Clariant announced today that it has conducted tests on approximately 30 tons of miscanthus provided by INA, Croatia’s leading oil and gas company. Using sunliquid® technology, the consortium successfully converted miscanthus biomass into lignocellulosic sugars and ethanol at its pre-commercial scale facility bases in Straubing, Germany. Please find the full media release media release click here on the testing, check out INA’s video of the harvesting and visit GRACE’s website for the full scope of the project.

U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA-05) and Ron Estes (R-KS-04) re-introduced bipartisan legislation to level the energy playing field by giving investors in a range of clean energy projects access to a decades-old corporate structure whose tax advantage is currently available only to investors in fossil fuel-based energy projects (Master Limited Partnerships or MLPs). Click here for more information

Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) led 18 members of Congress in a letter to the Ways and Means Committee Chair, Richard Neal (D-MA) supporting tax credits to grow the second-generation biofuel industry. See Congresswoman Finkenauer’s press release here (ABBC statement included in the release).

The New York Times Magazine published a letter submitted by the ABBC, refuting claims made by the magazine that the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard has something to do with the global palm oil issue. The letter can be found here.

Today, seven leading waste-to-energy advanced biofuel companies sent a letter to the House Committee on Ways and Means calling for action on tax extenders. For more information: PTC_MSW_feb7.19 – Copy

(Channeling Daniel Patrick Moynihan), NWF is certainly entitled to its own opinion of E15, but not its own facts about E15. NWF’s recent statements about E15 and air quality are too misleading to ignore. Our response can be found here: E15 Emissions Response NWF

The  Council submitted comments to EPA today on the proposed 2019 RVO. The Council is seeking improvements to the methodology used to forecast cellulosic biofuel production and faster fuel registration, among other things. See: ABBC_2019RVOCommentsFINAL

Enerkem testified today at an RFS hearing in Michigan. The message? Maintain the strong blending requirements, but no more misuse of waivers. Enerkem remarks: Enerkem_2019 RVO testimony

A broad coalition of agriculture, biofuel and research groups sent a letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt today, calling for proper treatment of corn kernel fiber cellulosic ethanol under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Full letter: Pruitt D3 Fiber Feb 15.

ABBC Director Brooke Coleman issued the following statement today in response to EPA publishing the final 2018 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS):

“The Trump Administration deserves credit for rejecting political pressure to destabilize the RFS, but EPA’s failure to appreciably increase advanced biofuel levels brushes aside a huge opportunity to promote rural jobs and energy innovation. Unwarranted cuts to cellulosic biofuel targets send the wrong signal to global investors in this emerging industry. The cellulosic biofuels industry is growing and stands ready to drive the next great wave of manufacturing jobs across the heartland. There are things EPA can do quickly to unleash the full potential of cellulosic biofuels. We are not there yet with this rule, but we look forward to working with the Administration to get there.”