10/9/13, "Liberal Dem: EPA biofuel program ‘a flop'," The Hill, J. Hattem
"The federal requirement for gas refiners to mix biofuel in with
conventional gasoline is a “flop,” according to Rep. Peter Welch
(D-Vt.), and should be eliminated.
Welch said that the renewable fuel standard, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), drives up the cost of corn, which ends up raising prices for dairy farmers in his state as well as other livestock producers.
Plus, he said, the amount of energy required to produce the biofuel ends up hurting the environment.
“It's been a flop, and the amount of energy that goes into producing a gallon of ethanol is a lot.
Twenty-eight gallons of water to produce a gallon of gas, 170 gallons, I guess, to produce a gallon of ethanol,” he said.
“There’s not been an environment benefit; there’s actually been an environmental detriment and there’s been an economic detriment to many sectors of the economy, even though there’s been a significant benefit to the Corn Belt," Welch said.
.
Welch’s remarks at a Wednesday event on the fuel standard sponsored by the National Journal are similar to complaints about the program made by major poultry and chain restaurant groups, among others.
.
Welch said that the renewable fuel standard, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), drives up the cost of corn, which ends up raising prices for dairy farmers in his state as well as other livestock producers.
Plus, he said, the amount of energy required to produce the biofuel ends up hurting the environment.
“It's been a flop, and the amount of energy that goes into producing a gallon of ethanol is a lot.
Twenty-eight gallons of water to produce a gallon of gas, 170 gallons, I guess, to produce a gallon of ethanol,” he said.
“There’s not been an environment benefit; there’s actually been an environmental detriment and there’s been an economic detriment to many sectors of the economy, even though there’s been a significant benefit to the Corn Belt," Welch said.
.
Welch’s remarks at a Wednesday event on the fuel standard sponsored by the National Journal are similar to complaints about the program made by major poultry and chain restaurant groups, among others.
.
The oil-and-gas industry has also opposed the fuel standard, which they
say calls for refiners to mix a blend of gasoline that consumers don’t
want and cars can’t use.
Supporters of the program say that it is critical to moving the country away from foreign oil and spur development of alternative energy sources.
Welch added that he did not support a total repeal of the fuel standard, just the mandate for conventional corn-based ethanol.
Earlier this year, he and other lawmakers introduced legislation that would repeal some parts of the fuel standard, including the mandate for corn-based ethanol.
On Wednesday, he seemed hopeful that the momentum was on his side.
“The logic of it, I think the merits of it, favor, ultimately, a repeal of the mandate,” he said."
Supporters of the program say that it is critical to moving the country away from foreign oil and spur development of alternative energy sources.
Welch added that he did not support a total repeal of the fuel standard, just the mandate for conventional corn-based ethanol.
Earlier this year, he and other lawmakers introduced legislation that would repeal some parts of the fuel standard, including the mandate for corn-based ethanol.
On Wednesday, he seemed hopeful that the momentum was on his side.
“The logic of it, I think the merits of it, favor, ultimately, a repeal of the mandate,” he said."
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9/12/13, "Report: $603 million in Energy Dept. biofuels funding fails to meet goals," The Hill, Ben Geman
"A years-long Energy Department program to help spur industry
production of next-generation biofuels has fallen short, the
department’s inspector general concludes in a new report.
“Despite over 7 years of effort and the expenditure of about $603 million, the Department had not yet achieved its biorefinery development and production goals,” states the report made public Thursday.
“Specifically, the [Energy Policy Act of 2005] mandate to demonstrate the commercial application of integrated biorefineries had not been met and the Department was not on target to meet its biofuels production capacity goal,” it states.
Check out the whole report, including a senior DOE’s official’s defense of efforts to spur cellulosic ethanol development, by clicking here."
.
“Despite over 7 years of effort and the expenditure of about $603 million, the Department had not yet achieved its biorefinery development and production goals,” states the report made public Thursday.
“Specifically, the [Energy Policy Act of 2005] mandate to demonstrate the commercial application of integrated biorefineries had not been met and the Department was not on target to meet its biofuels production capacity goal,” it states.
Check out the whole report, including a senior DOE’s official’s defense of efforts to spur cellulosic ethanol development, by clicking here."
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