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Renewable Gasoline Update

Discussion in 'Environmental Discussion' started by wjtracy, Nov 11, 2013.

  1. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Interesting RFS2 (US renewable fuel standards mandate) update presentation. In particular, the very last Powerpoint slide gives the list of expected 2014 biofuels projects. There are about 5 cellulosic ethanol plants expected to start-up in 2014, and 3 biomass-to-hydrocarbon fuels plants. Uncertainty in project economics results from not knowing exactly the subsidies for product pricing. EPA/Congress basically has the role to mandate refineries to purchase these renewable fuels (or RIN credits) at some variable price and blend them into regular fuels. The problem has been that actual commercial bio-derived production is much slower than Congress had orginally envisioned. The lack of bio-products makes it hard for the RIN credit system to work properly. Maybe EPA needs to set an initial price subsidy (let's say +$1/gallon over conventional source) to get the system going.

    http://iowaepscor.org/sites/default/files/Research/Policy/Workshops/Fast%20Pyrolysis%20and%20the%20RFS2%20presentation.pdf
     
  2. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    I filled up yesterday for $2.93/gallon.

    I don't think congress had much of a vision when they created this law. Some people took bribes, er um, campaign contributions, yeah that's the ticket to pass it. The main idea from those that like it legitimately though is for decreased oil use.

    Since most of the reason biofuels will be less needed next year than the mandate, is because of reduced oil consumption. They simply don't fit the transportation infrastructure. Now saw grass is probably better than corn for fuel, but them corn lobbyists are more powerful. It might actually cost consumers less to say mandate 7% ethanol to gasoline, tax oil, and use some of that tax to subsidize r&d for better methods. But when we have corn interests (ADM, etc.) trying to force more than 10%, and cellulistic promising only a tiny part, I don't understand how these next gen biofuels will compete.
     
  3. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Yep - From Wikipedia:
    One small step for the corn lobby . . . one giant leap BACKWARDS for man kind. I don't say that being for or against the DemPublicans . . . rather just a critique on stupid-ness. He did increase CA incentives for solar as a parting shot to his campaign funders. And being off topic - why the heck is our GMO corn considered renewable anywy. It takes a huge reduction to the mid west water table to create it ... tons of petro-chemical pesticides to grow it, as well as lots of petro-chemical fertilizer, tons of electricity to pump the water to grow it, and then typically some other non-renewable fuel to ferment it ... never mind the stream of fuel to bring it to market ... just so we can get worse mileage. Then there's the higher price for corn - so that the poorest nations can no longer afford to buy it from us to feed their starving. But hey . . . such a deal. :confused:
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