EPA Releases RFS2 Final Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week unveiled its final regulations for the National Renewable Fuel Standard Program for 2010 and Beyond (RFS2). This clean energy strategy is intended to jump start the nation’s use of biofuels in hopes of fixing a government effort that officials admit has fallen short in its attempts to wean cars and trucks away from fossil fuels.

Under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), the EPA is responsible for revising and implementing regulations to ensure that transportation fuel sold in the United States contains a minimum volume of renewable fuel. The Renewable Fuel Standard program increases the required volumes of renewable fuel use in the US to 36 billion gallons by 2022.

This action also sets the 2010 RFS volume standard at 12.95 billion gallons. Further, for the first time, EPA is setting volume standards for specific categories of renewable fuels including cellulosic, biomass-based diesel, and total advanced renewable fuels. For 2010, the cellulosic standard is being set at 6.5 million gallons; biomass based diesel standard is being set at 1.15 billion gallons, (combining the 2009 and 2010 standards as proposed).

For the fuel pathways modeled, EPA has determined that soybased biodiesel, biodiesel made from waste grease, oils and fats, sugarcane based ethanol and corn based ethanol plants using new efficient technologies all meet or exceed the required lifecycle GHG reduction standards.

In order to qualify for these new volume categories, fuels must demonstrate that they meet certain minimum greenhouse gas reduction standards, based on a lifecycle assessment, in comparison to the petroleum fuels they displace.

EPA’s GHG emission calculations were significantly improved in the RFS 2, as the agency corrected several flaws in its initial assumptions over international land use.  As a result, biodiesel produced from domestic soybean oil is assumed to reduce GHG emissions by 57 percent compared to petroleum diesel fuel, and the EPA’s uncertainty analysis recognizes that the GHG reduction could be as high as 85 percent.  The rulemaking provides pathways for biodiesel produced from other vegetable oils to qualify for the program. 

According to EPA’s modeling, corn-based ethanol achieves a 21% greenhouse gas reduction compared to gasoline when international indirect land use change is included. Without the land use consideration, corn-based ethanol achieves a 52% GHG reduction.  Cellulosic ethanol achieves GHG reduction of at least 72% depending on feedstock and processes. All GHG reductions for ethanol exceed those mandated by the RFS2.

For more detailed information on quality and volume standards, greenhouse gas reduction thresholds and more, click here to view the RFS 2 Fact Sheet and other links about the standards
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/renewablefuels/420f10007.htm

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