US Senators Chuck Grassley (Iowa) and Tom Udall (New Mexico) have introduced a new bill that is being touted as the first step towards ending subsidies for oil and gas companies. The bipartisan Fair Returns for Public Lands Act of 2020 updates the antiquated public lands royalty system in the US to ensure that taxpayers get fair returns on leases of public lands for... [Read More]

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a target for biofuels to make up 30% of transportation fuels in the US by 2050. Announced by secretary of agriculture Sonny Perdue as part of the new Agriculture Innovation Agenda, the agency stated: “We can increase the production of renewable energy feedstocks and set a goal to increase biofuel production efficiency... [Read More]

The UK’s aviation industry has announced its commitment to net zero carbon emission by 2050, in a move that has been welcomed by airports and airlines around the country. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, together with aviation industry executives, signed a pledge committing to cut carbon emissions to zero by 2050. The move follows a thorough review of the opportunities... [Read More]

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has submitted suggestions in response to the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) request for information on a Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP). The USDA is currently considering options to expand domestic ethanol and biodiesel availability, and is seeking information on opportunities to consider infrastructure... [Read More]

US President Donald Trump has officially signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which modernises the previous trade pact between the three nations, strengthens trade relationships and provides critical market access for US agriculture. Welcoming the passage of USMCA, US ethanol association Growth Energy CEO, Emily Skor, said: “This historic agreement... [Read More]

The government of Manitoba, a province in Canada, has announced ambitious plans to achieve the cleanest fuel standards in the country. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister revealed plans to increase the ethanol and biodiesel content of the province’s transportation fuels, as it implements its ‘Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan’. “We have the cleanest electricity... [Read More]

The US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has struck down three small refinery exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), in a decision that is expected to broadly impact the way the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants exemptions. The court ruling follows a challenge brought against the EPA in May 2018 by the Renewable Fuels Association... [Read More]

Global leaders in fuel production and aviation have welcomed recent advancements in favour of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry in France. On 27 January 2020, the French Government presented the country’s ambitions regarding SAF, setting forth the conclusions of a working group that included government agencies and industrial partners, all of whom were signatories... [Read More]

UK trade associations OFTEC, the Tank Storage Association (TSA) and the UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA) have launched a liquid biofuel supply chain strategy and taskforce to tackle carbon emissions. The ‘Supply Chain Strategy for Liquid Fuels’ details the steps to be taken towards a transition to 100% biofuel, which is expected to replace heating... [Read More]

Sustainable aviation fuel producer Gevo has welcomed Alaska Airlines’ and Washington State Governor Jay Inslee’s support of the introduction of a Low Carbon Fuel Standard in Washington State. Commenting on the news, Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo, said: “The Pacific Northwest, and the Seattle area in particular, is a leader to make our world more sustainable. The... [Read More]

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued request for public input to help with the creation of the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), which aims to expand the availability of US ethanol and biodiesel by incentivising the expansion of sales of renewable fuels. “Feedback from farmers, retailers and biofuels producers is critical to the... [Read More]

According to a statement from Representative Cindy Axne, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has accepted a request to investigate the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) misuse of small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The request was made in a letter sent to the GAO in August 2019 by bipartisan members of the House Biofuels... [Read More]

A broad coalition of vehicle manufacturers and alternative fuel producers has called for consistency in defining alternative fuels that will drive the energy transition towards Europe’s Green Deal. In a new declaration, the coalition has called on the European Commission to take a technology-neutral approach in its upcoming review of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure... [Read More]

Alaska Airlines has been commended for including sustainable aviation fuels on an opt-in basis in Washington State’s proposed Clean Fuels Programme in the US. Welcoming the news, the Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Producer Group, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Low Carbon Fuels Coalition (LCFC) said: “Alaska Airlines’ support of Washington’s... [Read More]

The Midwestern Clean Fuels Initiative, supported by the Great Plains Institute, has released a new report detailing how a successful clean fuels policy should be developed for the US Midwest. The whitepaper, titled ‘A Clean Fuels Policy for the Midwest’, recommends a technology-neutral, portfolio approach that encourages a fair and competitive marketplace that benefits... [Read More]

The US Environmental Protection Agency has issued its final renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for the 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which fails to uphold President Trump’s promised biofuel deal, according to American biofuel trade associations. In addition to setting final RVOs, the EPA finalised supplemental rulemaking that addresses how the agency will handle... [Read More]