Today in Biofuels Opinion: “This move by the Administration represents an important next step in realizing the significant potential of next-generation biofuels here in the United States.”

Jeff Broin, Chief Executive Officer of POET: “I applaud President Obama for his recognition of the important role ethanol production can play in the country’s future environmental and economic goals. The creation of this working group to develop the ethanol industry and infrastructure is exactly what’s needed to keep the country moving toward cleaner, greener fuels.  I am, however concerned about the preliminary rule issued by the U.S. EPA that included an indirect land use change penalty for corn ethanol. While many scientists have found significant flaws in the models used to calculate indirect land use change, I think the very concept is flawed and stems from a lack of understanding of ethanol and agriculture. Due to increasing efficiencies in our production facilities and the increased corn yields from the fields surrounding them, we don’t need new land to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard. That’s why we’re able to farm the same number of corn acres in this country that we farmed in 1976 and still meet all of the needs for food, feed and fuel. I am encouraged that the EPA Administrator has pledged to subject indirect land use change to peer-review because I don’t think the theory will hold up.”

Carlos Riva, CEO of Verenium: “This move by the Administration represents an important next step in realizing the significant potential of next-generation biofuels here in the United States. We are on the cusp of realizing the potential of cellulosic ethanol technology, and initiatives such as those outlined in the President’s plan today are critical to enabling companies like Verenium to achieve commercial success.”

Bob Dineen, CEO, Renewable Fuels Association: “EPA has done yeoman’s work in developing the framework upon which the expanded Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) will be implemented. One area in which the RFA will engage EPA is over the issue of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions related to the production and use of ethanol. EPA analyzed both direct GHG emissions, which are those associated with the biofuels supply chain, as well as highly uncertain emissions assumed to occur through indirect impacts. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from EPA on the RFS concludes that grain-based ethanol reduces direct GHG emissions by more than 60% compared to gasoline. We welcome an open and robust science-based discussion of the indirect impacts of all fuels. The science of market-mediated, secondary impacts is very young and needs more reliance on verifiable data, and less reliance on unproven assumptions. Done correctly, such an analysis will demonstrate a significant carbon benefit is achieved through the use of ethanol from all sources.”

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