We Came in Peace: The Renewable Fuel Standard and the spirit of innovation

The bottom line.

Who do you believe? Here’s your choice.

Door #1. A scenario based on zero exotic infrastructure changes. No blend wall hassles, zero extra production from corn. Based on rolling out technologies that have already been demonstrated at scale (excepting algae, which is currently at pilot scale).

Door #2. A scenario based on everybody failing at everything.

Door #3. Somewhere in between.

In that light, Dr. Jeremy Martin, senior scientist for Union of Concerned Scientists told Congress this week:

“We are not moving forward as fast as we hoped to be in 2007, but the RFS is still pointing us in the right direction. To keep moving forward we need to provide the regulatory stability that will protect the early investments in the cellulosic biofuels industry, and support further investment to bring the technology to larger scale.

“The RFS is a more flexible policy than many people appreciate, and Congress was smart to give the EPA the authority to adapt the second phase of the policy to circumstances, and move us forward in a pragmatic way. Now the EPA must use that flexibility and provide more clarity on the path ahead. The smart approach is to limit the mandates for all food-based biofuels to 20 billion gallons in 2022, as laid out in the RFS implementation schedule.

“This represents a slower rate of growth than the country has seen over the last few years and will reduce pressure on food markets while slowing agricultural expansion. The growth beyond this limit should come from non-food based cellulosic biofuels. Using wastes, agricultural residues like corn stalks, and environmentally friendly perennial grasses to make fuel can provide economic opportunities, rural development and good jobs not just in the corn belt, but all over country.

“The biomass resources are available, but to realize their potential, we also need a large scale industry to make them into useful fuel.”