Bipartisan Bill to Level Advanced Biofuels Playing Field

WASHINGTON — Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Tom Udall (D-NM) recently introduced bipartisan legislation that aims to help level the playing field for advanced biofuels like algae by reforming the Renewable Fuels Standard to make it more technology-neutral.

The standard currently includes a traditional ethanol standard of up to 15 billion gallons by 2015, originating mostly from corn feedstock and a separate advanced biofuels standard known as RFS2.

“Currently, the large majority of the advanced biofuel standard is limited by law to only cellulosic biofuels,” said a statement from Crapo’s office. “While cellulosic biofuels are an emerging technology, the current RFS2 creates an uneven playing field for other promising advanced biofuels like algae.”

The bill aims to simplify the RFS2 by making the category "technology neutral" — opening it to all advanced biofuels, including cellulosic, algae, and other technologies, at the same 21 billion gallon standard by 2022.

“Now more than ever, America needs a national energy plan that ensures we have access to reliable, affordable and cleaner domestic energy,” Crapo said. “Algae has been credited as a very promising feedstock in our quest for national energy independence, and its inclusion in the Renewable Fuel Standard will get us one step closer to that goal.”

The West and New Mexico offer many opportunities for advanced biofuels, including algae, cellulosic, and others, Udall said.

The standard is already helping to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign oil, he added.

“This bill simply puts all advanced biofuels on a level playing field and lets the market determine which types of fuel are produced to meet the standard,” he said.

A survey conducted by the Algal Biomass Organization of companies in the algae biofuel industry indicated that creating legislative parity between algae and other advanced biofuels could create more than 200,000 jobs by 2022, compared to around 50,000 without such legislative parity.

Both the Algal Biomass Organization and the Advanced Biofuels Assocation are in support of the legislation, according to the statement.

“The Algal Biomass Organization applauds Senators Udall and Crapo for understanding the potential of algae technology to create jobs and increase energy independence while recognizing that the current renewable fuels policy is an inhibitor to our industry’s growth,” said Mary Rosenthal, Executive Director of the Algal Biomass Organization. “With this, we support the Renewable Fuel Parity Act of 2011 as presented today. We share his view that algae-based fuels should be at parity with other renewable fuels in the tax code and infuel standards.”