Category: Policy

Manitoba boosts ethanol blending to 9.25% from January 1

Manitoba boosts ethanol blending to 9.25% from January 1

December 23, 2020 |

In Canada, effective Jan. 1, 2021, the amount of ethanol required in gasoline in the province of Manitoba will increase to 9.25 per cent from 8.5 per cent. It will further grow to 10 per cent on Jan. 1, 2022. The biodiesel requirement will increase to 3.5 per cent from two per cent on Jan. […]

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RFA welcomes COVID-19 relief package’s inclusion of funds for biofuels

RFA welcomes COVID-19 relief package’s inclusion of funds for biofuels

December 22, 2020 |

In Washington, the Renewable Fuels Association welcomed the passage of the Omnibus Appropriations and Coronavirus Relief Package, which explicitly includes renewable fuel producers as entities eligible to receive COVID-19 emergency relief aid. The bill also extends key tax provisions that support innovation and expansion in the renewable fuels industry, including the Second Generation Biofuel Producer Tax Credit, […]

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Biofuels included in ag provisions of COVID relief deal moving through Congress

Biofuels included in ag provisions of COVID relief deal moving through Congress

December 21, 2020 |

In Washington, the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee announced the food and agriculture provisions of the latest COVID relief deal moving through the House and Senate this week include payments to producers of advanced biofuel, biomass-based diesel, cellulosic biofuel, conventional biofuel, or renewable fuels with market losses due to COVID-19. The RFA has said […]

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USDA opens about $22M in funding for higher ethanol and biodiesel blends

USDA opens about $22M in funding for higher ethanol and biodiesel blends

December 20, 2020 |

In Washington, D.C., the U.S Department of Agriculture is offering another round of funding for its Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program starting December 21st and closing on January 19th with about $22 million available to fueling stations, terminal operations, depots and similar entities for higher ethanol blends than E10 and higher biodiesel blends than B5. […]

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Biofuels and ag coalition fear Brazil’s ethanol tariff with be “devastating”

Biofuels and ag coalition fear Brazil’s ethanol tariff with be “devastating”

December 17, 2020 |

In Washington, the U.S. Grains Council, Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association and the National Corn Growers Association issued the following statement in response to the Brazilian government’s decision to let the current tariff rate quota (TRQ) expire, replacing it with a 20 percent tariff on all imports of U.S. ethanol: “Brazil’s decision to impose […]

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European Commission greenlights Estonia’s renewable energy scheme

European Commission greenlights Estonia’s renewable energy scheme

December 16, 2020 |

In Belgium, the European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, the modification of the existing aid scheme to support electricity production from renewable sources and efficient co-generation in Estonia. The measure will help Estonia reach its renewable energy targets and will contribute to the new European objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, […]

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EPA could release 2021 RVO proposal by year’s end—or not

EPA could release 2021 RVO proposal by year’s end—or not

December 15, 2020 |

In Washington, Reuters reports the Environmental Protection Agency aims to release its draft proposal for 2021 RVO by December 31 with the final rule approved by June 2021. Brownfield Ag News reports that an EPA official said those dates published on the agency’s agenda website were not carved in stone and it would be difficult […]

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Duty applied again on US ethanol into Brazil as duty-free talks break down

Duty applied again on US ethanol into Brazil as duty-free talks break down

December 14, 2020 |

In Brazil, Reuters reports that negotiations between Brazil and the US on continued duty-free quota access of US ethanol broke down over the weekend with the 20% duty reverting back as of December 14 when the policy extension was set to expire. Brazil wanted additional access to the US sugar market which the US sugar […]

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Iowa Biodiesel Board supports Biden pick for USDA head

Iowa Biodiesel Board supports Biden pick for USDA head

December 13, 2020 |

In Iowa, Iowa Biodiesel Board Executive Director Grant Kimberley applauded President-elect Joe Biden’s decision to choose former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, a strong advocate of biofuels, to serve as Secretary of Agriculture. Iowa Biodiesel Board Executive Director Grant Kimberley issued the following statement: “We applaud President-elect Joe Biden’s decision to choose Tom Vilsack as U.S. […]

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Trump Administration tells Supreme Court to not hear oil refiners’ case against SRE ruling

Trump Administration tells Supreme Court to not hear oil refiners’ case against SRE ruling

December 10, 2020 |

In Washington, Reuters reports that the Trump Administration through the Department of Justice has told the Supreme Court in a brief filed Tuesday it should not hear a case brought by oil refiners seeking to have the 10th Circuit Court ruling regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s way of approving small refinery exemptions. With the biofuels […]

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