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by Andres Picon (E&E News/Politico Pro) Advocates of a national clean fuel standard say it would help cut transportation-sector emissions as electrification ramps up. — Electrification is widely regarded as the primary way to tackle vehicle emissions, but there’s a growing push to disrupt that narrative. Advocates of a national clean
Federal Legislation
by Mariannette Miller-Meeks (The Iowa Torch) Mariannette Miller-Meeks: Biochar has the incredible potential to help sequester carbon in our agricultural economy and we must promote this innovative tool. — Biochar is produced by burning forest or agricultural residue (organic material) at very high temperatures with limited oxygen into a condensed black
September 26, 2022
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(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) Bill seeks to explore agricultural, environmental benefits of biochar — Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a family farmer and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, was joined by Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) in introducing the Biochar Research Network Act. This
September 22, 2022
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by Scott Neuman (NPR) … The government’s conservation programs are meant to bolster farmers’ response to climate change, as (Iowa farmer Robb) Ewoldt and others like him are forced to confront worsening droughts on the one hand, and unprecedented rainfall and flooding on the other. But even with billions more in
September 21, 2022
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(National Oilheat Research Alliance/Biobase Diesel Daily) Congress and President Biden have recognized the critical role that the transition to low-carbon biofuels in homes heated with fuel oil will play in the reduction of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes legislation that incentivizes the heating-oil industry to improve
September 20, 2022
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by Timothy Cama (E&E News/Politico Pro) The push from green groups would seek a new law for the transportation sector that would also give credit to electric vehicle charging and biofuels. — A coalition representing environmentalists, biofuels and electric vehicles is starting a new push to implement a low-carbon fuel standard
September 19, 2022
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(Ethanol Producer Magazine) This week’s Ethanol Producer Magazine podcast features, Brian Jennings, CEO of the American Coalition for Ethanol explaining how the Inflation Reduction Act gives farmers and ethanol producers more support in lowering their carbon intensity scores. He also discusses the policy priorities ACE has in the wake of
September 14, 2022
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper on Aug. 13 discussed several current issues impacting the U.S. ethanol sector, including a possible rail strike, ahead of an event held by the White House in celebration of the Inflation Reduction Act. Cooper opened a call
September 14, 2022
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by Jasmin Melvin (S&P Global) E15 solution for Midwest states coming: Regan; Biofuel group pushes for nationwide action; Lays out industry priorities for next RFS rulemaking — A promise by US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan to lift a summertime ban on sales of a gasoline blend containing 15% ethanol in certain
September 14, 2022
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(Agri-Pulse) This week’s Open Mic guest is House Ag Ranking Member Glenn “GT” Thompson. At last week’s Farm Progress Show, Thompson offered thoughts on crafting a 2023 farm bill including an opportunity to chair the committee if the GOP wins a majority in the November midterms. The Pennsylvania 15th district
September 12, 2022
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(Orrick) On Friday, August 12, 2022, the House passed The Inflation Reduction Act, the sweeping legislation on health care, climate and taxes, by a 220-207 margin after passing the Senate on August 7th. The legislation will reshape and expand tax credit incentives for a broad range of renewable energy resources and
September 12, 2022
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by John R. Kirkwood, Jason Deppen, and Christopher B. Berendt (FaegreDrinker/Biofuels Digest) … Section 48(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) as it existed prior to the adoption of the (Inflation Reduction) Act provides an investment tax credit (ITC) for the installation of certain renewable energy property as described in Section
September 9, 2022
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by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) In the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act, you can find a number of items that involve sustainable aviation fuels (SFA), particularly the tax credit and transition to a carbon credit. Thanks to notes about these provisions by Chris Tindal, Assistant Director of the Commercial
September 8, 2022
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by Corey Lavinsky (S&P Global) … Though ethanol is mentioned only thrice in the lengthy law, ethanol producers will benefit from its carbon capture, utilization and storage provisions, clean fuel production credits, and incentives for ethanol-based sustainable aviation fuel. In addition, cellulosic ethanol manufacturers celebrated the revival of a previously-expired $1.01/gal second
September 8, 2022
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by Jon Doggett (Fox Business/National Corn Growers Association) We must expand fuel choices and make ethanol more accessible across the US — … The Agriculture Department estimates that the cost of fuel, lube and electricity combined for American farmers is projected to increase 34% in 2022. We must remain focused on
September 7, 2022
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by Bob Larson (Ag Information Network/Washington State Farm Bureau Report) … The same week California announced it will end the sale of new liquid-fueled vehicles in 2035, a heat wave forced a power emergency and a request that consumers reduce demand, including charging EVs. That underscored the corn ethanol industry’s
September 7, 2022
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(Algae Biomass Organization) The Inflation Reduction Act that was passed by Congress and Signed by President Biden last month has been hailed as a milestone in climate progress for the United States, especially for the aid that the new legislation will provide for technology development. Several provisions should be of
September 6, 2022
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by Cindy Zimmerman (AgWired) Ethanol was in the spotlight at the Farm Progress Show in Iowa this week and the Renewable Fuels Association was there to promote the high octane benefits of the fuel and the role of biofuels and farming in combating climate change. RFA president and CEO Geoff Cooper, Director of Government Affairs
September 6, 2022
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by Doug Durante (Biofuels Digest/Clean Fuels Development Coalition) … EPA was finalizing their proposed rule to reduce fine particulates. To their credit, they had announced early on that they intended to complete their NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) by August and it is at the Office of Management and Budget for
September 5, 2022
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com)Agri-Pulse editor Sara Wyant moderated a legislative outlook panel of mostly Midwest lawmakers in the Syngenta tent at Farm Progress Show Wednesday. Joining Wyant were (L-R) Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL); Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA); Vicky Hartzler (R-MO); GT Thompson (R-PA); Randy Feenstra (R-IA); and Ashley Hinson (R-IA). The
September 1, 2022
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(Biomass Magazine) This week’s Biomass Magazine podcast features, Patrick Serfass, Executive Director, American Biogas Council, Interviewed by Anna Simet, editor of Biomass Magazine. LISTEN
August 29, 2022
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(Biodiesel Magazine) This week’s Biodiesel Magazine podcast features, Paul Winters, Director of Public Affairs and Federal Communications, Clean Fuels Alliance America Interview by Anna Simet, editor of Biomass Magazine. READ MORE Biomass Magazine’s Podcast Series: The Landmark Inflation Reduction Act: Biomass-based Diesel (Biomass Magazine)
August 29, 2022
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(Biomass Magazine) The Landmark Inflation Reduction Act: What’s in it for Biomass-based Diesel? Featuring Paul Winters, Director of Public Affairs and Federal Communications, Clean Fuels Alliance America, Interviewed by Anna Simet, editor of Biomass Magazine. LISTEN
August 25, 2022
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(Biomass Magazine) The Landmark Inflation Reduction Act: What’s in it for Biogas/Renewable Natural Gas? Featuring Patrick Serfass, Executive Director, American Biogas Council Interviewed by Anna Simet, editor of Biomass Magazine. LISTEN
August 25, 2022
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(Society of Environmental Journalists) “In a first, the measure legally defines greenhouse gases as pollution. That’ll make new regulations much tougher to challenge in court.” “When the Supreme Court restricted the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to fight climate change this year, the reason it gave was that Congress had
August 24, 2022
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by Anne C. Mulkern (E&E News/Politico Pro) … Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) last week signed legislation banning sales of new gasoline-fueled vehicles in state after 2035. California, New York and Washington have said they’d enact similar mandates. READ MORE
August 18, 2022
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“Others will be inspired to consider using advanced renewable and biodiesel fuels, either in blends or fully in place of conventional diesel fuel to reduce their greenhouse gas and other emissions. The advantage here is that this can be accomplished now, without any new fueling infrastructure or the need to
August 17, 2022
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) President Joe Biden on Aug. 16 signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, calling the legislation the “biggest step forward in climate—ever” and stressing it will allow the U.S. to boldly take addition steps towards meeting its climate goals. The expansive legislative package addresses
August 17, 2022
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by Aime Williams (Financial Review) The historic climate bill contains significant support measures for a fuel that is poorly understood by politicians. — … While hydrogen is a clean fuel when burnt and produces only water, the process of creating it through electrolysis fired by coal or gas is not. “Green”
August 15, 2022
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by Mark J. Riedy, John C. F. Loving, Stephen M. Anstey and Patrick McShane (Kilpatrick Townsend – Energy/Biofuels Digest) … Of the $369 billion for energy security and climate change, which supports various tax incentives, programs, and other initiatives, the IRA provides approximately $70 billion in new funds to the Department
August 15, 2022
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … One of the Digesterati described the shift in momentum: “The roof is lifting off the renewable energy industry broadly with the IRA and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The IRA and IIJA amount to more than $800 billion in climate and energy
August 15, 2022
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by Brady Dennis (Washington Post) … On the agriculture side, the legislation would pour nearly $20 billion of additional funding in existing federal conservation programs that incentivize farmers and ranchers to embrace a range of climate-friendly practices, including planting cover crops, better managing water sources, and conserving grasslands and other
August 15, 2022
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by Ashley Hanley (KTOE) The biofuels issue sparked brisk debate between U-S House candidates during a Tuesday forum on Farmfest’s first day. Second District Democratic Congresswoman Angie Craig: “I’m the first member of Congress to ever, in the history of this Congress, pass a bill that would allow for year-round sales
August 9, 2022
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by Zeta Cross (The Center Square) Illinois’ biofuel industry continues to expand and create more jobs every year, a new report by the Department of Energy has found. In 2021, 307 new jobs were added in Illinois, an increase of 4.6% over 2020, the 2022 United States Energy and Employment Report (USEER) said.
August 8, 2022
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(North American Renderers Association/Biobased Diesel Daily) Kent Swisher, president and CEO of the North American Renderers Association, testified July 15 before the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis on the sustainability benefits of rendering. Swisher was one of four witnesses testifying and the sole representative of the
August 2, 2022
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Here are the details from the US Senate with markers to indicate items of definite or possible industry interest. More on the bill here. Summary of the Energy Security and Climate Change Investments in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 … The Inflation Reduction Act: 1. Lowers
August 1, 2022
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by Philip Brasher (Agri-Pulse) Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced an agreement with Sen. Joe Manchin on a narrow reconciliation bill that would provide $369 billion in climate-related provisions, including more than $20 billion for farm bill conservation assistance and additional incentives for low-carbon biofuels and rural electric co-ops. The 725-page bill they agreed
July 28, 2022
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) With gasoline prices still at historically high levels, a group of U.S. senators on Tuesday introduced legislation that would expand demand for ethanol by establishing high-octane certification test fuels containing 20% to 30% ethanol and requiring automobile manufacturers to design and warranty their vehicles to
July 27, 2022
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by Vanessa Montalbano (Washington Post) … The Energy Department is also set on boosting approaches that would remove gigatons of greenhouse gas from the atmosphere for less than $100 per net metric ton of carbon. (According to Energy, 1 gigaton of carbon is equivalent to the annual emissions produced by
July 26, 2022
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by Laura Weiss (The Hill) There’s bipartisan interest in certain tax, trade provisions left out of budget, competitiveness bills — Tax credits for increasing home energy efficiency, building energy-efficient new homes, hydrogen-fueled vehicles, electric motorcycles, biofuel and alternative fuels like hydrogen or natural gas, along with their refueling property, also expired
July 26, 2022
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by Will Robinson (Brownfield Ag News) The U.S. biodiesel blending tax incentive is set to expire after this year which could lower blending volumes if not extended. Illinois Soybean Association board member Ron Kindred tells Brownfield the federal biodiesel incentive provides an extra dollar per gallon to blenders… “We’ve been working
July 25, 2022
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by Melissa Anderson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Eleven years ago, California led the way with the implementation of its Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which continues to be a guiding force for clean fuel policy on the West Coast and beyond. Since it took effect, the structure and scale of the Golden
July 25, 2022
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(NGV Journal/Office of U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA)) U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D) from Virgina and Richard Burr (R) from North Carolina introduced the Renewable Natural Gas Incentive Act, a bipartisan legislation that provides a $1 per gallon tax credit for renewable natural gas used as a transportation fuel, further supporting
July 22, 2022
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by Douglas A. Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Ethanol Producer Magazine) With a time-to-market advantage over EVs, ethanol benefits the 270 million cars on the road today while replacing benzene-based carcinogens in gas. With its low-carbon, high-octane requirement, the Next Generation Fuels Act takes ethanol higher. Depending on when you came
July 21, 2022
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by Laura Sanicola (Reuters) Last week’s collapse of U.S. climate legislation could severely hamper the development of clean-burning transportation fuels, investors, lobbyists and analysts said. The U.S. biofuel industry was banking on legislation that would boost investment in fuels like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), made from animal fats, greases and oils,
July 21, 2022
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(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Congress continued to focus on the 2023 Farm Bill. The House Agriculture Committee held hearings on the forestry title of the bill and the state of credit for young, beginning, and underserved producers . We are tracking the environmental, energy, and climate highlights of the Congressional hearings in
July 19, 2022
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by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) A member of the House Agriculture Committee wants to strengthen the energy title in the next farm bill. Iowa Republican Randy Feenstra tells Brownfield there are so many opportunities for biofuel production and use in Title IX. “Right now to me it’s all about the
July 6, 2022
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by Manuel Quiñones (E&E News/Politico Pro) “Our bipartisan bill would spur research and development for carbon removal technologies, as well as accelerate the commercialization of innovative carbon removal solutions to help make them more affordable,” said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). — Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Washington Democratic Sen. Maria
June 20, 2022
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by Tyne Morgan (AgWeb) … E85 is priced significantly less than other blends of fuel across the country, even $2 below at some locations. “We’re talking about a 30% to 40% discount in many cases,” says Geoff Cooper of Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). “The reason for that is because the main
June 20, 2022
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by Zack Budryk (The Hill) The House of Representatives on Thursday passed an omnibus appropriations bill aimed at addressing spiraling fuel costs by further expanding the availability of higher-ethanol fuel blends. The Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act contains a number of separate agriculture provisions aimed at addressing food costs and
June 17, 2022
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(Office of Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH 2nd)) Today, Reps. Annie Kuster (D-NH) and Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) introduced the REMOVE Act, legislation to enact a whole-of-government approach to experiment, prototype, and produce carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology. The bill achieves this goal by directing federal agencies to include the development of CDR
June 16, 2022
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(NACS) The white paper will help spark conversation on finding an answer to reducing emissions from all vehicles. — The Fuels Institute has published a new white paper that explores the carbon benefits of using biofuels, according to a news release. The paper, “Assessment of Biofuels Policy: Effectiveness of Emissions Reductions,”
June 15, 2022
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by Reid Detchon and Bart Ruth (United Nations Foundation and Solutions from the Land, respectively) Why are drivers in Watertown, S.D., paying 60 cents a gallon less to fill up their gas tanks than we are? Because 30 percent of their fuel is ethanol. When Russian President Vladimir Putin sent tanks into Ukraine, President Biden acknowledged that
June 15, 2022
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by George Cahlink (E&E News/Politico Pro) Some House Democrats say they’ll vote for the bill as part of an inflation-fighting package to help vulnerable members — but they won’t like it. — Some House Democrats have major concerns with pro-ethanol legislation, due on the floor this week, and will only reluctantly
June 15, 2022
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sens. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn.; Shelly Moore Capito, R-W.V.; and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., are asking the U.S. Government Accountability Office to determine whether the U.S. EPA’s June 3 denial of 69 small refinery exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard must be submitted to Congress for review under
June 15, 2022
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by Marc Heller (E&E News/Politico Pro) The House is poised to vote on a bill combining expanded biofuels with oversight of livestock markets and conservation efforts. — The House will vote this week on legislation combining several agriculture priorities, including expanded biofuel infrastructure and year-round sales of higher-ethanol fuel. Congressional Democrats
June 13, 2022
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Whitehouse (Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)) introduced a bill Tuesday charging $55 per ton for carbon emissions on imported products from energy intensive industries. The Clean Competition Act, which POLITICO’s Josh Siegel got an early look at, differs from past carbon border adjustment bills by
June 10, 2022
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by Chuck Abbott (Successful Farming) The House could vote as early as next week on an omnibus bill that would allow summertime sale of E15, create a special investigator’s office at the USDA to enforce fair-play laws in meatpacking, and help farmers adopt so-called precision agriculture technology. The legislative amalgam
June 10, 2022
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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) invite you to a briefing on regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture, or farming in sync with the local environment and climate, produces multiple economic, climate, and societal benefits. Examples of these practices include reducing or eliminating synthetic pesticide and fertilizer
June 1, 2022
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Jason Crow (D-Colo.) want the Defense Department to go green. The group introduced the Depend on Domestic Clean Energy Act on Thursday to switch DOD’s energy supplies away from fossil fuels, which they call
May 27, 2022
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by Cheri Bustos (D IL 17th) (FOXBusiness) A solution to high gas prices is being planted across the American Heartland — … I’m lucky enough to represent more than 7,000-square miles of Northwest and Central Illinois — home to nearly 10,000 family farms and seven biofuels plants in and around our
May 23, 2022
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by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) A number of organizations, including state energy associations and Clean Fuels Alliance America, sent a letter to federal policymakers May 12 highlighting several policy priorities for the heating oil industry. The industry is pursuing goals for reduced carbon, with Bioheat® fuel as a key tool.
May 17, 2022
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(Carbon 180) Carbon removal startups working across tech and agriculture have penned two letters calling for the Senate and House Appropriations Committees to increase support for both geologic storage (the final resting place for carbon collected via direct air capture and BECCS) and agricultural soil carbon. The variety of signatories paints a picture
May 17, 2022
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by Scott Richman (Renewable Fuels Association) If you watched the Sunday morning talk shows last weekend, you might have noticed a new advertisement (paid for by oil refiners) that attacks the Renewable Fuel Standard. The ad notes that consumers are paying record-high prices at the pump (something that has nothing to do with
May 13, 2022
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by Thom Patterson (Flying) As fuel prices skyrocket, will sustainable aviation fuel ever be a less-expensive alternative? With the price of conventional aviation fuel skyrocketing in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, could sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) offer any relief? For a while now, governments, major airlines, and several aviation
May 6, 2022
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by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Washington Post) Americans should be thanking President Biden for allowing the continued sale of lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 this summer (letters, “No more ethanol in gas,” April 22). E15 is saving drivers as much as 30 cents per gallon, cutting the typical U.S. household’s annual fuel bill by
May 4, 2022
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by Ron MacDonald (Zinc8 Energy Solutions/Biofuels Digest) … While the U.S. Congress funds billions in grants to chipmakers including goliaths such as Micron and Samsung, many emerging alternative energy companies – who don’t have billions in the bank like the chipmakers – beg for their supper. It’s time for Congress to
May 3, 2022
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(Office of Congresswoman Cory Bush (D-MO-01)) Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06) introduced the Energy Security and Independence Act, a historic effort to strengthen America’s renewable energy supply chain through the Defense Production Act and invest in programs to lower utility prices. “The days
May 2, 2022
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(Office of Congressman Tom Rice (R-SC 7th) Bill Would Lower Price of Food and Gasoline by Repealing Ethanol Mandate Law — Congressman Tom Rice (R-SC) introduced the Food Before Fuel Act with Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) to repeal the ethanol mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The RFS drives up
May 2, 2022
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by Mark Heller (E&E News) The House Agriculture panel’s top Republican said he thought a revised “Growing Climate Solutions Act” was on the way to passage — until it wasn’t. — The top Republican on the House Agriculture Committee said a bill to bolster carbon sequestration in farming seemed to be
April 27, 2022
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(National Business Aviation Association) Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a proven and essential component of the aviation industry’s drive toward decarbonization, and federal tax policies such as a dedicated blender’s tax credit are necessary to spur investment in commercial-scale production of this vital next-generation fuel, a large group of stakeholders said
April 26, 2022
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(Great Lakes Energy) Says E30 Blends Can More than Offset the loss of Russian Oil, No RVP Waiver Needed — – Opening the door to 30% ethanol blends would save consumers billions of dollars at the gas pump and reduce imported oil by as much as one billion barrels per
April 26, 2022
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by Matt Reese and Dusty Sonnenberg (Ohio’s Country Journal) … “In a life cycle analysis of ethanol and electric vehicles, you have to look at the base load of carbon intensity. Right now, that number is 114 grams of CO2 per megajoule for the U.S. on average. If you took a
April 22, 2022
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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on green hydrogen. Green hydrogen—hydrogen produced using renewable energy—will likely be necessary for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like steel production and providing a low- and no-emissions alternative to the existing carbon-intensive hydrogen industry. The problem? Green hydrogen currently makes up
April 19, 2022
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(Agri-Pulse) The Senate Agriculture Committee will hold its first 2023 farm bill hearing later this month in Michigan, Chair Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member John Boozman announced Wednesday. The highly anticipated hearing entitled “Growing Jobs and Economic Opportunity: 2023 Farm Bill Perspectives,” will be held on April 29 at Michigan State
April 18, 2022
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by Jacqui Fatka (Farm Progress) … It is hard to predict the demand picture under the expanded E15 scenario, but lower estimates of a continued status quo indicate at least 300 million gallons of additional ethanol could be used by consumers with the year-round use of E15. “But (if you
April 15, 2022
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA on April 5 released its fiscal year (FY) 2023 congressional budget justification, outlining the agency’s plans for the $11.88 billion in agency funding requested by President Biden in his FY 2023 budget request on March 28. Initiatives related to the Renewable Fuel Standard are
April 12, 2022
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by Erin Burns (Carbon 180) Our vision for legacy emissions involves the world’s largest customer –There is unprecedented action on carbon removal in the US today. The bipartisan infrastructure deal of 2021 included billions of dollars for direct air capture (DAC) and forestry. The Biden Administration has reoriented existing agency efforts around
April 12, 2022
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(Green Car Congress) Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and John Barrasso (R-WY) led their colleagues in introducing the Renewable Diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel Parity Act of 2022. The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Steve Daines (R-MO). The bill would require the Department of Energy to track
April 11, 2022
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Last week’s IPCC report called for a buildout of the world’s carbon dioxide removal capacity to mitigate both legacy carbon emissions and to neutralize difficult-to-decarbonize sectors like heavy industry. Reps. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Scott Peters (D-Calif.) hope to boost U.S. direct air capture technology by creating demand
April 11, 2022
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(KLGR) Two Senate Ag Committee members recently urged the Environmental Protection Agency to update its greenhouse gas modeling for biofuels. Senators John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, and Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, asked the EPA to adopt the Argonne National Lab’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation,
April 7, 2022
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by Marc Heller (E&E News) House Agriculture Committee lawmakers pressed the administration to expand ethanol use in response to high gasoline prices. — House Agriculture Committee Republicans yesterday bashed the Biden administration’s energy policies, saying the White House focus on long-term alternatives to fossil fuel ignores a more immediate crisis in
April 6, 2022
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(Growth Energy) Growth Energy submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the agency’s particulate matter (PM) emissions standards and test procedures for jet engines, and the role biofuels play in reducing PM and greenhouse gas emissions in mobile sources including the aviation sector. “As we have already seen with higher
April 6, 2022
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Representatives from Iowa questioned Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young Tuesday on the lack of biofuels in the $6 trillion White House budget unveiled this week. Reps. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and Ashley Hinson (R-IA) both pressed Young on why there was no mention of biofuels in
March 31, 2022
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by Spencer Chase (Agri-Pulse) The Biden administration is fielding a steady stream of requests for emergency action to allow for summertime sales of E15, but those calls are coming up against the realities of the fuel supply chain as demonstrated by the actions of a pro-biofuel company. In various outreach
March 30, 2022
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by Michael Bates (NGT News) Hydrogen electrolyzer designer and manufacturer Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc.’s fully owned subsidiary, Next Hydrogen Corp., has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), along with an initial total of 40 hydrogen ecosystem partners, to develop a proposal to
March 29, 2022
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(Environmental Defense Fund) The window to make historic climate and clean energy investments at the federal level is now. We are in a fight for our future. Our economic dependence on oil has left us vulnerable to geopolitical conflicts, and investments in our clean energy future will help insulate our
March 28, 2022
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by Ryan Jeltema (ABC 12) Legislation in the U.S. House aims to lower gas prices while supporting Mid-Michigan farmers. The Year-Round Fuel Choice Act was introduced last summer, but it’s being considered now because of the near-record high gas prices. The bill would allow gasoline to be sold with 15% ethanol year-round.
March 25, 2022
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(Congressional Research Service) The farm bill is an omnibus, multiyear law that governs an array of agricultural and food programs. It provides an opportunity for policymakers to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural and food issues. In addition to developing and enacting farm legislation, Congress is involved in overseeing its implementation.
March 22, 2022
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Reps. Angie Craig, D-Minn.; Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa; Cheri Bustos, D-Ill.; and Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, on March 21 introduced the Home Front Energy Independence Act, a bill that aims to expand access to biofuels and ban Russian oil. Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate on March 9.
March 22, 2022
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by Ashley Davenport (Hoosier Ag Today) … “We have the Next Generation Fuel Bill, which would bring energy security to our fuel situation with higher gas prices,” says Matt Frostic, a Michigan farmer and at-large member of NCGA. “It allows higher compression engines that the automotives would like to build, which would
March 18, 2022
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by Tik Root (Washington Post) … But some urge caution, noting that almost all the hydrogen currently produced is derived from fossil fuels, especially natural gas. And a study published last year found that, if those embodied emissions are considered, purportedly “clean,” hydrogen can have a greater climate impact than natural
March 17, 2022
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) House progressives are planning to request Biden use emergency measures to ban future fossil fuel drilling on federal lands and deploy the Defense Production Act to ramp up clean energy generation, POLITICO’s Josh Siegel reports. The call will also touch on other progressive priorities like immigration,
March 16, 2022
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by Daniel Grant (Farm Week Now) While the U.S. scrambles to fill the void in the oil market created by the ban of Russian imports, commodity group leaders believe the solution is closer to home than Venezuela or Saudi Arabia. “If ever there was a time that underscores the need to
March 15, 2022
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by C. Boyden Gray (Boyden Gray & Associates/Real Clear Politics) … Currently, the EPA regulates fuels and automobiles separately, instead of as a single system. Automakers have the technological know-how to make much more efficient car engines, but regulatory barriers prevent them from doing so because they do not permit the
March 14, 2022
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Lawmakers in both parties and chambers hope to reduce heavy trucking emissions, and they view hydrogen as just the ticket to make that happen. Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), as well as Reps. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), are introducing the Hydrogen for Trucks Act today in a
March 10, 2022
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(Solutions from the Land) … The news of increased fuel costs comes as the Biden administration is considering a relaxation of federal requirements calling on blenders to mix specific amounts of ethanol or biodiesel when producing the nation’s petroleum-based fuel supply. To even consider backing away from the statutory obligation to
March 10, 2022
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by Charles Lane (Washington Post) … Ramping up oil and gas production is part of the solution, as Republicans argue. So is increased use of renewables, as Democrats argue — …. … A substantial increase in the federal gas tax would put powerful market forces — which our adversaries have
March 9, 2022
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by James Arkin (Law360) The United States and United Kingdom will ban imports of Russian oil and gas, the countries announced Tuesday in the latest round of sanctions to target Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. President Joe Biden said the move targets “the main artery of Russia’s economy.” “We’re banning
March 8, 2022
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by Cristel Zoebisch (Carbon 180) One giant leap for soil carbon – Farmers and ranchers play a central role in the health of our climate and planet. Today, they face more and more pressure from climate change, and one solution — soil carbon sequestration — has the potential to radically transform their
March 4, 2022
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by Ellen Friedman and Ben Reiter (Law360) The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on Nov. 15, 2021, includes over $12 billion in funding for carbon capture and sequestration, or CCS, programs.[1] At the heart of this massive investment in CCS is the new Carbon
March 2, 2022
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by Suriya Jayanti (Time Magazine) … If this is what we have to work with, let us at least make it truly hurt by including embargoes of Russian energy, too. … Oil prices have insulated Russia from sanctions hits, at least in the short to medium term. … Yet so far
February 27, 2022
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Geoff Cooper, head of the Renewable Fuels Association, said Tuesday that the trade group heard from EPA that it’s aiming to propose a rule for the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard by late spring or early summer. Under legislation from 2007, Congress set
February 23, 2022
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by Julia Bayly (Bangor Daily News) … The 2018 farm bill may have legalized hemp production, but it’s going to take language in the 2023 farm bill to remove lingering red tape regulating the crop. Those regulations stem from laws governing production of marijuana and, according to hemp growers, cast an unfair net
February 23, 2022
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Enacted in 2005 and expanded in 2007, the Renewable Fuels Standard has been a “resounding success” by any measure, the Renewable Fuels Association told the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in testimony submitted today ahead of a hearing on the landmark energy and environmental policy. “In addition to
February 16, 2022
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by Stephanie Kelly and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) Biofuel producers will urge U.S. Congressional leaders on Tuesday to change the methodology used in the Build Back Better Act to account for life-cycle emissions in the production of lower-carbon aviation fuel. Makers of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) are angling for tax credits to
February 15, 2022
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by Rebecca White, Lieve Laurens, Nate Kommers (Algae Biomass Organization/Biofuels Diges) Among the dozens of policy innovations that Congress must consider in climate change legislation is a tool that could help trigger the next stage in decarbonizing one of the most significant industries in the world: aviation. The provision is a
February 15, 2022
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Climate Leadership Council, a GOP-backed group supporting a carbon tax, is launching a new research center to explore how the U.S. could impose a border carbon adjustment or other policy to punish imports of high-polluting goods. Greg Bertelsen, CEO of the Council, told
February 15, 2022
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by Jeff Overton (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) During transportation day at COPO26, the focus for the aviation sector was setting targets and commitments for aviation emissions reduction, as well as the announcement of plans and strategies for lowering aviation’s climate impact. This final article in our series on sustainable aviation fuel
February 14, 2022
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by Jeff Overton (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) … The Biden-Harris Administration and Congress are focusing on expanding the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through multi-agency coordination to reduce climate emissions from aviation…. … On September 9, 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration unveiled the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge (the Grand Challenge)
February 14, 2022
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(Solutions from the Land) Members of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry held a hearing with key USDA officials Wednesday that marks an important first step in the development of a 2023 Farm Bill that can be crafted to give farmers, ranchers and forestland owners the best opportunity to
February 3, 2022
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by Laura Sanicola (Reuters) Tax incentives for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in U.S. President Biden’s stalled Build Back Better legislation are not enough for oil refiner Valero Energy Corp (VLO.N) to consider producing it instead of renewable diesel, executives said Thursday. … Refiners such as Valero have been exploring the production of
February 1, 2022
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by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … I (Geoff Cooper, Renewable Fuels Association CEO and President) also think the industry understands that we have a vision for the future of ethanol production that’s progressive and exciting. Too many people are pessimistic about the future of ethanol and obsessed with the
January 28, 2022
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by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … Recognizing this, the governors of seven Midwest states sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan in early November seeking guidance from the agency on how best to pursue a specific—and little known—provision of the Clean Air Act that allows independent
January 27, 2022
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, provided an overview of political and regulatory issues impacting the biofuels sector, stressing that Iowa’s biofuel industry is “fed up but fired up.” The industry entered 2021 with renewed optimism, he said. “Vaccines were
January 26, 2022
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) You may have seen the breaking news last week that the National Biodiesel Board changed its name and expanded its mission, becoming the Clean Fuels Alliance America, but before the NBB did that, Kurt Kovarik, NBB’s VP of Federal Affairs, shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC.
January 25, 2022
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(Diesel Technology Forum) A robust renewable fuels policy that recognizes today’s value and the future potential for expanded use of renewable fuels is no less important than writing a large $7.5 billion check for investments in infrastructure to boost electric or hydrogen fuel options. If we want to get working
January 18, 2022
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by Jasmin Melvin (S&P Global Platts) Ethanol group CEO calls out singular focus on EVs; Says ethanol ‘available now to jumpstart decarbonization’ — Emissions reductions benefits from electric vehicles are poised to make a big dent in the US’ carbon footprint over the long term, but the long lead time to overturn
January 13, 2022
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What clean fuel standards are on the horizon? Graham Noyes, Executive Director of the Low Carbon Fuels Coalition shared this illuminating slide guide on clean fuel standard fundamentals, LCFS and how it promotes investment in low carbon fuels, 6 big state clean fuel standards in progress,
January 13, 2022
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) The National Ocean Industries Association, a trade group representing the offshore energy industry, is calling on policymakers to lay the groundwork for Exxon Mobil and other companies to make the Gulf of Mexico a hub for carbon capture and storage projects. NOIA is releasing
January 12, 2022
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) called on Congress to pass the bipartisan Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act (S. 2339 (117)) to allow year-round sales of fuel with higher blends of ethanol after the Supreme Court declined to weigh in on the issue. Selling fuel with 15 percent
January 12, 2022
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(The Messenger) Keeping industry strong is a top priority — The evolving renewable fuels industries – ethanol and biodiesel – are important contributors to our state’s prosperity. A recent study conducted by ABF Economics, based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, concludes that the state’s ethanol and biodiesel producers have a major impact.
January 10, 2022
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by Doug Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Biofuels Digest) … When Bob Dole agreed to co-sponsor an amendment with Tom Daschle, a Democrat from South Dakota, it set in motion a series of events that became the building blocks for the modern ethanol industry. If we sketched out a family tree of
January 7, 2022
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper will testify at a House Agriculture Committee hearing on January 12 on the “Implications of Electric Vehicle Investments for Agriculture and Rural America.” “I look forward to participating in this timely and important hearing,” Cooper said. “I’m excited to share RFA’s views
January 6, 2022
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by Robert White (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … While the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit expired at the end of 2021, it still provides fuel marketers the ability to claim a tax credit for 30 percent of the cost, up to $30,000, for fueling equipment for E85 and other alternatives
January 6, 2022
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by Hugo Martin (Los Angeles Times/Aviation Pros) … In a first, one of the two engines on the 737 Max 8 was powered exclusively by fuel made from used cooking oil and rendered waste fat from beef, pork and chicken. Refined at a Southern California plant, the fuel produces about 80%
January 5, 2022
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by Karl Plume (Reuters) … The purpose of cover crops is to restore soil, reduce erosion and to pull climate-warming carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. The carbon trapped in roots and other plant matter left in the soil is measured to create carbon credits that companies can use to offset
January 4, 2022
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by Dan Gearino (Inside Climate News) This 1970s Minnesota Farmers’ Uprising Tried to Block One. What Can it Teach Us? As the country moves toward a massive build-out of transmission lines, a decades-old rebellion offers a way through potential opposition. — If the United States is to make a transition to clean
January 4, 2022
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Ekrem Korkut and Lara B. Fowler (Frontiers in Energy Research) The United States, spurred in part by international developments, is expanding its law and policy to incentivize the use of sustainable aviation fuels. While the U.S. has agreed to participate in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO’s) Carbon Offsetting and
January 3, 2022
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by Larry Lee (Brownfield Ag News) A Wisconsin Congressman remains optimistic about legislation that would require the EPA to stay on track with setting biofuel blending requirements. Representative Ron Kind tells Brownfield the Defend the Blend Act simply requires the EPA administrator to not reduce any volume of biofuel blending or
December 30, 2021
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by Amy Mayer (Agri-Pulse) A minor oilseed may be poised to take on a larger role as climate-smart policies emphasize low carbon fuels and the soil health benefits of cover crops. Camelina is seen by some as a cover crop that recoups a farmer’s investment because it can be harvested instead
December 29, 2021
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by Timothy Gardner and Valerie Volcovici (Reuters) … The bill contains billions of dollars to extend so-called 45Q tax credits for power and industrial plants to capture carbon emissions and store them underground or use it for other purposes. Senator Tina Smith, a Democrat who has sponsored 45Q legislation, said she
December 21, 2021
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(Office of Congressman Joe Neguse (R-CO 2nd)) Congressman Joe Neguse introduced the Clean Cooking Support Act,bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would address the health, environmental, and economic problems caused by exposure to smoke from traditional cookstoves and open fires. The Clean Cooking Support Act reinforces the U.S. government’s commitment to spurring the adoption of
December 20, 2021
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(National Biodiesel Board) Economic and environmental benefits exceed $6 per gallon of biodiesel — The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) welcomed the release of a new report, “The Economic Benefits of the Biodiesel Blenders’ Credit,” from Capital Policy Analytics. The report calculates annual economic benefits of $15 billion and environmental benefits of
December 17, 2021
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by Ian Duncan (Washington Post) A Provision in the Budget Bill Would Reward Transportation Agencies for Bringing down Missions from Driving, while Penalizing Others — A measure in the House’s $2 trillion economic initiative would require states to cut greenhouse gas emissions, promising rewards for transportation departments that post reductions
December 16, 2021
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(U.S. President Joe) Biden’s plan could make buying and charging electric cars easier, but electric vehicles are only as clean as the grids that power them. Studies have shown that electric cars drawing power from coal-heavy grids can actually be worse for the climate than hybrids. — Neel Dhanesha, VOX READ
December 16, 2021
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by Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg Quint) The Biden administration is preparing to impose more stringent limits on car and truck emissions in an effort to clamp down on a top U.S. source of the greenhouse gases fueling climate change. The standards, set to govern passenger cars and light trucks from model
December 16, 2021
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by Tyne Morgan (AgWeb Farm Journal) As airlines work to reduce their carbon footprint, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel are taking flight. Earlier this month, United Airlines successfully completed the first flight running on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a 100% renewable fuel made from products such as cooking oil, vegetable
December 15, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Rep. Ro Khanna, who led the House Oversight Environment Subcommittee’s probe into the oil and gas industry earlier this year, wants to end tax credits for carbon capture that is used to pump more oil out of the ground. Khanna introduced the End Polluter
December 14, 2021
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by Thor Benson (Daily Beast/Yahoo!) … Hydrogen fuel cells—which aren’t electric batteries themselves but can work in lieu of them without the need to recharge—are another potential solution to the intermittency problem. These types of fuel cells, according to Sadoway (Donald Sadoway, a professor of materials chemistry at MIT), are currently too
December 13, 2021
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by Philip Brasher (Agri-Pulse) The biofuel tax incentives in President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill could insure a growing market for soybean oil and other farm commodities, but the trucking industry worries the subsidies will kick off a war with the airlines over feedstocks. READ MORE
December 9, 2021
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by Marc Heller (E&E News) Thirteen years ago, Congress decided a tax credit for companies that blend biodiesel shouldn’t go to refineries that put just a drop of the alternative fuel’s main ingredient — crops, animal fat and other organic material — into petroleum. The idea, lawmakers said, was to use
December 8, 2021
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by Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa) Iowa Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says two Democrats are co-sponsoring a bill with her dealing with ethanol. “There are a lot of rumors circulating that the EPA might retroactively reduce the biofuels blending requirements for 2020. So, I felt it was imperative that we had to act,”
December 6, 2021
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What’s Your Take on the 2018 Farm Bill?
by Jenna Hoffman (AgWeb) U.S. House Agriculture Committee is seeking feedback on the previous Farm Bill in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), House Ag republican leader, says farm bill feedback is “critical” with 2023 Farm Bill discussions in full swing. “Hearing directly from farm country