The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) pathways for biofuels produced from canola/rapeseed oil. The agency issued a proposed notice of rulemaking this week and is providing an opportunity for comment on the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis of these pathways. EPA’s assessment considers diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, naphtha, and liquefied petroleum gas …
President Biden Announces Emergency Waiver for E15
President Joe Biden visited the POET Bioprocessing facility in Menlo, Iowa Tuesday to formally announce an emergency waiver to allow 15% ethanol blended gasoline (E15) to be sold this summer. President Biden said adding ethanol to our gasoline reduces our reliance on foreign oil and gives consumers a choice at the pump. “When you have a choice, you have competition, …
Gevo Testifies at House Ag Committee Hearing
Gevo CEO Patrick Gruber presented testimony before the House Agriculture Committee this week on the future of climate smart crops and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) with updated carbon accounting and a system that rewards farmers for sustainable practices. “Net zero hydrocarbon drop in fuels are what the marketplace is interested in,” Gruber told the committee, outlining Gevo’s concept of a …
Ethanol Industry Sets Sights on the Sky
Sustainable aviation fuel is getting to be known by the ethanol industry as just “SAF” as it is being seen as a major opportunity for ethanol. The 2022 National Ethanol Conference devoted a whole panel to the subject, including two SAF producers, Gevo and LanzaJet, which are using ethanol derived from crop residue and waste sources by Alcohol-to-Jet processing. “Ethanol …
REG Makes Strategic European Investments
Renewable Energy Group, Inc. announced a couple of strategic European investments this week. First, REG will install a state-of-the-art pretreatment facility in Germany, enabling the company to refine some of the lowest carbon intensity, hardest to convert waste fats and oils for bio-based diesel production. The project is located on the North Sea harbor of Emden, Germany at the border …
USDA to Invest $1 Billion in Climate Smart Commodities
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was in Jefferson City, Missouri yesterday to announce $1 billion in partnerships to support America’s climate-smart farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. The new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities opportunity will finance pilot projects that create market opportunities for U.S. agricultural and forestry products that use climate-smart practices and include innovative, cost-effective ways to measure and verify greenhouse …
Coalition Urges RFS Update for Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Membersof the Business Aviation Coalition for Sustainable Aviation Fuel are urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide greater opportunities for the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan in response to a request for comments on a proposed RFS rule, the Business Aviation Coalition for …
Clean Fuels in the Age of Decarbonization
Biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel can work together to provide solutions for decarbonization. A panel at the 2022 National Biodiesel Conference and Expo discussed ways the industry can begin to meet the needs of growing and expanding markets when it comes to reducing carbon. One key message was shared by Gary Louis of Seaboard Energy. “We realize, as …
#NBB22 Ponders Future of RFS
Moderated by National Biodiesel Board’s Kurt Kovarik, a group of panelists discussed the history and potential future of the Renewable Fuels Standard at the 2022 National Biodiesel Conference and Expo. Former Senator Byron Dorgan outlined the steps taken over the past nearly 30 years to bring alternative and renewable fuels including biodiesel to where they are today. He said the …
Nuseed and bp Contract for Carinata as Biofuel Feedstock
Nuseed and BP Products North America (bp) have entered into a 10-year strategic agreement for the use of Carinata oil in the production of sustainable biofuels. Nuseed Carinata is a non-food cover crop that can be used to produce low-carbon biofuel feedstock that is independently certified, sustainable and scalable. Increased global demand for biofuels is being driven by the need …