By Jamie Martin
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has received significant feedback from biofuels groups concerning the measurement of climate-smart farming practices and their effect on greenhouse gas emissions from biofuel feedstocks.
This input follows a Federal Register request aimed at shaping the U.S. Treasury’s rules for the clean fuel production credit under the Inflation Reduction Act, known as the “45Z credit.”
The Renewable Fuels Association highlighted the potential of a “book-and-claim” accounting framework to encourage the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices.
“Decoupling CSA attributes from the physical feedstock and allowing the renewable fuel producer to use book-and-claim accounting would encourage widespread adoption of CSA practices by growers and broad incorporation of CSA emissions improvements into biofuel lifecycle carbon intensity values," stated the association. This method also promises to maintain market efficiency.
The American Coalition for Ethanol emphasized the importance of using the Department of Energy’s GREET model for quantifying emissions. They noted advancements in monetizing CSA practices to ensure that corn ethanol remains a viable solution to climate challenges, supported by initiatives like the USDA-funded RCPP projects and new tools for measuring carbon intensity.
Clean Fuels Alliance America called for immediate guidance to aid transition plans for biodiesel and renewable diesel producers starting January. They suggested extending USDA’s analysis to include various oilseeds and creating carbon intensity credit tables based on regional practices.
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition recommended that the USDA adopt policies that are science-based, neutral regarding technology and feedstock, flexible for new innovations, and administratively simple to implement, aligning with federal tax incentives aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: National