2020 was a tough year for everyone, but National Biodiesel Board Chairman Chad Stone is proud that the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry was able to rise and move forward despite the challenges. This was the second year as chair for Stone, who is Renewable Energy Group Senior Vice President for Commercial Performance. “We significantly increased our blend rates within …
Biodiesel Board Disappointed in Last Minute Waivers
During the National Biodiesel Conference session on policy this week, panelists agreed that the worst thing the outgoing Environmental Protection Agency could do to hurt the biodiesel industry was to grant more small refinery exemptions. A few hours later, that is exactly what EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler did on his way out the door, granting two 2019 small refinery exemptions …
RFA Takes Action to Stop Last Minute Refinery Waivers
The Renewable Fuels Association wasted no time in taking action to stop the last minute small refinery exemptions granted Tuesday by the outgoing Trump Administration Environmental Protection Agency. RFA filed a petition for review and an emergency motion to stay the effectiveness of the waivers, which the organization says will “inflict substantial, immediate, and irreversible harm” to the U.S. ethanol …
What President Biden Can Do Now to Cut Carbon Emissions
Now that President Biden has been sworn in, the Renewable Fuels Association has a way the new administration can immediately cut carbon emissions by 12 million metric tons. RFA recently released an analysis that shows President Biden could cut 10.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions simply by rejecting the 66 pending waiver requests from oil refiners who …
Trump EPA Grants Last Minute Refinery Waivers
At an agricultural event last week, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said he would not resign from the Trump Administration before the inauguration because he believed it was important for him to stay on “in the best interests of the agency, in order to ensure a smooth transition to my successors.” On his way out the door on Tuesday, Wheeler gave …
Biodiesel Award Renamed for Johannes, Presented to Jobe
One of the most influential pioneers of the biodiesel industry now has an award named after him. The newly named “Kenlon Johannes Pioneer Award” will forever recognize and honor the Terry Bradshaw lookalike who was instrumental in the initial development of the biodiesel industry in the United States, serving as the first Executive Director of the National SoyDiesel Development Board, …
Haer Honored with Eye on Biodiesel Inspiration Award
Former National Biodiesel Board chair Gary Haer was honored Tuesday with the industry’s Eye on Biodiesel Inspiration Award during the 2021 virtual National Biodiesel Conference and Expo. Gary Haer is the Vice President, Special Projects for NBB member company, Renewable Energy Group (REG), one of the nation’s largest producers of both biodiesel and renewable diesel in the United States. As …
Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Rise to Meet New Opportunities
The biodiesel and renewable diesel industry kicked off the 2021 Virtual National Biodiesel Conference and Expo Tuesday with an optimistic outlook for the future of America’s sustainable petroleum diesel replacement. The theme of this year’s conference is “Rise 2021” and in his annual state of the industry address, National Biodiesel Board CEO Donnell Rehagen pointed to several factors contributing to …
Focus on Biodiesel’s Environmental Benefits
The environmental benefits of both biodiesel and renewable diesel are in focus this week at the virtual National Biodiesel Conference and Expo. Matt Herman is the National Biodiesel Board‘s new Director of Environmental Science. Formally with the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Renewable Energy Group (REG), Herman has plenty of experience using life cycle assessment to measure the environmental …
Mixed Bag of Last Minute EPA Proposals for Biofuels
With just days before a new administration takes office, the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday issued a mixed bag of last minute proposals for biofuels producers. First, in Friday’s Federal Register, EPA proposed to extend compliance deadlines for 2019 and 2020 renewable volume obligations, stating that the agency would “take no position on the availability of SREs for the 2019 …