The American Petroleum Institute hailed today’s circuit court ruling to “vacate the 2012 cellulosic biofuel standard” as a “decision to end mandate for non-existent biofuels.” Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen says it is not.

“The mandate for cellulosic ethanol is not ended by this decision by any way shape or form,” said Dinneen, calling API’s characterization “the height of deception.”

Dinneen explains that the court decision simply means that EPA has to have better justification for cellulosic biofuel target numbers under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “They couldn’t create an incentive for investment,” he said. “All they can do is make a clear headed decision on what is likely to be produced.”

In this edition of the Ethanol Report, Dinneen talks about how the petroleum industry is very afraid of the potential of cellulosic biofuels to take over a greater percentage of the gasoline market. “They’re not happy about having lost 10% of the barrel,” Dinneen says. “They are apoplectic about the potential of losing even more of it to cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels.”

Listen to or download the Ethanol Report here: Ethanol Report on Cellulosic Court Ruling

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