Higher Blends of Biofuels Offer American Drivers Savings at the Pump Throughout Holiday Weekend |
Late last week as families across the country headed out of town for the July 4th holiday weekend, Growth Energy Senior Vice President of Market Development Mike Lorenz released the following statement highlighting the price savings at the pump that higher blends of biofuels like E15, a fifteen percent ethanol blended fuel, offer American drivers:
“Skyrocketing fuel prices shouldn’t take the joy out of Fourth of July travel plans,” said Lorenz, former head of petroleum supply and trading at Sheetz, a major E15 retailer currently offering the blend at a flat $3.99 per gallon through the holiday. “Across the country, American families have found savings ranging from 10 cents to nearly a dollar per gallon by filling up with E15 at more than 2,600 retail locations. America’s biofuel workers understand the value of energy security –— the industry employs a greater share of U.S. veterans than any other energy sector — and we’re proud to do our part this Independence Day.”
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We're continuing to amplify real-time photos on social media of the cost savings of E15 at the pump. Sharing these photos provides a strong proof point of the economic benefits of biofuels, which is especially important as we advocate for year-round E15 legislation here in Washington. View and download our one-pager that highlight these savings: |
Help us continue to amplify the savings that E15 provides at gas stations across the country this summer. Be sure to take photos or videos of E15 price reductions at the pump or on your local gas retail sign. Share the photos on your social media and tag @GrowthEnergy or send the post/photo to kwebster@growthenergy.org. |
For more information, please contact Senior Vice President of Market Development Mike Lorenz. |
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Growth Energy Applauds Michigan Senate Vote to Boost Biofuel Blends ICYMI: Canadian Clean Fuel Regulations are a Victory for Canadian Consumers and Low-Carbon Biofuels |
Explainer: West Virginia v. EPA |
CEO Emily Skor in the Des Moines Register: Raising the bar for biofuels in service of energy security Richard Childress in the Salisbury Post: A race-worthy solution to surging fuel costs |
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Biofuels Summit Sep. 12 - 15, 2022 Washington, D.C. National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show October 1 - 4, 2022
Las Vegas, N.V. Export Exchange 2022
October 12 - 14, 2022 Minneapolis, Minn. Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers Association (SIGMA) November 8-10, 2022 Hollywood, C.A. |
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Growth Energy Applauds Michigan Senate Vote to Boost Biofuel Blends |
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CEO Emily Skor welcomed last week's vote by the Michigan State Senate approving a proposal to expand access to lower-cost, lower-emissions biofuel blends. Senate Bill 814, authored by committee chairman Sen. Kevin Daley, would establish a retailer tax incentive for higher ethanol blends, specifically a tax credit of $0.05 per gallon on sales of E15 and $0.085 per gallon on sales of E85.
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“We thank committee Chairman Daley and his colleagues for moving ahead with plans to expand access to lower-cost, lower-emissions biofuel blends across Michigan,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “As Growth Energy testified, bioethanol blends such as E15 and E85 provide environmental benefits, boost Michigan’s farmers and biofuel producers, and give consumers more affordable choices at the pump. With holiday drivers facing record-high prices, today’s vote is a welcome sign that Michigan leaders are working to restore U.S. energy security and support local communities.”
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ICYMI: Canadian Clean Fuel Regulations are a Victory for Canadian Consumers and Low-Carbon Biofuels |
In case you missed it, Canada publicly released its unofficial version of the Clean Fuel Regulation (CFR), an initiative to reduce the lifecycle carbon intensity of fuel and energy used in Canada and achieve more than 20 million tons of annual reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Environment and Climate Change Canada's (ECCC) press release, regulation, and regulatory impact analysis are available here. ECCC notes in their quick fact section that they will need “700M liters of additional ethanol by 2030”.
Growth Energy, the U.S. Grains Council, and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) welcomed the finalized regulations. “We applaud Canada for finalizing its Clean Fuel Regulations and leading the globe in putting a plan in place to slash greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector through higher blends of biofuels,” the organizations said. “The Clean Fuel Regulations set Canada on a path toward better air quality, energy security, and carbon mitigation, all supported by rural communities, by setting the achievable goals of reducing more than 20 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions through their move to a 15 percent ethanol in all gasoline by 2030. The Clean Fuel Regulations stand as testimony to the powerful impact biofuels can and will have for Canada’s transportation future.”
ECCC also provided an update on changes to the program from earlier publication here with notes below. |
For more information, please contact Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley. |
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| Explainer: West Virginia v. EPA |
Last Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) issued an opinion in West Virginia v. EPA regarding EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants under the Clean Air Act.
Background: West Virginia, along with 19 other states, utilities, and coal mining companies, challenged EPA's authority under section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act to issue the 2015 Clean Power Plan, which the Obama Administration issued to establish limits on CO2 emissions from power plants. In 2019, the Trump administration repealed the Clean Power Plan and replaced it with the Affordable Clean Energy rule, which established emissions guidelines for states when developing plans to limit CO2 emissions at their coal-fired electric generating units.
On January 19, 2021, the D.C. Circuit vacated the Affordable Clean Energy rule and the Clean Power Plan repeal. West Virginia and others appealed the D.C. Circuit's decision to the Supreme Court.
Issue: Whether Congress authorized the Environmental Protection Agency to issue emissions camps pursuant to 42 U.S.C, 7411(d) based on a generation shifting approach that would require power plants to shift from one energy source to another.
Ruling: SCOTUS held that EPA did not have clear congressional direction under the Clean Air Act to lower overall greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector by requiring power plants to shift from one energy source (e.g., coal) to another energy source (e.g., natural gas, wind, or solar). The EPA must have such clear direction, SCOTUS held, because what EPA proposed to do involved a "major question" with significant impacts on the power sector and on efforts to combat climate change.
Impact on the RFS: Unlike the power sector statute at issue in West Virginia v. EPA, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has clear language directing EPA to consider impacts of climate change when setting RVO volumes, and Growth Energy has argued in the context of annual RVOs and the recent Reset rule (covering 202-2022 RVOs) that the text, structure, history, and purpose of the RFS clearly show that Congress intended EPA to use the RFS as a tool in the fight against climate change.
We will be watching developments in this area closely as the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and other courts incorporate the ruling into future decisions. |
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For more information, please contact General Counsel Joe Kakesh. |
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CEO Emily Skor in the Des Moines Register: Raising the bar for biofuels in service of energy security |
In an op-ed in the Des Moines Register, CEO Emily Skor highlighted the role that biofuels are currently playing in keeping prices down at the pump, moving toward net-zero emissions, and boosting America's energy security. Skor also notes the importance of EPA's recently finalized 2022 RVO.
"For policymakers who have grown complacent about U.S. energy security, the past six months have been a rude awakening. Consumers were already facing historically high fuel prices prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Then the ban on Russian crude oil and instability in the global market pushed fuel prices to new heights. Fortunately, biofuel blends like E15 have helped shield against skyrocketing fuel prices, saving American motorists almost a dollar per gallon in some areas of the country.
"But biofuels are more than just an affordable alternative to Russian oil. They are the leading edge of a U.S. bioeconomy offering transformative solutions to global climate and energy challenges. That is why the Biden administration’s decision on the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, is another important sign of progress." |
Richard Childress in the Salisbury Post: A race-worthy solution to surging fuel costs |
In an op-ed in the Salisbury Post, Richard Childress explained the performance benefits of driving on E15, both on and off the race track.
"When not on the racetrack, my childhood summers were hopping in the car and exploring the beaches, lakes, and mountains in North Carolina. Unfortunately, for many Americans, any driving this summer also means feeling the pain at the gas pump. With inflation and the war in Ukraine, Americans across the country are feeling the squeeze each time they fill up, some paying over $5 a gallon —putting summer road trips out of reach for many.
"In response, more drivers are taking a fresh look at a lower-cost option that NASCAR has been using since 2011, namely a 15 percent bioethanol blend or E15. Available at more than 2,600 stations in 31 states, it saves you up to 60 cents per gallon in some parts of the country and it’s approved for use in 96 percent of cars on the road — anything built since 2001. At the pump, E15 is often labeled as Unleaded88, as it offers a higher-octane standard than 87 gasoline. Better yet, the bioethanol in every gallon is made from plants grown right here in the USA, helping reduce our dependence on foreign fossil fuels."
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For more information, please contact Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs Elizabeth Funderburk. |
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