A pair of Bombardier C series jets. (Bombardier.com)

U.S. lawmakers to propose tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel

Fuel from plant oils, animal fats would qualify

Reading Time: 2 minutes New York | Reuters — U.S. lawmakers plan to introduce a bill on Thursday that would create a tax credit for lower-carbon sustainable aviation fuel, which they hope will slash emissions of greenhouse gases from the aviation industry. The legislation, seen by Reuters, would impose a tax incentive of up to US$2 for every gallon […] Read more

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Some U.S. ethanol producers cut production to sell natural gas for profit

Reading Time: 2 minutes New York | Reuters — Sky-high U.S. natural gas prices have prompted some Midwestern ethanol producers to reduce processing in the last week, hoping instead to sell off some of their natural gas to take advantage of current high spot prices caused by the spike in cold weather, industry sources said. Ethanol margins in the […] Read more


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U.S. oil industry seeks unusual alliance with Farm Belt against electric vehicle agenda

'We weren't born yesterday'

Reading Time: 3 minutes New York | Reuters — The U.S. oil industry is seeking to forge an alliance with the nation’s corn growers and biofuel producers to lobby against the Biden administration’s push for electric vehicles, but is so far meeting a cool reception, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions. The effort marks an unusual attempt […] Read more

The Big River Resources ethanol plant at West Burlington, Iowa, about 120 km southwest of Davenport. (Steven Vaughn photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Trump administration mulls industry-wide biofuel waiver

Comment period would end after Trump's exit

Reading Time: 2 minutes New York | Reuters — The Trump administration is considering requests from the oil refining industry and its backers for a sweeping nationwide waiver to exempt them from their obligations to blend biofuels, a measure they argue would help them weather the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency […] Read more


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Biden transition team holds talks with biofuel groups -sources

Reading Time: < 1 minute New York | Reuters – U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team has held calls with biofuel groups on topics including compliance with U.S. biofuel blending laws and Biden’s low-carbon climate vision, according to two sources familiar with the conversations. The discussions with biofuel trade groups as well as POET, a top company in the cellulosic […] Read more

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U.S. fuel industry frazzled as EPA misses biofuel volumes deadline

COVID-19 fallout complicates process

Reading Time: 2 minutes New York | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was set to miss a deadline Monday to announce how much renewable fuel the nation’s refiners must blend into their fuel mix next year, raising uncertainty in the fuel market and prompting one biofuel association to threaten to take the agency to court. Under federal […] Read more



Valero Energy’s ethanol plant at Aurora, S.D., about 90 km north of Sioux Falls. (Valero.com)

COVID-19 spurs new clash between Big Oil, Big Corn

Flagging consumption leads to pressures on U.S. fuels, biofuels

Reading Time: 3 minutes New York | Reuters — A fuel demand meltdown caused by the coronavirus outbreak in the United States has started up a new fight between the oil and agriculture industries over the nation’s biofuel policy, this time over whether the policy should be suspended or expanded as a result of the crisis. The issue once […] Read more


The Big River Resources ethanol plant at West Burlington, Iowa, about 120 km southwest of Davenport. (Steven Vaughn photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. EPA waives fuel requirements, extends biofuels deadline

Deadline extended to help refineries

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday unveiled measures to help oil refineries cope with fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, including waiving anti-smog requirements for gasoline and extending the deadline for small facilities to show compliance with the nation’s biofuels law. The outbreak has touched off a massive global decline in demand for […] Read more

The Big River Resources ethanol plant at West Burlington, Iowa, about 120 km southwest of Davenport. (Steven Vaughn photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. biofuel group says ethanol industry sharply cutting production

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Many U.S. ethanol plants have slashed production over the past week or idled entirely as the coronavirus outbreak cut into fuel consumption and cratered margins to refine the corn-based fuel, the head of a biofuel trade group said on Thursday. Renewable Fuels Association CEO Geoff Cooper said on a conference call he expects […] Read more