Sustainable Bioenergy, Farms, and Forests - May 29, 2015

EPA Releases Renewable Fuel Volumes: But You May Ask Yourself, Just How Did We Get Here?

On May 29, the EPA released the 2014, 2015 and 2016 fuel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).  Certainly, you may have read the news that calls this a ‘corn ethanol’ victory, but for those who don’t closely follow the renewable fuels industry, what do these numbers mean for the future of the overall biofuels industry going forward?  More generally, what, if any, is the point of continuing to invest in and produce renewable fuels in the face of low gasoline prices, increasing engine efficiency, surging domestic production of oil, and a growing electric vehicle market?    

 

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Headlines:

1. Hilary Clinton Comes Out In Strong Support of Renewable Fuels, Rural Energy 

2. In Support of RFS, Rep. Tammy Duckworth Calls Out ‘Painful Price of Foreign Oil’

3. USDA Announces $100 Million for Renewable Fuel Blender Pumps

4. NREL Report Finds Infrastructure Challenges for E15 Overstated

5. If Done Sustainably, Wood Pellets Could Be ‘Viable GHG Reduction Strategy’ 

 

Events: 

How Can States Comply with the Clean Power Plan?

Friday, June 5
10:30 am - 12:00 pm

2168 Rayburn House Office Building
C Street and South Capitol Street, SE

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing examining the breadth of options available for states to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Clean Power Plan, which will be finalized later this summer. The Plan will set rules limiting carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants. Each state will be given a different target for emissions reductions, based on its specific circumstances. States will then have to submit plans to the EPA outlining how they will achieve their targets.

 

Save the date: 

Future Fuels: Can Biofuels Make Gasoline Cleaner, Cheaper?

Friday, June 12, 2015
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM 
Location TBA 

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Governors' Biofuels Coalition invite you to a briefing examining the current state and potential future of the transportation fuel supply. While combustion engines are more efficient and cleaner than ever, the transportation sector is still responsible for 27 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as half of all toxic emissions in the United States. Researchers from Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), and Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) are conducting coordinated studies to address the opportunities and challenges to deploying a high octane mid-level ethanol blend to the passenger vehicle fleet. They found such fuels, which blend between 25 to 40 percent ethanol and 60 to 75 percent 
conventional gasoline (instead of the current 10 to 90 percent ratio), could lead to greater fuel efficiencies and lower overall GHG emissions.
 

 

To Contact the Editor: Jessie Stolark at eesi@eesi.org

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