Trestle Energy LLC, a low carbon fuel company working with ethanol producers across the Midwest, and Larksen LLC, a biomass company providing sustainably sourced agricultural residues to Midwestern power plants, recently announced a collaboration to commercialize a new fuel pathway management platform. The platform is designed to enable ethanol producers to substantially reduce their fuel carbon intensity and to facilitate cost-effective use of biomass fuel pellets at existing power plants.

Trestle and Larksen's integrated approach furthers ethanol producers' ability to scale up production of low carbon biofuels and allows existing power plants to generate electricity with the cost and reliability of coal and with carbon emissions similar to wind.  This will dramatically expand supplies of dispatchable, renewable energy and substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from domestic energy supplies. Delivering these benefits at existing energy facilities while building feedstock supplies for emerging cellulosic industries will help smooth the energy sector's transition to a low carbon economy. 

James Rhodes of Trestle Energy notes that, "this initiative is a clear example of how American energy can both grow the economy and advance important environmental priorities.  It promises to deliver new jobs and economic development across America's farm communities, enhance the value of American industries and American-made products, advance ambitious climate and renewable energy policies, and measurably improve environmental quality."  

Of particular importance to domestic markets and producers, this partnership charts a cost-effective path for American energy companies to comply with ambitious climate and energy programs, like Low Carbon Fuel Standards (LCFS), thereby enabling greater access to premium regulated markets.  Johan Neels of Larksen commented that, "with the recent signing of the Paris Agreement (COP21), and with the anticipation of CO₂ rules to advance the goals of the Clean Power Plan (CPP), our partnership with Trestle Energy gives participating producers a clear economic advantage."