A strong Renewable Fuels Standard that sees 2 billion gallons of biodiesel production would mean about 66,600 jobs for the U.S. biodiesel industry. But a weak RFS, producing just 1.28 billion gallons of the green fuel as a leaked EPA proposal would call for, means losing about 8,000 of those jobs. This news release from the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) …
DF Cast: Is EPA Overstepping RFS Authority?
A leaked document from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the Renewable Fuels Standard is causing some real consternation among advocates for ethanol. While it’s just a draft and has not even been officially released, there is already plenty of debate over the possible proposal, including whether the EPA is overstepping its authority granted under the RFS. In this edition of …
DuPont: Lowering RVO Targets Would Be a Mistake
A company with experience successfully commercializing a variety of new technologies says it would be a mistake if government targets for renewable fuels are lowered. During yesterday’s Fuels America conference call on the prospect the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could drop renewable volume obligations (RVOs) next year from the statutory level of 14.4 billion gallons to between 12.36 and 13.18 …
Lowering RFS Will Raise Big Oil Profits
Big Oil will reap big profits if the Environmental Protection Agency actually proposes a substantial cut to the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirement for conventional biofuel blending, according to a new analysis released by the ethanol industry today. The analysis finds that the oil industry stand to make an additional $9-14 billion in 2014 if the EPA were to …
How To Make E85 Sales Soar
A bottleneck of too few fuel stations that offer E85 (85% ethanol 15% gasoline), along with price incongruity are two major factors that reduce the ability of E85 to help meet increasing Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) biofuel mandates. Iowa State University economists Bruce A Babcock and Sebastien Pouliot state in “How Much E85 Can Be Consumed in the U.S.” that …
Biofuel Groups Ask to Intervene in RFS Case
Three organizations that represent biofuel producers have asked to intervene in the latest legal challenge to Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Growth Energy, and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), filed a motion Friday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to intervene in the challenge against the RFS by Monroe Energy, …
‘Cheap Corn Caucus’ Undermines American Biofuel Industry
A “Dear Colleague” letter is being circulated by Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) with dozens of signatures calling for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Administrator Gina McCarthy to reduce the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending requirements. In the letter that energy.agwired.com obtained, Goodlatte writes: “Last month, EPA conceded that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) will soon require more ethanol be blended …
Legislation to Eliminate Corn Ethanol A “Killer”
Senator Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Coburn (R-OK) are introducing legislation to eliminate conventional biofuels from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). According to a story first published by Greenwire, the impending bill would leave the advanced biofuel targets in place, but would eliminate the corn-based ethanol target. “I think the mandate for ethanol, which is forcing a lot of additional use, …
EPA Response to Calls for Lowering RFS
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a statement regarding the AAA call to lower the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), stressing that no decision has yet been made on for 2014. The Obama Administration remains firmly committed to furthering the development of all biofuels – including corn-based ethanol, cellulosic biofuel, and advanced biofuel – as part of the President’s commitment …
Dinneen: Lowering RFS Would be Mistake
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen fears “the Obama Administration is about to make a huge mistake” in lowering the volume requirements for ethanol under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In an interview for “The Ethanol Report,” Dinneen says it does appear that the Environmental Protection Agency is planning on changing the Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) for …