New study: EPA’s delay on RFS rule creating increase in GHG emissions

The EPA's failure to finalise the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rules will create an increase in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) that is equal to placing 4.4 million additional cars on US roads.

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has issued a white paper, 'Estimating greenhouse gas emissions from proposed changes to the renewable fuel standard through 2022', discussing estimates of GHG emissions that result from the EPA's proposal to lower biofuel use this year.

In March, the original study showed that if the EPA reduced biofuel use under the RFS, the US would experience an increase in GHG emissions.

The authors have now updated that study, using data from transportation fuel demand for 2013 and 2014. The US is now expected to use 2 billion gallons more petrol and 0.5 billion gallons more diesel in 2014 than previously predicted.

Brent Erickson, executive VP of BIO's Industrial and Environmental Section, says: 'The administration must finalise the 2014 RFS using a methodology based on biofuel production and continue the programme's successful support for commercialisation of advanced and cellulosic biofuels.'