February 21, 2022
BY Iowa Biodiesel Board
Soybean farmers, biodiesel producers and other supporters met with Iowa state senators on Feb. 15, urging them to vote for a bill to increase consumer access to higher biofuel blends like 20 percent biodiesel (B20).
Proposed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, the bills are currently numbered House File 2128 and SSB 3084. The House already passed the bill with a strong bipartisan vote of 82 – 10.
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“With such strong momentum and more stakeholders stepping up to support the legislation, we are hopeful the bill will make it to the governor quickly,” said Grant Kimberley, Iowa Biodiesel Board executive director. “Still, a few vocal opponents are drawing the attention of senators. We need biofuel supporters to engage with their senators and show there is more support for this bill than opposition.”
The key biodiesel provisions of the Governor’s 2022 Biofuel Access Bill are:
“The nation is undergoing an energy transformation, mostly driven by other states as well as corporations, and Iowa’s answer to the low-carbon call is biodiesel,” Kimberley said. “If we want Iowa to participate and capture the economic benefits, we need to prioritize smart policy like this. The time to act is now.”
Neighboring states like Minnesota, Illinois and Missouri have passed or are working on strong biodiesel legislation, Kimberley noted.
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Biodiesel is an advanced biofuel made from agricultural byproducts and co-products, such as soybean oil. The Iowa Biodiesel Board is a state trade association representing the biodiesel industry.
BWC Terminals on April 22 celebrated the official completion of its expanded renewable fuels terminal at the Port of Stockton. The facility is designed to safely and efficiently transfer renewable diesel and biodiesel from marine vessels.
Repsol and Bunge on April 25 announced plans to incorporate the use of camelina and safflower feedstocks in the production of renewable fuels, including renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Renewable Fuels Month highlights the importance of renewable biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel. The month of May marks the beginning of the summer driving season, making it an ideal time to fuel up on clean and cost-saving biofuels.
PBF Energy on May 1 announced that its St. Bernard Renewables facility produced approximately 10,000 barrels per day of renewable diesel during Q1, down from 17,000 barrels per day during the Q4 2024.
Germany-based Mabanaft on April 17 announced it started to supply SAF to airlines at Frankfurt Airport in January. The company said it will deliver more than 1,000 metric tons of SAF to the airport this year under the European SAF mandate.