CARB is proposing a phased process for introducing alternative diesel fuels to the California market. Prior to supplying any alternative diesel fuel to market, a producer would need to obtain a Memorandum of Exemption (MOE) granted by CARB.… Continue Reading
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce released its fourth white paper on the Renewable Fuel Standard. The white paper discusses the energy impacts of the RFS and the changes in US energy demand in the five years since the RFS passed. The paper calls for comments regarding the impact of the RFS on demand, petroleum … Continue Reading
The Obama administration took another step forward with its greenhouse gas control program yesterday when it quietly posted its "Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory Impact Analysis under Executive Order 12866."… Continue Reading
Voting is underway for the 2013 Hottest Partners in Biofuels and BioBased Products, a poll conducted by our friend Jim Lane of Biofuels Digest. Poll categories include: Distributors Engineering, procurement & construction Enzymes, yeasts & sugars Feedstocks (energy crops) Feedstocks (gases and residues) Finance (early-stage) Finance (commercialization) Lab services Pretreatment systems Professional counselors & consultants … Continue Reading
In a development that will increase liquidity and transparency in the RIN market, two major providers are making RIN future contracts available to be traded. Both CME Group and the IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) will have RIN products available to be traded by mid May.… Continue Reading
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced it has denied requests from the Governors of Arkansas and North Carolina to waive Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirements, based on the effects of the drought on feedstocks used to produce renewable fuel in 2012-2013. The petitions, filed in August, triggered a review process to determine … Continue Reading
Stoel Rives has long been a trusted advisor to the biofuels industry. Since the industry’s inception, we have assisted biofuel companies in launching ventures, obtaining financing, ensuring regulatory compliance, licensing technology, negotiating agreements, and leveraging incentives and government programs. As the industry has evolved and expanded, our practice has remained on the cutting edge while … Continue Reading
Stoel Rives is honored to have been named the top partner in the Professional Counselors and Services category by the readers of Biofuels Digest, the most widely read daily news digest in the biofuels industry. Biofuels Digest Publisher Jim Lane and his team produce a great on-line magazine and some of the best conferences in … Continue Reading
Yesterday the EPA released the third major Notice of Violation ("NOV") against a biofuel producer in the past six months under the Renewable Fuel Standard ("RFS"). The NOV states that EPA has determined that Green Diesel, LLC of Houston, Texas, generated 60,034,033 invalid Renewable Identification Numbers ("RINs') with a current market value of perhaps $85 million. Coming on the heels of the resolution of the Clean Green Diesel and Absolute Fuels NOVs, this NOV is likely to trigger immediate market reaction.… Continue Reading
On February 2, 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") issued a Notice of Violation ("NOV") of the Renewable Fuel Standard ("RFS") to Absolute Fuels, a company located in Lubbock, Texas. The NOV alleges that between August 31, 2010, and October 11, 2011, Absolute Fuels generated over 48 million Renewable Identification Numbers ("RINs") and that all … Continue Reading
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is exercising its authority and enforcing the requirements of the Clean Air Act’s renewable fuel standard (RFS) program. The EPA issued twenty-four notices of violation on November 7, 2011, to petroleum refiners, importers and exporters of renewable fuel. Following a filing last month of criminal charges of wire fraud, money … Continue Reading
The Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest (SAFN) is the first stakeholder effort to review the challenges surrounding the production of sustainable aviation fuels and to develop a regional solution.… Continue Reading
There has been a wave of good and bad news this past week regarding the DOE’s Loan Guarantee Program. On the positive side, Secretary Chu announced on Friday that the Department would be adding an additional compliance period for the Innovative Solicitation. The current deadline for the Part I application under the program is August 24th. Secretary … Continue Reading
The EPA has issued proposed RFS2 rules for 2011 that provide some indications that the agency is dedicated to jump starting the advanced biofuels industry.… Continue Reading
Here is a Q&A I did with William Brent, the head of Weber Shandwick’s cleantech practice and blogger at www.mrcleantech.com: WB: I asked my friend Graham Noyes of law firm Stoel Rives who focuses his practice on bioenergy projects, federal energy incentives and carbon monetization for his thoughts on the Kerry Lieberman bill. Q (WB): … Continue Reading
Several deadlines relating to the implementation of RFS2 are rapidly approaching and should be strictly followed by renewable fuel producers to avoid loss of the value of RINs under the new system. Producers who miss the registration deadline of July 1, 2010 will be unable to generate RINs until they have completed the registration … Continue Reading
DOE Secretary Chu's announcement today regarding $80 million of ARRA funding for biofuels is potentially a positive development for the long-term development of the biofuels industry. What is worriesome from a practical perspective is the division of funding.… Continue Reading
The goal of the award-winning Evergreen production team is to document, promote and present the clean technology story to audiences of decision makers, regulators, citizens and students in Washington State, the Pacific Northwest and international markets. In December 2009, the Evergreen team traveled to Copenhagen to document the efforts of the Washington delegation at the United … Continue Reading
Last week, the US EPA extended the rulemaking period on RFS 2 until September 25, 2009. This extends the period by 60 days. While this rulemaking is highly complicated and contentious, it is unclear that extending the comment period will improve this situation. In addition, the effective date of the regulations continues to be delayed. This … Continue Reading
Yesterday, the Department of Energy ("DOE") announced more than $154 million in Recovery Act funding to four states for their State Energy Programs ("SEPs"). The funds were awarded to California, Missouri, New Hampshire, and North Carolina.… Continue Reading
