Resources Government Related Articles EPA Lays Out Renewable Fuel Plan
EPA Lays Out Renewable Fuel Plan PDF Print E-mail
Written by Janna Smeltzer   
Thursday, 07 May 2009 00:00
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that outlines the potential evolution of the National Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS-2), which would result in a nearly 17 percent increase in minimum total U.S. stockpiles by the end of 2010 and more than three times as much as the current requirement by 2022.

As biofuel requirements rise over the next decade, biomass-based diesel, which is essentially biodiesel that utilizes hydrogen and a catalyst such as platinum or palladium but with 60 percent less feedstock, will represent a fraction of the total. Currently, the RFS requires 500 million gallons of biomass diesel be produced, a figure that would rise 50 percent in 2010 to 650 million gallons and approximately another 15 percent in 2011 to 800 million gallons before being capped at 1 billion in 2012. The EPA would then determine future biomass diesel requirements through a future rule, but it would be no less than 1 billion gallons. 

“There are significant poor assumptions in there,” said Michael Frohlich, NBB’s Washington, D.C. director of communications. “Biodiesel is the most diverse natural fuel on the planet. It is the only advanced biofuel, and that’s what leaves the industry scratching their head.”

The minimum volume requirements laid out on May 5 were set by Congress with the Energy Independence Security Act of 2007 and are for tax credits toward the renewable fuel standard and not maximum production levels.

Meanwhile, the majority of resources are destined for the growth in advanced biofuels, defined as any alternative renewable fuel that is not corn starch ethanol, which would increase to 21 billion gallons by 2022. Advanced biofuel could also be biodiesel or any other renewable alternative fuel, such as cellulosic biofuel made from the natural cellulose in trees and grasses. Cellulosic biofuel is thought to be an economically-viable alternative to ethanol, and the EPA set its minimum volume to grow from negligible amounts currently to 16 billion gallons by 2022.

Public comments on Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005 will be accepted online or via email through the July 4 weekend by searching for Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005.

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