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 …
Iowa Biodiesel Production Up in 2020 Despite COVID
Even with two plants out of operation for the year, Iowa biodiesel producers still managed to increase production in 2020, despite market challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and continued small refinery waivers. With nine of Iowa’s 11 biodiesel plants in operation, biodiesel production hit 351 million gallons in 2020, the second highest year of biodiesel production in Iowa history …
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 …
Biodiesel Conference to Spotlight Policy
National Biodiesel Board Director of Regulatory Affairs Kate Shenk will be moderating a panel at the 2021 National Biodiesel Conference and Expo called “What to Expect When You’re Expecting an RFS Rule” and with all of the turmoil going on right now regarding what the Trump EPA may do before leaving office, that landscape is changing daily. Shenk says a …
EPA Proposal May Mean No Last Minute Waivers
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a new rule Thursday that would extend 2019 and 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard compliance year deadlines due to the “uncertainty” surrounding small refinery exemptions. EPA notes that the Tenth Circuit Court case, which is now pending on the Supreme Court’s docket, has the potential to impact the availability of SREs going forward. Because of …
Virtual Biodiesel Conference Starts Next Week
The virtual 2021 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo officially launches next Tuesday, January 19th, with a full agenda on-line to allow participation from anywhere. The theme of this year’s conference is “Rise” and National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Chief Operating Officer Doug Whitehead says it reflects the resilience of the industry. “We’re rising up to meet the challenges of yesterday, today, …
Supreme Court Will Hear RFS Waiver Case
Late Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the 10th Circuit Court decision made a year ago this month that invalidated several small refinery exemptions issued by EPA under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The decision is in response to a petition submitted in September by HollyFrontier Corporation and CVR Energy, two of the refineries named in the case. The …
Groups Reject EPA Excuse for Non-Compliance with Court Order
Farm and biofuel organizations are rejecting the Environmental Protection Agency‘s excuses for failure to comply with a 2017 court order invalidated the agency’s improper waiver of 500 million gallons for 2016. The coalition, which includes the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National Biodiesel Board, American Coalition for Ethanol, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, and National Sorghum Producers, this …
Nuseed Carinata Feedstock Grows Global Potential
The global potential for Nuseed’s Carinata as a renewable fuel feedstock is advancing with the harvest of a commercial crop currently underway in Argentina and of Nuseed R&D trial plots in Southern France. “The Nuseed Carinata R&D plots show good potential, growing Nuseed Carinata hybrids between rotations in the same region as Europe’s largest biofuel producers would be a huge …