Vilsack Says the Future for Biofuels Remains Bright
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack discussed the important role biofuels and biobased manufacturing play in the rural economy and highlighted the agency’s efforts to support those industries during a Jan. 20 hearing held by the House Agriculture Committee.
In his opening statement, Vilsack focused on the phrase “an extraction economy” and the need to create a circular economy where wealth is created and stays in rural areas. He explained that many of the raw resources produced by the ag economy are currently transported long distances, and value-added at some other location. As a result, opportunities and jobs are created in areas other than rural America. “I think its going to be important to us as we look forward to try to develop what is called a circular economy, in which the wealth is created and stays in rural areas,” he said.
Vilsack offered several examples of a circular economy, including biobased manufacturing. “Biofuels is one example, but there are a multitude of ways in which we can convert agricultural waste products into a wide variety of things beyond renewable energy and fuel, to include chemicals, materials, fabrics, fibers—again creating opportunities for farmers and additional income sources as well as rural jobs.”
He also stressed that climate change creates an opportunity for the ag sector. “As we look at ways in which rural lands can be used to sequester carbon—as we embrace climate smart agricultural practices—it opens up a whole new vista of opportunity for farmers to essentially be paid for the carbon sequestration that they are currently doing and will do in the future,” Vilsack said.
Vilsack also field several questions related to biofuels, the Renewable Fuel Standard, E15 and electric vehicles during the hearing.
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Vilsack stressed that the proposed RVO for 2022 is the highest in the history of the RFS program. He also discussed the $700 million in COVID-19 relief for biofuels and the $100 million in biofuel infrastructure funds that the USDA has announced it will distribute this year and highlighted the importance of the U.S. EPA’s proposal to deny more than 65 small refinery exemption (SRE) petitions.
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Vilsack outlined four primary benefits of the biofuels industry. He said the industry supports stability in farm income, increases jobs in rural areas, provides consumers with choice at the pump, and benefits the environment.
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Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., said her constituents are concerned about the Biden administration’s focus on electric vehicles and questioned if the administration has shown sufficient support for biofuels.
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He also stressed that the Biden administration has also set an ambitious goal for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
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“There is a lot of conversation about electric cars,” Vilsack said, but stressed that cars with internal combustion engines will continue to remain on the road for the foreseeable future and will require the use of biofuels. Liquid biofuels will also continue to be necessary for aviation and marine transport. “We won’t see the elimination of [the biofuels industry]—we’ll see an expansion of it,” Vilsack said. “I’m excited about this industry and think the future is bright.”
Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn., expressed concern that the fact that biofuels reduce emissions is getting lost in the conversion on climate change, and asked about the agency’s support for biofuels.
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A full replay of the hearing is available on the House Agriculture Committee website. READ MORE
SOME FARMERS SAY ETHANOL IS BEING LEFT OUT OF THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CONVERSATION (Brownfield Ag News)
U.S. Agriculture Secretary touts importance of low-carbon biofuel (Reuters)
Excerpt from Brownfield Ag News: Jan Tenbensil, a farmer from Southwest Nebraska, tells Brownfield many people believe electric vehicles are carbon neutral, but they’re not. “Just because a vehicle doesn’t have tail pipe emissions, we have to look at the entire lifecycle of the power source,” he says. “Be it coal, natural gas, solar or wind – all sources of electric have a carbon intensity that we have to measure.”
East Central farmer Rick Gruber says ethanol-blended fuel is more environmentally friendly because it has a lower carbon intensity score than EVs and ethanol benefits agriculture. “It really helps our bottom line. It’s good for the air. It’s good for farmers. It’s good for the rural economy. It’s just a broad-based approach to solving some of our issues we have with treating our liquid fuels market.”
NeCGA approved a policy resolution supporting renewable energy and electricity from non-petroleum and scoring its carbon intensity at its annual meeting in Lincoln Thursday. READ MORE
