The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) submitted comments this week to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in response to a call for input on burdensome regulations. NBB provided comments on five subjects: (1) funding for additional guidance and compliance assistance, (2) RFS implementing regulations, (3) the proposed Renewable Enhancement and Growth Support (REGS) rule, (4) Product Transfer Documents (PTD) and (5) …
Branstad Signs Iowa Biofuels Infrastructure Bill
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed his last bills as governor of the Hawkeye State last week, including the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund bill (HF 643), which provides $3 million to fund the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program. “Governor Branstad has been exceptionally supportive of funding renewable fuels and this infrastructure program. We thank him whole-heartedly for his leadership,” said Grant Kimberley, …
REG Reports Renewable Hydrocarbon Diesel Growth
Renewable Energy Group, Inc. sold almost 25 percent more fuel in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same time last year, largely due to an increase in renewable hydrocarbon diesel gallons. REG also experienced a full quarter of operations at its Madison, Wisconsin facility, and the impact of distillation upgrades completed in 2016 at the Danville, Illinois biorefinery …
Actions Seek to Keep U.S. Biodiesel Tax Benefits at Home
Two actions last week made progress toward preventing foreign biodiesel producers from reaping the benefits of U.S. tax incentives. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD) announced the introduction of legislation would extend the $1-per-gallon tax credit for biodiesel through the end of 2020 and reform the credit so it is only used for fuel produced in the U.S. “This legislation would give …
Branstad Touts Iowa Renewable Energy During China Hearing
During his confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to become U.S. Ambassador to China, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad had the opportunity to talk about his favorite subject – renewable energy. “Thank you for bringing that up because I’m very proud of where we’ve come from,” Branstad said in response to Sen. Tim Kaine (VA-D) asking about Iowa’s …
French Researcher Honored With Glycerine Innovation Award
The 2017 Glycerine Innovation Award was presented this week to Prof. Dr. Christophe Len with the Université de Technologie Compiègne France. The annual honor is sponsored by the American Cleaning Institute® (ACI) and the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and is presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS). It recognizes outstanding achievement for research into new …
Biodiesel Interests Pleased with Senate Bill
The National Biodiesel Board and the American Soybean Association applauded the introduction of a Senate bill this week that would convert the blender’s credit for biodiesel to a $1-per-gallon production credit for fuels produced in the United States for three years and provide an additional 10-cent-per-gallon credit for small producers. “Well-crafted and efficient tax incentives can be powerful policy mechanisms …
Senators Introduce Biodiesel Tax Credit Reform
Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) joined 14 other senators to introduce bipartisan legislation that would reform the biodiesel tax credit and extend the new policy for three years. The American Renewable Fuel and Job Creation Act of 2017 reforms the incentive by transferring the credit from the blenders to the producers of biofuels in order to incentivize …
U.S. Initiating Biodiesel Anti-Dumping Investigation
As the U.S. Commerce Department last week initiated formal antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia, the biodiesel industry was giving testimony to the International Trade Commission on how those countries are violating trade laws and injuring American manufacturers and workers. Biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia surged by 464 percent from 2014 to 2016, …
More Iowa Retailers Carrying Biodiesel Blends
Over half of Iowa’s fuel retailers carried biodiesel last year, up six percent from 2015 according to the Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB). The Iowa Department of Revenue released the 2016 Retailers Fuel Gallons Annual Report this month. The report shows during 2016, the amount of on-road biodiesel sold equaled 344.8 million gallons, or 54.7 percent of total on-road diesel fuel …