The government of Ontario announced on Nov. 26 it has amended its clean fuels regulations and will ramp up its requirement for renewable content in gasoline to 15 percent by 2030. The change is will boost demand for biofuels, including ethanol.
Retail offerings of higher ethanol blends has been steadily on the rise, with preliminary data for the year showing a 10 percent growth in retail stores in 2020 alone, according to Mike O'Brien, vice president of market development at Growth Energy.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship on Nov. 30 announced that 101 ethanol projects and 137 biodiesel projects at 167 fuel retail locations have been awarded COVID-19 relief under the Renewable Fuels Retail Recovery Program.
The U.S. EPA has missed its Nov. 30 statutory deadline to set the 2021 RVOs under the RFS, as well as the 2021 RVO for biomass-based diesel. While a COVID-19-related delay was not unexpected, the agency has yet to issue even an initial proposal.
The global economy is going to look different for a while. Our industry's reliability under pressure, coupled with open supply and trade links, and sound policy, will continue to be ethanol's advantage in the global marketplace.
Many of the key players in ethanol's export markets will hold their places into 2021, but policies, tariffs and demand for industrial ethanol could make waves. Making sure ethanol is treated as a here-and-now climate change solution will be critical.
Business announcements from the January issue of Ethanol Producer Magazine, including the NCGA's 2021 committees, a proposed LCFS in Minnesota, Pacific Ethanol's transition away from fuel alcohol, and Husky Energy's merger with Cenovus in Canada.
Already contributing to decarbonization, ethanol is a phenomenal low-carbon molecule that will continue to play an instrumental role in the transition to net-zero emissions. And because it is here today, there is no need to wait until 2035 to act.
Japan achieved an average ethanol blend rate of 1.6 percent in 2019. The blend rate is expected to increase to 1.9 percent this year due to an estimated 8 percent decrease in gasoline demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With 250 million cars on the road, and 15 million or more being sold annually, the internal combustion engine will remain predominant for decades to come. High-octane, low-carbon ethanol makes liquid transportation fuels clean and efficient today.
The Biogenic CO2 Coalition on Nov. 19 commended a bipartisan group of six U.S. governors who are urging the U.S. EPA to take prompt, science-based action to keep the United States from falling behind its competitors in the international bioeconomy.
Biofuel groups on Nov. 23 filed a motion in the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia asking the court to enforce its 2017 decision requiring the U.S. EPA to address its improper waiver of 500 million gallons of biofuel in the 2016 RVO.
Growth Energy on Nov. 20 announced it has submitted comments to the Colorado Energy Office on its draft Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap, which details energy action steps the state can take to meet its near-term GHG reduction goals.
At the close of the most recent marketing year, U.S. ethanol exports were down 12 percent year-over-year according to data from the USDA, weighed on by COVID-19 and the global issuance of stay-at-home orders.
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor has outlined the biofuels industry's top federal priorities for 2021, highlighting key measures that elected leaders must take to protect the climate, revitalize rural communities, and offer consumers choice at the pump.
The U.S. EPA released updated SRE data on Nov. 19, reporting that six additional SRE petitions have been filed with the agency, including one for RFS compliance year 2019 and five for compliance year 2020.
The U.K. government on Nov. 18 issued its 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution, which addresses sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and an accelerated phase-out of the sale of new gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles.
Reps. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., and Jim Hagedorn, R-Minn., on Nov. 18 introduced the Streamlining Advanced Biofuels Registration Act, which aims to force the U.S. EPA to act on outstanding RFS pathway and registration applications.
Nodal Exchange and IncubEx on Nov. 17 announced the successful launch of eight new renewable identification number (RIN) futures and options contracts, plus seven new renewable energy certificate (REC) contracts.
The USDA is accepting comments on a proposed information collection request related to the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. The agency said the collected information would identify eligible applicants seeking funds through the HBIIP.
The U.S. Grains Council on Nov. 5 submitted comments to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative highlighting significant trade barriers facing exports of U.S. coarse grains, ethanol and co-products.
The global biofuels industry has been strongly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report released by the International Energy Agency in early November, with production down approximately 11.6 percent when compared to 2019.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 10 granted a motion filed by the U.S. EPA seeking a one-month extension to its deadline to file a response to a petition filed by HollyFrontier and Wynnewood Refining in September seeking the review of an SRE ruling.
Biomass Magazine has announced that the 14th Annual Biomass Conference & Expo will be taking place 100 percent virtual, March 15-17, 2021. The deadline to submit a presentation abstract is Nov. 13, 2020.
The RFA and Growth Energy have spoken out to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their victory, noting they look forward to working with the upcoming administration to advance the use of biofuels.
Growth Energy submitted comments to the California Air Resources Board following an Oct. 14-15 workshop on the state's Low Carbon Fuel Standard. In its comments, Growth Energy urges the agency to expand the use of higher biofuel blends.
The USDA on Nov. 6 released select commodity tables from its USDA Agricultural Projections to 2030 report, which is scheduled to be released in full in February 2021. The report predicts a slight growth in corn use for ethanol over the next decade.
The American Coalition for Ethanol has spoken out in support of a report issued by the Minnesota Governor's Council on Biofuels in early November that recommends the state implement a Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
The U.S. EPA on Nov. 4 filed a motion with the U.S. Supreme Court asking for a one-month extension to file its response to a petition filed by HollyFrontier and Wynnewood Refining in September seeking a review of a lower court's ruling on SREs.
The European Commission on Nov. 4 announced it is beginning surveillance of imports of fuel ethanol into the European Union. ePURE, the European renewable ethanol association, has spoken out in support of the Commission's action.
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