Advanced ethanol makers ask US EPA to stand by cellulosic mandate

platts.com
Washington (Platts)--16Feb2012/529 pm EST/2229 GMT

Biofuels producers urged US regulators on Thursday to ignore refiners' request for leeway in carrying out the renewable fuel mandate on the grounds that the industry failed to produce any cellulosic biofuels last year.

The Environmental Protection Agency required petroleum refiners and importers to blend 6.6 million gallons of cellulosic biofuels in 2011 or buy waiver credits by the end of this month to make up for the difference. The cellulosic target represented the smallest share by far of the 13.95 billion gallon Renewable Fuel Standard for 2011.

Trade groups for refiners and oil producers asked EPA in late January for a waiver from that requirement, given the absence of cellulosic biofuel production last year. Because of the looming February 28 deadline to buy credits, the petitioners asked the agency to respond faster than the standard 90-day deadline.

On Thursday, the Advanced Ethanol Council asked EPA to resist those calls to weaken the mandate.

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Cellulosic industry not surprised by reduced RFS target

Ethanol Producer Magazine
By Kris Bevill July 01, 2011

As the cellulosic ethanol industry prepares to emerge from small-scale development projects to full-scale commercialization, producers are eager to make their voices heard in Washington D.C. and on Wall Street. This was the motivation behind the formation earlier this year of the Advanced Ethanol Council. The group, formed in conjunction with the Renewable Fuels Association, is comprised of some of the most well-known cellulosic ethanol project developers, several of whom spoke during a special panel at the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo on June 29 in Indianapolis.

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