Aligning for a New Administration

Anna Simet

December 18, 2024

BY Anna Simet

It’s nearly a month post-election, and speculation is ongoing regarding the fate of Biden-enforced climate and clean energy policy, programs and funding under a Republican president and a Republican-controlled House and Senate. Though industry is always wise to brace for the worst, considering the Inflation Reduction Act alone, the vast majority of money spent has been in Republican-controlled districts. According to a recent report by E2, red states and Republican congressional districts are benefitting the most from the IRA. Despite the fact that no Republicans voted for it, to date, more than half of all projects have been in Republican districts, and 19 of the top 20 congressional districts for clean energy investments are held by Republicans. On top of that, according to the report, “Nearly 60% of the announced projects—representing 85% of the investments and 68% of the jobs—are in Republican congressional districts.” 

It’s wait-and-see for now, but be sure to visit biodieselmagazine.com to listen to a recent podcast during which I chatted with Paul Winters, director of public affairs and federal communications at Clean Fuels Alliance America, about the road ahead. Winters will be a general session presenter at the International Biomass Conference & Expo in March, and by then, there will be much to discuss when it comes to the aforementioned. 

As for the stories in this issue, in our page-18 feature, “A Feedstock State of Affairs,” freelance writer Susanne Retka Schill investigates the largely unforeseen surge in Chinese used cooking oil, and how those imports, massive feedstock appetites of renewable diesel facilities, and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard carbon-intensity scoring has impacted soybean oil’s share in biomass-based diesel production. Soybean oil use has been increasing, says Scott Gerlt, American Soybean Association chief economist, but not to the expected utilization levels. “We’ve been building out domestic crush plants to provide more soybean oil,” he tells Retka Schill, “and we have seen more use, but are concerned about underutilization of oncoming assets.”

Some of the renewable diesel facilities he references are featured in our page-26 article, “Mapping the Buildout,” on page 26. Much of the information for this story was drawn from our recently completed 2025 U.S. & Canada Biodiesel, Renewable Diesel & SAF Map. For example, in early November, Imperial Oil confirmed that its renewable diesel project under construction at the company’s Strathcona refinery near Edmonton, Alberta, continues to progress on schedule with startup expected during the first half of next year. The company completed a coprocessing project in the third quarter of 2024, which will allow the facility to coprocess plant-based feedstocks. 

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By the summer edition of Biodiesel Magazine, we’ll have a clearer view of what’s in store for the broader biofuel industry in terms of policy and support changes. We’ll be keeping our finger on the pulse of things, so be sure to follow our daily news stories, weekly newsletter and podcast, and attend the International Biomass Conference & Expo and Sustainable Fuels Summit to educate yourself on the events that impact our industry as they unfold.

Author: Anna Simet 
Editor, Biodiesel Magazine

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