by Erin Jordan (The Gazette) and Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco (Harvest Public Media) (NPR)... Carbon tax credits are a “challenge to industry that says ‘if you can do this thing that makes sense for the climate, the U.S. government will pay you potentially tens,
Regulations-Federal
Back TO HOMEHouse Panel Sets Vote on Bill to Block EPA Tailpipe Rule
by Lamar Johnson (Politico Pro/E&E Daily) The committee will also vote on legislation to protect internal-combustion engines and prevent renewable fuel incentives from applying to electric cars. A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will vote this week on legislation to block EPA's
July 11, 2023 Read Full Article
Biofuel, Farm, Fuel Marketer Groups Urge Fairness in Tailpipe Emissions Standards
(Renewable Fuels Association) America’s farmers, fuel marketers and retailers, and renewable fuel producers today called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to adopt a market-oriented, technology-neutral approach to transportation decarbonization in its upcoming final tailpipe emissions standards for 2027-2032 light- and
July 11, 2023 Read Full Article
RFA: Final RVO Rule Fails to Deliver on Promise of Original Proposal Public Comment DEADLINE July 5, 2023
(Renewable Fuels Association) The 2023-2025 Renewable Fuel Standard volumes finalized today by the Environmental Protection Agency mark an unfortunate step backward from the volumes that were originally proposed, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. EPA’s final rule includes conventional renewable fuel requirements of 15
July 11, 2023 Read Full Article
New Report Offers Near-Term Solutions to GHG Emissions
(NACS) Transportation Energy Institute report evaluates low-carbon strategies for the transportation sector. -- Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), while transitioning to zero-tailpipe emissions vehicles (ZEVs), will deliver the greatest environmental benefits in both the near- and
July 10, 2023 Read Full Article
Growth Energy to IRS: Ethanol Ready for SAF Spotlight
(Growth Energy) In a letter submitted today, Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuels trade association, urged the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to include the U.S. ethanol industry in its effort to reach the Biden administration’s goals for the expanded use of sustainable
July 09, 2023 Read Full Article
US State Attorneys General Clash over EPA Emissions Plan
by David Shepardson (Reuters) A group of 25 Republican state attorneys general on Thursday urged President Joe Biden's administration to abandon plans to sharply cut vehicle tailpipe emissions, while a group of Democratic counterparts from 20 states urged more stringent requirements. The
July 08, 2023 Read Full Article
Interior to Propose Converting Offshore Oil Leases to CO2 Storage Leases
by Ben Lefebvre (Politico Pro) The Interior Department is drafting language into a new rule that would allow companies holding offshore oil leases to convert them to allow the acreage to be used to store carbon dioxide instead, a department official
July 08, 2023 Read Full Article
Pro Take: Forget the SEC, International Climate Reporting Standards Could Become the Global Baseline
by Rochelle Toplensky (Wall Street Journal) New international sustainability reporting standards could fulfill their ambition in becoming the global baseline as the advantages of using a single standard worldwide may, for many companies, outweigh the disadvantages of being more demanding than
June 29, 2023 Read Full Article
Dairy Digester Optimizes Food Waste Feedstocks
by Nora Goldstein (BioCycle Magazine) Narrowing in on liquid and semi-liquid packaged food and beverages yields economic, digester performance and biogas generation benefits at Reinford Farms in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania. Reinford Farms in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania began receiving food waste to add to
June 28, 2023 Read Full Article
Democrats Should Be Wary of Banning Gas Vehicles
by Ronnie Shows (Centrist Democrats of America/The Hill) ... One such agenda item is to speed the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) by blocking the sale of new gas- and diesel-powered cars and trucks. To be clear, I don’t have any issues with people
June 27, 2023 Read Full Article
House Energy Sub Committee Hearing on Affordable Fuels
(AgNewsWire) A House Energy and Commerce Sub Committee heard testimony this week on “Driving Affordability: Preserving People’s Freedom to Buy Affordable Vehicles and Fuel” regarding several bills related to lowering emissions from transportation vehicles. National Corn Growers Association CEO Neil Caskey testified in support of several bills
June 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Not My Dad’s Ethanol
by Jim Kendrick (Biofuels Digest) As I attended the 39th annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo in Omaha, Nebraska held June 12-14, memories of dinner table lessons received as the son of an Ag Economics professor come back to
June 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Are Biofuels Bad for the Environment?
by Charles H. Gessner, Neil Caskey, Suzy Friedman and Allen Schaeffer (New York Times) To the Editor: Re “A Climate Solution That’s Bad for the Climate,” by Michael Grunwald (Opinion guest essay, June 12): ... Michael Grunwald, not today’s farmers, seems mired in the “horse-and-buggy
June 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Illinois Gas Stations Have New Incentive to Sell Higher-Blend Ethanol
by Zeta Cross & Kevin Bessler (Illinois Radio Network/Advantage News) Tax incentives for retailers to sell gas with a higher ethanol blend is now law in Illinois. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1963 that gives gas stations a 10% sales tax
June 26, 2023 Read Full Article
US Lawmaker to Re-introduce Bipartisan Bill to Get EV Industry into Biofuel Program
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) A U.S. Democratic lawmaker plans to reintroduce a bipartisan bill next month that would allow electricity generated from renewable biomass to qualify for credits under the nation's biofuel blending program. The Biden administration abandoned a similar scheme over
June 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Key Democrat Cites ‘Real Concerns’ about EPA’s EV-Heavy Auto Plan
(Inside EPA) Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), a key House Democrat who represents a major auto manufacturing state, is expressing “real concerns’’ about EPA’s proposed emissions rule for passenger vehicles that projects a significant boost in electric vehicle (EV) sales, arguing
June 23, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Yield10 Biosciences
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yield10 is now advancing camelina as a low Carbon Intensity biofuels feedstock crop. Long-term, they are looking at PHA camelina for high value PHA bioplastics. The commercial opportunity in relay cropping is huge too and
June 23, 2023 Read Full Article
IRFA Calls on EPA to Finalize Overdue Midwest Governors' Year-Round E15 Fix
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) Still No Final Decision Two Months After Public Comment Period Closed, Eleven Months after Congressional Deadline -- Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today called upon the EPA to finalize its proposed rule to approve the Midwest Governors’
June 23, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden to Tighten Policing of Biofuel Credits after Wild Swings
(Business Times) The Biden administration is planning to step up the US government’s policing of an opaque market in biofuel compliance credits, following long-running complaints of wild price swings and manipulation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to lay out plans
June 22, 2023 Read Full Article
EPA Air Chief Defends Strict Tailpipe Rule at House Hearing
(Politico Pro/E&E Daily) Joseph Goffman attempted to rebut Republican criticism that the rule would burden families who could be forced to pay for higher-cost electric vehicles. -- In his first appearance before a House panel Wednesday, acting EPA air chief Joseph
June 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Nuclear Diesel: A Game Changer -- Synfuels, Energized by Fission, Can Transform US Competition with China.
by Robert Hargraves (Real Clean Energy) ... We can change the competition from vehicle electrification to producing zero-emission diesel fuel made from CO2, water, and nuclear energy. The US can leverage its expertise in petroleum refining and chemical engineering. For example,
June 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Comparative Economics of Carbon Sequestration for Iowa Ethanol Plants
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Decision Innovation Solutions) Iowa currently has 42 ethanol plants with listed annual capacity of 4.669 billion gallons per year. Iowa’s ethanol plants produced an estimated 4.5 billion gallons of ethanol in 2022. There are several wet mill
June 22, 2023 Read Full Article
#95. Chevron: The Future Is Lower Carbon Energy
by Tammy Klein (Transport Energy Strategies) Chevron believes the future of energy needs to be lower carbon, reliable and affordable. The company is taking a “portfolio approach” to carbon intensity reduction, investing in an array of different technologies to meet its
June 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Senators to Treasury: Adopt GREET for SAF Tax Credit
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A group of 16 senators on June 16 sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urging the agency to adopt the U.S. Department of Energy’s GREET model as the secondary methodology for calculating
June 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Renewable Natural Gas From Corn Stover
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) Failed Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Became North America's Largest RNG Producer -- When DuPont shut down its cellulosic ethanol plant in 2017 after years of effort and $225 million in investment, it looked like the process
June 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Interest Groups Flood EPA with Comments on Tailpipe Rules DEADLINE July 5, 2023
by Mike Lee (Politico Climatewire) Observers say the avalanche of responses is a precursor to months of heated debate over the future of U.S. transportation. -- Special interest groups have a lot to say about EPA's plans to cut tailpipe emissions. EPA
June 20, 2023 Read Full Article
NACS Urges the EPA to Adopt a Technology-Neutral Approach to Greenhouse Gas Standards
(NACS/Convenience.org) The Association wants better, more practical standards for heavy-duty trucks. -- NACS, along with NATSO and SIGMA, is urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise its proposed greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for heavy-duty trucks and adopt a market-oriented, technology-neutral
June 20, 2023 Read Full Article
D.C. Developments
by Brian Jennings (American Colation for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The American Coalition for Ethanol mobilized 60 grassroots leaders, including ethanol producers, corn growers and retailers, for its fly-in and government affairs summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. ... Market access for
June 19, 2023 Read Full Article
Clearing the Air: Examining the Environmental Protection Agency’s Proposed Emissions Standards --- June 21, 2023 --- Washington, DC and ONLINE
Witnesses and testimonies: Joseph Goffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation (OAR), Environmental Protection Agency READ MORE Fallon to Hold Hearing with EPA Official on Radical New Emissions Standards at the Expense of American Consumers and Manufacturers Subcommittee on
June 19, 2023 Read Full Article
Who’s Shaping the GOP’s 2024 Energy Strategy?
by Arianna Skibell (Politico's Power Switch) ... An army of political nonprofits, think tanks and Trump alumni are drafting energy policy plans they hope can rocket a Republican into the White House and provide the template for dismantling President Joe Biden’s
June 17, 2023 Read Full Article
Vertex Energy Announces EPA Approval for Generation of D4 RINs
(Vertex Energy/Business Wire) Vertex Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: VTNR) ("Vertex" or “the Company"), a leading specialty refiner and marketer of high-quality refined products, today announced that it has received approval from the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") for the generation of D4 Renewable
June 16, 2023 Read Full Article
EPA: 1 New SRE Petition Filed, 28 SRE Petitions Now Pending
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA released updated small refinery exemption (SRE) data on June 15, reporting that one new SRE petition was filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard in the past month. According to the agency, 28
June 16, 2023 Read Full Article
Another Win for Consumers and the Environment — E15 Approved for Summer Sales
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/The Hill) Summer driving season is here and there’s good news — whether you’re planning a cross-country road trip or hope to commute no further than the local pool, you’ll have an opportunity to save on
June 16, 2023 Read Full Article
States Charting the Course on ‘Green’ Hydrogen
by Arianna Skibell (Politico's Power Switch) ... An upswell of state-led legislation aimed at boosting and regulating the fuel source could help shape the trajectory of President Joe Biden’s climate plans, write David Iaconangelo, Heather Richards and Zach Bright. ... Few green hydrogen
June 16, 2023 Read Full Article
OMB Regulatory Agenda Outlines Upcoming CCS-Related Rulemakings
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The White House Office of Management and Budget on June 13 published its Spring 2023 Unified Agenda and Regulatory Plan, which shows several rulemakings related to carbon capture and storage (CCS) are underway by federal
June 15, 2023 Read Full Article
FEW General Session Panelists Discuss the Future of Ethanol; Awards Presented
by Katie Schroeder (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Representatives of the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and the American Coalition for Ethanol on June 13 discussed the future of the U.S. ethanol industry during a general session panel at the 39th annual International Fuel
June 14, 2023 Read Full Article
Duckworth, Fischer, Ernst, Klobuchar, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Solidify Future of American-Grown Sustainable Aviation Fuels
(Office of Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)) U.S. Senator and pilot Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—and U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) along
June 14, 2023 Read Full Article
US EPA to Release Biofuel Blending Mandate Rule by June 21
by Stephanie Kelly and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to release a final rule on biofuel blending volume mandates for the years 2023-2025 by June 21, after seeking a one-week extension on a deadline for the
June 14, 2023 Read Full Article
Cargill Puts Missouri Bootheel Soy-Crush Project on Hold
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) Cargill has put its plans to build a new soybean-processing facility in Pemiscot County, Missouri, on hold, a Cargill representative confirmed with Biobased Diesel Daily®. ... In May 2022, Cargill made public its intention to build a
June 13, 2023 Read Full Article
New Book Exposes EPA, Oil Industry’s Role in Ensuring the Dominance of High-Emission Fuels: Gasolinegate Debuts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show that EPA and oil interests collaborated to manipulate computer models used to certify fuel emissions and set standards, say authors Burl Haigwood and Doug Durante
June 13, 2023 Read Full Article
New Issue Brief Challenges the EV Vision: Biofuels and a Technology Neutral Strategy the Better Approach
(Clean Fuels Development Coalition) The widespread introduction of electric vehicles as a means of reducing carbon emissions presents a far greater challenge than the public is being led to believe, according to new research by the Clean Fuels Development Coalition (CFDC). This
June 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden’s Plan to Phase out Gas-powered Cars Is All Pain for Consumers and No Gain Public Comment DEADLINE July 5, 2023
by Diana Furchtgott-Roth (The Hill/The Heritage Foundation) ... Others, due to cost, convenience and climate, prefer gasoline-powered vehicles. Thankfully, Americans today still have that choice. But if the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest proposed rule on car emissions is finalized as written, they won’t
June 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden Plans Modest Biodiesel Quota Boost after Lobbying Crush
by Jennifer A Dlouhy, Kim Chipman and Isis Almeida (Bloomberg) Final quotas are still set to fall short of industry push; EPA to finalize renewable fuel blending requirements next week The Biden administration is on track to modestly boost the amount
June 12, 2023 Read Full Article
RFS and the Push for Greater Ethanol Content in Gasoline
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
June 09, 2023 Read Full Article
Renewable Diesel Bubble Begins to Burst as Costs Spark Pullback
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
June 09, 2023 Read Full Article
Mining Critical to Renewable Energy Tied to Hundreds of Alleged Human Rights Abuses
by Katie Surma (Inside Climate News) A report released Wednesday faults the U.S. and other nations for providing incentives for the mining of rare metals like lithium and cobalt without enacting adequate labor and environmental safeguards. Over the past dozen years, hundreds
June 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Threat to Whales Complicates US Research into Seaweed for Biofuel
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
June 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Doug Sombke: Carbon Sequestration Remains a Pipe Dream. Ethanol Fuel Already Has Value
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
June 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Energy Department Unveils Plan Using Hydrogen Energy to Cut US Emissions by 10 Percent
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
June 06, 2023 Read Full Article
EPA Spurns Trump-Era Effort to Drop Clean-Air Protections For Plastic Waste Recycling
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
June 05, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to SAF in a Season of Change
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
June 05, 2023 Read Full Article
The Path to Biointermediates
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
June 02, 2023 Read Full Article
The EPA Faces Questions About Its Approval of a Plastic-Based Fuel With an Astronomical Cancer Risk
by Sharon Lerner (ProPublica) The Environmental Protection Agency is facing a lawsuit filed by a community group and questions from a U.S. senator over the agency’s approval of fuels made from discarded plastic under a program it touted as “climate-friendly.” The new
June 02, 2023 Read Full Article
Is the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard in Danger of Going Over a RIN Cliff?
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
June 01, 2023 Read Full Article
Feds: Carbon Dioxide Pipelines Are Necessary to Reduce Emissions
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
June 01, 2023 Read Full Article
Interview: Update on RFA and Key Ethanol Policy
(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
May 30, 2023 Read Full Article
2023 Innovation Issue: Fields of Fortune
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
May 30, 2023 Read Full Article
Agri-Pulse Open Mic Interviews: Neil Caskey, National Corn Growers Association; Kevin Lucke, Chevron Renewable Energy Group; Meagan Kaiser, United Soybean Board; Tom Ryan, Truterra; and More
(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
May 30, 2023 Read Full Article
Burning Trash for the Planet? Climate Cash Sets off Branding Frenzy.
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
May 29, 2023 Read Full Article
Clean Fuels Applauds Governors’ Letter on RFS BBD Volumes
(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
May 25, 2023 Read Full Article
Overview of the RIN Compliance System and Pricing of RINs for the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard
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
May 25, 2023 Read Full Article
Envitec Biogas Building 15 Biogas, Gas Upgrading Plants in the US
(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,”
May 24, 2023 Read Full Article
Kansas Corn CEO Josh Roe Testifies before House Oversight Committee .
(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
May 24, 2023 Read Full Article
Exclusive: California Seeks EPA Approval to Ban Sales of New Gasoline-Only Vehicles by 2035
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
May 24, 2023 Read Full Article
US EPA Recommends Delaying Electric Vehicles Biofuel Program -Sources
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
May 24, 2023 Read Full Article
Kona: 2023 Sustainable Circular Economies-- Putting the Pieces Together --- July 17 – 19, 2023 --- Kona, Hawaii
Successful transformation to the Bioeconomy requires cross-disciplinary understanding informed by robust guiding principles on what it means to be sustainable. This three-day conference addresses this need for multidisciplinary "conversancy" so Bioeconomy professionals can be more effective leaders. Attendees will be prepared
May 23, 2023 Read Full Article
The Midwest has the Key to Affordable Gas and Energy Independence
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
May 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden Delays Bid to Grant Electric Carmakers Renewable Fuel Credits
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
May 21, 2023 Read Full Article
Aemetis RNG Production Facility Receives EPA Approval for D3 RIN Generation; LCFS Data Collection Completed and Pathway Review In Process at CARB; Six Dairy Digesters Fully Operational
(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
May 19, 2023 Read Full Article
Bill Would Block EVs from Renewable Fuel Standard
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
May 19, 2023 Read Full Article
EPA Delivers Final RFS ‘Set’ Rule to White House OMB
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
May 18, 2023 Read Full Article
Carbon’s Next Chapter on the Farm
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
May 18, 2023 Read Full Article
US House Republicans Blast EPA Refusal to Appear at EV Hearing
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
May 17, 2023 Read Full Article
Republicans Prepare to Pummel EPA over Tailpipe Rule: A House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee Is Also Focusing on the Administration's Electric Vehicle Push. Public Comments Due July 5, 2023
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
May 16, 2023 Read Full Article
NATSO, SIGMA Testify on Critical Role of Fuel Retailers in Bolstering Nation's Supply Chain
(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
May 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Carbon’s Next Chapter on the Farm
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
May 11, 2023 Read Full Article
The Importance of the Next Generation Fuels Act
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
May 09, 2023 Read Full Article
Primacy for Louisiana: Bury the Carbon Dioxide Not the Lede
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
May 03, 2023 Read Full Article
What to Make of California’s Advanced Clean Fleet Rule
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
May 02, 2023 Read Full Article
The Battle of the Ethanol Bulge
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
May 01, 2023 Read Full Article
Exclusive: Biden Administration Could Delay Electric Vehicles Biofuel Program Decision
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
May 01, 2023 Read Full Article
Opinion: Get Tax Credits Right to Make Clean Hydrogen a Boon not a Boondoggle
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
April 28, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden EPA to Allow Summer Sales of High-Ethanol E15 Gasoline
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
April 28, 2023 Read Full Article
Sens. Marshall, Moran Join Colleagues in Urging Biden Administration to Strengthen Renewable Fuel Standard
(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
April 27, 2023 Read Full Article
Lawmakers Doubt Legality of eRINs Idea: House Republicans Tell EPA Head Regan eRINs Proposal May Not Follow Law
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
April 27, 2023 Read Full Article
US Ethanol Industry Expands Focus to Lower-Carbon Aviation Sector
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
April 27, 2023 Read Full Article
Fuel Retailers Respond to Biden Administration’s Proposed Vehicle-Emissions Standards
(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
April 25, 2023 Read Full Article
Trucking into the Uncertain Future
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
April 25, 2023 Read Full Article
Refiners Urge Court to Scrap EPA’s Compressed RFS Compliance Schedule
(Inside EPA) Refiners say that EPA’s compressed schedule for compliance with the renewable fuel standard (RFS) violated their constitutional rights and must be overturned, in the latest challenge to deadline changes ostensibly designed to soften impacts from the agency’s delay
April 24, 2023 Read Full Article
Rising to the Challenge for SAF
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
April 21, 2023 Read Full Article
EPA: 2 New SRE Petitions Filed, 27 SRE Petitions Now Pending
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
April 21, 2023 Read Full Article
Unleaded Avgas on Track to Be at California Airports by Summer 2023
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
April 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Chevron, Exxon Pursue Cleaner Gasoline as Alternative to EVs
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
April 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Trucking Industry Worries US EPA Put 'Cart before the Horse' with Emissions Proposal
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
April 20, 2023 Read Full Article
As Summer Travel Approaches, Davids Takes Several Actions to Lower Gas Prices in Kansas
(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
April 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden Administration Sees Year-Round Sales of Higher Ethanol Fuel by 2024
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
April 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Ethanol: The Perfect Fuel for Earth Day
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
April 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Biofuels Timeline Reveals 'Incredible Accomplishment'
by Noah Fish (Echo Press) The biofuels industry has made incredible strides since Michael McAdams joined the sector in 1978. McAdams, president of the Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA), manages the voice in the U.S. capital for the advanced biofuels industry. ... In an interview
April 19, 2023 Read Full Article
New Analysis Shows Consumers Save at Least 25 Cents per Gallon With E15
(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
April 19, 2023 Read Full Article
LETTER: Hinson, Craig Lead Bipartisan Lawmakers in Urging EPA to Increase Advanced Biofuels Blending Targets
(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
April 18, 2023 Read Full Article
RFA to Senate Subcommittee: Ethanol Is a Cleaner Fuel for Cleaner Vehicles
(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
April 18, 2023 Read Full Article
Why Injecting CO2 Underground Is a Legal Morass
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
April 18, 2023 Read Full Article
EPA, CBD Reach Proposed Settlement over RFS ESA Review Public Comment DEADLINE May 17, 2023
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
April 18, 2023 Read Full Article
#90. Truck Stops Take on Alternative Fuels
by Tammy Klein (Transport Energy Strategies) Which fuels are truck stops blending and selling and where are they trending in the next 10, 15, and 20 years? And, what are they planning for electrification? NATSO’s Alternative Fuels Council is helping truck
April 17, 2023 Read Full Article
Big Week for Ag: Hearings Set on EPA Rules, Farm Bill
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
April 17, 2023 Read Full Article
Statewide Use of E15 Would Contribute over $1 Billion to MN'S Economy
(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
April 14, 2023 Read Full Article
Clean Fuels Applauds Senate Letter Urging Stronger RFS Volumes
(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
April 14, 2023 Read Full Article
The ‘E’ Is Silent
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
April 14, 2023 Read Full Article
SAF in the IRA Era – How Do the Incentives Stack up?
by Megan Boutwell (Stillwater Associates) The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) provides for a two-phased approach to incentivize sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production. The first phase, 2023-2024, expands the biomass-based diesel blenders tax credit (BTC) to include a separate per-gallon incentive
April 13, 2023 Read Full Article
SAF in the Big Sky State
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
April 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Aims to Ensure RFS Compliance in Latest Case against EPA
(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
April 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Strongest-Ever Pollution Standards for Cars and Trucks to Accelerate Transition to a Clean-Transportation Future Hearing May 2-3, 2023; Public Comment DEADLINE TBD
(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
April 12, 2023 Read Full Article
DOE Proposes Slashing Key Metric for Electric Vehicles' Fuel Economy Public Comment DEADLINE: June 12, 2023
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
April 11, 2023 Read Full Article
APHIS Announces Draft Modified Microorganisms Guide Available for Public Comment [open for comment through May 22, 2023]
(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
April 07, 2023 Read Full Article
OPEC+ Production Cut Expected To Drive Up Gasoline Prices, but Higher Ethanol Blends Can Help
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
April 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden Is Set to Propose Toughest-Ever Rules on Car Pollution to Spur EVs
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,
April 07, 2023 Read Full Article
The Fight to Define ‘Green Hydrogen’ Could Determine America’s Emissions Future
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.
April 06, 2023 Read Full Article
Ethanol: In Case We've Forgotten Why Ethanol is a Really Good Fuel for Internal Combustion Engines
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
April 05, 2023 Read Full Article
Battle Brews over Climate Law Credits for Aviation Biofuels
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
April 05, 2023 Read Full Article
Avolta Completes Two Renewable Natural Gas Projects
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
April 04, 2023 Read Full Article
Oil and Gas Production in Gulf of Mexico Has Twice the Climate Impact of Official Estimates, Researchers Say
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
April 04, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden-Backed California Rule Pushes Clean Trucks
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
March 31, 2023 Read Full Article
New Nationwide Poll: Voters Want E15 Available Year-Round
(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
March 29, 2023 Read Full Article
EPA Fights Push to Revive RFS Waivers, Raising Chance of Circuit Split
(Inside EPA) EPA is fighting a legal push by Wyoming oil refiners for a stay of the agency’s denial of Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance waivers, a move the refiners say would require issuance of the waivers but which EPA
March 28, 2023 Read Full Article
EPA Holds Virtual Hearing on Proposed E15 Waiver
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
March 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Gov. Noem and Colleagues Request E15 Emergency Waiver
(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
March 22, 2023 Read Full Article
RFA Calls on EPA to Move Up Year-Round E15 Sales to Summer 2023, Despite Agency Delays
(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
March 21, 2023 Read Full Article
How SAF Experimentation Is Fuelling Change for Military Operators
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
March 21, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden Will Let California Lead on Electric Trucks, Despite Industry Protest
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
March 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Strategic Biofuels Completes Application for Class VI Injection Well Permit with EPA & LDNR for the Louisiana Green Fuels Project
(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
March 17, 2023 Read Full Article
California E85 Sales Skyrocket Past 100 Million Gallons in 2022
(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
March 17, 2023 Read Full Article
'JV Congress': States Say EPA Waiver Gives Calif. too Much Power
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
March 17, 2023 Read Full Article
EPA Close to Finalizing Review of La. CO2 Storage Request
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
March 17, 2023 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Says It Will Die if It Cannot Take Farmers’ Lands for a CO2 Pipeline. Will Trump Support Them?
by Timothy P. Carney (Washington Examiner) Iowa’s ethanol industry, which exists only because of federal and state subsidies and mandates, reportedly may collapse if it cannot build massive statewide networks of pipelines for distributing and burying the carbon dioxide emitted by its ethanol
March 17, 2023 Read Full Article
Republicans Aim to Block California's 'Heavy-Handed' EV Mandates
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,
March 15, 2023 Read Full Article
Farmers Sue Minnesota on Zero Emissions
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,
March 15, 2023 Read Full Article
This “Climate-Friendly” Fuel Comes with an Astronomical Cancer Risk
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
March 13, 2023 Read Full Article
Trump Says DeSantis Will 'Beg for Mercy' in Iowa after He Once Voted to Kill a Prized Ethanol Mandate
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
March 13, 2023 Read Full Article
It’s a Fact: Consumers Support Ethanol
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
March 13, 2023 Read Full Article
Off the Ground
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
March 10, 2023 Read Full Article
Why EPA’s Huge Social Cost of Carbon Might Fail to Halt CO2
by Jean Chemnick (E&E Climatewire) EPA is about to finalize a sky-high value for carbon that could be used whenever the federal government leases land to oil drillers or buys new mail trucks. But its effect on actual policymaking may be limited. The
March 09, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Opal Fuels
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,
March 09, 2023 Read Full Article
CO2 Pipeline Build-out Generates Bipartisan House Interest
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
March 09, 2023 Read Full Article
Wyoming Senators Ask Department of Energy to Clarify Small Refinery Exemptions
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
March 09, 2023 Read Full Article
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
March 08, 2023 Read Full Article
RFA Calls for Changes in EPA’s Draft Triennial Report on RFS
(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
March 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Virtual Public Hearing: Request from States for Removal of Gasoline Volatility Waiver --- March 21, 2023 --- ONLINE Public Comment DEADLINE April 20, 2023
(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
March 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog -- Iowa, Nebraska Attorneys General to Sue EPA on Delay on E15 Rule Unless Effective Date Moved Up
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
March 07, 2023 Read Full Article
PBF Energy Says RFS Compliance Costs Rose 41% to $1.226 Billion in 2022
(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