Yesterday the American Petroleum Institute (API) announced a new TV advertising campaign. According to API’s Senior Manager, Cindy Schild, the ad is designed to highlight the importance of the nation’s refining industry. She said a strong energy future for our nation depends in part on our ability to refine and distribute the fuels we need – and that sound decisions on the Renewable Fuels Standard, transportation infrastructure such as the Keystone XL pipeline, and refinery regulations could contribute to a more robust, competitive refinery sector that would continue to support America’s economy and strengthen its national security.

In response, Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, responded by saying, “The lengths to which Big Oil will go to protect their absolute lock on fuels market are astounding. While they often pay lip service to the importance of renewable fuel for our country’s energy needs, at every turn they work to undermine them. Biofuels have helped reduce our dependence on foreign oil and created a robust domestic renewable fuels industry.” Buis will be speaking during the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit and Expo on January 30, 2013.

“Just the other day, API discussed how the RFS was broken, citing the blend wall as the primary challenge in a workable RFS. However, when it comes to the blend wall, Big Oil need only look in the mirror to see who is maintaining the status quo by protecting it,” Buis continued. “This is their entire play – if blend wall can’t be broken, the RFS won’t work. But Big Oil is maintaining the blend wall by erecting every possible barrier to bring increased blends of renewable fuel to the marketplace. While they opine for a free market, they are singlehandedly denying consumers a choice and savings at the pump by preventing a lower cost, high performance alternatives, such as E15.

Buis noted that multiple attempts to thwart market access in the courts have failed and now the industry is calling on Congress to maintain their monopoly in the marketplace. “The American people will not tolerate the continued misinformation and smear tactics on biofuels and same old selfish policies of an industry that has been receiving government subsidies for nearly a century while making record profits.”

In conclusion, Buis said that while Big Oil is entitled to their opinion, they are not entitled to distort the facts. “The renewable fuel industry will prevail on the facts. Biofuels are creating jobs here at home that cannot be outsourced, revitalizing rural economies across the country and improving our environment, all while reducing our dependence on foreign oil.”