by Brian Milne (DTN) … Owing to insufficient production, EPA has had to frequently issue waivers for the cellulosic biofuel nested category. However, EPA’s 2019 final rule pegged volume requirements below statute for total renewable fuel, triggering the agency’s reset authority under the RFS. Once triggered, EPA can modify statutory volumes
Federal Regulation
byTarso Veloso Ribeiro, Kim Chipman and Isis Almeida (Bloomberg/Yahoo! Finance) Exxon axes supply deal after delay, Cargill puts plant on hold; Labor woes contribute to rising costs for building plants — The US renewable diesel rush is losing steam as soaring costs eat into profits, prompting the world’s top crop
June 9, 2023
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by Gloria Dickie (Reuters) U.S. Department of Energy has invested $55 million in seaweed biofuel research; Whale biologists worry kelp growing gear could entangle critically endangered North Atlantic right whales; Seaweed farms test out stiffer, whale-friendly gear — … Now, the whales face another threat as the U.S. Department of
June 7, 2023
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by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Farm Forum) … The recent study by South Dakota ethanol producers estimating a value to the state of nearly $6 billion needs to be carefully examined. Argus Leader’s recent article delving into the study does a good job of explaining it and pointing out both the
June 7, 2023
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by Rachel Frazin (The Hill) The Energy Department on Monday unveiled a roadmap it says will, using hydrogen energy, enable the U.S. to reduce its emissions by 10 percent in 2050, compared to 2005 levels. The strategy document calls for specifically targeting hydrogen use in key industries, including chemicals, steel, refining and heavy
June 6, 2023
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by James Bruggers (Inside Climate News) Affirming long-standing incineration regulations, the Biden administration has withdrawn a plan to help ease the way for unchecked pyrolysis and gasification of plastic. Reversing its own Trump-era proposal, the Environmental Protection Agency has spurned a lobbying effort by the chemical industry to relax clean-air regulations
June 5, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Check out this illuminating slide guide to SAF from Mike McCurdy, Managing Director of Fuels & Power at ICF on how sustainable aviation fuels are taking off in the near term with the latest projected figures for 2023 through 2025, expected openings of additional refinery
June 5, 2023
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by Katie Schroeder (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine spoke with an auditor and an industry expert about what biointermediates are, potential opportunities and hurdles to participation. — The U.S. EPA released biointermediate provisions in July 2022 with the goal of expanding the feedstock pool available to renewable fuel producers. The provisions
June 2, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) With action on climate change necessary for the future of our planet and the global economy, U.S. policy makers are encouraging a transition to an electrified transportation fleet. However, millions of personal vehicles are unlikely to be electrified for decades, and aviation, long-distance trucking and
June 1, 2023
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by Maria Gerveni and Scott Irwin (University of Illinois) and Todd Hubbs (U.S. Department of Agriculture) (farmdocdaily) … What has received far less attention is what happens when the supply of biofuel exceeds the mandate. Given the scale of the renewable diesel boom in recent years (farmdoc daily, April 12, 2023), this is
June 1, 2023
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by Jared Strong (Iowa Capital Dispatch) Up to 60,000 miles of carbon dioxide pipeline must be installed in the United States to help eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to a federal engineer. … “Right now we’re kind of in the activation mode,” said Kevin Dooley, a carbon
June 1, 2023
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(Growth Energy) With drivers expected to hit the roads in near pre-pandemic numbers this Memorial Day weekend, Growth Energy—the nation’s largest biofuels trade association—urged travelers to fill up with Unleaded 88 (UNL88), a fuel blend with 15 percent ethanol, to save money at the pump and reduce their emissions over the
May 30, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) In an interview on the syndicated AgriTalk radio program, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper talked about new RFA staff and our role in safety and rail programs, the upcoming renewable volume obligations to be announced by EPA, the importance of E15, and legislation to allow
May 30, 2023
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by John Russell (Indiana Business Journal) … The top use for both crops is animal feed. But nearly half of Indiana’s corn is turned into ethanol as a fuel blend for cars, and nearly one-quarter of the soybean crop is turned into biodiesel for heavy-duty trucks. … And it’s likely
May 30, 2023
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(Agri-Pulse) This week’s Open Mic guest is Neil Caskey, CEO of the National Corn Growers Association. At the time Congress is preparing to write a new farm bill, corn farmers are facing a period of high input costs and declining crop prices. Questions facing the future of ethanol consumption in
May 30, 2023
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by Evan Halper (Washington Post) Incinerators, plastics companies and big agriculture among polluters racing to position as green as billions in federal subsidies flow — … (The waste-to energy) Industry officials claim the technology is more sustainable than landfills, which create a huge climate problem as rotting trash releases potent greenhouse gas
May 29, 2023
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(Clean Fuels Alliance America) Letter calls proposed RVOs “exactly the wrong signal to send right now” — Today, Clean Fuels Alliance America welcomed a letter sent by Govs. Kim Reynolds (R-IA), Mike Parson (R-MO), and Jim Pillen (R-NE) to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, asking the agency to substantially increase the biomass-based
May 25, 2023
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Maria Gerveni and Scott Irwin (University of Illinois) and Todd Hubbs (U.S. Department of Agriculture) … A RIN represents biofuel that has been produced and blended into transportation fuel. RINs are tradeable, and the market price of RINs plays a central role in the functioning of the RFS. In
May 25, 2023
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(Envitec/Biomass Magazine) New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Indiana and South Dakota – the list of US states where EnviTec Biogas is currently completing anaerobic digestion and biogas upgrading projects is becoming longer and longer. “We have 15 plants under construction right now,” explains Lars von Lehmden, managing director of EnviTec Anlagenbau GmbH
May 24, 2023
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(Kansas Corn/Farm Progress) Kansas corn farmers ask committee to not shut out biofuels as a climate solution — Testifying at a House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy and Regulatory Affairs hearing on tailpipe emissions rules and electric vehicle transition, Kansas Corn Growers Association CEO Josh Roe said biofuels like ethanol
May 24, 2023
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by David Shepardson (Reuters) California has asked the Biden administration to approve its plan to require all new vehicles sold in the state by 2035 to be either electric or plug-in electric hybrids, a landmark move that could speed the end of gasoline-powered vehicles, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
May 24, 2023
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by Jarrett Renshaw and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters)The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recommended delaying a scheme that would give electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers tradable credits under a federal biofuel program, in a final rule that the White House will now review, two sources familiar with the matter said. The plan
May 24, 2023
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(Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President) The Chief Statistician of the United States (CSOTUS) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, was charged in the Executive Order (E.O. 14081), “Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing
May 23, 2023
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( S&P Global Commodity Insights)Huge market potential for advanced feedstocks to meet the gap in supply needed to meet forecast demand of low CI fuels. Decarbonization efforts worldwide are boosting demand for transportation fuels with a low carbon intensity (CI). The current focus is on cutting greenhouse gas emissions in
May 22, 2023
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by Reps. Randy Feenstra (R-IOWA-4th) and Michelle Fischbach (R-MINN.-7th) (The Hill) Blessed with an abundant supply of domestic energy sources, American families should always have access to affordable gasoline 365 days a year. In the United States — where we used to produce more energy than we could consume —
May 22, 2023
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by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Bloomberg/Detroit News) The Biden administration has dropped, for now, a plan that would have awarded automakers such as Tesla Inc. credits for using renewable natural gas to power electric vehicles. That proposal was excluded from drafted regulation setting biofuel-blending quotas for the next three years that is
May 21, 2023
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(Aemetis) Operating 40-mile Biogas Pipeline, Central RNG Facility and Utility Interconnect Processes Waste Methane from California Dairy Farms into Renewable Natural Gas for Use as Carbon Negative Transportation Fuel Aemetis/Yahoo!)Aemetis, Inc.(NASDAQ: AMTX), a renewable natural gas and renewable fuels company focused on negative carbon intensity products, announced today that the
May 19, 2023
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by Marc Heller (Politico Pro/E&E News) Two Republican senators said the RFS was intended for liquid fuels, not to be an incentive for electrification. — An oil industry advocate and an ethanol champion in the Senate are joining forces to try to block the inclusion of electric vehicles in the renewable
May 19, 2023
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has delivered its final rule to set 2023, 2024 and 2025 Renewable Fuel Standard blending obligations to the White House Office of Management and Budget. OMB review marks a final stage before promulgation of a rulemaking. According to information published to
May 18, 2023
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by Margy Eckelkamp (AgWeb) A yet-to-be-realized provision in the Inflation Reduction Act could be the key for farmers to engage in measuring the carbon intensity (CI) of their grain. The Section 45Z tax credit provides biofuel producers (ethanol, biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel) with an incentive to produce low-emission fuels.
May 18, 2023
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by David Shepardson (Reuters) The Republican majority on a U.S. House of Representatives panel criticized two Environmental Protection Agency officials who declined to appear at a hearing Wednesday on a proposal by President Joe Biden’s administration’s to cut vehicle emissions and boost sales of electric vehicles. A spokesperson for the House
May 17, 2023
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by Emma Dumain (Politico Pro/E&E Daily) The House Oversight and Accountability Committee, under Republican leadership, will continue to challenge the Biden administration’s environmental agenda this week. On Wednesday, the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy and Regulatory Affairs will hold a hearing titled “Driving Bad Policy: Examining EPA’s Tailpipe Emissions Rules and
May 16, 2023
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(NATSO/PR Newswire) NATSO, representing America’s travel centers, truck stops and transportation energy retailers, and SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers, testified before Congress today on the critical role that the nation’s fuel retailers play in facilitating the efficient movement of goods and energy throughout the United States. Testifying before the Subcommittee on Highways and
May 12, 2023
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by Margy Eckelkamp (Farm Journal AgWeb) … The Section 45Z tax credit provides biofuel producers (ethanol, biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel) with an incentive to produce low-emission fuels. What makes this different than carbon offset programs is it could provide a business model in which the farmers’ carbon data is associated
May 11, 2023
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by Geoff Coopper (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The reintroduction of the Next Generation Fuels Act in both the House and Senate gives liquid fuels the opportunity to increase fuel efficiency while reducing tailpipe emissions. And it could potentially help advance ethanol’s net-zero-carbon future. In April, the U.S. Environmental Protection
May 9, 2023
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by Jack Andreasen (Carbon Miners Club) Huge news last week in the carbon management world as Louisiana was granted primacy over their Class VI wells, joining North Dakota and Wyoming in that distinction. This comes after two years since the formal submission of the application in 2021. As a reminder, most
May 3, 2023
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by Allen Schaeffer (Diesel Technology Forum) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted another far-reaching regulation that dictates what kind of trucks and fuels can be used in California in the future. Last week’s move comes on the heels of the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule which was adopted in 2021 and
May 2, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association summed it up thus: “The EPA’s action means that E10 and E15 will have the same volatility limit for the summer driving season that runs from June 1 to September 30. With the same volatility limit, the same gasoline
May 1, 2023
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by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The Biden administration could delay deciding whether to give electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers tradable credits for using electricity generated from renewable fuels, potentially putting the effort to boost EV automakers like Tesla (TSLA.O) in political limbo, two sources familiar with the matter said. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last
May 1, 2023
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by Gernot Wagner and Danny Cullenward (Washington Post) … Enter Section 45V of the tax code. Under this, clean hydrogen producers that meet low-emissions standards will be eligible for federal incentives that cover up to about 60 percent of the average total cost of production. This aims to level the playing field
April 28, 2023
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Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Bloomberg/Yahoo!) Biden administration officials have decided to issue an emergency waiver that will allow widespread sales of higher-ethanol E15 gasoline this summer, following a strategy used last year to help tamp down high pump prices. … To justify the emergency move, the EPA is set to cite
April 28, 2023
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(Office of Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.)) U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The senators are calling on EPA to maintain the blending requirements for 2023, eliminate
April 27, 2023
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) A group of federal lawmakers is raising questions about the legality of EPA’s proposal to create a so-called electricity renewable identification numbers, or eRINs, program in the Renewable Fuel Standard. As part of a multiyear RFS set proposal due for finalization in June, the EPA
April 27, 2023
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by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. ethanol industry is lobbying the Biden administration to ensure lower-carbon aviation fuel made from ethanol will qualify for subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act, arguing such provisions are crucial to meeting U.S. climate goals. The campaign reflects the ethanol industry’s desire to expand into aviation
April 27, 2023
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(NATSO/Biobased Diesel Daily) NATSO, representing America’s travel centers and truck stops, and SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers, encouraged the Biden administration to work with the nation’s fuel retailers to implement policies that will encourage private-sector investment in alternative fuels. The organizations represent 80 percent of fuel sold at retail, including
April 25, 2023
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byAllen Schaeffer (Diesel Technology Forum) … Beyond the advanced internal combustion engines, renewable biodiesel fuels and renewable natural gas have been gaining in popularity with fleets as readily available and affordable means to immediately reduce carbon and other emissions. The fuels are renewable, plentiful, growing in production, and widely accepted by truckers.
April 25, 2023
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by Paul Winters (SAF Magazine/Clean Fuels Alliance America) The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge is a coordinated effort among multiple federal agencies to scale up production of SAF by midcentury. Renewable fuels like SAF are critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in sectors where alternative low-carbon options won’t be available
April 21, 2023
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA on April 20 released new data on small refinery exemptions (SREs) that indicates two additional SRE petitions have been filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard during the past month. A total of 27 SRE petitions are now pending, up from 25 that were
April 21, 2023
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by Tom Snow (General Aviation News) Unleaded 100-octane aviation fuel should be available at three California airports as early as this summer, according to officials with General Aviation Modifications Inc. (GAMI). In an hour-long, standing-room-only forum at the 2023 SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo presented by GAMI’s George Braly, he noted that — if
April 20, 2023
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(U.. Environmental Protection Agency) EPA will hold three complementary grant competitions to invest $27 billion, putting public and private capital to work in communities combatting climate change Today (April 19, 2023), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new details about the design of the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction
April 20, 2023
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by Sabrina Valle (Reuters) The two largest U.S. oil companies are road testing renewable gasoline blends that they say could bring down emissions from conventional autos to levels competitive with electric vehicles (EVs). The fuels being promoted by Chevron Corp (CVX.N) and Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N), if made commercially available, potentially would extend the
April 20, 2023
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by Jasmin Melvin (S&P Global) EPA, California rules look to phase out diesel trucks; Will require more trucks to haul same amount of freight; Range, charging and power needs still present challenges — While onboard with ambitions to transition the US car fleet to electric vehicles, the heavy-duty trucking industry called out the
April 20, 2023
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(Office of Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS3rd)) … Today (April 19, 2023), Representative Sharice Davids took official actions to lower the cost of gas for Kansans, advocating for immediate and long-term solutions through the year-round sale of fuel blended with higher volumes of ethanol. First, she requested an emergency waiver from Environmental
April 20, 2023
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by Leah Douglas and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) A U.S. plan for year-round sales of a fuel blend with more ethanol known as E15 in eight Midwestern states will likely go into effect in summer 2024, a year later than the states sought, the top U.S. environment regulator told lawmakers on Wednesday.
April 20, 2023
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by Mikayla McKenna (Renewable Fuels Association) On Saturday we celebrate Earth Day, which is the perfect time to highlight the many benefits ethanol offers the environment and spotlight RFA’s vision: to help the world breathe easier with the power of renewable fuels. Most people already know ethanol has a track record of
April 20, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) A new analysis by the Renewable Fuels Association indicates that since the beginning of 2022 American drivers saved an average of more than 25 cents per gallon when using the E15 fuel blend, which contains 15 percent low-carbon ethanol, compared to regular E10 unleaded. RFA analyzed more than 3,000 actual
April 19, 2023
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(Office of Congresswomen Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02)) Congresswomen Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) and Angie Craig (D-MN-02) led 35 of their colleagues in a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Regan expressing concern over the EPA’s proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for advanced biofuels, and urging him to increase blending targets for advanced
April 18, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) In advance of a Senate subcommittee hearing today on the importance of cleaner vehicles, the Renewable Fuels Association stressed the importance of renewable fuels like ethanol in providing “an effective and immediate solution for reducing carbon emissions from liquid fuels across all segments of the transportation sector.” This afternoon, the
April 18, 2023
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by Shelby Webb (E&E News Energywire) … As oil and gas companies rush to build carbon sequestration projects — in hopes of taking advantage of increased tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act — states are scrambling to answer questions about how to regulate the new industry. The climate law’s incentives
April 18, 2023
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA on April 17 announced plans to comply with the consultation requirements of the Endangered Species Act as part of its upcoming Renewable Fuel Standard “set” rule under a proposed settlement agreement related to a legal challenge filed by the Center for Biological
April 18, 2023
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by Marc Heller (E&E News) The House Agriculture Committee will question EPA Administrator Michael Regan on agency actions affecting farmers and ranchers as other panels keep crafting the new farm bill. EPA Administrator Michael Regan will make his first visit to the House Agriculture Committee since Republicans took the majority
April 17, 2023
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Transitioning to E15 from E10 in Minnesota would contribute $1.06 billion to Minnesota’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to a new study by ABF Economics. The study said statewide use of E15 in Minnesota will increase ethanol demand, benefit consumers and the state economy and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
April 14, 2023
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(Clean Fuels Alliance America/Biobased Diesel Daily) Clean Fuels Alliance America applauded a bipartisan letter from 16 U.S. senators April 14 that calls on U.S. EPA to increase volumes for advanced biofuels and biomass-based diesel as it finalizes Renewable Fuel Standard volumes for 2023, 2024 and 2025 by June. The letter outlines
April 14, 2023
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by Ron Lamberty (American Coalition for Ethanol) When EPA examined concerns about removing the 1-pound RVP waiver during the high-ozone season to facilitate year-round blending of E15, it gave zero consideration to the negative economic impact a “gap year” would have on retailers of the blend. … Over the years,
April 14, 2023
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by Susanne Retka Schill (SAF Magazine) Calumet’s Montana Renewables has set sights on optimizing renewable jet output to be North America’s largest producer. — As of late February, Montana Renewables LLC claims the distinction of being the largest sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producer on the continent, and expects to maintain
April 12, 2023
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(Growth Energy) Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuels trade association, filed its opening brief today in its challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) failure to enforce compliance under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In Growth Energy v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Growth Energy argues against EPA’s decisions to allow refiners
April 12, 2023
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(Environmental Protection Agency) Building on rapid advancements and investments in clean vehicle manufacturing, including investments in domestic manufacturing in the Inflation Reduction Act, EPA’s proposed standards would deliver on President Biden’s agenda to tackle the climate crisis Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new proposed federal vehicle emissions
April 12, 2023
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by Alex Guillén (Politico Pro) DOE’s plan comes just days before EPA is expected to propose significantly reducing the greenhouse gas emissions standards for model year 2027 vehicles. The Energy Department on Monday proposed lowering the calculation used to determine the equivalent fuel economy of electric vehicles by more than 70 percent.
April 11, 2023
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(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is sharing a draft guide detailing the information requirements and process for submitting permit applications for microorganisms developed using genetic engineering and inviting public comment for 60 days. The draft Guide for Submitting Permit
April 7, 2023
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by Scott Richman (Renewable Fuels Association) … To determine how these oil price forecasts would translate to U.S. retail prices of gasoline, RFA conducted a straightforward regression analysis. … Two approaches were used for the analysis. First, retail gasoline prices were regressed against Brent crude oil spot prices using monthly data
April 7, 2023
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by Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Proposal will not mandate EVs or ban gas-powered models; EPA will outline standards for cars, light trucks in Detroit — … The proposed standards on cars and light trucks, set to be announced Wednesday in Detroit, are expected to govern tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide, smog-forming
April 7, 2023
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by Emily Pontecorvo (Grist) … A decision with profound implications for that goal now lies with the Treasury Department, which must settle a debate over the best way of crafting a tax credit designed to advance the production of clean hydrogen. Scientists and climate advocates warn that without rigorous guidelines dictating
April 6, 2023
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by Bob Kozak (Atlantic Biomass/Advanced Biofuels USA) Formula 1, Indianappolis 500, and International Sports Car Championships use high volume renewable ethanol fuels. Do they know something we should know? Does ethanol “work” better as as a fuel? Does it help an engine perform? Is ethanol really a good fuel for
April 5, 2023
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by Brian Dabbs (E&E News Energywire) The Inflation Reduction Act is setting up a fight over the climate footprint of biofuels for aviation, with significant implications for the nation’s emissions trajectory, the U.S. transportation sector and rural communities. In coming weeks, the Treasury Department will unveil a new sustainable aviation fuel
April 5, 2023
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by Valerie Swiantek (NGT News) Avolta says it has completed two dairy manure to renewable natural gas (RNG) projects at the Butterfield and Milky Way dairies in Arizona. The projects have begun injecting RNG into the Southwest Gas pipeline for distribution. Avolta has also partnered with U.S. Gain to distribute the RNG as an
April 4, 2023
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by Laura Paddison (CNN) Oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico is belching out significantly higher levels of potent, planet-heating gas than previously thought, according to new research, which found the climate effects of the operations are twice that of official estimates. The report comes as the Biden administration last month put millions
April 4, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Gas prices remain elevated and hard-working families are feeling pain at the pump. Fortunately, American-made ethanol provides some relief. Today, gas with 15 percent ethanol is the lowest-priced fuel available. But this blend, E15, will disappear on Thursday, June 1, unless Washington acts NOW. A March 2023 poll
April 3, 2023
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by Camille Von Kenel and Alex Guillen (Politico) Truck manufacturers will have to sell an increasing share of zero emissions vehicles now that the EPA has approved California’s regulations. California will require more zero emission trucks on the roads after a key Biden administration approval, a move that is bound
March 31, 2023
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(Clean Fuels Alliance America and California Advanced Biofuels Alliance) … Support for 30%/35% Targets Without Virgin-Oil Credit Cap. We commend CARB staff for maintaining a focus on strengthening the CI reduction targets through 2030. As noted in our prior comments, we continue to support the 30% and 35% CI reduction
March 31, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) As the Biden administration and Congress consider taking action to allow continued sales of lower-cost E15 this summer, a new poll shows overwhelming support among voters for ensuring the popular fuel blend remains available year-round and nationwide. With retail gas prices remaining elevated, nearly 70 percent of poll
March 29, 2023
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by Erin Jordan (The Gazette) Several Iowa farmers are optimistic CapCO2 could ‘solve the pipeline issue’ — Some renewable fuels advocates say carbon dioxide pipelines are the only way to save Iowa’s ethanol industry, but Jeff Reints doesn’t buy it. Especially not since he learned about CapCO2, a company marketing a system
March 28, 2023
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by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Every ABLC, held each Spring in Washington, DC, reveals the zeitgeist of the renewable sustainable fuels world and bits of the bioeconomy it intesects. This year was no exception with the following Key Words providing a way to summarize the thoughts and ideas of
March 27, 2023
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Environmental Protection Agency held a virtual hearing Tuesday on the recently proposed rule for a permanent waiver to allow eight states to sell E15 year round. For ethanol stakeholders, comments boiled down to one message: EPA took too long to respond to the governors’ request and must do
March 22, 2023
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(South Dakota Government) Today (March 21, 2023), Governor Kristi Noem and three of her fellow governors sent a letter to EPA Administrator Regan requesting an emergency waiver to allow for E15 this summer during driving season. Governor Kristi Noem and three of her fellow governors sent a letter to EPA Administrator
March 22, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Months of regulatory delays by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have put Midwest drivers at risk of losing access to lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 this summer, the Renewable Fuels Association said at an EPA hearing today. RFA urged the agency to allow sales of the E15 fuel blend this summer, rather
March 21, 2023
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by Mark Pilling (Flight Global) Over the past six months, an Airbus Defence & Space A400M tactical transport, NH Industries NH90 multirole helicopter and a Eurofighter Typhoon have become the latest military aircraft to undertake test flights with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). They join a growing list of defence assets demonstrating the
March 21, 2023
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by Anna Phillips (Washington Post) The EPA plans to grant California a waiver that will allow the state to phase out diesel-powered trucks, helping communities burdened by truck pollution — The Biden administration will approve new California rules to cut tailpipe pollution and phase out sales of diesel-burning trucks, according
March 20, 2023
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(Strategic Biofuels/Business Wire) —Strategic Biofuels, the leader in developing negative carbon footprint renewable fuels plants, announced today that it has completed the filing of its Class VI Carbon Sequestration Well Permit Application with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR). The Class VI application
March 17, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Sales of E85 flex fuel in California in 2022 surged 66 percent over 2021 and more than doubled the pre-pandemic record set in 2019, new data released by the California Air Resources Board indicate. Last year, California drivers purchased over 103.5 million gallons (mg) of E85 flex fuel, a blend
March 17, 2023
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by Lesley Clark (Politico Pro Climatewire) The 17 Republican-led states challenging California’s ability to set strict tailpipe emissions rules teed up their claims ahead of D.C. Circuit oral arguments in May. Republican states challenging California’s decades-old right to set its own tailpipe emission standards are arguing that the practice unfairly
March 17, 2023
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by Carlos Anchondo (Politico Pro Energywire) EPA Administrator Michael Regan wrote to Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) about the state’s application to secure primary enforcement authority. — EPA expects to finish its review in May of Louisiana’s application to gain regulatory oversight of carbon dioxide injection wells, according to an
March 17, 2023
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by Thomas Catenacci , Houston Keene (Fox News) A group of House Republicans introduced legislation Wednesday that would restrict California’s ability to ban traditional gas-powered cars as part of the state’s electric vehicle push. The four Republicans, led by Rep. John Joyce of Pennsylvania, said the bill — the Preserving Choice in Vehicle
March 15, 2023
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Minnesota Ag Interests Sue State on Adoption of California Zero-Emission Mandate — Agriculture, biofuels and convenience store groups allege the state of Minnesota violated the Constitution and federal law in adopting California’s zero-emissions vehicles mandate, in a new lawsuit filed in federal court Monday. California
March 15, 2023
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by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) U.S. senators reintroduced a bipartisan bill on Tuesday that would allow nationwide sales of gasoline with a higher blend of ethanol year-round, as a second heavy-weight oil trade group appeared ready to back the idea. Republican Senator Deb Fischer from Nebraska and Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar from
March 15, 2023
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by Sharon Lerner (Pro Publica) The Environmental Protection Agency recently gave a Chevron refinery the green light to create fuel from discarded plastics as part of a “climate-friendly” initiative to boost alternatives to petroleum. But, according to agency records obtained by ProPublica and The Guardian, the production of one of
March 13, 2023
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by Brent D. Griffiths (Business Insider) – Trump slammed Ron DeSantis for previously moving to kill a federal mandate prized by ethanol producers. -Ethanol is a major industry in the politically important state. -As Insider reported, DeSantis supported legislation in 2017 to kill the Renewable Fuel Standard Former President Donald
March 13, 2023
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By Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Americans strongly support expanded use of lower-cost, lower-carbon renewable fuels like ethanol, want greater access to higher ethanol blends, and strongly oppose policies that remove options at the gas pump or the auto dealership. For more than a decade, the Renewable Fuels
March 13, 2023
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by Katie Schroeder (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Several alcohol-to-jet projects, partnerships and technologies have been announced in the past 18 months. Ethanol Producer Magazine checks in on each, looking at where they stand and what they might ultimately achieve. … Multiple airlines forged ethanol connections—some inking formal commitments—last year as interest
March 10, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) OPAL Fuels is a fully integrated, nationwide leader in the production and distribution of low-carbon intensity renewable natural gas. The company’s vertical waste-to-energy model combines the upstream production and downstream marketing and distribution of RNG, delivering a scalable, low-cost solution to decarbonize heavy-duty transportation and
March 9, 2023
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by Jeremy Dillon (E&E News/Politico Pro) Lawmakers on a House panel found some consensus Wednesday on the operation and safety of carbon dioxide pipelines, as Congress seeks to reauthorize the agency responsible for the nation’s pipeline network. The bipartisan interest at a Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee hearing comes as backers of
March 9, 2023
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by Mary Stroka (County 17) Wyoming’s U.S. Senators, Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso, joined eight Senate Republican colleagues in asking Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to explain the department’s process for vetting and approving Wyoming’s small refinery exemptions to the renewable fuel standard. According to a news release from
March 9, 2023
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ASA CEO: Renewable Diesel Could Drive a New Era for Soybean Demand, but EPA Needs to Rethink the RFS
by Tyne Morgan (AgWeb) … The policy priorities for ASA differ year to year, but the excitement around biomass-based diesel and renewable diesel kicked into high gear during Commodity Classic last year. A year later, Censky (Steve Censky, American Soybean Association CEO) says soybean farmers are concerned with what EPA’s recent RFS proposal could
March 8, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) In formal written comments submitted today to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Renewable Fuels Association called for changes to the draft version of the Third Triennial Report to Congress on the environmental impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard. “Overall, a considerable amount of research is reflected in the external
March 7, 2023
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(Environmental Protection Agency/Federal Register) Pursuant to provisions specified by the Clean Air Act (CAA), governors of eight states submitted petitions requesting that EPA remove the 1-pound per square inch (psi) Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver for summer gasoline-ethanol blended fuels containing 10 percent ethanol (E10). This action acts on those requests
March 7, 2023
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) The attorneys general of Nebraska and Iowa announced their intent to sue the EPA on its proposed E15 rule for eight states, in a certified letter delivered to EPA Administrator Michael Regan on Monday. The states asked the agency to change the effective date of
March 7, 2023
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(OPIS via Renewable Fuels Association/Securities and Exchange Commission) PBF Energy Inc. incurred $1.226 billion in Renewable Identification Numbers credit costs in 2022, nearly 41% more than what it paid to comply with the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2021, the refiner said in a Thursday filing with Securities and Exchange Commission.
March 6, 2023
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by Katie Peikes (Iowa Public Radio) … But the federal policy may affect endangered species and their necessary habitat when farmers convert land into cropland to grow more corn, which is processed into ethanol, according to a new analysis in the journal Biological Conservation. “When you plow up a grassland to plant additional
March 6, 2023
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Starting on March 5 the state of Arizona will allow E15 sales in the Phoenix area as part of a final rule issued by the state. The Arizona Department of Agriculture Weights and Measures Services Division will allow E15 to be sold there as part of
March 6, 2023
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by Mike Soraghan (E&E News Energywire) A complicated question is looming in the Midwest over plans to build thousands of miles of carbon dioxide pipelines: Who would regulate them? The answer could affect the Biden administration’s hopes for a massive buildup of carbon sequestration projects, which would in many cases be
March 3, 2023
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(Office of Governor Kim Reynolds (R-IA)) Today (March 2, 2023), Gov. Reynolds received the Renewable Fuels Association’s All-Industry Award and addressed the National Ethanol Conference. Below are excerpts from her remarks: “Receiving the All-Industry Award is a personal honor and a humbling validation of our many years spent fighting for renewable
March 3, 2023
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by Steve Davies (Agri-Pulse) Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she will do whatever she can, working with other Midwestern governors, to get E15 approved for use this summer. She also describes carbon sequestration as critical to the ethanol industry’s future, despite the controversy over pipelines in her state. READ MORE
March 3, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) A new analysis from a renowned carbon accounting firm finds that the greenhouse gas emissions reductions achieved under the Renewable Fuel Standard far exceed the GHG savings originally projected by EPA. In the 15 years since the RFS was expanded, the use of biofuels under the program has
March 2, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The innate persistence of the U.S. ethanol industry and its champions can drive renewable fuels to new heights in 2023, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper said today in his annual “State of the Industry” presentation at the National Ethanol Conference in Orlando, Fla. “When faced
March 2, 2023
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by Mark Fischetti (Scientific American) As U.S. president, Jimmy Carter championed renewable energy, conservation and other then fringe efforts that are powerhouses today — … Carter may also be the politician who, more than any other, changed the country’s energy future. Under his four years of American leadership, landmark events and
March 2, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association released its 2023 Ethanol Industry Outlook and Pocket Guide today during the 28th annual National Ethanol Conference in Orlando. The annual publications serve as the go-to source of ethanol industry information, facts, and statistics. In 2022, the U.S. ethanol industry regained the same momentum that fueled its remarkable
March 1, 2023
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by Jody Heemstra (DRG News) Data released this week (Feb. 28, 2023) by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for 2022 show that ethanol volumes continued to recover from the pandemic-affected levels of 2020 and that the ethanol blend rate (i.e., the national average ethanol content of gasoline) hit a record 10.39
March 1, 2023
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(Office of Senator John Thune (R-SD)) Senators’ bipartisan letter urges President Biden to continue the year-round sale of E15 fuel to help restore American energy security. U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today led a bipartisan group
March 1, 2023
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by Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) … The administration is set to outline its plans to formally propose the change soon, setting the change in motion in time for next year’s summer driving season, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified before a public announcement.
March 1, 2023
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(U.S. Department of Energy) Supported by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (“BIL”), the National Transmission Needs Study (“Needs Study”) provides information about capacity constraints and congestion on the nation’s electric transmission grid. Formally known as the National Electric Transmission Congestion Study (“Congestion Study”), this report functions as DOE’s triennial state of the grid
February 28, 2023
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by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) … The biobased diesel industry took that punch Dec. 1 when U.S. EPA finally released its “set” proposal for the Renewable Fuel Standard. … Heading into the RFS set process, hopes were high. Many U.S. renewable diesel projects came online in 2022, proving the
February 28, 2023
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by Alexa St. John (Business Insider) – Automakers say they are all in on electric, and spending billions to get there. – But EV adoption is still a challenge; less than one-third of US car buyers said they want to go EV. – Car buyers are weighing a lot of
February 28, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Third Triennial Report to Congress on the environmental impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard is still a work in progress that needs to be vetted carefully and refined, the Renewable Fuels Association noted in comments during a peer review meeting this morning. “Overall, a considerable amount of
February 28, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Adding low-cost ethanol to the nation’s gasoline supply improves energy security and saves the average American household more than $750 per year, according to a new study conducted by energy economists from the University of California-Berkeley and leading universities in Brazil and the Czech Republic. The analysis concluded that “adding
February 28, 2023
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by Jim Wiesemeyer (AgWeb) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Friday completed its review of eight states requests to remove the volatility waiver provided under law for ethanol blends—the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver of 1 pound per square inch (PSI). Removing the waiver would allow sales of E15 fuel
February 28, 2023
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by Kristof Reiter (Biobased Diesel Daily) The U.S. government’s aggressive SAF goals will present challenges to tracking and verifying feedstock sustainability, demanding new solutions to ensure compliance. The U.S. government has set major goals to ramp up production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). According to the plan, by 2050, 100 percent
February 24, 2023
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by John Kingston (Freight Waves) … With renewable diesel and biodiesel becoming ever more important parts of the supply chain, government policies on incentivizing those fuels’ production or mandating their use become significant. David Fialkov, the executive vice president of government affairs for both the National Association of Truck Stop
February 24, 2023
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(Christianson PLLP/Biomass Magazine) Christianson PLLP is proud to announce that the U.S. EPA has approved their Quality Assurance Program (QAP) protocol for biodiesel and renewable diesel producers participating in the Renewable Fuel Standard. Christianson PLLP is now one of only three approved QAP providers in the world and the first QAP
February 22, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sales of E15, a gasoline blend containing 15 percent ethanol, hit a record 171 million gallons in Minnesota in 2022, according to a new Renewable Fuels Association analysis of data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce. This represented a 31 percent increase over the prior year
February 22, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The use of science-based, consistent and transparent lifecycle analysis methods will be crucially important in implementing the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act, the Renewable Fuels Association said in comments submitted Friday to the Department of Treasury. RFA’s comments were in response to
February 21, 2023
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(Agri-Pulse Newsmakers) New figures from the Congressional Budget Office added new layers to the farm bill discussion this week Senate Ag Committee member and Iowa Republican Joni Ernst joins Newsmakers to offer her thoughts on the upcoming legislation as well as her thoughts on the prospects for legislative or regulatory changes
February 20, 2023
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by Brian Jennings (American Coalition for Ethanol) With its D.C. fly-in happening at the end of March, the American Coalition for Ethanol’s CEO is optimistic about the industry’s ability to make progress on higher ethanol blends, both E15 and E85, and laser focused on making it happen. … For example,
February 20, 2023
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by Josh Fisher (Fleet Owner) The resolution, backed by 34 Senate Republicans, challenges the Environmental Protection Agency’s more stringent regulations on heavy-duty vehicle emissions. The bill’s lead sponsor says the EPA’s rules will just keep older equipment on the road longer. A group of Republican senators is trying to overturn
February 16, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Implementing a national clean fuel program that incorporates a market-based, technology-neutral approach will be critical to decarbonizing the U.S. transportation sector, the Renewable Fuels Association stressed today at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. “While policies such as the Renewable Fuel Standard, the Inflation
February 15, 2023
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by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) E30 could be the future of ethanol. The blend has so much going for it, even if it’s not yet in widespread use. For starters, E30 provides an engine with more octane per gallon when compared to regular unleaded, E10 or even E15, which
February 15, 2023
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by Jeffrey Tomich (E&E News/EnergyWire) … Less clear, however, is whether (Gov. J.B) Pritzker and Illinois’ Democratic-led General Assembly are willing to embrace carbon capture — a third rail of climate politics — as a complementary solution. While carbon capture technology and its promises aren’t new, the state has only recently faced
February 15, 2023
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(U.S. Department of Energy) DOE’s First Ever Agency-Related Foundation Will Accelerate the Development of New Clean Energy Technologies, Help Communities Unlock the Benefits of a Clean Energy Future — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public and stakeholder input on the Department’s first
February 14, 2023
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by Liz Hampton (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving too slowly to allow states to permit and oversee carbon-reduction projects, according to Louisiana’s governor, slowing millions of dollars in investments designed to tackle greenhouse gas reduction. Louisiana and other top oil-producing states say they can speed up permitting
February 13, 2023
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by Maria Gerveni, Scott Irwin, Todd Hubbs (University of Illinois and U.S. Department of Agriculture/FarmDocDaily) Biomass-based diesel has long played an important role in compliance with the U.S. Renewable Fuels (RFS) mandates (e.g., farmdoc daily, July 19, 2017). The two main types of biomass-based diesel fuels used to comply with the RFS mandates
February 13, 2023
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by Bruce Comer, Frank Kim, and Zak Putlak (Ocean Park/Biofuels Digest) The market for buying and selling biofuels plants followed a historic 2021 with a transformational year in 2022, driven by one pivotal biomass-based diesel (BBD) transaction. Overall, seven mergers and acquisitions transactions took place, with 889 million gallons per year
February 13, 2023
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by Ann Meyer (CSP Daily) NACS among that that see cost of EV chargers as obstacle to Biden administration’s goals — While the Biden Administration aims to take giant steps toward clean energy, three industry trade associations representing convenience stores and fueling centers said Friday more incentives for private investment are
February 13, 2023
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association today applauded a bipartisan group of 31 U.S. Senators and House Representatives for urging the Biden administration to quickly approve a petition from Midwest governors to allow the year-round sale of E15 in their states. “We thank this group of proactive biofuel supporters for seeking swift
February 10, 2023
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by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) The Biden administration is attempting to limit biodiesel blends in heating oil and diesel fuel to no more than 20 percent (B20), according to an action alert issued by the National Energy & Fuels Institute Feb. 3. “Your help is needed to defeat this arbitrary and
February 9, 2023
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by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, isn’t holding out much hope for new legislation for biofuels in the new Congress. “If the last few weeks are any indication, we’re in for a rocky ride the next two years,” Cooper said,
February 9, 2023
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MN BioFuels Testifies at EPA Hearing on Proposed Tailpipe Emissions Rule
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association’s (MN Bio-Fuels) executive director, Brian Werner, testified today at the EPA’s virtual hearing for the latter’s proposed tailpipe emissions rule. In his testimony, Werner said the EPA’s proposed tailpipe emissions rule “undervalue and overlook the future contributions that American-made biofuels can make in achieving