He’s Revoking California’s Tailpipe Emissions Waiver while Visiting State

by Miranda Green (The Hill) President Trump announced on Wednesday that his administration will be removing California’s tailpipe emissions waiver under the Clean Air Act, a decision likely to face fierce backlash in courts. Trump made the announcement via Twitter while touring California for private fundraisers and a visit to the

September 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Administration to Revoke California’s Power to Set Stricter Auto Emissions Standards

by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis (Washington Post) The Trump administration will revoke California’s right to set stricter air pollution for cars and light trucks on Wednesday, according to two senior administration officials, as part of a larger effort to weaken an Obama-era climate policy curbing greenhouse gas emissions from

September 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Trump Can’t Erase a Decade of Clean Air Progress with a Sharpie

by Arnold Schwarzenegger (Washington Post) California has been a leader in the fight to clean our air since one of my heroes, Ronald Reagan, was our governor. The Trump administration, for some reason, is hellbent on reversing decades of history and progress. Whether it is political pettiness, shortsightedness or just plain jealousy,

September 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Justice Dept. Launches Antitrust Probe of Automakers over Their Fuel Efficiency Deal with California

by Juliet Eilperin and Steven Mufson (Washington Post) The Justice Department has launched an antitrust investigation of four leading automakers over an agreement they forged with the state of California to maintain higher fuel efficiency standards than those sought by the Trump administration, escalating the stakes in the long-running battle between

September 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Administration Moves to Finalize Weakening of Car Efficiency Standards: The White Houes’s Rule Would Cost the Economy $400 Billion by Midcentury, According to a New Analysis from Energy Innovation.

(GreenTechMedia) An analysis published Wednesday by clean energy advocacy group Energy Innovation found that if the administration does eliminate California’s waiver, costs from the rule change would total $400 billion in 2018 dollars by 2050. By 2035, Energy Innovation projects that transportation emissions will be at least 10 percent higher than

August 8, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA’s Final SAFE Vehicles Rule under OMB Review

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA submitted its final Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks to the White House Office of Management and Budget on Aug. 2. OMB review marks a final stage before the public release of the

August 6, 2019 Read Full Article

States Sue Trump Administration for Reduced Penalties on Fuel Efficiency

by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) Thirteen states filed suit against the Trump administration Friday, arguing it was breaking the law by cutting penalties for automakers that do not meet Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. The suit, led by California’s and New York’s attorneys general, goes after a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) rule that

August 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Major Automakers Strike Climate Deal with California, Rebuffing Trump on Proposed Mileage Freeze

by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis (Washington Post) The agreement could have vehicles hit 50 miles per gallon on average by 2026 — Four automakers from three continents have struck a deal with California to produce fleets that are more fuel-efficient in coming years, undercutting one of the Trump administration’s most aggressive climate policy

July 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Admin Abandons Fast Timeline for Rollback — Sources

by Maxine Joselow (E&E News) The Trump administration appears to have abandoned its initial strategy for defending the rollback of Obama-era clean car rules from court challenges, according to three people with knowledge of the situation. The administration was previously rushing to finalize the rollback in early summer. Experts have said that would

July 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Diesel Technology Forum Responds to House Select Committee Hearing on the Climate Crisis, “Solving the Climate Crisis: Cleaning Up Heavy Duty Vehicles, Protecting Communities”

(Diesel Technology Forum) The new generation of diesel technology is helping ports, cities, communities and entire nations meet climate and clean air challenges of today and tomorrow, according to a statement submitted today by the Diesel Technology Forum, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of diesel engines, fuel and the

July 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Administration Suspends Obama-Era Fuel Efficiency Penalties

by Jessica Campisi (The Hill) The Trump administration announced late Friday that it will formally suspend an Obama-era regulation that penalized automakers that didn’t meet fuel-efficiency requirements, Reuters reports. After Congress ordered federal agencies to adjust existing penalties in 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued rules that more than

July 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards / Greenhouse Gas Standards

by Caitlin McCoy, Robin Just (Harvard University Environomental and Energy Law Program) The Environmental & Energy Law Program is tracking the environmental regulatory rollbacks of the Trump administration. … The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the Department of Transportation (DOT) has set fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks

July 15, 2019 Read Full Article

24 Governors Call on Trump to Halt Rollback on Rules for Clean Cars

by Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) The opposition to one of President Trump’s most consequential regulatory rollbacks — a plan to weaken pollution standards for automobiles nationwide — widened on Tuesday when 24 governors, including three Republicans, urged the president to abandon his plan. The governors’ plea adds to a chorus of criticism from an unlikely mix

July 10, 2019 Read Full Article

Exxon Working to Push Trade Group on Climate Change

by Amy Harder (Axios) … At issue here is the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, whose focus is oil and gas refining. Driving the news: Royal Dutch Shell, under pressure from activist investors, announced earlier this year it was leaving AFPM, citing “material misalignment”” on climate policies. Exxon is opting to stay

July 1, 2019 Read Full Article

The Energy 202: Ex-EPA Engineer Says Wheeler Is Misleading Congress about Car Rule

by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) Jeff Alson was sitting in his apartment in Ann Arbor, Mich., when he felt like he was going to explode. … (Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew) Wheeler said Nichols never offered a counterproposal and accused Nichols of not being “a good faith actor in this rulemaking.” He added that “[h]er

June 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump Officials Face off on Car Rule: King, Nichols Headline Auto Rule Hearing

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Top EPA and Transportation Department officials will likely face intense grilling from Democrats today at a joint hearing of two House Energy and Commerce subcommittees on the Trump administration’s proposed rollback of auto emissions standards. Headlining are EPA air chief Bill Wehrum and National Highway

June 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Top Automakers Warn Trump about Plan to Rollback Emissions Standards

by John Bowden (The Hill) Many top-selling automakers around the world sent a letter to President Trump on Thursday urging the Trump administration to scrap plans to roll back fuel efficiency standards set during the Obama administration. In a letter signed by 17 major automakers including General Motors, Ford and Toyota, the companies wrote that

June 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Dems Say Wheeler Misled Congress

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Senate Environment and Public Works ranking member Tom Carper and House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone are calling on Wheeler to provide documents related to the agency’s public defense of its proposed Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles rule. In their letter, the Democrats say

May 24, 2019 Read Full Article

Alternative Jet Fuels: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to National Jet Fuels Combustion Program

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) National Jet Fuels Combustion Program has a mission to help streamline the fuel approval process and has over 30 instituttions involved in their research and projects including 12 universities, 8 government agencies, 5 OEMs and several others. Med Colket, Retired Senior Fellow, United Technologies Research Center,

May 6, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. EPA to Revise Proposed Freeze of Vehicle Fuel Economy Rules

by David Shepardson (Reuters) The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday the agency would revise its proposed freeze of vehicle fuel economy standards before unveiling its final regulation in the coming months. In August, the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed freezing requirements for new

April 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Fuel Standards to Prevent Overdependence on Foreign Oil Are Out of Date

by Merrill Matthews (The Hill/Institute for Policy Innovation) … President Trump wants to roll back unattainable Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards imposed by President Obama. And he wants those revised fuel efficiency ratings to apply nationwide, including California, according to The Hill. But environmentalists and the Golden State are rejecting the change. They

March 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Floods Threaten to Cause Ethanol Disruptions and Higher Pump Prices

by Mario Parker and Michael Hirtzer (Bloomberg) Midwest rail lines have washed out, delaying biofuel shipments; Gasoline futures rise to five-month high before peak season — Flood waters spilling across the U.S. Midwest have swamped ethanol shipments, disrupting refineries and threatening to push up gasoline pump prices ahead of the summer

March 26, 2019 Read Full Article

FAA Launches Voluntary MRV Program for US Aircraft Operators Participating in CORSIA

(GreenAir Online) The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched the CORSIA MRV Program for US airplane operators with international flights participating in the ICAO carbon offsetting scheme. According to ICAO, it is mandatory for all operators, regardless of the country they are based in, to report verified CO2 emissions above a certain

March 24, 2019 Read Full Article

RPT-Floods Shut Nearly a Sixth of U.S. Ethanol Production

by Humeyra Pamuk, Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) Massive flooding in the U.S. Midwest has knocked out roughly 13 percent of the nation’s ethanol production capacity, as plants in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota have been forced to shut down or scale back production following the devastation. Production facilities owned by large companies like

March 22, 2019 Read Full Article

NTSB to Prioritize Safe Shipment of Ethanol

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board recently released it’s Most Wanted List for 2019 and 2020, with a focus on the ethanol industry. According to the list, the safe shipment of hazardous materials—including ethanol and crude oil—can be achieved by upgrading current tank cars to

March 14, 2019 Read Full Article

White House Presses Automakers to Back Fuel-Efficiency Rollback

by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis (Washington Post) As the Trump administration races to roll back Obama’s most ambitious climate rule, it lobbies to get industry on board — Trump officials thought they were doing the auto industry a favor when they decided to freeze gas mileage standards. But automakers aren’t so sure. To

March 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Federal Agencies Release Framework for Advancing the Bioeconomy

(US Department of Agriculture) The federal Biomass Research and Development (BR&D) Board today unveiled a multi-agency strategy to accelerate innovative technologies that harness the nation’s biomass resources for affordable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. The Bioeconomy Initiative: Implementation Framework was developed by the B&RD Board – an interagency collaborative which is co-chaired by the

March 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Chairman DeFazio Announces Full Committee Hearing, “Examining How Federal Infrastructure Policy Could Help Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change”

(U.S. House Committee on Transportation) Today, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) announced the Full Committee will hold a hearing titled, “Examining How Federal Infrastructure Policy Could Help Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change.” The hearing will examine the role the transportation sector plays in

February 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Talks Break Down Between California, U.S. on Car Mileage, Sources Say

by Ryan Beene (Bloomberg) Trump administration seeking to roll back Obama-era standards; Cars are a flashpoint in tension between Trump, California — Talks between California and federal officials on vehicle emissions and fuel economy standards have broken down without a deal, three people familiar with the matter said. The Environmental Protection Agency and

February 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Open the Door to Higher Blends

by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union and Farmers Union Enterprise/Biofuels Digest) … The reality is that the RFS is going backwards, we have effectively capped the use of corn ethanol in the United States, and the EPA continues to play lip service to the President they work for and the public

February 13, 2019 Read Full Article

NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) Favors Giving Consumers Options at the Pump

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) For the National Association of Convenience Stores, selling E15 is a matter of giving consumers plenty of fuel options. “We like the optionality of being able to have lots legal choices and really sell what the consumer wants to buy,” said Paige Anderson, NACS’s director

February 7, 2019 Read Full Article

NTSB Warns against the Dangers of Transporting Ethanol by Pipeline

by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, earlier this week the National Transportation Safety Board announced its 2019–2020 Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements. The Most Wanted List (MWL) was developed from safety recommendations that we’ve issued but that haven’t been acted on acceptably. The NTSB’s investigations have shown that moving

February 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Matsui Introduces Legislation that Pushes Back on the Trump Administrations Attempts to Roll Back the Fuel Economy and Vehicle Emissions Standards

(Office of Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA 6th)) Today (February 5, 2019), Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) led 19 of her House Energy & Commerce Committee colleagues in introducing the Clean and Efficient Cars Act of 2019, which would preserve fuel economy and vehicle emissions standards that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Commentary: Bring California’s Low-Carbon Wisdom to Washington, D.C.

by Andy Foster (Capital Press/Aemetis Inc.) … With the election behind us and new leadership in the House, it’s time to take another look at the IPCC warnings and examine bipartisan solutions that Congress can work toward — immediately. High on the list are biofuels, which offer low-cost energy without

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Chief Says Agency, California ‘Far Apart’ on Car Emissions

by Ryan Beene, Jennifer A Dlouhy, and David R Baker (Bloomberg) Wheeler, Nichols signal little progress on auto MPG agreement; State shouldn’t have authority on C02 emissions, Wheeler says — U.S. and California officials agreed Monday on one thing about auto emissions standards: they’re still miles from an agreement, with a crucial deadline

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

CAAFI Publishes Presentations from CAAFI Biennial General Meeting 2018 · December 4-6, 2018

(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative) CAAFI community is making great strides in the deployment of sustainable alternative jet fuel. The event included presentations and discussions of results from a number of key events from this year, including outcomes from International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) meetings

January 29, 2019 Read Full Article

The Energy 202: Potential 2020 Candidates Test Climate Messages on Trump’s EPA Pick

by Gino Grandoni (Washington Post) … Nominally, the hearing was convened to consider the nomination of former coal lobbyist and ex-Senate aide Andrew Wheeler to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. … In the past six months alone the EPA under Wheeler has proposed relaxing emission limits on power plants and freezing them for

January 18, 2019 Read Full Article

We Can’t Tackle Climate Change if We Ignore the Main Polluter — Transportation

by Steven Higashide (TransitCenter/The Hill) … Missing from these efforts, however, is a whole-hearted stab at cleaning up transportation, the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. To do that requires efforts to reduce driving, which would mean reversing the current course of federal policy. … Bigger roads haven’t solved congestion; they’ve just allowed

January 16, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. Automakers Push for Deal on Fuel Efficiency Rules

by David Shepardson (Reuters) Executives at the major U.S. automakers are pressing the Trump administration and California to agree on standards for fuel efficiency and carbon emissions through 2025, as risks increase that a deadline for setting national standards will pass without a deal. Automakers are already entering the time frame when

January 16, 2019 Read Full Article

House Bill Would Repeal CAFE Standards:

(Bergeson & Campbell) On January 10, 2019, Representative Roger Williams (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 431) that would repeal the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CAFE standards are set by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and EPA. President Trump last year proposed to freeze CAFE standards at

January 16, 2019 Read Full Article

The Oil Industry’s Covert Campaign to Rewrite American Car Emissions Rules

by Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) When the Trump administration laid out a plan this year that would eventually allow cars to emit more pollution, automakers, the obvious winners from the proposal, balked. The changes, they said, went too far even for them. But it turns out that there was a hidden

December 14, 2018 Read Full Article

A Summary of Federal Programs: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Alternative Fuel and Advanced Vehicle Technology Incentives

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A wide array of federal incentives supports the development and deployment of alternatives to conventional fuels and engines in transportation. These incentives include tax deductions and credits for vehicle purchases and the installation of refueling systems, federal grants for conversion of older vehicles to newer technologies,

December 5, 2018 Read Full Article

Throttled and Greens Sue for Auto Proposal Docs

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) THROTTLED: An administration official told Pro’s Zack Colman that EPA and NHTSA would reduce its projection for saved lives in its forthcoming finalized fuel economy rule. The reason: The agencies are revising estimates for how quickly motorists would ditch their cars and how many

December 4, 2018 Read Full Article

White House, California to Discuss Vehicle Emissions Rules Next Week

by David Shepardson (Reuters) California clean air regulators will hold talks next Tuesday with their federal counterparts and the White House over Trump administration efforts to stop Sacramento from adopting tighter vehicle emissions rules than Washington, a spokesman for the state confirmed on Thursday. The video conference meeting will be the

November 9, 2018 Read Full Article

The Trump Administration Flunked Its Math Homework

by Robinson Meyer (The Atlantic) The administration’s clean-cars rollback is riddled with errors. In one case, it forgot to divide by four. In another, it accidentally deleted 700 billion miles of driving. … The mistakes range in scope from the comical to the bizarre, from the obviously accidental to the

November 6, 2018 Read Full Article

EESI Joins Comments on Health, Environmental & Economic Benefits of High-Octane Biofuels +

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) … Automotive manufacturers are expressing interest in raising the minimum octane level of the U.S. gasoline pool as a low-cost compliance option for increasing fuel efficiency. Until now, all MPG gains in the passenger vehicle fleet have been accomplished through engine and vehicle

November 2, 2018 Read Full Article