Clean Fuel Standard
Date: 2021-10-15
Last week in Saint Paul, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) directed the state Departments of Agriculture and Transportation to explore ways to reduce climate change impacts from transportation fuels through a Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) in the state.

To that end, the agencies will coordinate with a cross-section of stakeholders statewide to identify shared goals and opportunities and provide a report summarizing the results and recommendations to the Governor's office in February 2022. (Source: Minn. Dept. of Agriculture, AgWired, Oct., 2021) Contact: Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Thom Petersen, Commissioner, 651-201-6000, www.mda.state.mn.us

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Rainforest Energy
Date: 2021-05-26
On the Canadian prairies, Saskatchewan's Touchwood Agency Tribal Council (TATC) and Calgary, Alberta-based Rainforest Energy Corp. (RFEC) are reporting a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the joint evaluation and development of biomass and other clean energy in the TATC member territory in Saskatchewan.

The evaluation will consider the feasibility of a $250-million clean energy project at Punnichy, Sask. It involves the conversion of Indigenous-sourced waste biomass -- straw, hemp residue, logging slash, and others -- into 87 million lpy of low-carbon gasoline, sustainable jet fuel (SAF) and propane.

RFEC is currently in offtake discussions with major crude oil refiners which need low-carbon fuel output to blend down its fossil fuel sales to meet the Canadian Clean Fuel Standard, according to the release. (Source: Touchwood Agency Tribal Council, Rainforest Energy , PR, 21 May, 2021) Contact: Rainforest Energy, Jeff Arsenych, Pres., CEO, jarsenych@rainforestenergy.ca, www.rainforestenergy.ca; Touchwood Agency Tribal Counci, Rod Favel, Economic Development Program Manager , (306) 835-2937, www.touchwoodagency.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News SAF,  Biomass,  Waste-to-Energy,  Rainforest Energy,  

Federated Co-operatives
Date: 2021-04-02
On the Canadian prairies, Saskatoon-headquartered Federated Co-operatives Ltd. reports its ethanol plant in Belle Plaine Saskatchewan has been renamed the Co-Op Ethanol Complex. The CEC facility produces up to 150 million lpy of ethanol and roughly 130,000 tpy of distillers dried grain (DDG) from 350,000 tonnes of regionally-sourced wheat, corn, rye and triticale.

Co-op purchased the plant -- fka Terra Grain Fuels -- in June of 2019, with the aim of helping their fueling stations all over Western Canada prepare for the national Clean Fuel Standard. (Source: Federated Co-operatives Limited, PR, Mossejaw Today, 31 Mar., 2021) Contact: Federated Co-operatives Limited, Brian Humphreys, VP Energy, (306) 244-3311, Fax: (306) 244-3403, inquiries@fcl.crs, www.fcl.crs/ethanol; Belle Plaine Complex, (306) 345-2280 Fax: (306) 345-2153, info@cec.crs, www.fcl.crs

More Low-Carbon Energy News Federated Co-operatives. Terra Grain Fuel,  Ethanol,  DDG,  

Clean Fuel Standard
Date: 2021-03-19
In Santa Fe, the New Mexico State Senate has approved the state's Clean Fuel Standard Act (CFS) requiring a minimum 10 pct decrease in the carbon intensity of transportation fuels below 2018 levels rising to a 28 pct by 2040. The act was originally tabled on 19 Jan, 2021.

Fuel producers and importers could meet the CFS by producing sufficiently low-carbon fuels or by purchasing credits generated from any business in any sector of the state's economy, including the agriculture, chemical, dairy, energy, forestry, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, waste management and wastewater treatment industries.

Also this month, the New Mexico Clean Fuel Coalition was formed in conjunction with the CFS. Coalition members include: Advanced Biofuels Community Fuels, BIO, the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, Darling Ingredients, EcoEngineers, Fulcrum Bioenergy, Gevo, Iogen Corp., LanzaTech, Novozymes, Neste, Oberon Fuels, Poet, Renewable Energy Group, and Velocys. (Source: New Mexico Legislature, PR, Mar., 2021) Contact: New Mexico Clean Fuel Coalition, www.lcfcoalition.com

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Washington State DEQ
Date: 2021-03-01
In Olympia, the Washington State House reports the 52-46 passage of a clean fuel standard act -- HB 1091 -- to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The legislation now moves to the Senate. More than two-thirds of Washington State voters reportedly support a statewide clean fuel standard.

HB 1091, the Clean Fuel Standard, cuts air pollution by requiring cleaner transportation fuels to power vehicles and invests in communities most impacted by transportation pollution -- the State's largest source of air pollution linked to asthma, lung cancer, respiratory diseases and other health problems. (Source: Washington State DEQ, PR., 26 Feb., 2021)

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Growth Energy
Date: 2020-12-30
"Canada continues to be a trailblazer in addressing climate change and cutting greenhouse gases through biofuels." -- Emily Skor, Growth Energy, CEO commenting the Canadian governments recently announced nationwide Clean Fuel Standard draft regulation.

The Canadian regulation is an initiative to reduce the lifecycle carbon intensity of fuels and energy used in Canada and achieve a more than 20 million tpy reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The Canadian Clean Fuel Standard aims for an average 15 pct (E15) ethanol-gasoline blend rate by 2030. (Source: Growth Energy, Dec, 2020) Contact: Growth Energy, Emily Skor, (202) 545-4000, www.growthenergy.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News E15,  Growth Energy,  Ethanol,  Ethanol Blend,  Canada Clan Fuels Standard,  

Date: 2020-12-21
In Ottawa, the CBC is reporting the Canadian federal government has proposed rules for its Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) that producers and distributors would have to follow under the Canadian climate plan. The CFS to intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the carbon in transportation fuels and heating oil.

The regulations would require fossil fuels producers and distributors to reduce their products carbon content by 2.6 pct by 2022 increasing to 13 pct by 2030. Companies could achieve that by reducing carbon emitted during production and use of those fuels or by earning credits to apply against emissions. Import rules would be tightened to ensure biofuels brought into Canada were actually reducing carbon emissions in their country of origin. The rules would also enable fuel distributors to earn credits by helping drivers switch to electric vehicles by, for example, building charging stations.

Current biofuel and fossil fuel blending requirements would remain and become part of the new regulations which are projected to reduce emissions by nearly 21 megatonnes by 2030. (Source: CBC News, 20 Dec., 2020)

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Canada Clean Fuels Standard,Suzuki Foundation
Date: 2020-10-23
"The UN's annual Emissions Gap Report 2019 found Earth is headed toward 3.2 degrees C warming based on current and estimated emissions trends and called on governments to increase efforts to limit global warming immediately. But Canada isn't even on track to meet its original 2030 emissions-reduction targets.

"Greenpeace recently obtained leaked strategy documents advising industry to push back against measures such as the federal clean fuel standard that prompts a switch to low-carbon fuels by setting limits on greenhouse-gas emissions from fossil fuels. To meet it, fossil-fuel suppliers can buy or generate credits by offering low-carbon alternatives, like biofuels from waste organics or electric-vehicle charging stations. The clean-fuel-credit market is expected to attract investment in low-carbon fuel production and distribution in Canada.

"It's a smart move as the government looks to support economic recovery. Clean-fuels investments generate employment. Clean Energy Canada estimates the regulation could spur the need for up to 31,000 skilled workers to build, operate, and supply new facilities.

Navigator, the PR firm engaged to develop an action plan to counter the clean-fuel standard, advises its unnamed clients to use a "counter-punch strategy" -- to pay lip service to government's climate agenda, wait for the clean-fuel-standard announcement, then orchestrate a hard push-back. Part of the scheme is to convince Canadians that "fighting climate change is a losing battle" by arguing action is too costly. It's dishonest. Energy companies -- and the politicians they're seeking to influence -- know Canada must decarbonize the fuel supply to reduce GHG emissions.

"All the major federal political parties have pledged to meet or exceed Canada's 2030 targets. The clean-fuel standard is projected to reduce annual GHG emissions by 30 million tonnes by 2030 -- equivalent to taking 7 million cars off the road and accounts for 15 pct of Canada's current emissions-reduction target -- more than can be achieved with any other single climate-policy instrument.

"B.C.'s (British Columbia) low-carbon fuel requirement has been in place since 2010 and is credited with delivering one-quarter of B.C.'s emissions reductions between 2007 and 2012 with limited impacts to consumers' pocketbooks. As part of its CleanBC plan, the province recently announced further reductions to the carbon intensity of transportation fuels over the next decade using this instrument. California, Oregon, and the EU have parallel policies. Their experience shows that a clean-fuel standard can reduce emissions, drive innovation, and increase renewable alternatives availability.

"Too often, industry opposition to environmental policies isn't driven by facts but by vested interests. Climate action is in everyone's interest. Government must stand firm on the policies needed to achieve timely emissions reductions. The sooner Canada adopts its clean fuel standard, the better."

Download the UN Emissions Gap Report 2019 HERE. (Source: David Suzuki, Suzuki Foundation, The Straight, 20 Oct, 2020) Contact: Suzuki Foundation, David Suzuki, 604-732-4228, www.davidsuzuki.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Clean Fuel Standard,  Renewable Fuels,  Suzuki Foundation,  Environment and Climate Change Canada,  

Clean Fuel Standard
Date: 2020-09-11
In Ottawa, Reuters is reporting the Canadian Liberal Gov. of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plans to require reductions in carbon intensity of fuels by 12 pct by 2030.

The move would require refiners to blend cleaner ethanol and other renewable fuels with gasoline and fossil fuels under a Clean Fuel Standard aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 million tonnes by 2030. The requirement would come into force in 2022, according to the Reuters report. Presently, Canada imports about 40 pct of the ethanol it uses. (Source: Canada Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Reuters, 11 Sept., 2020) Contact: Canada Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Hon.Jonathan Wilkinson, 613-995-1225, Jonathan.Wilkinson@parl.gc.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Low-Carbon Fuel,  Biofuel,  Ethanol,  Biodiesel,  Biofuel Blend,  Clean Fuel Standard,  

Environment and Climate Change Canada
Date: 2020-05-04
According to a Environment and Climate Change Canada press release, the government of Canada is delaying the publication of proposed regulations for the liquid fuel class of the Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) to Fall 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The regulations are still expected to to be finalized before the year end and in force in 2022. (Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, May, 2020) Contact: Environment and Climate Change Canada,(800) 668-6767, www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change.html

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Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister
Date: 2020-01-31
On the Canadian prairies, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister (PC) is touting his government's Manitoba Climate and Green Plan and the implementation of new clean fuel standards to reduce Manitoba's emissions by almost 400,000 metric tons cumulatively over the next five years -- equivalent to removing 100,000 vehicles from the province's highways.

Under the plan, Manitoba will increase the ethanol content requirement of gasoline to 10 pct from 8.5 pct, and the biodiesel content of diesel to 5 pct from 2 pct. (Source: Office of Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, Government of Manitoba, 28 January , 2020) Contact: Office of Premier Brian Pallister, 204-945-3714, Fax - 204-949-1484, premier@leg.gov.mb.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biofuel Blend,  Clean Fuel,  Ethanol,  Biodiesel,  

Low-Carbon Fuel
Date: 2020-01-10
In Olympia, Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee (D) is promoting low-carbon fuel standard legislation similar to California's low-carbon fuel standard which effectively taxes fossil fuels and subsidizes renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. The legislation won Washington House approval in 2019 and now awaits Senate approval during the upcoming Jan. 13 sitting.

Under the proposed low-carbon fuel standard, biofuel suppliers could meet their low-carbon obligations by paying an "alternative assessment" that could add between $48 million and $193 million to the state's coffers in its first year. (Source: Chinook Observer, Capital Press, Jan., 2019) Contact: Office of Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee, Communications Office, Tara Lee, (360) 902-4136, www.governor.wa.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Low-Carbon Fuel,  Jay Inslee,  Clean Fuel Standard,  

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
Date: 2019-10-18
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency in Seattle reports it has drafted a regional clean fuel standard aimed at reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by 26 pct by 2030. The rule is in the public comment process and is expected to be finalized no sooner than February, 2020.

Transportation emissions reportedly account for roughly 40 pct of the region's emissions. (Source: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Public News Service, 17 Oct., 2019) Contact: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Craig Kenworthy, Exec. Dir., 206-343-8800, 206-343-7522, www.pscleanair.org/528/Clean-Fuel-Standard

More Low-Carbon Energy News Puget Sound Clean Air Agency,  Renewable Fuel,  

Wood Pellet Association of Canada
Date: 2019-09-13
Advanced Biofuels Canada, Canadian Biogas Association, Canadian Gas Association, Electric Mobility Canada and Wood Pellet Association of Canada are forecasting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions of over 50 million metric tons (Mt) per year by 2030 through greater production and use of renewable energy in Canada.

Collectively, the associations say they represent technologies that can, with the right policy measures in place, exceed the proposed federal Clean Fuel Standard's objective of 30 Mt of annual GHG emission reductions by 2030.

To that end, the associations are calling on the Canadian federal government to adopt a Clean Fuel Strategy by 2020. The strategy would include setting a clear path to clean and renewable fuel use by 2030 by: establishing clear market signals for clean fuels and electric vehicles; aligning clean and renewable fuel regulations to meet targeted clean fuel and EV use; establish clean fuel program funding to support clean and renewable fuel production capacity and infrastructure investments, and support EV adoption; and Support research and development programs to maintain Canadian leadership in clean fuel technologies and innovation. (Source: Wood Pellet Association of Canada, Biomass Mag., Sept., 2019) Contact: Wood Pellet Association of Canada, www.pellet.org; Canadian Biogas Association, (613) 822-1004, www.biogasassociation.ca; Advanced Biofuels Canada, Ian Thompson, Pres., (604) 947-0040, ithomson@advancedbiofuels.ca, www.advancedbiofuels.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Advanced Biofuels Canada,  Canadian Biogas Association,  Wood Pellet Association of Canada,  Clean Fuel,  Biofuel,  

Wood Pellet Association of Canada
Date: 2019-09-09
Since 2017, the government of Canada has been developing the Clean Fuel Standard (CFS), a low carbon fuel standard-type policy, to reduce the life-cycle carbon intensity of fuels and energy used in Canada. The CFS aims to achieve 30 million tonnes CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) of annual reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 2030.

The Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC) has been providing input to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) as it works to design and shape the CFS. And, upon review of ECCC's proposed regulatory approach, WPAC is seriously concerned that the government will not allow end-use fuel switching in the buildings/stationary fuel use sector.

WPAC believes it is unfair for ECCC to recognize fuel switching from gasoline to electricity or hydrogen in transportation, but not to recognize switching from heating oil to solid biofuels -- wood pellets or chips -- for Canada's second largest renewable energy product -- solid biomass heating. To that end, WPAC made the following representations to ECCC:

One of the three primary objectives of the CFS is low-cost compliance. By prohibiting recognition of fuel switching for stationary applications, ECCC will actually significantly increase the cost of CFS compliance, exclude the forest sector from participation in the short-term, and inhibit investment in the most proven commercial technology for displacement of heating oil -- wood pellet and chip boilers.

Canada consumes approximately three billion lpy of heating oil, the majority of which is consumed by Canadians in rural and Atlantic Canada. The latter accounts for 44 pct of heating oil consumption in the residential sector and 50 pct of heating oil consumption in the commercial/institutional sectors. Rural and Atlantic Canada also have among the lowest per capita income. ECCC's proposed regulatory approach will make CFS compliance for these low-income areas significantly more expensive than for those living in cities.

Under ECCC's proposed regulatory approach, the principal mechanism for ensuring compliance from heating oil primary suppliers will be to blend renewable diesel with heating oil. Since heating oil has low carbon intensity (CI) relative to other liquid fuels and much of the crude used to produce heating oil is sourced from outside of Canada, there is less opportunity for upstream reductions than with other liquid fuels. The 2030 target of 74 g CO2e/MJ is less than heating oil combustion emissions, meaning upstream efficiency improvements will be insufficient to meet the requirements. The only heating oil-miscible fuel that can also be stored outside in winter, as is often the case with heating oil, is renewable diesel.

Renewable diesel has a useful heat fuel cost of $65-82 per gigajoule (GJ) ($234-295 per MWh. In contrast, wood pellets, at $300-350 per tonne for residential sales, have a useful heat fuel cost of $20-24 per GJ. Wood pellets also have half the of default renewable diesel (29 g CO2e/MJ). Wood chips are half the carbon intensity of wood pellets which means, on an implied carbon price basis and assuming wholesale $0.75 per litre for heating oil, blending renewable diesel with heating oil has a fuel cost of $630/ per tonne CO2e to 884 per tonne CO2e. Switching from heating oil to wood pellets saves money on a fuel basis, in addition to avoiding taxes on heating oil. In this case, there is little reason to implement a complex policy such as the CFS.

Despite the billions of dollars invested in lignocellulosic liquid transportation biofuels, all technologies are still pre-commercial -- especially forest feedstock-based liquid transportation biofuels due to the recalcitrant structure of wood fibre. Co-processing of pyrolysis oil or biocrude in existing oil refineries at a meaningful volume will not occur before 2030. The forest sector represents over 75 pct of annually-available biomass resources in Canada and its exclusion from participation in the liquids class will dramatically increase the cost of fuel, especially in rural communities where wood chips and bioheat are a cost efficient and convenient source of energy. (Source: WPAC, Canadian Biomass, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 26 Aug., 2019) Contact: Wood Pellet Association of Canada, Gordon Murra, Exec. Dir., ; Environment and Climate Change Canada, www.canada.ca › environment-climate-change

More Low-Carbon Energy News Environment and Climate Change Canada,  Wood Pellet Association of Canada,  Woody Biomass,  Wood Pellet ,  

Clean Fuel,Paris Climate Agreement
Date: 2019-07-10
The CBC is reporting Progressive Conservative (PC) Party Leader and Prime Ministerial hopeful Andrew Scheer says a government led by him would scrap a "secret fuel tax" -- a plan by the sitting Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to improve fuel standards and cut emissions through regulatory changes that have not yet been finalized.

In addition to the existing carbon tax regime, the Liberal government aims to make the heating and transportation fuel supply cleaner to reduce carbon emissions and help Canada meet targets set under the Paris Climate Agreement.

According to a government backgrounder, fossil fuel suppliers will be able to meet the performance standard by "taking action themselves" to make fuels cleaner -- through improvements to the refining process, for example, or by purchasing credits from low-carbon-intensity fuel producers and other credit generators. (Source: CBC News, Various Media, 8 July, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Vehicle Emissions,  Clean Fuel Standard,  Paris Climate Agreement,  Clean Fuel,