Advanced biofuel companies thank Trump for commitment to RFS

November 9, 2017

BY Erin Krueger

A group of 19 advanced biofuel companies sent a letter to President Trump on Nov. 8 thanking him for his commitment to the Renewable Fuel Standard and outlining the need to set strong advanced and cellulosic targets in the 2018 RFS rule.

“As you have stated on several occasions, the RFS is critical to the effort to reinvigorate growth in America’s heartland and make America more energy secure,” said the companies in the letter. “The RFS already supports hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs, creates new market opportunities for America’s farmers and innovators, and has attracted billions of dollars of investment in first-of-a-kind technologies in the advanced and cellulosic biofuels industry.”

Advertisement

Advertisement

Within the letter, the advanced biofuel companies note that the RFS is poised to drive the next manufacturing wave in the U.S. The letter stresses that many of the same companies and regions that produce first-generation biofuels are now commercializing advanced and cellulosic biofuel technologies. “And emerging technologies can convert an even broader assortment of biomass and waste materials into American-made biofuels,” the companies wrote. With so much invested in these technologies, the companies said they appreciate the clarifications offered by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt in a letter he wrote to several senators Oct. 19.

Looking to the final 2018 RFS rule, the advanced biofuel companies highlight a few elements critical to their efforts to attract global investment and stimulate growth in advanced and cellulosic biofuel production. First, they said the RFS volume obligations must reflect projected volumes of advanced and cellulosic biofuels, as intended by Congress. Second, the companies said that the integrity of the RFS must be protected and biofuel markets must be allowed to expand to attract investment and bring more advanced biofuels to market.

Advertisement

Advertisement

“Mr. President, we very much appreciate your ongoing commitment to the biofuels industry and the Americans who work every day to produce biofuels and other bio-based, agricultural products,” wrote the companies. “Growing the final 2018 RFS rule over 2017 levels and opening the transportation fuel marketplace to greater competition from biofuels will help generate more investment in our sector, leading to more construction and manufacturing jobs in rural communities, and increased U.S. energy security. We look forward to working with you toward our shared goals.”

The letter is signed by Aemetis, ADM, Cellerate, DSM, Edeniq, Enerkem, ICM, Lallemand Biofuels and Distilled Spirits, Mascoma, Novozymes, Pacific Ethanol, Poet, Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels, Quad County Corn Processors, Renmatix, Sweetwater Energy, Syngenta, Vertimass, and White Dog Labs. A full copy of the letter can be downloaded from the Advanced Biofuels Business Council website.

 

Related Stories

Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited has officially announced the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on its commercial flights, reinforcing Thailand’s green aviation industry. The initiative took effect starting July 1, 2025.

Read More

Avalon Energy Group LLC and Sulzer Chemtech have signed a strategic alliance and partnership agreement to scale up the production of SAF. Under the agreement, Avalon has selected BioFlux technology for its portfolio of SAF projects.

Read More

The USDA has announced it will delay opening the first quarterly grant application window for FY 2026 REAP funding. The agency cited both an application backlog and the need to disincentivize solar projects as reasons for the delay.

Read More

Neste and DHL Express have strengthened their collaboration with the supply of 7,400 tons (9.5 million liters) of neat, i.e. unblended, Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel to DHL Express at Singapore Changi Airport starting July 2025.

Read More

CoBank’s latest quarterly research report, released July 10, highlights current uncertainty around the implementation of three biofuel policies, RFS RVOs, small refinery exemptions (SREs) and the 45Z clean fuels production tax credit.

Read More

Upcoming Events

Sign up for our e-newsletter!

Advertisement

Advertisement