Executive Director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB), Grant Kimberley, called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to embrace biodiesel’s full potential yesterday when testifying during the EPA hearing on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) 2018 proposed rules for Biomass-Based diesel in Kansas City. Renewable fuel volumes for 2017 are 2 billion gallons and the EPA only proposed an increase in fuel to 2.1 billion gallons in 2018. IBB is calling for final volumes in 2018 to be 2.5 billion gallons.
Several other speakers testified representing Iowa biodiesel plants, in addition to Kimberley who also serves as the director for market development for the Iowa Soybean Association. Iowa is the largest biofuels producer in the country including the largest biodiesel producer. The industry represents more than 3,000 jobs and nearly $345 million in GDP in 2015, while also producing 242 million gallons that year.
“Embracing biodiesel at its full potential is a perfect example of where different goals for the greater good can intersect,” said Kimberley during his testimony. “Not only does biodiesel improve Greenhouse Gas reductions, it also makes us more diversified in our energy supply, and it makes our nation’s critical farm economy stronger. Making farmers stronger makes our country’s food supply stronger…something we would never want to jeopardize.”
Kimberley also noted that Iowa’s biodiesel usage shows that B5 (five percent biodiesel) is a starting point, not a limit.
“Iowa is an example of a state where higher blends of biodiesel are becoming the norm, thanks in part to state policies that encourage petroleum distributors to carry biodiesel blends above B5. Kimberley added, “According to the Iowa Department of Revenue, the average blend last year was about 9 percent biodiesel, and we expect the common blend to be B10 and higher in the next few years in Iowa and other Midwestern states. There is really no such thing as a B5 blend wall.”
Listen to Grant Kimberley’s testimony here: Grant Kimberley, IBB #RFS Testimony
