(SAS) Inter Terminals Sweden, in collaboration with SAS, is expanding its aviation fuel facility in the Port of Gävle by converting tanks from conventional fossil heating oil storage to a blending and storage facility for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAS has set
U.S. Ethanol and SAF Industry Leaders Seek to Intervene in Legal Challenge to EU Sustainable Aviation Fuel Regulation
(Renewable Fuels Association) Leaders of the U.S. ethanol industry are seeking to intervene in a legal challenge of the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, which effectively bans the use of renewable, crop-based biofuels like corn ethanol as a feedstock for decarbonizing the aviation sector. Collaborating in the intervention are the Renewable Fuels Association, U.S. Grains Council, Growth Energy and LanzaJet. Earlier this year, LanzaJet opened the world’s first ethanol-to-jet biorefinery, in Georgia.
The application to intervene in the proceedings supports a challenge brought by ePURE, a trade association representing European ethanol producers, and Pannonia Bio, one of Europe’s largest ethanol producers. Their application seeks to annul the relevant provisions of the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, which was adopted by the EU in 2023 and is set to take effect in 2025. A similar challenge was brought against the FuelEU Maritime Regulation, and RFA is seeking to intervene there, as well.
With regard to the new petition, the groups argue it will have a detrimental effect on the U.S. ethanol industry.
“[T]he Contested Provisions give rise to a de facto ban on the supply of crop-based biofuels to the aviation sector in the EU,” the organizations argue. “Due to the substantial difference in cost between biofuels and fossil fuels in the EU – which the Regulation expressly acknowledged – aviation fuel suppliers will not purchase biofuels instead of fossil fuels unless they are obliged or incentivised to do so. Since using crop-based biofuels will not help aviation fuel suppliers meet their obligations under the Regulation, they will not purchase those biofuels.” READ MORE
RFA Welcomes 40B Sustainable Aviation Fuel Guidance, But Says Additional Work Needed
(Renewable Fuels Association) The 40B tax credit guidance and modified GREET model released today by U.S. Treasury begin to unlock the door for U.S. ethanol producers and farmers to participate in the emerging market for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). However, more work must be done to fully open the SAF market to ethanol and properly recognize the climate benefits of modern agriculture and biofuels, according to the Renewable Fuels Association.
“Today’s guidance and modified GREET model help position ethanol-based SAF for takeoff, but more work is needed to fully clear the runway and get this opportunity off the ground,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We are encouraged that, for the first time ever, this carbon scoring framework will recognize and credit certain climate-smart agricultural practices. We’re also pleased to see the integration of other carbon reduction strategies—like renewable process energy and carbon capture and sequestration—into the model. However, RFA believes less prescription on ag practices, more flexibility, and additional low-carbon technologies and practices should be added to the modeling framework to better reflect the innovation occurring throughout the supply chain.”
Cooper noted that today’s 40B package sets the stage for a more expansive and flexible modeling approach under the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit. RFA expects the Biden administration will soon request public comment on considerations and options for implementing the 45Z credit.
“We view today’s 40B announcement as the starting point—not the ending point—for additional modeling improvements, further integration of individual climate-smart agriculture practices, and emerging biorefinery technologies,” Cooper said. “45Z is where the rubber really meets the road. We look forward to working with USDA and other agencies across the administration to ensure 45Z is implemented in a way that truly swings the door wide open for farmers and ethanol producers to participate in the enormous decarbonization opportunity.”
The conversion of ethanol to jet fuel is one of the most promising forms of SAF, Cooper said. Low-carbon ethanol has key advantages as a feedstock for SAF, as it is cost-competitive with petroleum-based fuels, has established production and transportation infrastructure, and is by far the largest-volume biofuel produced in the United States, with output of nearly 16 billion gallons per year.
“We are especially grateful for the role that U.S. Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack and his team played in the effort,” Cooper concluded. “Sec. Vilsack has time and again demonstrated his commitment to serving rural communities, and understands the importance of lower-carbon, American-made renewable fuels.”
A History of Action
RFA has worked diligently with lawmakers and others over the past several years to ensure ethanol can participate in SAF opportunities. RFA’s efforts on the SAF tax credit began long before the Inflation Reduction Act was introduced, including correspondence with congressional tax-writing committees in August 2021 and a joint industry letter in April 2022. More recently:
- In February 2023, RFA filed extensive comments urging the allowance of GREET modeling for the sake of the SAF tax credits. In June and July, the organization welcomed the introduction of the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Accuracy Act in both houses of Congress.
- In August, at the RealClear Energy website, Cooper wrote about how farmers and ethanol producers can put “the S in SAF.” And in an August blog post, he pointed out how the SAF modeling debate isn’t really about GREET vs. ICAO, but about “current data vs. old data.” Click here for a chart RFA has developed to explain the key differences between the DOE GREET approach and the ICAO approach.
- In November, many RFA member companies signed on to a historic coalition letter that included major airlines, calling on the Biden administration to integrate the best available science and data regarding the carbon impacts of SAF into the tax credit program.
- RFA also endorsed the Farm to Fly Act in November, which would affirm a common definition of SAF for USDA purposes, as widely supported by industry and congressional leaders to enable U.S. crops to most effectively contribute to aviation renewable fuels via renewable fuels like ethanol. A Senate version was introduced in January.
- In January, RFA offered specific recommendations for ensuring that the best available science and data are used in determining eligibility for the SAF tax credit established in the Inflation Reduction Act.
- In February, a bipartisan group of 43 lawmakers in both houses of Congress sent a letter to the Interagency Working Group, asking it to meet the March 1 deadline for updates to the GREET model and ensure the updates are based on sound science, current data, and methodologies that properly recognize modern practices in agriculture and biofuel production.
- When the March 1 deadline passed, RFA called on the working group to move quickly, noting that it was important to get the modeling right. Later that month, RFA was part of a coalition of biofuel and farm advocates that called on the Treasury Department to swiftly resolve any questions standing in the way of efforts to scale up U.S. production of sustainable aviation fuel.
- Just last week—on April 24—RFA was part of another major coalition that called on agriculture committee leaders in Congress to boost the role of American farms in fueling low-carbon aviation by including meaningful SAF provisions, such as the Farm to Fly Act, into the farm bill.
- Finally, RFA is a founding member of the SAF Coalition, which launched Monday to accelerate the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuel in the United States. READ MORE
Related articles
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, IRS Release Guidance to Drive American Innovation, Cut Aviation Sector Emissions (U.S. Treasury Department)
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel Credit; Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Percentage and Certification of Requirements Related to the Clean Air Act; Climate Smart Agriculture; Safe Harbors (U.S. Treasury Department/Internal Revenue Service)
- Growth Energy: New 40B Guidance an Important First Step (Growth Energy)
- Treasury Releases Guidance for SAF Credit (Energy.AgWired.com)
- Treasury releases Sustainable Aviation Fuel tax guidance (The Fence Post)
- Treasury Announces Updated SAF Tax Credit Guidance, Release Of 40SAF-GREET 20024 Model (Ethanol Producer Magazine)
- Semi-Sweet on GREET Street: Administration decision on SAF tax credits is bold for residues; tepid for grains, oilseeds (Biofuels Digest)
- Clean Fuels Welcomes §40B SAF GREET Model (Clean Fuels Alliance America)
- Biden administration details how producers of sustainable aviation fuel will get tax credits (Associated Press)
- Corn to Power Airplanes? Biden Administration Sets a High Bar.: Producers of biofuels like ethanol, which could help create a new generation of jet fuel, would have to overhaul their practices to receive tax credits. (New York Times)
- US Treasury updates SAF tax credit guidelines (Argus Media)
- Biden administration charts new path for use of biofuels in aviation: It is central to the administration’s efforts to cut emissions from the difficult-to-decarbonize aviation sector. (Politico Pro)
- Biden team sets out path for ethanol aviation fuel subsidies (Reuters)
- Iowa farmers' conservation practices to be a factor in renewable aviation fuel tax credits (Des Moines Register)
- Ag feedstocks gain toehold in SAF tax policy, but uncertainty lingers (Agri-Pulse)
- VILSACK SAYS AGRICULTURE IS IN THE GAME WHEN IT COMES TO SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL (Brownfield Ag News)
- ‘Climate-Smart’ Corn-Based SAF Rules Defined (AvWeb)
- Biden administration unveils updated SAF tax credit model, provides ethanol clarity (S&P Global)
- Treasury Announces Updated SAF Tax Credit Guidance, Release Of 40SAF-GREET 2024 Model (Ethanol Producer Magazine)
- Some Groups Pan SAF Rules for Farmers: Groups Criticize Cover Crop Requirement for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Modeling (DTN Progressive Farmer)
- Turbulence ahead? Biden Admin’s sustainable aviation fuel tax credits carry strict rules for farmers (Michigan Farm News)
- Farmer Consultant Digs Into SAF Tax Credit Guidance (AgNewsWire; includes AUDIO)
- Grassley, Brown criticize GREET rewrite as groups express mixed reactions (Fence Post)
- FISCHER SAYS NEW MODELING INCENTIVIZES IMPORTS (Brownfield Ag News)
- A US push to use ethanol as aviation fuel raises major climate concerns -- Ethanol makers who use sustainably produced corn can now qualify for big federal tax credits, but critics are skeptical of the carbon benefits. (MIT Technology Review)
- The New GREET Model is Finally Here: An In-Depth Look at What it Means for Farmers (AgWeb; includes VIDEO)
- SAF IRS Guidance Released - Is it Worthless? (AgWeb Opinion)
- Ethanol Report 5-2-24 40B SAF Tax Credit Guidance and Beyond (Energy.AgWired.com; includes AUDIO podcast)
- Time short as airlines pitch fuel tax credit extension: Airline executives say a sustainable aviation fuel credit sunset provision would have consequences for climate goals. (Politico Pro E&E Daily)
- CORN GROUPS TAKE ISSUE WITH SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL REQUIREMENTS (Brownfield Ag News)
- Making Flying Cleaner: New guidelines attempt to make the aviation cleaner by relying on corn-based ethanol, but experts divided on the fuel’s environmental benefits. (New York Times)
Excerpts from U.S. Treasury Department: Biden-Harris Administration Partners Announce Updated GREET Model to Measure Lifecycle Emissions from Sustainable Aviation Fuels
WASHINGTON – Today the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released guidance on the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Credit established by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to create good-paying jobs and reduce climate pollution by spurring innovation in the aviation industry.
The Treasury Department worked closely with Biden-Harris Administration partners, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Department of Energy (DOE) on today’s Notice.
“President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act is driving American innovation to create good-paying jobs and help the U.S. clear hurdles in our clean energy transition,” said U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. “Incentives in the law are helping to scale production of low-carbon fuels and cut emissions from the aviation sector, one of the most difficult-to-transition sectors of our economy. Today’s guidance provides additional clarity and certainty to companies and producers.”
“Sustainable aviation fuel is a key part of the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to transition the American economy to a clean energy future and rebuild the middle class from the bottom up to the middle out in rural America,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “Today’s announcement is an important stepping stone as it acknowledges the important role farmers can play in lowering greenhouse gas emissions and begins to reward them through that contribution in the production of new fuels. This is a great beginning as we develop new markets for sustainable aviation fuel that use home grown agricultural crops produced using climate smart agricultural practices. USDA will continue to work with our federal agency partners to expand opportunities in the future for climate smart agriculture in producing sustainable aviation fuel.”
“The guidance released today reflects the latest data and science needed to help create new economic opportunities for America's agricultural sector,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “This interagency effort will help our climate goals take flight with cheaper, cleaner sustainable aviation fuel -- ensuring America maintains an innovative edge on the global clean technology stage.”
“Innovation in the aviation sector has brought our country and our world together and now, it’s fueling the solution to meet our ambitious net-zero carbon emission goals,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “Today’s announcement will strengthen America’s position as a leader in the production of sustainable aviation fuels, help cut carbon emissions, and create a better future for all Americans.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credit for sustainable aviation fuels is a critical tool for decarbonizing air travel,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy. “Today’s announcement of an updated GREET model and Treasury guidance is a big step forward for American farmers, for American innovation, for American jobs, and for America’s ability to cut carbon pollution from our transportation sector and protect our planet.”
The Treasury Department’s guidance provides important clarity around eligibility for the SAF Credit. The credit incentivizes the production of SAF that achieves a lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction of at least 50% as compared with petroleum-based jet fuel. Producers of SAF are eligible for a tax credit of $1.25 to $1.75 per gallon. SAF that achieves a GHG emissions reduction of 50% is eligible for the $1.25 credit per gallon amount, and SAF that achieves a GHG emissions reduction of more than 50% is eligible for an additional $0.01 per gallon for each percentage point the reduction exceeds 50%, up to $0.50 per gallon.
As part of today’s guidance, the agencies comprising the SAF Interagency Working Group (IWG) are jointly announcing the 40B SAF-GREET 2024 model. This model provides another methodology for SAF producers to determine the lifecycle GHG emissions rates of their production for the purposes of the SAF Credit.
The modified version of GREET incorporates new data, including updated modeling of key feedstocks and processes used in aviation fuel and indirect emissions. The modified GREET model also integrates key greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies such as carbon capture and storage, renewable natural gas, and renewable electricity.
The Notice released today also, on a pilot basis, incorporates a USDA pilot program to encourage the use of certain Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices for SAF feedstocks. Incorporating CSA practices into the production of SAF provides multiple benefits, including lower overall GHG emissions associated with SAF production and increased adoption of farming practices that are associated with other environmental benefits, such as improved water quality and soil health.
For corn ethanol-to-jet, the pilot provides a greenhouse gas reduction credit if a “bundle” of certain CSA practices (no-till, cover crop, and enhanced efficiency fertilizer) are used. It similarly would allow a greenhouse gas reduction credit for soybean-to-jet if the soybean feedstock is produced using a “bundle” of applicable CSA practices (no-till and cover crop). This is a pilot program specific to the 40B credit, which is in effect for 2023 and 2024.
To credit CSA practices in the Clean Fuel Production Credit (45Z), which becomes available in 2025, the agencies will do further work on modeling, data, and assumptions, as well as verification. A new 45Z-GREET will be developed for use with the 45Z tax credit. READ MORE
Excerpt from The Fence Post: The National Oilseed Processors Association President and CEO Kailee Tkacz Buller had a mixed reaction.
“Acknowledging, for the first time, the carbon benefits that climate-smart agriculture practices can deliver is a significant step to ramping up SAF production and NOPA is pleased to see the updated GREET model recognize the positive environmental impact of U.S.-produced biofuels.
“However, we are concerned the requirement to implement climate-smart ag practices simultaneously will limit this opportunity, particularly in parts of the country where it may not be possible to plant a cover crop or the cost to implement new practices is too steep.
“We look forward to further reviewing today’s announcement and having a continued dialogue with the administration to better understand what this and other provisions, including indirect land use change impact, mean for the industry and how we can competitively and efficiently meet the needs of the SAF market,” Tkacz Buller said.
But Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., who is in a competitive race for re-election, said, she wasn’t satisfied with the guidance. “The new and emerging SAF market offers tremendous growth opportunities for Minnesota’s farmers and biofuel producers, including the ones in my district — farmers the administration has committed to supporting,” Craig said. “Today’s guidelines do the opposite — in fact, this announcement will significantly hinder farmers and producers’ ability to participate in the SAF market.”
“These guidelines fail to support the Minnesota farmers I represent, and they stifle the emerging SAF industry that creates a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for airlines to meet their carbon reduction goals,” Craig said.
“I urge the Biden administration to rework these guidelines to make sure they support the ag communities that work so hard to feed and fuel our nation.”
On a call to reporters Monday that was embargoed until 4 p.m. today, John Podesta, President Biden’s senior adviser for clean energy innovation and implementation, said “aviation is hard to decarbonize,” but that it must be decarbonized.
The Treasury Department is in charge of tax regulations and the Energy Department is expected to announce an update of the GREET model.
GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies) life-cycle analysis (LCA) is used to determine what growing conditions and production methods will have to be used for biofuels to be eligible for the credits.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on the call that “the guidance is going to provide a clear pathway” on how to best qualify for:
▪ The 40B tax credit, a refundable blenders tax credit for each gallon of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) sold or used after Dec. 31, 2022, and before Jan. 1, 2025, as part of a qualified fuel mixture, and
▪ The 45Z Clean Fuels Production Credit, which is designed to encourage the production of clean transportation fuels, with a focus on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for qualifying transportation fuels produced after 2024 and sold on or before December 31, 2027.
Vilsack said the program will recognize “climate smart practices” and that farmers who use those practices won’t be audited or face penalties.
A USDA official said modeling supports the conclusion that producers will benefit from the program, but that data on how many producers will benefit is unclear. READ MORE
Excerpt from Biofuels Digest: The modified version of GREET incorporates new data, including updated modeling of key feedstocks and processes used in aviation fuel and indirect emissions. The modified GREET model also integrates key greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies such as carbon capture and storage, renewable natural gas, and renewable electricity.
The Notice, on a pilot basis, incorporates a USDA pilot program to encourage the use of certain Climate Smart Agriculture practices for SAF feedstocks. Incorporating CSA practices into the production of SAF provides multiple benefits, including lower overall GHG emissions associated with SAF production and increased adoption of farming practices that are associated with other environmental benefits, such as improved water quality and soil health. For corn ethanol-to-jet, the pilot provides a greenhouse gas reduction credit if a “bundle” of certain CSA practices (no-till, cover crop, and enhanced efficiency fertilizer) are used. It similarly would allow a greenhouse gas reduction credit for soybean-to-jet if the soybean feedstock is produced using a “bundle” of applicable CSA practices (no-till and cover crop). This is a pilot program specific to the 40B credit, which is in effect for 2023 and 2024. To credit CSA practices in the Clean Fuel Production Credit (45Z), which becomes available in 2025, the agencies will do further work on modeling, data, and assumptions, as well as verification. A new 45Z-GREET will be developed for use with the 45Z tax credit.
Reaction from industry and The Hill
Industry and farm sector reaction oscillated from weak-positive to sharp-negative.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said, “THere are two main issues with the Biden administration’s GREET Model decision: First, this new formula is going to be easy to violate. Second, without grain in the formula, there won’t be enough feedstock to make all the Sustainable Aviation Fuel environmentalists are crying for. To put it bluntly, this GREET Model update is a stupid approach. Widespread use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel will help fight global warming. But rejecting grain feedstocks will impede efforts to produce that fuel on a commercial scale.“
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The Bottom Line
Well, you can measure the width of the window to meet the SAF Grand Challenge in micrometers, now, possibly nanometers, possibly the width of a quantum tunnel. Nevertheless, it’s progress, and good news for fans of GREET to see it finally enshrined in US tax policy. Been a long journey for GREET. Good to see it grow from a concept to an internatinoal standard of great renown. Deservedly so. READ MORE
Excerpt from Clean Fuels Alliance America: Clean Fuels urges USDA and Treasury to further update the GREET model to include additional climate smart agriculture practices specific to oilseed crops and quickly finalize rules for the 2025-2027 tax incentives (§45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit), which will support U.S. biodiesel, renewable diesel, and SAF producers.
“Clean Fuels and its members appreciate the significant work of USDA and other federal agencies to account for the role that U.S. farmers will play in decarbonizing the nation’s aviation fuel,” said Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs for Clean Fuels. “U.S. farmers and SAF producers will continue to work with the agencies to rapidly expand SAF production over the next few years.”
Clean Fuels continues to assess the changes to the GREET model unveiled today, including updated indirect emission penalties for U.S. oilseed crops like soy and canola. Clean Fuels believes there is more work to be done to enable credit for climate smart agriculture practices that U.S. farmers are deploying.
“Biodiesel, renewable diesel, and SAF producers are already negotiating feedstock and fuel offtake contracts for 2025, so we look forward to working with Treasury and USDA to quickly turn attention to guidance for the Clean Fuel Production Credit that begins on January 1 next year.” Kovarik added. “We believe there are additional climate smart agriculture practices and industry data that can be incorporated in the GREET model to support the continued sustainable growth of the entire clean fuel industry.” READ MORE
Excerpt from Associated Press: Skeptics worry that a large share of the tax credits will go to ethanol and other biofuels instead of emerging cleaner fuels.
“The science matters and we are concerned this decision may have missed the mark, but we are carefully reviewing the details before reaching any final conclusions,” said Mark Brownstein, a senior vice president for the Environmental Defense Fund.
While aviation’s share of carbon emissions is small, it is growing faster than any other industry because the technology of powering planes by electricity is far behind the adoption of electric vehicles on the ground.
In 2021, President Joe Biden set a goal set a goal of reducing aviation emissions 20% by 2030 as a step toward “net-zero emissions” by 2050. Those targets are seen as highly ambitious — and maybe unrealistic.
Major airlines have invested in SAF, and its use has grown rapidly in the last few years. Still, it accounted for just 15.8 million gallons in 2022 — or less than 0.1% of all the fuel burned by major U.S. airlines. The White House wants production of 3 billion gallons a year by 2030. READ MORE
Excerpt from New York Times: President Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act offered federal tax credits for sustainable aviation fuels, industry jargon for jet fuel made without fossil fuels, that cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent. For months now, federal officials have been evaluating research to decide how to measure whether various biofuel-based alternatives meet that standard.
Sustainable aviation fuel is already occasionally blended into traditional jet fuel, albeit at small, single-digit percentages. That scale is well below the government’s target of 3 billion gallons per year by 2030. Currently, most of it is made out of used cooking oil, and it costs two to four times as much as jet fuel.
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Biden Administration officials introduced a new pilot program for corn ethanol to be used as jet fuel that could qualify for tax credits if certain climate-friendly farming practices were used in combination. They include no-till farming, which minimizes erosion, and covering the soil with crops that leave behind organic matter in the dirt. The program sets out similar guidelines for soy.
The new formula for claiming the tax credits — which spans 40 pages, is highly technical and must still be finalized — would also consider whether producers use carbon capture and storage, low-emissions natural gas, and renewable electricity in their processes.
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The powerful corn and ethanol industries had been watching the Biden administration’s announcement closely to understand just how much corn farmers and ethanol producers would have to adapt, and how much detailed record-keeping would be required, to take advantage of the tax credits.
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“We of course understand there will be a level of stringency needed,” said Geoff Cooper, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, a leading ethanol lobby group. “It’s a balancing act. And there is no way the U.S. produces 3 billion gallons by 2030 unless corn ethanol is part of that picture.”
While the United States has set ambitious targets for production, building a supply chain will take years. Not one large-scale sustainable aviation fuel plant exists in the United States yet. The Biden administration’s stated goal is to grow production rapidly so it can satisfy all domestic jet fuel demand by 2050.
Europe is at least slightly ahead. The European Union is set to introduce a blending mandate requiring airports to supply jet fuel at 2 percent blends from 2025.
Ethanol producers are looking for a new outlet for their product as electric-vehicle usage cuts into gasoline demand. And with national elections in the United States set for November, politicians can benefit from broadening incentives that are politically popular in Corn Belt states.
On Monday, major airlines including American, Alaska, Hawaiian, JetBlue and United announced a partnership with dozens of other organizations including agricultural enterprises, aircraft makers, airports, labor unions and biofuel producers that aims to scale up sustainable aviation fuel production. The group “believes in the importance of ethanol as a tool to help our industry decarbonize,” said Lauren Riley, the chief sustainability officer at United Airlines. READ MORE
Excerpt from Reuters: Bill Hohenstein, director of USDA's Office of Energy and Environmental Policy, said the administration is confident in the plan. “We do have robust data, analysis, information and modeling that all supports the conclusions that these practices do have greenhouse gas benefits," he said. READ MORE
Excerpt from Brownfield Ag News: The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture says updates to a model that measures the carbon footprint for sustainable aviation fuel should allow U.S. agriculture to participate in the sustainable aviation fuel market.
Secretary Tom Vilsack says the updated Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technologies or GREET model might not be enough by itself to allow renewable fuel producers to qualify for a new tax credit, but using climate-smart ag practices could help. He says, “Agriculture’s foot is in the door; we’re in the game.”
“If you’re producing ethanol, you can use the GREET model, and maybe you use renewable energy, and you use climate-smart agriculture, and you do something else,” he says. “Maybe you ultimately get to less than less than 50 for your CI score, and that qualifies for the tax credit.”
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Vilsack also says an interagency working group will continue working on another tax credit included in the Inflation Reduction Act called 45z, which supports the production of low-carbon biofuels. He says there are a few questions that need to be answered in the next few months. “What other commodities besides corn and soybeans ought to qualify,” he says. “And what other practices beyond no-till, cover crop, and energy-efficient fertilizer should qualify.” READ MORE
Excerpt from Ethanol Producer Magazine: Language included in the IRA specifies that the GHG reduction threshold can be calculated using the most recent Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) model that has been adopted by the International Civic Aviation Organization, or by a “similar methodology” to the most recent CORSIA model. The use of the European-based CORSIA model has been criticized by the U.S. agriculture and biofuel industries for failing to accurately account for U.S. agricultural practices and preventing crop-based fuels from participating in the SAF market.
The Treasury Department and IRS on Dec. 15, 2023, released initial guidance on the SAF tax credit, announcing that taxpayers will be able to use an updated version of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model to calculate lifecycle GHG reductions for the purposes of the SAF tax credit.
As part of that guidance, the U.S. EPA, U.S. Department of Transportation, USDA and DOE announced the formation of the SAF Interagency Working Group to support the development of the updated GREET model, referred to as 40BSAF-GREET. The working group committed to release that updated model by March 1, 2024.
The agencies failed to meet that self-imposed deadline. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on March 1 announced a short-term delay in the release of 40BSAF-GREET, citing the need to get calculations for climate-smart agriculture right.
The updated guidance issued April 30 provides clarity around eligibility for the SAF credit, including release of the 40BSAF-GREET 2024 model.
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Within the notice, the IRS also provides a safe harbor provision that can ultimately allow a SAF synthetic blending component produced from CSA corn or CSA soybean to be eligible for an additional proxy reduction (CSA reduction) in the calculation of the emissions reduction percentage. The notice includes specific equations for calculating this emissions reduction percentage, and offers an example of a registered SAF producer that produces a SAF synthetic blending component via the ethanol-to-jet production pathway using 100% CSA corn, indicating the resulting fuel would achieve a 53% GHG reduction.
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The American Coalition for Ethanol applauded the guidance’s treatment of CSA and called the guidance a step in the right direction. “The Biden Administration is providing an important tailwind for corn ethanol produced with no-till, cover crops and enhanced efficiency fertilizers to qualify as a feedstock for SAF under 40B so long as all three of these climate-smart agriculture practices (CSA) are adopted,” said Brian Jennings, CEO of ACE. “This marks the first time a regulatory body has formally acknowledged the role CSA practices play in reducing corn ethanol’s GHG emissions, in this case enabling some ethanol-to-jet to qualify for the 40B credit.
“The United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DoE) deserve praise for diligently ensuring this first step is being taken with respect to CSA practices,” Jennings continued. “ACE is particularly grateful to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack for successfully advocating that corn ethanol is part of the solution to fulfill the Biden Administration SAF goals and for his leadership on CSA pathways for corn ethanol under the new 45Z credit.
“While today’s announcement is a step in the right direction, ethanol-to-jet continues to face headwinds such as artificially inflated land use change (LUC) penalties in 40B GREET and the initial all or none requirement to bundle three CSA practices in order to produce qualifying corn ethanol feedstock for SAF.
“With the 2024 planting season underway and the expiration of the 40B credit on December 31, 2024, Treasury’s SAF guidance speaks more to the Administration codifying the important role CSA practices play in decarbonizing liquid fuels than the amount of ethanol-to-jet that will qualify for the 40B credit,” Jennings added. “Today’s announcement provides ACE a roadmap for how to prevent the conditions placed on CSA practices in 40B from being applied as 45Z is implemented. Ultimately, we need to enable farmers and ethanol companies to recoup value from these tax credits for their investments to reduce GHG emissions.
The Advanced Biofuels Association is applauding the flexibility on SAF through the new modeling. “The Advanced Biofuels Association applauds the Treasury Department and IRS for their decision to offer increased modeling flexibility for measuring the carbon intensity of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF),” said Michael McAdams, president of the ABFA. “This move will facilitate greater production of SAF and pave the way for its widespread adoption. We look forward to continued and unequivocal support from the federal government for sustainable, low-carbon aviation fuels.
“The Biden administration set the ambitious goal of supplying at least 3 billion gallons of SAF per year by 2030 and the aviation industry intends to reach net zero emissions by 2050,” he added. “To help meet these goals ABFA has long fought to extend advanced biofuels credits and to increase the Renewable Fuel Standard. These deadlines are fast approaching, and ABFA’s members stand ready to meet this challenge with the support of effective federal policy. The flexible modeling approach provided in today’s 40B rule greatly increases the likelihood of meeting these targets.
“Later this year, the administration will have another opportunity to further boost advanced biofuel production when it establishes the model for qualifying fuels under the Clean Fuel Production Credit, or 45Z,” McAdams continued. “We hope that regulators will craft this rule transparently and in consultation with industry partners to achieve emissions reduction goals alongside economic outcomes.”
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Additional information, including a full copy of the IRS guidance, is available on the Department of Treasury website. READ MORE
Excerpt from DTN Progressive Farmer: Politicians from both parties searched for the right verb to express their hostility without fully explaining why they felt they should "slam" or "condemn" the tax-credit guidance.
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Josh Gackle, North Dakota farmer and president of the American Soybean Association (ASA), said the guidance "goes sideways for soy" by requiring soybeans going into a jet fuel to be grown using no-till and cover crops. Gackle said ASA was supportive that climate-smart practices were being used to lower carbon-intensity scores, but cover crops aren't feasible in every region soybeans are grown.
"For growers like me here in North Dakota, short growing seasons and unpredictable fall weather make the cover crop requirement alone next to impossible," Gackle said. "Growers in the Northern Plains do so when possible. However, employing both no-till and cover cropping is contrary to what Mother Nature will allow, no matter what the guidance specifies."
While there are concerns about who qualifies, the states that have the highest production of ethanol and biodiesel also are the states that have some of the highest planting of cover crops. Farmers grew just under 18 million acres of cover crops in 2022, according to the USDA Ag Census released earlier this year. Among ethanol-producing states, eight of the top states for cover crops nationally also were among the top ten states for ethanol production. The top five states for biodiesel production are among the top ten states for cover crops as well.
Not everyone had major issues with cover crops.
Michael McAdams, president of the Advanced Biofuels Association, noted the Treasury guidance provides more flexibility for measuring carbon intensity. Pointing to the Biden administration's goal of producing 3 billion gallons of SAF a year by 2030, the 40B rule "greatly increases the likelihood of meeting these targets," McAdams said.
"This move will facilitate greater production of SAF and pave the way for its widespread adoption," he said.
On the flip side, the Environmental Defense Fund questioned the "scientific rigor" of the Treasury guidance for accepting climate-smart farming practices without any specific measurement or verification.
"Today's actions highlight that significant questions remain as to whether and how to credit certain beneficial agricultural practices in the context of implementing the 40B sustainable aviation fuel tax credit," said Mark Brownstein, senior vice president of energy transition, Environmental Defense Fund. "The science matters and we are concerned this decision may have missed the mark, but we are carefully reviewing the details before reaching any final conclusions."
The bottom line? To decarbonize aviation, U.S. airlines need a volume of alternative fuels that sustainable biomass alone cannot meet.
Some lawmakers in both parties also bristled. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, "condemned" the guidance. Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., "slammed" it. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, called out the administration for "picking winners and losers." READ MORE
Excerpt from AgNewsWire: Iowa farmer and consultant Mitchell Hora, Continuum Ag, spent some time Wednesday morning breaking down the 40B sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit guidance released this week for farmers hoping to be eligible.
There were over 400 farmers and other stakeholders on Hora’s webinar which ran for an hour and still was not able to address all the questions. Continuum Ag has its TopSoil® Summit coming up June 3 in Riverside, Iowa which will be focused on Carbon Intensity to help prepare for the SAF tax credits. Continuum recently introduced CI Certification as a product for farmers to earn premiums for producing lower carbon intensity grain while ensuring secure data control.
Listen to Hora’s summary of the 40B SAF tax credit guidance:
Mitchell Hora, Continuum Ag 12:53 READ MORE
Excerpt from Fence Post: Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said, “Unfortunately the guidance released by Treasury this week misses the mark and falls well short of the goal of jumpstarting this new homegrown industry. The Treasury Department must move quickly to release a robust and flexible rule for the 45Z Clean Fuels Production Credit that fixes the problems with the guidance released this week and lives up to the goals of the Inflation Reduction Act.”
National Farmers Union President Rob Larew said, “While we appreciate the administration modifying the GREET model and issuing guidance on the 40B tax credit, more work is needed to better recognize and credit certain climate-smart agriculture practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in SAF production. As the administration works on the next set of guidance for Section 45Z, the Clean Fuels Tax Credit, a wider variety of climate-smart agriculture practices must be included to achieve our nation’s climate goals.”
...
National Corn Growers Association President Harold Wolle, a Minnesota farmer, said, “We are deeply disappointed that this updated model requires farmers to implement environmental practices that are not practical for all acres of the large and varied geographic region in which corn is grown. This requirement in GREET will significantly hinder the chances corn growers have in accessing the sustainable aviation fuel market, even as higher blends of corn ethanol offer great promise in the country’s fight against greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.”
Wolle said cover crops “can be difficult, if not impossible, to grow in drier climates, making the bundling requirement extremely unreasonable.” He also noted that growers should be able to implement their own environmental practices.
Wolle noted that the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022, allocates tax credits for biofuels that can demonstrate that they cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% or more. After the law was passed, Treasury and EPA were charged with choosing a model that would measure emissions throughout the life of biofuels.
Wolle said NCGA and corn growers across the country will increase their advocacy efforts to improve the changes Treasury made to the GREET model as the Biden administration focuses on the next phase of the Inflation Reduction Act for passenger vehicles, referred to as the 45Z tax credit. The 45Z tax credit will take effect at the beginning of 2025. As part of the law, the aviation tax credit will be folded into the 45Z tax credit beginning on January 1, 2025.
The American Soybean Association said the Treasury Department guidance first recognized soy as an eligible sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feedstock in initial guidance last December and now “goes a step further to sweeten the value for soy” because “it provides a second pathway for soybean oil-based SAF to qualify for the SAF tax credit (40B) and assigns the feedstock a better carbon intensity (CI) reduction score.”
But ASA added, “Where the guidance from Treasury goes sideways for soy, however, is that for soybean oil to qualify through this new pathway, the soybeans must be grown using both no-till and cover cropping. ASA is very supportive of using climate-smart agriculture practices to improve CI reductions, but specifying only two practices out of a variety of sustainability measures will further restrict soybean oil use as a SAF feedstock. Adding to concerns, no-till and cover cropping are feasible only for soybean farmers in certain parts of the soy growing region, which means regional disparity is likely.”
ASA President Josh Gackle, a grower from Kulm, N.D., said, “For growers like me here in North Dakota, short growing seasons and unpredictable fall weather make the cover crop requirement alone next to impossible. Growers in the Northern Plains do so when possible. However, employing both no-till and cover cropping is contrary to what Mother Nature will allow, no matter what the guidance specifies.”
Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo, an Englewood, Colo.-based company, said, “We look forward to sharing key insights from anonymized data to inform the administration’s upcoming 45Z SAF tax credit guidance.”
Gruber said Gevo’s wholly owned subsidiary, Verity, uses distributed ledger technology to facilitate accurate accounting of emission reduction efforts from on-farm practices, including on a field-level basis.
A New York Times analysis focused on broader questions surrounding sustainable aviation fuel. READ MORE
Excerpt from Brownfield Ag News: A Senate Ag Committee member is asking for modeling used to measure transportation emissions for sustainable aviation fuel to be reevaluated.
During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Wednesday, Nebraska Republican Deb Fischer raised concerns that American corn and soybean biofuels could be at a disadvantage to imports with the new model.
“With this updated modeling, corn and soy-based biofuels, even if they complete the additional conservation practices, would still be deemed more carbon intensive than Brazilian sugar cane ethanol,” she said.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan said his department’s role in the interagency task force that released the updates was to ensure all farmers had options to comply with the Clean Air Act.
“I think the design of conservation programs and tax policy well, those questions are probably better steered to USDA or Treasury,” he countered. “I’m not an architect of how those programs work.”
Fischer said the model has the potential to use taxpayer dollars to incentivize importing foreign fuel.
Regan disagreed, saying the updates allow farmers to compete in the sustainable aviation fuel global marketplace. READ MORE
Excerpt from MIT Technology Review: Consequently, the so-called Climate Smart Agricultural program has already sounded alarm bells among some observers, who fear that the federal government is both overestimating the emissions benefits of ethanol and assigning too much credit to the agricultural practices in question. Those include cover crops, no-till techniques that minimize soil disturbances, and use of “enhanced-efficiency fertilizers,” which are designed to increase uptake by plants and thus reduce runoff into the environment.
...
Since the vast majority of US ethanol is produced from corn, let’s focus on the issues around that crop. To get technical, the program allows ethanol producers to subtract 10 grams of carbon dioxide per megajoule of energy, a measure of carbon intensity, from the life-cycle emissions of the fuel when it’s generated from corn produced with all three of the practices mentioned. That’s about an eighth to a tenth of the carbon intensity of gasoline.
...
Corn, like any plant that uses photosynthesis to produce food, sucks up carbon dioxide from the air. But using corn for fuel rather than food also creates pressure to clear more land for farming, a process that releases carbon dioxide from plants and soil. In addition, planting, fertilizing, and harvesting corn produce climate pollution as well, and the same is true of refining, distributing, and burning ethanol.
For its analyses under the new program, the Treasury Department intends to use an updated version of the so-called GREET model to evaluate the life-cycle emissions of SAFs, which was developed by the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Lab. A 2021 study from the lab, relying on that model, concluded that US corn ethanol produced as much as 52% less greenhouse gas than gasoline.
But some researchers and nonprofits have criticized the tool for accepting low estimates of the emissions impacts of land-use changes, among other issues.
...
Nikita Pavlenko, who leads the fuels team at the International Council on Clean Transportation, a nonprofit research group, asserted in an email that the climate-smart agricultural provisions “are extremely sloppy” and “are not substantiated.”
He said the Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture especially “put their thumbs on the scale” on the question of land-use changes, using estimates of soy and corn emissions that were 33% to 55% lower than those produced for a program associated with the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization.
He finds that ethanol sourced from farms using these agriculture practices will still come up short of the IRA’s 50% threshold, and that producers may have to take additional steps to curtail emissions, potentially including adding carbon capture and storage to ethanol facilities or running operations on renewables like wind or solar.
...
Freya Chay, a program lead at CarbonPlan, which evaluates the scientific integrity of carbon removal methods and other climate actions, says that these sorts of agricultural practices can provide important benefits, including improving soil health, reducing erosion, and lowering the cost of farming. But she and others have stressed that confidently determining when certain practices actually and durably increase carbon in soil is “exceedingly complex” and varies widely depending on soil type, local climate conditions, past practices, and other variables.
One recent study of no-till practices found that the carbon benefits quickly fade away over time and reach nearly zero in 14 years. If so, this technique would do little to help counter carbon emissions from fuel combustion, which can persist in the atmosphere for centuries or more.
...
There are many other paths for producing SAFs that are or could be less polluting than ethanol. For example, they can be made from animal fats, agriculture waste, forest trimmings, or non-food plants that grow on land unsuitable for commercial crops. Other companies are developing various types of synthetic fuels, including electrofuels produced by capturing carbon from plants or the air and then combining it with cleanly sourced hydrogen.
But all these methods are much more expensive than extracting and refining fossil fuels, and most of the alternative fuels will still produce more emissions when they’re used than the amount that was pulled out of the atmosphere by the plants or processes in the first place.
The best way to think of these fuels is arguably as a stopgap, a possible way to make some climate progress while smart people strive to develop and build fully emissions-free ways of quickly, safely, and reliably moving things and people around the globe. READ MORE
Excerpt from AgWeb: The new guidance includes the release of the now called 40BSAF-GREET 2024 model, designed to calculate these GHG reductions more accurately, incorporating new data and methodologies including climate-smart agricultural practices for soybeans and corn as a feedstock for SAF. GREET stands for Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies.
EPA's new model is designed to address previously identified shortcomings in the R&D GREET model, particularly in how it calculated lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. The lifecycle approach accounts for all emissions from the initial production stages through to the final use of the fuel.
...
The Treasury Department notes that the methodology used by the new 40BSAF-GREET 2024 model is like that of the CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) methodology. CORSIA also evaluates the full fuel lifecycle, which includes all stages from the production of feedstock to the end use of the finished fuel.
Both these methodologies aim to provide a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impact of aviation fuels, focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the entire lifecycle of the fuel. This is crucial for developing effective strategies and regulations for mitigating the aviation industry's impact on climate change.
...
Significantly, a pilot program was introduced to credit SAF production using feedstocks grown under specific climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices, like no-till farming and cover cropping. This pilot, part of the broader strategy to decarbonize aviation fuels, represents a shift towards recognizing and rewarding agricultural practices that contribute to carbon reduction. The release from Treasury on the credit noted that the CSA practices incorporated into the USDA CSA Pilot Program "are not a part of either the 40BSAF-GREET 2024 model or any CARB program including the LCFS program. Therefore, the Treasury Department and USDA have developed additional unrelated party certification requirements for the USDA CSA Pilot Program."
...
SAF production requirements:
- SAF producers seeking to use the CSA reduction for producing SAF from CSA crops must contract directly with farmers enrolled in the USDA CSA Pilot Program for either CSA corn or CSA soybeans.
CSA corn production practices:
- Farmers producing CSA corn for Alcohol to Jet (ATJ)-ethanol must implement three specific practices on the same acreage:
- No-till farming.
- Planting cover crops.
- Using enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizer.
CSA soybean production practices:
- For CSA soybeans, only two practices are required:
- No-till farming.
- Planting cover crops.
Added nitrogen is not required for soybean production.
USDA CSA pilot program and emissions reduction:
- In partnership with the USDA, the Treasury Department allows for a SAF synthetic blending component produced from CSA corn or soybeans to be eligible for an additional proxy reduction (CSA reduction) in emissions calculation, without needing a full lifecycle analysis.
Emissions reduction example:
- A synthetic blending component using CSA corn or soybeans is granted a safe harbor, with Treasury citing an example where CSA corn used in SAF production achieves a 53% emissions reduction.
Regulatory alignment and definitions:
- The definitions and practice requirements outlined by the Treasury in their notice align with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) practice standards and enhancements, with specific details provided in the notice. READ MORE
Excerpt from AgWeb Opinion: The Safe-Harbor requires these practices to be applied to either a full field or perhaps all of the farm operation. The guidance is not totally clear on this requirement. Plus, third-party verification is required to determine the farmer met the CSA Pilot rules. The farmer is required to maintain very detailed records on all of these practices so the third-party can accurately verify the corn or soybeans meet the CSA Pilot rules.
It appears that the farmer must sell and contract their crop directly with the SAF producer. If they deliver their crops to an elevator or other third-party storage system, then that elevator must track that corn and verify it is delivered to the SAF plant.
Now why do we believe this safe-harbor is essentially worthless:
Corn or soybeans being converted this year is from crops harvested in 2023. CSA Pilot rules likely apply to so little corn or soybeans that can be delivered to a SAF plant to be of little use.
This safe-harbor might have had the needed impact if it was released in September, 2022 for the 2023 crop. This would have allowed the farmer to plant cover crops, utilize no-till when planting their crop and EENF.
Corn or soybeans harvested in 2024 that could be processed before year-end must meet the CSA Pilot rules including having a contract with the SAF producer directly not with the local ethanol plant. Agin, this guidance should have been in place before September, 2023 to allow the farmer to meet the rules. Providing guidance now is way too late for any farmer who is not already enrolled in some type of CSA Pilot program to ever provide any corn or beans to the SAF producer.
If the SAF producer is hundreds of miles away, the freight cost would outweigh any potential extra premium the SAF producer would pay to the farmer.
It is pretty easy to see why SAF plants are importing sugar ethanol from Brazil and will not waste their time with this safe-harbor. Our understanding is sugar ethanol reduces emissions by about 61%. This results in a potential credit of $1.36 per gallon to the SAF producer versus perhaps a $1.28 credit for corn ethanol. Why would a SAF producer want to go through the hassle of finding some CSA Pilot corn when they can simply import cheap Brazil sugar ethanol and get a higher credit with a lot less work.
I think the IRS and DOE will need to make this easier for farmers to get value from the Section 45Z credit starting in 2025 than this guidance will ever provide. We are ready to be wrong, but based on what we say from the guidance we are not hopeful. READ MORE
Excerpt from Energy.AgWired.com: The 40B tax credit guidance and modified GREET model released April 30 by U.S. Treasury lays the groundwork for U.S. ethanol producers and farmers to participate in the emerging market for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
But since 40B expires at the end of this year, all the attention will now turn to implementing the 45Z credit to start next year, and the Renewable Fuels Association is already working on the next steps.
In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, we get some of the details from US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, RFA Senior VP, Government & Public Affairs, Troy Bredenkamp, and Mitchell Hora, Continuum Ag. READ MORE
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Stakeholders Unite to Form The SAF Coalition
(The SAF Coalition) The SAF Coalition will work to advance federal support for the development, growth and adoption of sustainable aviation fuel -- Today, 40 companies and organizations that hold a stake in the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuel united to announce the formation of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Coalition. The organization is comprised of airlines and aircraft operators, agricultural enterprises, aircraft and aircraft equipment manufacturers, airports, technology developers, labor unions and biofuel producers.
The goal of this new nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition is to rapidly scale investment in the SAF sector and advocate for the incentives and policies necessary to promote U.S. economic competitiveness in the emerging SAF marketplace. While SAF Coalition members have been working together informally for years, this newly formed organization will leverage the collective strength of the entirety of the SAF value chain to accelerate the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels in the U.S.
“SAF will enhance domestic energy security, create new markets for American farmers, reduce aviation emissions and drive next-generation technology development,” said Alison Graab, Executive Director, SAF Coalition. “The membership of this coalition shows the deep support that SAF enjoys across aviation’s many stakeholders. Federal policies that support and increase SAF production will create jobs, spur innovation, reduce the environmental impacts of jet fuel, and enhance American energy security.”
Aviation accounts for roughly twelve percent of global transportation emissions and two to three percent of all carbon dioxide emissions. SAF is a lower carbon aviation fuel produced from a variety of feedstocks such as renewable biomass and waste resources that serve as a substitute to traditional jet fuel made from crude oil. SAF has chemical and physical properties similar to traditional jet fuel and does not require modifications to aircraft or infrastructure. SAF can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80 percent on a lifecycle basis compared to traditional jet fuel.
Despite its potential, the SAF market is still in its infancy, and its current production capacity is limited, making it roughly two to four times more costly than traditional jet fuel. The SAF Coalition supports policies that will expand the supply of low-carbon, commercially competitive SAF; enhance U.S. economic competitiveness in the SAF marketplace; develop a robust and competitive market for SAF; and create jobs while increasing U.S. fuel production and innovation.
Our members include:
- Advanced Biofuels Canada
- Air Line Pilot Association, International
- Airlines for America
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- American Carbon Alliance
- American Express Global Business Travel
- Atlas Air
- The Boeing Company
- Bracewell LLP
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
- Darling Ingredients
- Enviva Biomass
- Fulcrum BioEnergy
- GE Aerospace
- Gevo
- Global Business Travel Association
- Green Plains
- Growth Energy
- Hawaiian Airlines
- International Airlines Group
- JetBlue
- LanzaJet
- LanzaTech
- NetJets
- POET
- Port of Portland
- Port of Seattle/Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- Renewable Fuels Association
- San Francisco International Airport
- Spokane International Airport
- Sumitomo Corporation of Americas
- Summit Agricultural Group
- Topsoe
- Twelve
- United Airlines
- Velocys
- VeriJet
- World Energy
- XCF Global Capital
Additional information about the coalition can be found at theSAFcoalition.com.
About the SAF Coalition
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Coalition represents the entirety of the SAF value chain. Through the coalition, our members are working together to rapidly invest in the SAF sector and advocate for the incentives and policies necessary to promote U.S. economic competitiveness in the emerging SAF marketplace.
Visit theSAFcoalition.com and follow the SAF Coalition on X and Facebook to learn more. READ MORE
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- Sustainable Aviation Fuel Stakeholders Form SAF Coalition (Energy.AgWired.com)
- RFA Proud to Join New SAF Coalition at Takeoff (Renewable Fuels Association)
- Coalition launches to lobby on clean fuel tax credit: Airlines, airports, manufacturers and others are joining forces to protect the Inflation Reduction Act incentive. (Politico Pro Greenwire)
Excerpt from Politico Pro Greenwire: Unlike most of the clean energy tax credits included in the IRA of 2022 that run 10 years, the program to boost the production of a still-nascent fuel source that could help one of the world’s most polluting sectors decarbonize expires at the end of 2024.
At that point, incentives to produce sustainable aviation fuel — often called SAF — get rolled into the Clean Fuels Production Credit, which will sunset in 2027.
But members of the SAF Coalition say that doesn’t add up to nearly enough time or certainty for investors to help grow the new sector. Though demand for SAF is growing, it’s still costly to produce and not enough facilities are making it. READ MORE
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(GIDARA) We are pleased to announce that GIDARA Energy's HTW® (High Temperature Winkler) technology for Gasification of solid waste to syngas has been selected by Aker Solutions (AKSO), as one of several suppliers, to contribute to a feasibility study for the Equinor Mongstad Industrial Transformation (MIT) project. The
May 02, 2024 Read Full Article
Ecostrat Inc. and Forair Execute License Agreement to Carry out BDO Zone Ratings in Quebéc, Canada
(Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone Initiative) License agreement will accelerate progress towards 1000 BDO Zones across North America -- Ecostrat Inc., and the BDO Zone Initiative are pleased to announce the expansion of BDO Zone Ratings into Québec with the inaugural licensing agreement with Forair. William
May 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Scania Pilot-Test Renewable Fuels and Electrification Solutions with IRDA’S IMBRT Project
(Scania) Scania pilot-tests renewable fuels and electrification solutions with Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) for the Iskandar Malaysia Bus Rapid Transit (IMBRT). Scania will be test-running two buses over the 20-kilometre loop route from 11 to 15 April; the 10-metre
May 01, 2024 Read Full Article
GROWMARK and Optimus Technologies Partner on Decarbonization Pilot
(GROWMARK) GROWMARK, Inc. has partnered with Optimus Technologies, Inc., to test biodiesel in five semi-tractors in GROWMARK’s Manito Transit fleet as a potential pathway for transitioning the entire fleet to low-carbon fuels as part of GROWMARK’s ongoing efforts to look for decarbonization
May 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Caterpillar, Vale Testing Electric and Ethanol-Powered Trucks
(Canadian Mining) Caterpillar and Vale have agreed to test battery electric haul trucks and energy transfer systems, s well as conduct studies on ethanol-powered trucks. The goal is to help Vale reduce its carbon emissions by 33% by 2030 and reach zero net emissions
May 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Republicans Intensify Fight against EPA Tailpipe Rules
by Kelsey Brugger (Politico Pro/E&E Daily) House and Senate lawmakers will introduce resolutions Wednesday to overturn the rulemaking. -- Republicans on Capitol Hill have a new favorite punching bag: President Joe Biden’s electric vehicle “de facto mandate.” On Wednesday, four GOP lawmakers are
May 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Ethanol Groups Challenge Fuel Economy Formula In EPA’s Auto Rule
(Inside EPA) Several ethanol groups are challenging EPA’s update to test-fuel requirements, adopted alongside the agency’s final passenger vehicle emissions rulemaking, claiming that a revised fuel economy calculation to account for the test fuel unlawfully boosts the stringency of fuel economy
May 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Groups Call for Farm to Fly in Energy Title
by Nicole Heslip (Brownfield Ag News) A National Corn Growers Association board member says including the Farm to Fly Act in the farm bill would help USDA recognize the science-based emissions reduction efforts of the sustainable aviation fuel supply chain. Ohio farmer John
May 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Topsoe Secures First Sustainable Aviation Fuel Project in China
by Ulrik Frøhlke (Topsoe) • Topsoe selected by Guangxi Free Trade Zone Hongkun Biomass Fuel Co., Ltd. (Guangxi Hongkun Biomass) to deliver its HydroFlex™ technology for the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel. Based on Topsoe technology, 300,000 tons
May 01, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainable Change, the Worley View
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Worley’s come a long way from its origins in Sydney in the 1970s, a major player on the global energy scene now for nearly 30 years, and moving sharply into de-fossilized and de-carbonized strategies and projects
May 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Eureka Shipping Announces Construction of New Cutting-Edge Cement Carrier for Great Lakes Trade
(CSL Group/Globe Newswire) Eureka Shipping, a leading provider of sustainable, high-efficiency cement carrier services jointly owned by SMT Shipping and The CSL Group, is pleased to announce the construction of a state-of-art mechanical/pneumatic cement ship destined for operation in the Great
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Royal Caribbean Group Shares Comprehensive Update on its Decarbonization Journey
(Royal Caribbean Group/PR Newswire) Together, with its first Community Impact Report, the company details its progress its net-zero ambitions and supporting the communities it visits -- Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) released its annual Seastainability Report, outlining milestones the company reached on its
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Huntingdonshire Partners with Cambridgeshire Police, Fire Departments for Renewable Diesel Trial in England
(Huntingdonshire District Council/Biobased Diesel Daily) The Huntingdonshire District Council in England announced April 25 that it has teamed up with the Cambridgeshire police and fire departments to conduct a trial using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), also known as renewable diesel. HVO, sourced
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
RFA Welcomes 40B Sustainable Aviation Fuel Guidance, But Says Additional Work Needed
(Renewable Fuels Association) The 40B tax credit guidance and modified GREET model released today by U.S. Treasury begin to unlock the door for U.S. ethanol producers and farmers to participate in the emerging market for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). However, more work
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
City Receives Grant for Renewable Fuel Program
(City of Lincoln, NE) City officials today (April 24, 2024) announced Lincoln has been awarded a $53,750 grant from the Nebraska Soybean Board to begin incorporating B20 biodiesel in its municipal fleet. The grant marks a significant milestone in the City's ongoing
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
AGQM Publishes Biodiesel Quality Report 2023
(AGQM/Biobased Diesel Daily) Germany has once again missed its climate-protection targets in the transport sector. In order to achieve these targets, in addition to switching to electromobility and alternative-mobility concepts, the use of climate-friendly biofuels is essential, as they directly reduce greenhouse
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Low US Distillate Consumption Reflects Slow Economic Activity, Biofuel Substitution
(U.S. Energy Information Administration/Biobased Diesel Daily) U.S. distillate consumption so far this year is lower than usual because of warm winter weather, reduced manufacturing activity, and continued substitution of biofuels in place of petroleum distillate on the U.S. West Coast (PADD 5). As reported
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Biodiesel to Help Port of Detroit Improve Air Quality, Decarbonize
(Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority/Biobased Diesel Daily) The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority in Michigan revealed details on Earth Day (April 22) of an ambitious program to dramatically improve air quality and the health of residents by cutting carbon emissions to net zero
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Strength in Numbers: State Legislation Driving Lower Carbon Fuels Across America
(Chevron Renewable Energy Group) Neville Fernandes, Vice President of Corporate Affairs & Development at Chevron Renewable Energy Group and member of the Clean Fuels Alliance America governing board, recently participated in a panel discussion with other policy leaders in the biofuels
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Volvo & Mack Fueling New Trucks with Renewable Diesel
(Work Truck) Volvo Trucks is fueling new trucks leaving the NRV plant with 20 to 25 gallons of HVO per tank, with full tanks provided for trucks destined directly to customers. -- Trucks rolling off both Volvo Trucks North America and Mack
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
The Trucking Life of the Internal Combustion Engine Going Forward
by Jason Morgan (Fleet Equipment Magazine) The trucking industry consensus is clear: The zero-emissions trucking future will be a mix of powertrain technologies including battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and, yes, even internal combustion engines. ... “Far too many politicians across the globe
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Celebration of Modern Ag on the National Mall --- May 6-8, 2024 --- Washington, DC
AEM is gearing up to fill the National Mall for the third year in a row with the latest in off-road equipment. The second Celebration of Modern Ag on the National Mall will take place Monday, May 6 – Wednesday, May
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Strait Energy's Unit Completes First Delivery of ISCC EU-Certified Marine Biofuel
(The Star/Bernama) : Straits Energy Resources Bhd’s (Straits Energy) subsidiary, Tumpuan Megah Development Sdn Bhd, has completed the first delivery of International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC EU) certified marine biofuel by a Malaysian supplier. Tumpuan Megah supplied 4,500 tonnes of ISCC EU-certified
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Monjasa and FAMOIL Expand Biofuels Logistics in South America and Complete First Supply Operation in Peru
(Monjasa) On 22 February 2024, global top 10 marine fuels company, Monjasa, supplied a total of 510 tonnes of B30 marine biofuels the Cargill operated dry bulk carrier, Infinity Sky, in the Port of Callao, Peru. This operation marked the first ISCC-certified
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Promising SA-First Solution to Convert Paper Sludge, Food and Textile Waste into Bioethanol
(The Paper Story) A pioneering solution has been developed to convert cellulose fibre-rich waste from pulp and paper mill operations into ethanol using a specialised fermentation process. Ethanol is a versatile starting material that finds diverse application in the production of
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to DG Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) DG Fuels is an emerging leader in renewable hydrogen and biogenic based, synthetic low emissions aviation and diesel fuel, and this deck looks at their second-generation cellulosic biofuel and their market expansion plans, whose hydrogen content
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Heating Oil Industry on Track to Achieve Net-Zero Emissions by 2050
(Clean Fuels Alliance America) The Northeast heating oil industry is on track to achieve the ambitious goals set forth in the Providence Resolution, a landmark commitment made in 2019 to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The resolution, which was unanimously approved
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Federal CCS Task Forces Set to Meet after Yearlong Wait --- May 21-22, 2-24 --- Reston, VA and ONLINE
by Carlos Anchondo (Politico Pro Energywire) The law signed by then-President Donald Trump in December 2020 established two carbon capture and storage committees. -- Two task forces focused on tackling permitting challenges for carbon capture and storage projects are poised to
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Biofuel Tax Credit Claims Need More Scrutiny, Watchdog Says
by Erin Schilling (Bloomberg Tax) The IRS needs more authority to properly evaluate—and deny, if necessary—biofuel tax credit claims, an agency watchdog said in a new report. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration evaluated biofuel tax claims and found 42 of the
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
ORDER – A 5-Letter Word for EARTH MONTH
The transition to a GREEN economy entails a systematic, ORDERly SHIFT away from fossil fuel dependency towards renewable energy sources, sustainable practices, and circular economic MODELs. This transition typically follows a strategic ORDER, prioritizing initiatives that OFFER the greatest potential for
April 30, 2024 Read Full Article
Embraer-X Announces Partnership with Greentown Labs, the Largest Climatetech Incubator in North America
(Embraer) Embraer-X and Greentown Labs today announced a new partnership focused on mobilizing climate solutions and accelerating the future of sustainable aviation. The announcement was made during a series of panels featuring industry leaders at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2024, a
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Cathay Sets New 2030 Carbon Intensity Target in Support of Its 2050 Net-Zero Goal
(Cathay Pacific) Cathay sets new 2030 carbon intensity target in support of its 2050 net-zero goal -- The airline further strengthens its commitment to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with 10% usage pledge for employee duty travel starting from 2024 Cathay has further demonstrated
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Hybrid Electric Flight Pioneer Ampaire Ground Tests Dimensional Energy e-Fuel
by Tony Harrington (GreenAir) Electric aviation pioneer Ampaire has partnered with Dimensional Energy, an emerging power-to-liquid producer, to perform a ground test of a hybrid-electric powertrain using 100% e-SAF created by converting carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere. The two US-based companies performed
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Air New Zealand Seeks Startup Fuel Innovators in Quest for 20% SAF Usage by 2030
by Tony Harrington (GreenAir) Air New Zealand is seeking partnerships with emerging providers of sustainable aviation fuel as part of an expanding programme to reduce its flight emissions through industrial collaboration. Having previously linked with established SAF producers and both aircraft
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
European Airlines Call on Policymakers to Help “Supercharge” Domestic SAF Production
by Christopher Surgenor (GreenAir Online) Carriers meeting at the annual Airlines for Europe (A4E) Summit in Brussels called on policymakers to “supercharge” the production of sustainable aviation fuels across Europe through the introduction of competitive tax credits and the funding and
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Cargill Power CanolaTM Program Helps Farmers Take Advantage of Growing Bioenergy Market Opportunities for Canadian Canola
(Cargill) Canadian canola growers will soon be able to benefit from new and expanding market opportunities for renewable fuel feedstocks linked to bioenergy with the new Cargill Power CanolaTM program. Enrollment begins this month for the 2024 crop year. “Through the Cargill
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
First Year at UNEA Successful for SfL
(Solutions from the Land) February 2024 marked a significant milestone for the Solutions from the Land (SfL) team. For the first time, four SfL team members, President Ernie Shea, Co-Chairs A.G. Kawamura and Fred Yoder, and Board member Dr. Lois Morton
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Unleaded 88 Rewards For Golden Valley Drivers
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and KS95 FM rewarded over 20 drivers who fueled up with Unleaded 88 during a two-hour promotion at the Winner station in Golden Valley today. From 11 am to 1 pm, drivers who
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
ADM Host Marshall High School Students
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Seventeen students from Marshall High School's automotive class toured the Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) carbohydrate plant here today (April 23, 2024). "It was a pleasure to welcome Marshall High School’s Automotive class to our facility. By touring our plant,
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Worthington High School Students Tour Heron Lake Bioenergy
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Twelve students from Worthington High School toured Heron Lake Bioenergy today to learn more about ethanol production. “We are always happy to offer tours of our plant. In addition to providing an inside view of our production process and
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
University of Minnesota Students Tour Guardian Energy
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Eight students from the University of Minnesota toured Guardian Energy in Janesville on April 9 to learn about renewable energy production. “We are always excited to host students from the University of Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Technologies and Food Engineering
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
It’s Time to Fuel Change: Ocean Carriers Consider Alternative Fuels
(Hanwha/Supply Chain Drive) ... Let’s look at the fuels under consideration for ocean shipping. Hydrogen Hydrogen is a widely available, low-cost fuel alternative that can be stored for long periods of time and can support extended travel distances. To harness its power, hydrogen
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
The Turin Joint Statement on Sustainable Biofuels – The Background
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Turin Joint Statement on Sustainable Biofuels has now been released, and is here. WHAT THE TURIN JOINT STATEMENT (TJS) IS The Turin Joint Statement seeks to focus attention on G7 Ministers (and by extension heads of state) regarding
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Novel Opportunities for the Development of Biorefineries: Bio-Carbon to Chemicals and Fuels by Integration of Biorefineries and Green Hydrogen --- May 16, 2024 --- ONLINE
Biorefinery processes can have a main role in the energy transition to a 100% green industry. IEA Bioenergy Task 42 (biorefining in a circular economy) recently provided an updated version of its global interactive web-GIS portal “Biorefinery Atlas”, including localization,
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
For SAF’s Take-off, Look to India’s Policies
by Eric McAfee (Aemetis/Biofuels Digest) ... We win wars by issuing Cost Plus contracts to defense contractors so they can build new production capacity to produce the weapons of war. SAF is just such a weapon, but our leaders have not been
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
30 House Republicans Take Action to Overturn Biden's Gas Car Crackdown
by Thomas Catenacci (Fox News/Yahoo!) A group of more than 30 House Republicans is introducing a resolution Friday that would overturn President Biden's actions targeting gas-powered vehicles as part of his climate push. The nearly three dozen GOP lawmakers, led by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga.,
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Stakeholders Unite to Form The SAF Coalition
(The SAF Coalition) The SAF Coalition will work to advance federal support for the development, growth and adoption of sustainable aviation fuel -- Today, 40 companies and organizations that hold a stake in the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuel united
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Nine Trade Associations Ask EPA to Meet November Deadline for 2026 RFS Volumes
(Clean Fuels Alliance America) Letter highlights negative impact of unreasonably low 2023 – 2025 volumes -- Today, nine trade associations representing feedstock providers, advanced biofuel producers, and low-carbon fuel customers wrote to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, urging the agency to propose and
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
SMALL refinery exemption – A 5-Letter Word for EARTH MONTH
The SMALL Refinery Exemption (SRE) is a provision UNDER the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in the United States that allows certain SMALL oil refineries to be exempted from THEIR obligations to BLEND renewable FUELS such as ethanol into THEIR gasoline
April 29, 2024 Read Full Article
STATE Regulation – A 5-Letter Word for EARTH MONTH
STATE regulation on biofuels varies widely depending on factors such as regional energy policies, environmental priorities, and economic considerations. Some STATEs in the United STATEs have implemented Low Carbon Fuel Standards (LCFS) or CLEAN Fuel Standards or Policies to promote
April 28, 2024 Read Full Article
Q&A: Thousands of American Climate Corps Jobs Are Now Open. What Will the New Program Look Like?
byAynsley O’Neill and Maggie Thomas (Living on Earth/Inside Climate News) ... At an Earth Day event in Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C. this week, President Biden announced the official start of his new climate-focused jobs program. “It’s patterned after the Civilian
April 27, 2024 Read Full Article
King of Rims Malaysia Partners with DHL Express to Reduce Carbon Emissions via Sustainable Aviation Fuel
(DHL Express) King of Rims Malaysia comes on board GoGreen Plus service in commitment to a 30 percent reduction of carbon emissions associated with international shipments -- King of Rims Malaysia, a leading retailer of car parts and accessories, has signed onto
April 27, 2024 Read Full Article
READY – A 5-Letter Word for EARTH MONTH
Several biofuel technologies are now READY for widespread deployment, offering promising alternatives to conventional fossil FUELS and contributing to efforts to mitigate climate change. Advanced biofuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel, ethanol and biodiesel have reached a LEVEL of
April 27, 2024 Read Full Article
IHI, JERA Commence World’s First Large-Scale Ammonia Co-Firing Demo
(Bioenergy International) In Japan, energy utility JERA Co., Inc (JERA), and compatriot IHI Corporation (IHI) have announced the start of what is said to be the world’s first demonstration testing of large-volume fuel ammonia substitution (20 percent of heating value) at
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Power Progress Podcast: Complying with EPA Phase 3 GHG Rules for Heavy Duty Trucks
(KHL Group – Power Division) The Power Progress Podcast highlights issues relevant to the development of vehicles and equipment for the on-highway, off-highway, marine and power generation industries, including progress being made toward decarbonization. Topics will cover power systems and powertrain
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Pacific Biodiesel Welcomes Community Leaders & Local Students for Blessing of the Company’s First Sunflower Field on Kauaʻi
(Pacific Biodiesel) Expansion of Agriculture Operations to Kauaʻi will Increase Local Food Production, Develop Model for Regenerative Agriculture-based Biofuel and Support Hawaiʻi’s Circular Economy -- In commemoration of Earth Day, Pacific Biodiesel Founders Bob and Kelly King welcomed community leaders and local
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
New $60m Lab in S’pore to Drive R&D in Carbon Capture, Biofuels and Hydrogen
by Cheryl Tan (Straits Times) To help Singapore achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, a $60 million lab has been launched to drive research and development in low-carbon technologies. The corporate lab, launched on April 26, is a joint effort by the
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Höegh Autoliners Doubles Biofuel Use in 2023
by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak (Offshore Energy) Norway-based shipping company Höegh Autoliners has doubled its biofuel usage from 2022 to 2023 in response to growing demand for green transportation. -- “We have taken relentless action to solidify our position as the preferred green PCTC carrier
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
UK Researchers Lead a National Team, Transforming Solid Waste into Aviation Fuel
by Jordan Strickler (University of Kentucky) In a move towards sustainable energy and waste management, the University of Kentucky has launched a pioneering research initiative that seeks to turn everyday trash into high-quality sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Titled "Surface Enhanced Smart Preprocessing
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Collaboration for Carbon Neutrality: Swedish Companies Initiate Hydrogen and Biofuel Value Chain
(Boliden/Europa Wire) Boliden, Nevel, Skellefteå Kraft, and Sveaskog have entered a letter of intent to conduct a feasibility study for establishing a hydrogen and biofuel value chain in Västerbotten, Sweden, with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions, particularly at the Rönnskär
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
CMA CGM and Bpifrance Announce the Operational Launch of the Endowment Fund for the French Maritime Sector of 200 Million Euros Financed via Pulse, the CMA CGM Energy Fund
(Bpifrance) - An unprecedented commitment from a private actor to contribute to the decarbonization of the French maritime industry. - CMA CGM, via its PULSE investment fund, and Bpifrance are bringing together the main players in the maritime sector in France to
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
SkyNRG, AEG Fuels Delivers Sustainable Aviation Biofuels for Bombardier Business Aircraft Demo Fleet
(Bombardier) First delivery of biofuels completed by AEG Fuels; Flights demonstrate companies’ shared commitment to sustainability -- SkyNRG and AEG Fuels completed the delivery of sustainable aviation biofuels for the Bombardier Business Aircraft demonstration fleet flying from KLM Jet Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Southwest Airlines’s Path to SAF
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) SAF plays an important role in the Southwest Airlines environmental sustainability plan and path to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. By 2030, the airline plans to replace 10% of total jet fuel consumption with
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
RFA CEO Honored as Patriotic Employer
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper, an Army veteran, was honored this week by the Department of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve office “for contributing to national security and protecting liberty and freedom by
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate
(UK Parliament) This Government are fiercely proud of the success of Britain’s aviation industry, and are committed to ensuring it continues to grow and succeed in future. Decarbonisation is critical to that future, and today we are setting out another key
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Court Wrestles with EPA Rules for Biogas: Judges Questioned Why the Agency Imposed One Set of Requirements on Biogas Producers and Another on Other Biofuels.
by Marc Heller (E&E News PM) A federal appeals court grappled Thursday with EPA’s regulation of biogas production for transportation fuel, a fresh point of contention in the renewable natural gas industry. During oral arguments on a lawsuit from the Coalition for
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Biden Administration to Release Low-Carbon Aviation Fuel Tax Credit Model on Tuesday - Sources
by Jarrett Renshaw and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The Biden administration is expected to release a climate model for its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) subsidy program on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the matter said. The rule will dictate how ethanol producers can
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Hong Kong International Airport Launches Pilot Project to Use Renewable Diesel in Ground-Services Equipment
(Hong Kong International Airport/ Biobased Diesel Daily) Airport Authority Hong Kong announced April 12 the launch of a renewable diesel pilot project at Hong Kong International Airport as part of its commitment to develop HKIA into the world’s greenest airport. According to
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s New $1 Billion Multiyear Car-Shipping Contract Includes Marine Biofuel
(Wallenius Wilhelmsen/Biobased Diesel Daily) Wallenius Wilhelmsen announced April 9 that it has recently signed another significant multiyear contract. The new agreement with a leading global player in the premium-car segment is valued at more than USD$1 billion over three years, covering both
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Shell Introduces 100% Renewable Diesel at Filling Stations in Germany
(Shell/Biobased Diesel Daily) Shell in Germany announced April 5 that it is expanding its offering for business customers in the mobility sector with its new Shell Renewable Diesel. Through the use of waste and residual materials such as used cooking oil, the
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
SOLID OXIDE – Two 5-Letter Words for EARTH MONTH
SOLID OXIDE Fuel Cells (SOFCs) represent a promising technology in the field of energy conversion, offering high efficiency and versatility and the potential for use of renewable fuels such as ethanol and methanol. The key components of an SOFC include an
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
ANGI Energy Systems Breaks New Ground by Starting Construction of the Midwest's First Hydrogen Refueling Test Facility
(ANGI Energy Systems) • ANGI Energy Systems (ANGI), a Vontier company, has announced the breaking ground event of its pioneering $4 million Hydrogen Refueling Test Facility – the first of its kind in the Midwest The new 3000 square foot facility, located at ANGI's
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Region Nine, Minnesota Issued BDO Zone ‘A’ Rating for Corn Stover
(Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone Initiative) A’ Rating Will Unlock Opportunities for Corn Stover Biomass Utilization -- Region Nine Development Commission and Ecostrat are pleased to announce the issue of the Region Nine BDO Zone. The BDO Zone is the state’s first ‘A’ rating for Corn Stover
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Renfrew County, Ontario Issued BDO Zone ‘AA’ Rating for Woody Biomass
(Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone Initiative) ‘AA’ Rating to Drive Woody Biomass Utilization and Strengthen Forestry Operations -- The County of Renfrew and Ecostrat are pleased to announce the issue of an investment grade BDO Zone Rating for Woody Biomass. The Zone is centred in Pembroke, Ontario, and
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Emporia, Kansas Issued BDO Zone ‘BBB’ Rating for Corn Stover
(Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone Initiative) BBB’ Rating to Stimulate Biobased Economic Opportunity - The Emporia Regional Development Association and Ecostrat are pleased to announce the issue of an investment-grade Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone ‘BBB’ rating. The Emporia BDO Zone encompasses a 75-mile drive distance from the
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Toombs County, Georgia Issued BDO Zone ‘AA’ Rating for Woody Biomass
(Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone Initiative) ‘AA’ Rating Drives New Markets for Harnessing Forest Resources -- The Toombs County Development Authority and Ecostrat are pleased to announce the issue of a coveted ‘AA’ BDO Zone Rating for Toombs County, centred in Lyons, GA– the state’s first rating for
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Shell Commissions Its First German Bio-LNG Plant
(Bioenergy Insight) After two years of construction, Shell Energy has commissioned its first German bio-LNG plant at the Cologne-Godorf refinery site. With a capacity of 100,000 tonnes per year, it is the largest of its kind in Germany. The low-CO2 fuel is sufficient
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Lignofuels 2025 --- February 12-13, 2025 --- Helsinki, Finland
Building on the success of Lignofuels 2024 which brought 150+ senior level industry professionals to Helsinki in February 2024, we will be hosting the next edition on 12th & 13th February 2025 in Helsinki, Finland. The conference will once again
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Grounded in Ag Training Platform Introduced
by Cindy Zimmerman (AgWired) Communications and training firm Grounded Communications LLC is launching Grounded in AgTM, a new online training platform to address the agricultural knowledge gap for organizations. The platform is designed to meet the needs of anyone seeking a better understanding of
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Clean Fuel Vehicle Showcase Highlights Commitment to Sustainability to Celebrate Earth Day
(Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition) The Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition (GWRCCC) proudly hosted a Clean Fuel Vehicle Showcase on April 23rd, celebrating Earth Day and sustainable transportation solutions. The event, held from 4:30 to 6:45 PM on a
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
EU Countries Dilute Fuel Tax Hike as Green Anger Mounts
by Gabriel Gavin (Politico) The rollback came after capitals expressed “concerns” about the climate-friendly reforms, a document seen by POLITICO reveals. -- EU countries are proposing major delays and exemptions to a fuel tax overhaul meant to push Europe toward a more
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Webinar: FY24 Waste Analysis and Strategies for Transportation End-Uses (WASTE) FOA Informational Session --- May 10, 2024 --- ONLINE
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) will be hosting an informational webinar on Friday, May 10, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. ET, for the WASTE: Waste Analysis and Strategies for Transportation End-Uses funding announcement opportunity (FOA). DOE announced up to
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Funding Notice: U.S. Department of Energy Announces $17.5 Million to Support Cost-Effective Waste-to-Energy Solutions for Local Communities DEADLINE June 19, 2024
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) announced up to $17.5 million in federal funding to develop cost-effective strategies for communities to sustainably manage and recover potential clean energy sources from their waste
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $1 Billion in Grants to Invest in America’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Transition
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) EPA announces new grant program to fund zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, infrastructure, and workforce development to tackle climate change, reduce air pollution, and advance environmental justice -- Today, April 24, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the launch of
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Isle of Man Jet Centre Repositions as Regional Sustainable Aviation Hub
(Biofuels International) Work has commenced in earnest at the only dedicated private jet terminal at Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man, as a private group embarks on plans to modernise and expand the FBO facility – originally built in 2015. The enhanced Private
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
HGK Shipping Welcomes the Approval for HVO100
(Biofuels International) HGK Shipping is supporting the German government’s decision to approve the alternative fuel - HVO100. Europe’s largest inland waterway shipping company believes that this provides an opportunity to press ahead with decarbonising this mode of transport in the medium term. European
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Aviation Fraternity Takes ‘CLIMBING.FAST.’ Message to Capitol Hill
(Climbing. Fast.) Members of Alpha Eta Rho – the oldest aviation organization on college campuses around the country – recently had the opportunity to visit with members of Congress and their staff to talk about a host of issues, including the
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Business Aviation Sustainability Leadership in Spotlight at Aero Club Luncheon --- May 2, 2024 --- Washington, DC
The Aero Club of Washington will host a panel discussion, “On a Mission to Net Zero,” featuring leaders from the business aviation industry, who will discuss the sector’s bold commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and what it
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Peninsula Adds Chemical Tanker Aalborg to Supply in the Port of Barcelona
(P:eninsula 360) Peninsula, the leading independent global marine energy supplier, is proud to announce the introduction of the Aalborg, an IMO II chemical tanker dedicated to sustainable fuel distribution in the Western Mediterranean. The Aalborg is capable of supplying 100% biofuels
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Volvo Trucks North America Continues ‘Toward Zero’ by Fueling All New Trucks with HVO at the New River Valley Plant
(Volvo/Globe Newswire) Volvo Trucks North America has announced a significant advancement in its sustainability efforts by fueling newly assembled trucks with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a renewable fuel, as they depart from the Volvo Trucks New River Valley Assembly Operations (NRV)
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Clean Energy Announces First Injection of Renewable Natural GAs at Victory Farms Dairy
(Clean Energy Fuels) Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq: CLNE) today announced its latest renewable natural gas (RNG) facility at Victory Farms Dairy in Revillo, South Dakota, has successfully completed construction and is injecting pipeline quality RNG into the interstate natural gas infrastructure. The Victory
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Eni: The Council of State Cancels the AGCM Provision on the Diesel+ Case and Defines the Concept of 'Green Claim'
(Eni) Eni is pleased to learn of the decision of the Council of State which after 4 years rejected the thesis of the Competition and Market Guarantor Authority (AGCM) according to which Eni had implemented an unfair commercial practice to the
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
TotalEnergies and Vanguard Renewables, a Portfolio Company of BlackRock’s Diversified Infrastructure Business, Join Forces to Develop Renewable Natural Gas in the United States
(Total Energies) TotalEnergies, a global integrated energy company, and Vanguard Renewables, a U.S. leader in farm-based organics-to-renewable natural gas production and a portfolio company of a fund managed by BlackRock’s Diversified Infrastructure business, have signed an agreement to create an equally
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to NEXT Renewables
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) NEXT Renewable Fuels turns recycled organic materials, such as used cooking oil, into an advanced biofuel that works just like petroleum-based diesel, but with as much as 85 percent less greenhouse gas emissions. With development and
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Ground Stop: Time for Plan B on the SAF Grand Challenge?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The International Energy Agency held a materially significant workshop in Paris this week on accelerating the pace of sustainable biofuels development. There was much talk about sustainable aviation fuels, or rather the lack of them. Let’s start with
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
With 'Record Droughts' in Income Predicted, Ohio Farmers Look to New Markets for Ethanol
by Jordan Laird (Columbus Dispatch) ... Facing headwinds, Miller (Jon Miller, a grain farmer in Fairfield County) said Ohio corn farmers are hopeful that new markets for ethanol fuel will provide some relief. Airlines are forging ahead with plans to transition to use ethanol to
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Nebraska Governor Signs SAF Tax Credit Bill
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has signed into law the establishment of a production tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Nebraska. The SAF tax credit (LB937) will provide a $0.75 per gallon tax credit for the production of
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Industry Leaders Share Sustainable Aviation Prioroties for Farm Bill
(Fuels America) Amid the ongoing negotiations surrounding the Farm Bill, industry stakeholders representing nearly the entire supply chain for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) – including seven major airlines – called on Agriculture Committee leaders in the House and Senate to boost the role
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
START-up – A 5-Letter Word for EARTH MONTH
START-up companies in the biofuel economy are driving innovation and accelerating the transition towards a more sustainable energy future. Such entrepreneurial ventures OFTEN specialize in developing NOVEL technologies and processes for the production, refinement, and distribution of biofuels derived from
April 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Yeast Fuel, Developed by Chula's Faculty of Science Soon to Expand Its Production for the Aerospace Industry
(Chulalongkorn University/PR Newswire) Researchers from Chulalongkorn University have made use of forage grass to feed microorganisms and convert the resulting fat into jet fuel. They aim to expand petroleum-based oil replacement production to reduce impacts on human health and the environment. -- Yeast is a
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
STX Group and Norsk e-Fuel Partner to Boost Biogenic CO2 Delivery in the Nordics for Sustainable e-Fuel Production
(STX Group) STX Group, a global leader in environmental commodities trading and climate solutions, and Norsk e-Fuel, a pioneer in the European e-fuel market, today announce their partnership to promote biogenic CO2 deliveries to future Norsk e-Fuel production sites for fossil
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
MasterChef Australia Goes Gas-tronomic!
(BioEnergy Australia) Season 16 Sizzles With Carbon Neutral Biomethane And Hydrogen Gases. -- This season of MasterChef Australia is taking a new approach to 'cooking with gas' with a world-first partnership for the franchise using carbon neutral biomethane in the kitchen and
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
EPA Approves Registration of Vertimass Green Gasoline Blends
(Vertimass) VertiGas20, a renewable gasoline product, is now registered to be sold as 20% blends in conventional gasoline to help mitigate transportation carbon emissions -- Vertimass is pleased to announce that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved registration for
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
New ATRI Research Evaluates Renewable Diesel as an Alternative Pathway to Decarbonization
(American Transportation Research Institute/PR Newswire) The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released a new report that analyzes the benefits of employing renewable diesel (RD) as an alternative to battery electric vehicle (BEV) trucks. This analysis is a follow-up to findings from
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Indigo Ag and Red Trail Energy Collaborate on Sustainable Biofuels to Maximize Benefits From Clean Fuel Tax Credit Programs
(Indigo Ag/PR Newswire) Companies will leverage Indigo Ag's proven measurement, verification and reporting capabilities to calculate field level carbon intensity and unlock new opportunities for fuel and agricultural decarbonization -- Indigo Ag, the innovative leader and trusted partner in sustainable agriculture, and Red
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Iogen
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) You may know Iogen as the cellulosic ethanol tech and biofuel company, but did you know they are now deploying low-carbon BECCS hydrogen? Check out this slide guide from ABLC 2024 in San Francisco from CEO Brian
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Future Origins and the Biobased Chemicals Market Wigwag
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) News arrived earlier this year that Geno, Unilever, Kao, and L’Oréal have named their joint venture which aims to make alternatives to petroleum and palm for surfactant ingredients used in laundry detergent and cosmetics. They’ve chosen Future
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Booker Introduces Forest Biomass Emissions Act Of 2024
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) A bill introduced on April 17 by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and several colleagues aims to require the U.S. EPA to change the way it assesses lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from forest biomass. The American
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
International Trade Administration Renews REEEAC, Solicits Membership Nominations DEADLINE May 31, 2024
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration on April 17 announced the renewal of its Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee. The agency is also soliciting nominations for committee membership. REEEAC provides the Department of
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
California Clean Energy Procurement Summit --- May 21-23, 2024 --- San Francisco, CA
Connect with California’s Key Energy Procurement, Decarbonization & Development Decision Makers for Critical Insights into the California Energy Landscape -- As California has moved aggressively to create a legislative and policy framework for a carbon-neutral future, the state represents massive opportunities,
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Just Released: 2023 Project Peer Review Report
(U.S. Department of Energy) Highlighting Expert Feedback on BETO's Portfolio -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) released its 2023 Project Peer Review Report, a comprehensive summary of stakeholder and subject-matter expert feedback on BETO’s latest research, development, and
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Midwest Fleet Focus: Biodiesel Success Stories | The Better. Cleaner. Now! Podcast
(Better. Cleaner. Now!) Discover how fleet testimonials and technological advancements have bolstered OEM confidence in biodiesel and paved the way for cleaner fleet operations. Jennifer Weaver, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Market Development Manager for Clean Fuels, is joined by Bailey Arnold,
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Honeywell Technology Helping to Produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel with Lower Cost and Waste
(Honeywell) Latest technology expands Honeywell’s portfolio of offerings to help meet growing demand for renewable jet fuel; DG Fuels to deploy new Honeywell technology in its SAF production plant -- Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) today announced its hydrocracking technology can be used to produce
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Garamendi, King Introduce Biomass for Transportation Fuel Act
(Office of Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA 8th)) Supports renewable electricity from forest byproducts to charge electric vehicles -- Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) and Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME) introduced the "Biomass for Transportation Fuel Act” (H.R.7609), with U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
DOE Advisory Panel Offers ‘Sobering’ View on Hydrogen
by Christian Robles and Carlos Anchondo (Politico Pro Energywire) Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and other officials outline takeaways on new “clean” hydrogen and natural gas reports. -- A Department of Energy advisory committee said Tuesday that the nascent “clean” hydrogen industry is
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Democrats Go to Court to Defend Biden’s New Clean Car Rule
by Lesley Clark (E&E News PM) California is "not going to watch radical Republicans put the profits of big oil over the health of our planet," Gov. Gavin Newsom said. -- A coalition of Democratic-led states is countering Republican critics of the
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
2nd Advanced Biofuel Forum --- May 29-30, 2024 --- Amsterdam, Netherlands and ONLINE
Advanced Biofuels Forum will take you towards the ideology of the generation of fuels, from the first to the second and third, consisting of the biofuels, advanced biofuels and true sustainable materials; which all have the potential to produce a cleaner
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
IATA and Partners Release Aviation Net Zero Roadmaps Comparative Review
(International Air Transport Association) The International Air Transport Association (IATA), together with the Air Transportation Systems Laboratory at University College London (UCL), the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and the Mission Possible Partnership (MPP),
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Air FORCE – A 5-Letter Word for EARTH MONTH
The United States Air FORCE (USAF) has been actively engaged in exploring the potential of biofuels as part of its broader efforts to enhance energy security, reduce reliance on fossil FUELS, and mitigate the environmental impact of aviation operations. See
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Neste Successfully Concludes Its 1st Processing Run with Pyrolysis Oil from Discarded Tires
(Neste) Currently, car and truck tires mostly end up in landfills or incineration after they have been discarded; Pyrolysis oil derived from discarded tires was processed into high-quality raw material for chemicals and plastics at Neste’s refinery in Porvoo, Finland; Pyrolysis oil was
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Preem to Reduce Emissions and Minimize Shipping Cost with Seaber
by Elisa Hauhia (Seaber) Seaber.io, a global maritime technology company headquartered in Finland, has announced that Preem - Sweden’s largest fuel company - has taken Seaber into use. With Seaber’s schedule optimization software Preem aims to reduce emissions and increase the