Scientists are working to make the biofuel process more efficient and thus reduce carbon dioxide emissions and mitigate climate change.
Oil refiners and biofuels interests squared off in oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in a case with large implications for Iowa and Nebraska.
As is usually the case, the justices grilled lawyers from both sides before submitting the case for a decision later, most likely in a couple of months or more. Hollyfrontier Cheyenne Refining LLC v. Renewable Fuels Association addresses questions over whether small refineries can request exemptions to the Renewable Fuel Standard.
The standard sets the amount of biofuels that must be blended into gasoline and diesel. Small refineries are granted hardship exemptions in some cases.Â
Pierre, SD, USA / DRGNews
Apr 29, 2021 | 6:23 AM
The price of renewable fuel credits soared to its highest point on record early this week. Reuters says higher costs for soybean oil pushed up both renewable fuel and biomass-based credits. Renewable fuel credits for 2021 traded at $1.50 each, after trading at $1.44 in the previous session. Biomass-based credits traded at $1.58 each, up from $1.52 during the prior session. Both of those are the highest prices since Reuters began reporting the data for renewable fuel credits in 2013 and biomass-based credits in 2014. Front-month soybean oil, which can be used as a feedstock in biomass-based fuels like biodiesel, traded at 67.71 cents per pound on Tuesday, their highest point since 2008. The credits, known as RINs, rose at the same time the U.S. Supreme Court was hearing oral arguments for a case involving the Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires refiners to blend biofuels into their fuel mix each year or buy RINs from those that do
by Spencer Chase (Agri-Pulse) … On the issue of biofuels, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, pressed (Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael) Regan on the administration’s views on the future of ethanol, expressing her concern about the fact that advanced biofuels are commonly the first technology referenced in conversations on the subject not conventional corn ethanol.
Regan said “there is no intent in terms of exclusion when we talk about the promising future of electric vehicles or when we talk about the promising future of advanced biofuels.
“The reality is as we talk about these promising futures, we have to deal with here and now, and a glide path to get to these promising futures,” he added. “What we know is ethanol plays a significant role in providing those resources here and now and will evolve as we start to look at the new futures for advanced biofuels and electric vehicles.”
Supreme Court hears SRE arguments : Biofuels Digest biofuelsdigest.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from biofuelsdigest.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
U.S. Supreme Court justices heard arguments Tuesday that will help determine whether oil refineries can claim they re exempt from a federal mandate to blend ethanol and biodiesel into the nation s fuel supply.
The justices asked attorneys if Congress intended to give small refineries experiencing economic hardship the leeway to file at any time for an exemption to the Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires oil and gas companies to blend renewable fuels into the U.S. fuel supply. Or did Congress seek to narrow the exemptions as companies adjusted to the requirements of the 2005 federal mandate?
Though the case involves an appeal by refineries in Wyoming, Utah and Oklahoma of a lower court ruling, the answer is of great significance to Iowa the nation s largest producer of ethanol and biodiesel. Iowa also is the largest corn grower, and ethanol production uses about half of its annual crop.