It should come as a surprise to congressional supporters of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), that their 2007 votes to expand the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to advance “homegrown energy” would lead to historic U.S. imports of biodiesel
The latest U.S. Energy Information Administration data again shows ethanol blending and consumption in the U.S. remain steady and strong compared to previous years. This disproves claims that U.S. ethanol demand has been decimated by hardship waivers exempting small refineries facing that are facing hardship from their Renewable Fuel Standard blending obligations.
Many waste items provide important value before being tossed into a bin. Discarded plastic products, for example, originally serve as packaging to keep school lunches fresh, lightweight bottles for efficiently transporting fresh water to hard-to-reach areas, containers for soaps and detergents that facilitate hygiene – and much more.
As we progress through 2019, one thing that has remained consistent is that U.S. ethanol consumption and blending are higher this year than they have ever been — a sign that small-refinery hardship waivers exempting some qualified facilities from Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending obligations have not destroyed demand for ethanol.