March 28, 2022
BY Clean Fuels Alliance America
On March 25, Clean Fuels Alliance America filed comments supporting the proposed consent decree in Growth Energy v. Regan (D.D.C. No. 1:22-cv-00347) that would establish a June 3, 2022, deadline for EPA to finalize the 2021 and 2022 Renewable Fuel Standards. Clean Fuels emphasized in its comments that U.S. producers need certainty and depend on the market signals from the RFS to continue investing in increasing production.
“Our growing contribution to U.S. fuel supplies over the past half-decade reduced diesel prices by an average 3.23 percent each year,” Kurt Kovarik, vice president of federal affairs for Clean Fuels writes in the comments. “Reducing the availability of biodiesel and renewable diesel right now would impose higher costs on American consumers – both in the price of fuel and other goods today and in terms of health tomorrow.”
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Kovarik adds, “Right now, America is facing a shortage of diesel fuel, high prices at the pump, and high transportation costs that are adding to supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures. The Renewable Fuel Standard is crucial to sustainably meeting America’s growing demand for better, cleaner fuels. We stand ready to work with EPA to get this program back on track.”
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The U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel industry supports 65,000 U.S. jobs and more than $17 billion in economic activity each year. Every 100 million gallons of production supports 3,200 jobs and $780 million in economic opportunity. Biodiesel production supports approximately 13 percent of the value of each U.S. bushel of soybeans.
Varo Energy, a European energy company based in Switzerland, on March 31 announced an agreement to acquire Preem, a Sweden-based petroleum and biofuels company that is developing additional renewable diesel and SAF capacity.
The U.S. Department of Commerce has disbanded an advisory committee that provided the agency with private sector advice aimed at boosting the competitiveness of U.S. renewable energy and energy efficiency exports, including ethanol and wood pellets.
Iowa’s Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program on March 25 awarded nearly $3 million in grants to support the addition of E15 at 111 retail sites. The program also awarded grants to support two biodiesel infrastructure projects.
Tidewater Renewables Ltd. has reported there was a minor fire on April 1 in the main renewable diesel process unit at the corporation's renewable diesel refinery located in Prince George, British Columbia.
U.S. operatable biofuels capacity increased slightly in January, with gains for ethanol, according to the U.S. EIA’s Monthly Biofuels Capacity and Feedstock Update, released March 31. Feedstock consumption was down when compared to December.