Tomorrow, the Biden administration is expected to release more details on the updated climate models for use in calculating the 40B sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) credit. This incentive is part of a suite of credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that would spur domestic production of SAF.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s hard to overstate the importance of getting the details right. Bioethanol remains the only feedstock available in large enough quantities to meet the demand for the next generation of lower-carbon aviation fuels. If the climate benefits of farm-based feedstocks and “alcohol to jet” processes are rewarded, America’s biofuel industry and American farmers&nbsp;will mobilize to meet the President’s target of at least <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/sustainable-aviation-fuel-grand-challenge">three billion gallons of SAF</a> annually by 2030. If they are excluded from the credit, America’s SAF ambitions may never get off the ground.Our nation’s biofuel producers have been waiting for answers since December, and we were encouraged when President Biden said, “Mark my words: the next 20 years, farmers are going to be providing 95 percent of all the sustainable airline fuel.” But for that promise come true, the Biden administration’s follow-up carbon modeling and guidance—again, expected tomorrow—must comport with the best science available and recognize all of the tools and innovations our nation’s farmers and biorefineries are using to generate lower-carbon products.That’s why we have been advocating for minimal changes to the <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/articles/greet-greenhouse-gases-regulated-emissions-and-energy-use-transportation">Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation Model</a>, also known as the GREET model. It was developed by the Argonne National Lab (ANL) at the Department of Energy to calculate the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions impacts of vehicle technologies, fuels, products, and energy systems. GREET is maintained and updated by a group of 40 scientists and researchers who rely on a wide array of sources—including peer-reviewed studies from hundreds of different publications—to make sure the model always provides the most accurate estimate of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. It has more than 50,000 users and is a hugely powerful tool to help estimate the potential environmental benefit of any given resource.&nbsp; Simply put, it is the gold standard for carbon modeling across the globe.In its current state, Argonne’s GREET model provides a transparent platform through which energy and vehicle producers, researchers, and regulators can evaluate the environmental effects of vehicle technologies and energy and product systems. Applying the model today reveals not only the full value of biofuels, but also their potential—including the tons of carbon emission reductions that could be achieved by the smart application of the IRA’s incentives. Argonne’s GREET model includes actual field testing and validation techniques, and it accounts for climate-smart agricultural practices and scientific innovations. No other model provides data on full lifecycle impacts with the level of integrity of the Argonne GREET model.The administration’s initial decision to use some form of the GREET model in its evaluation was a good start, but for Section 40B to create new clean energy jobs in the Heartland and empower our farmers to fuel flights in the future, the existing Argonne GREET model must not be overridden by those who seek to change it to meet predetermined policy outcomes, jeopardizing our ability to meet our SAF goals in the process. With Argonne GREET in its current form, the aviation industry has a shot at reaching its ambitious climate targets, and the Biden administration will have a better chance of hitting its SAF target. If the GREET model Treasury releases for Section 40B is materially different, success is suddenly much less certain.The biofuels industry was thrilled to see Congress approve tax incentives for SAF and clean fuel production while also expanding tax incentives for carbon capture — all areas where they’re leading efforts to promote renewable fuels, ensure reliable domestic production, and create good American jobs. There remain a number of areas within the IRA which cannot take effect until there is clarity on implementation. All of that starts with this guidance, and the details surrounding what qualifies and what doesn’t. If we stick to what Congress intended, follow the science, and maintain the Argonne GREET model’s integrity, the U.S. SAF industry would be poised for significant growth—the kind of growth that builds up our rural communities and helps American families across the board. If we follow the old data and put politics before science, all we’ll do is cultivate a future that’s even more dependent on fossil fuels and foreign feedstocks like Brazilian sugarcane ethanol or <a href="https://www.transportenvironment.org/discover/80-of-europes-used-cooking-oil-now-imported-raising-concerns-over-fraud-study/#:~:text=High%20demand%20for%20UCO%20has,official%20investigations%20into%20fraud%20risks.">fraudulent&nbsp;imports</a> of used cooking oil. That’s something none of us want.&nbsp;

2024-02-29 - Growth Energy to administration: Don’t put politics before science (2 publications)

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Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor encourages the Biden administration to follow the science, and maintain the Argonne GREET model’s integrity in calculating the 40B sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit. 

Growth Energy to administration: Don’t put politics before science

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