Policy News

A letter from five corn-state Senators’ follows criticism from the biofuels industry of the Environmental Protection Agency’s use of waivers. In a 9 April letter to the President, five Senators urged Trump to halt the EPA’s use of ‘hardship’ waivers to relieve refineries of their obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). It was revealed last week that the…
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The US trade association is calling out the EPA following court approval of the agency’s settlement with the bankrupt refiner Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) and its granting of a ‘small refiner’ waiver for refining giant Andeavor. Damage to the environment and to agricultural communities are among Growth Energy’s complaints about these exemptions from the Renewable…
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The three smallest of Andeavor’s ten oil refineries are now exempt from US biofuels legislation. The ‘hardship’ waiver is meant to protect smaller refiners from being disproportionately impacted by the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Last year, Andeavor posted $1.5 billion in net profits. The exemption allows Andeavor to disregard legislation requiring it to blend ethanol into…
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A bipartisan plan is to be unveiled March 28 for support biofuels at a national level to address the country’s increasingly pressing energy security concerns and to systemically promote the development, production and use of biofuels. The industry body Bioenergy Australia is throwing its weight behind Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and the Shadow Minister for…
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The Growing Renewable Energy through Existing and New Environmentally Responsible (GREENER) Fuels Act is the most recent proposal to reform the long-contested Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Talks have been going on for some time about the RFS. Now the minority Democratic Party has introduced a bill into the House and Senate to amend the programme. The changes would see madates for first…
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After a failed push in December to get tax credits for biofuels retroactively extended, 2017 tax credits for the biofuels and nuclear energy sectors came through with Congress’ 9 February deal to keep the government open. According to Bloomberg, the tax credits include a $1-a-gallon credit for mixing biofuel with and a $1.01 credit for the production of cellulosic ethanol. Both of these…
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Indonesia introduced the case to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2014, a year after the anti-dumping taxes on Indonesia and Argentina were introduced. The EU’s taxes were a reaction to what they saw as the unfairly low prices (also known as ‘dumping’) of the two countries’ biofuel exports. According to Reuters, Indonesia and Argentina called the tariffs…
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After much deliberation, the European Parliament has voted in favour of the revised Renewable Energy Directive (often dubbed RED II). The plenary of the European Parliament adopted its first reading position on RED II on 17 January. It has been met with mixed responses within the biofuels industry. While some have commended the decision to allow crop-based biofuels to be included towards RED…
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The project aims to raise awareness of alternate fuels for the industry. According to World Bank statistics, 3.6 billion people travelled by air in 2016. In a survey conducted by Neste, 53% of European passengers are concerned by the environmental impact of air travel and over 50% would be willing to pay more for a flight that used renewable fuel. In November, a Dutch study found that with…
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It will be easier for cities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions coming from residential energy use rather than transportation, new research claims. This reduction will happen thanks to more efficient building practices and not greater housing density, the study, published in the Journal of Planning Education and Research, states. The aim of the study was to determine how extensively local…
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The Conservative party has published its 2017 manifesto. The pledges on energy and fuel supply from the incumbent party and bookies’ favourite for the upcoming general election paint an ambiguous picture, focusing on the targets and outcomes of energy production rather than the means. “After we have left the European Union, we will form our energy policy based not on the way energy is…
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The UK Labour Party has published its manifesto for the forthcoming General Election, placing significant emphasis on renewable and sustainable energy sources.   Three principles guide the party’s energy policy: security of the energy supply; affordable energy costs for consumers and businesses; meeting climate change targets and transitioning to a low carbon economy.   A key part…
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“Climate change and air pollution threaten our future,” reads the opening of the energy chapter in the Liberal Democrat manifesto, published on 17 May. “But by investing in renewable energy and stopping the waste of energy and natural resources, we can protect our health and the environment, and boost the economy.” The manifesto from Tim Farron’s party makes a number…
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Carl Icahn, US President Donald Trump’s special adviser on regulatory reform, is facing a conflict of interest scrutiny after the shares of an energy company owned by him doubled in value. The shares of CVR Energy have surged after projections that the new administration would ease environmental regulations, including the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that has cost CVR more than $200…
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