Advanced Search
November 21, 2014
On November 21, the EPA announced it would delay setting a 2014 volume for renewable fuels (as required by the Renewable Fuel Standard) to be blended into transportation supplies into 2015. The stunning announcement comes on the heels of several positive developments in renewable fuels, and a year after the EPA proposed lowering the Renewable Volume Obligate (RVO) by 2.94 billion gallons. Last year’s proposal would have lowered the standard overall for the first time since the law was signed in 2005 by President George W. Bush. With November 22 being the official deadline for releasing the rules from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the axing of the 2014 RVO can be seen as a mixed blessing for renewable fuels – providing hope the new 2014 and 2015 targets will reflect the industry’s actual fuel volumes, while also casting serious doubts on the Administration’s support of renewable fuels in 2016 and beyond.
Read More
EPA’s Biogenic Carbon Rules Positive, but Not Out of the Woods Yet
On November 19, the EPA released a long awaited Framework for Assessing Biogenic CO2 Emissions from Stationary Sources. EPA promised to further clarify emissions from the biomass power sector, referred to as biogenic carbon, prior to the close of public comments on the Clean Power Plan on December 1. Biomass power refers to the burning of wood and cellulosic wastes (such as agricultural or timber waste) for energy. While this week’s release of the Framework provides further clarification, and redemption, of utilizing biomass wastes for energy, no specific carbon emissions number has been assigned to woody fuels in the new framework. Going forward, quantifying carbon emissions from woody fuels is important because individual states will need to assess how their wood-based energy resources may or may not qualify under the Clean Power Plan.
Advancing science-based climate solutions
Top-Rated Climate Nonprofit – 4-Star Charity