The Renewable Fuels Association has voiced support for the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to expand the number of qualified biofuel production pathways under the Renewable Fuel Standard. According to written comments regarding RFS Pathways II and Technical Amendments to the RFS2 Standards – RFA backs the agency’s efforts to add cellulosic fiber from the corn kernel to the list of qualifying cellulosic biofuel feedstocks and the simplified approach to RIN generation for renewable fuels derived from cellulosic biomass. RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen wrote – we applaud EPA for confirming that corn kernel fiber is crop residue and believe the agency has proposed a sensible and straightforward approach to RIN generation for renewable fuels derived from cellulosic biomass feedstocks.
Dinneen notes several technologies to convert corn kernel fiber into cellulosic ethanol have been developed in recent years – and a number of existing ethanol plants have already adopted these technologies or are poised to integrate them in the near future. He says the volumes of cellulosic ethanol produced from corn kernel fiber can meaningfully contribute to RFS2 cellulosic biofuel requirements in the near term.
RFA’s 28-page comments express support for most of the RFS2 technical amendments and new pathways proposed by EPA. Visit www dot ethanolrfa dot org (www.ethanolrfa.org) for a link to RFA’s full comments.