The biofuels industry came out in force in support of renewable fuels as the comment period came to a close for the proposed renewable fuel volumes obligations (RVO) for 2017 as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), an energy policy passed in 2007. The consensus of the biofuels industry is that all categories of renewable fuels must be increased and in some instances, must be raised to statutory levels as in the case of  first generation biofuels such as corn-based ethanol.

Below are some comments from various organizations along with links to full comments.

Chip Bowling, farmer and president of the National Corn Growers Association: “The RFS is doing exactly what it was intended to do. It is successfully driving the adoption of renewable fuel alternatives to petroleum, supporting jobs across the country, and ensuring the United States remains a global leader in developing new renewable energy sources while decreasing GHG emissions here at home.” Click here to read full comments.

Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy: “The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has been the most successful energy policy in the last 40 years. Biofuels, like ethanol, are cleaner burning and reduce harmful emissions that have been linked to cancer and smog. They provide consumers with a choice and savings at the pump, and the RFS promotes economic growth and energy security, helping to isolate America from the volatile price of oil from foreign, and often hostile nations. The comments filed today outline the case for why EPA must continue to move the RFS and, ultimately the development of biofuels forward. It is vital that EPA meet the statutory biofuel targets for America’s fuel mix and keep their promises to consumers, investors and the nation. The RFS always envisioned higher blends in the marketplace, such as E15, and currently ethanol producers, retailers and the current auto fleet are fully capable of providing consumers with a fair and open fuel marketplace and a true choice at the pump.” Click here to read full comments.

Brent Erickson, executive vice president of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO): “Among other things, the RFS program has been seriously impeded by EPA’s unwarranted and unlawful expansion of its general waiver authority in setting annual Renewable Volume Obligations under the RFS statute. EPA’s approach to setting biofuel volumes violates the law and has undermined certainty and predictability for investors and other market participants, with negative environmental and economic consequences that run contrary to Congress’s purposes in enacting the statute. Biofuels policy provides the stability and economic driver needed to decarbonize our fuel supplies. That is why entrenched interests have worked aggressively to undermine the RFS and preserve the status quo. However, relying exclusively on oil as our only source of transportation fuel will never help us reduce human-made greenhouse-gas emissions or reduce pollution.” Click here to read full comments.

Jan Koninckx, Global Business Director, DuPont Industrial Biosciences: “Biofuels policy provides the stability and economic driver needed to decarbonize our fuel supplies. That is why entrenched interests have worked aggressively to undermine the RFS and preserve the status quo. However, relying exclusively on oil as our only source of transportation fuel will never help us reduce human-made greenhouse-gas emissions or reduce pollution.” Click here to read full comments.

Brooke Coleman, Executive Director, Advanced Biofuels Business Council: “EPA must remain keenly aware that a regulation is only as effective as its waiver provisions – because these provisions establish under what conditions obligated parties can escape their obligations under the law. If waivers are too lenient – or worse, are based on market dynamics that obligated parties can create or control – then the regulation will not drive investment because the risk of stranded investment will depend too greatly on the willingness of obligated parties to comply with the law.”

The Union of Sugar Cane Industry Association (UNICA): “Ethanol producers of sugarcane in Brazil recognize the important, albeit modest, role they play in supplying the U.S. with a renewable biofuel, clean and low carbon. In the past four years, about 4.5 billion liters of Brazilian ethanol filled the tanks of American cars. During this period, our ethanol accounted for only 2% of all renewable biofuels consumed in the US, but it provided about 10% of all American offer advanced biofuel. Our official comments to the EPA make it clear that, with the right market conditions, Brazil is able to offer the U.S. significantly higher volumes than 750 million liters of ethanol advanced that the Agency provides in its proposal for 2017. The EPA has the ability to stimulate the advanced biofuels market. We ask the Agency to maintain a volume advanced as close to the original values of the program, and to take steps to encourage the production and import of biofuel renewable low-carbon instead of discourage these biofuels reducing their demand. ” Click here to read full comments.