In Washington, top biofuel and farm advocates called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to offer answers on a new effort to undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). During a Senate hearing last month, administration officials confirmed their consideration of retroactive small refinery exemptions (SREs) covering previous years. The “gap-filings” are designed to reconstitute a […]
In Brazil, Reuters reports that the national energy council CNPE finally approved direct sales of hydrous ethanol from mills to gas station owners last Thursday. The policy shift which has been under consideration for a year is expected to make ethanol more competitive against gasoline, boosting demand in turn. In an unrelated move, the BNDES […]
In Iowa, the Iowa State Legislature voted to extend a fuel tax incentive for diesel sold in the state containing at least 11 percent biodiesel, a move praised by the Iowa Biodiesel Board. The provision would have sunset this month without legislative action, noted Grant Kimberley, IBB executive director. Originally enacted in 2015, the successful […]
In Indonesia, Platts reports that despite the country changing its policy recently to allow for imports of US-origin ethanol-blended gasoline, a surge in demand isn’t expected. Freight costs from the US has been flagged as one of the key barriers to increased ethanol-blended trade with Indonesia as freight from the region is much lower, which […]
In India, the Business Standard newspaper reports that the Uttar Pradesh government wants to revisit the state’s biofuel law from 2018 to find ways to increase biofuel production. The state is the largest sugar producer and as such a top ethanol producer but the policy would help to boost investment in energy production from other […]
In Washington, U.S. ethanol can now enter the Indonesian market by way of pre-blended fuel, following the recent removal of a ban on pre-blended product entering the country. This change creates a potential market of more than 200 million gallons (71 million bushels in corn equivalent). The market development efforts to accomplish this policy goal […]
In Washington, on May 29, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed that no additional measures are necessary pursuant to Clean Air Act (CAA) section 211(v) to mitigate the adverse air quality impacts of the renewable fuel volumes required under CAA section 211(o). EPA is proposing to determine that no additional fuel control measures are necessary because […]
In Washington, D.C., the Renewable Fuels Association thanked the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, led by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, for sending a letter to Senate and House leadership urging them to make sure emergency relief for the renewable fuels industry is included in the next COVID-19 stimulus package. In their […]
In Oregon, the Department of Environmental Quality has submitted detailed information to Gov. Kate Brown on how it plans to carry out her March 10 executive order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state. In all, DEQ submitted a preliminary report on Cap and Reduce programs, and four other work plans regarding clean fuels, […]
In Washington, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting clarification on its temporary policy for the manufacture of alcohol-based hand sanitizer products during the COVID-19 pandemic. The FDA released temporary guidance on March 27, 2020 regarding ethanol used for hand sanitizer production during […]
