Policy News

A recent national US survey shows that biodiesel is an increasingly popular alternative fuel and that support for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is on the rise, according to the National Biodiesel Board (NBB). With just one month until the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) releases the final RFS rule, 80% of voters support a renewable fuel standard, with 10% opposing it and the rest…
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The German Bioethanol Industry Association (BDBe) has published updated versions of the two European Directives 2009/28/EC 'Renewable Energies' and 98/70/EC 'Fuel Quality' in German and English. The Directive 2015/1513/EU was adopted by the EU Council of Minsters on 13 July this year to amend these directives. The amending directive was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ…
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The Brazilian government wants to increase the share of biodiesel in mineral diesel in order to hit the country’s greenhouse gas reduction targets. Ricardo Dornelles, the head of the Energy Ministry’s biofuels department, made the announcement while talking at the International Biodiesel Conference in Sao Paulo. The measure is part of the proposals Brazil's intends to put forth at the…
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The US federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and its overreliance on corn ethanol has created additional environmental problems in its 10-year history, claims a recent study by University of Tennessee (UT). The study states that the current US biofuels policy has resulted in unmet targets for cutting air pollution, water contamination, and soil erosion. The authors – Drs. Daniel G. De La…
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Governor of California Jerry Brown has signed into law Assembly Bill 1032 (AB1032), which corrects a tax problem with biodiesel and clears the way for a significant increase in the volume of biodiesel blended in the US state. The bill, introduced by Assembly Member Rudy Salas and sponsored by the California Biodiesel Alliance (CBA), amends Section 60501 of the Revenue and Taxation Code by adding…
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The state House of Representatives in Pennsylvania, US, has voted to remove the ethanol-blending mandate for petrol sold in the state. In 2008, Pennsylvania set a requirement for sold petrol to be blended with a minimum of 10% ethanol whenever in-state ethanol production exceeded 350 million gallons. However, Republican State Representative Seth Grove says the in-state production has not once…
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The EU will extend anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on imported US biodiesel until 2020, according to Reuters. The duties were extended in an EU attempt to maintain its defence against trade in renewable fuels. The EU argues that should the duties, originally set in 2009 on certain US biodiesel producers, be lifted, the resulting increase in imports could damage European biofuels…
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The Indian government is planning to boost the use of biofuels in transport fuels after recognising their major contribution to air pollution. A proposal by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has set a target of 20% blending of diesel and petrol with biodiesel and ethanol by 2017. Blending targets for bioethanol have been in effect since 2008, but this is the first times recommendations for…
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The US tax authority IRS has published a notice informing claimants about the federal income tax treatment of fuel credits under sections 6426(c) and (d) of the internal revenue code. These sections regulate the federal payments made to biodiesel and alternative fuel producers in compensation for producing these fuels. The section 6426(c) allows a blender of a biodiesel (including renewable…
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The Rural Business Cooperative Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued an interim final rule making changes to the USDA's Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program. Formerly referred to as the Biorefinery Assistance Program, the programme provides loan guarantees of up to $250 million (€228 million) of senior debt for the…
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The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen its proposal for biodiesel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In its comments submitted to the agency on the pending RFS rule, NBB cited compelling benefits of increased biodiesel production and significant additional capacity for growth in the industry. 'The growth and expansion…
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A group of 36 US senators from both major parties have sent an open letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging it to increase the biodiesel production volumes proposed under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The letter comes in the aftermath of EPA setting a lower limit on biodiesel production than originally envisioned by the US Congress, which has drawn heavy criticism from…
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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced proposed volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) programme for 2014, 2015 and 2016, and also proposed volume requirements for biomass-based diesel for 2017. The proposal would boost renewable fuel production and provide for ambitious yet responsible growth over multiple years, supporting future expansion of the…
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On 28 April the European Parliament voted to approve the cap on first generation biofuels made from food-based crops. Current legislation requires EU member states to ensure that renewable energy accounts for at least 10% of energy consumption in transport by 2020. In order to cut greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) caused by the growing use of farm land for biofuel crops, the new law says that first…
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