In Washington, the Energy Futures Initiative Foundation (EFIF), led by Ernest J. Moniz, the 13th U.S. Secretary of Energy, released a new study detailing pathways to further decarbonize ethanol to reach near net-zero carbon intensity by 2035 and negative carbon intensity by 2050. The research found nine currently available and affordable measures, which together could lower the carbon intensity (CI) score of renewable vehicle fuels to near-net-zero by 2035 and to net-zero or negative emissions by 2050. Effective measures included:
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) of the fermentation process;
Low carbon energy use at biorefineries including using combined heat and power generation with biomass and using carbon-free electricity;
Climate smart agriculture practices, including planting cover crops, no-till farming, using enhanced efficiency fertilizers, and fertilizer management practices
To accelerate adoption of these practices, the report outlines policy recommendations such as a call for timely guidance on the 45Z clean fuels production tax credit slated to take effect in 2025 under the Inflation Reduction Act.
The research also looks at the potential of lower-carbon ethanol to help reduce emissions for on-road fuels as well as to close the “emissions gap” in hard-to-abate sectors like aviation.
The research, sponsored by Growth Energy, included months of research by EFIF staff to analyze the carbon intensity reduction potential, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness of a total of 21 different measures taking place on farms and at biorefineries across the U.S. All of the nine initiatives ultimately recommended are currently in use at select facilities and farms.
Tags: EFIF, ethanol, Washington
Category: Fuels
