All articles tagged with #biofuels
President Trump signs an executive order advancing regenerative agriculture as the USDA releases the final Regenerative Feedstock Rule, linking regenerative farming practices to new biofuel markets with standards for carbon intensity, traceability, and auditing, plus an updated carbon intensity calculator to help farmers market feedstocks such as corn, soybeans, sorghum, and canola.
Record-high EPA biofuel mandates are driving Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) to all-time highs; with the cushion of unused credits shrinking, Bloomberg projects the RIN buffer could hit zero by year-end and turn to a deficit in 2027, lifting refiners’ costs and potentially adding 26–45 cents per gallon at the pump. Integrated players like Valero, which generate credits in-house, may fare better than pure merchant refiners like PBF that must buy credits on the open market, while ADM has shown improving margins in biofuel-related segments. The risk is regulatory-driven rather than geopolitical, making EPA policy and renewable fuel profitability key watchpoints for investors.
Nature highlights five uplifting science stories from 2025–26: infants can now be treated for malaria with the weight-tailored drug artemether-lumefantrine, reducing infant deaths; six Leigh syndrome patients show mobility and breathing improvements after sildenafil (Viagra) treatment, though more trials are needed; engineered bacteria produce hydrogen from waste bread with a catalyst, cutting greenhouse-gas emissions; researchers extract hydrocarbon-rich biofuel from date-palm leaf fibers, offering a new energy source and waste-management benefit; and a US study finds HPV vaccination in boys and men linked to a 46% reduction in several cancers, underscoring the vaccine’s power for cancer prevention.
The EPA finalizes Renewable Fuel Standard Set 2, raising 2026–2027 renewable fuel volumes to record highs to strengthen U.S. energy independence and support farmers and rural economies. The rule expects biodiesel/renewable diesel use to rise by about 60%+, maintains 15 billion gallons of conventional biofuel, and includes 70% partial reallocation of 2023–2025 exempted volumes, projecting over $10 billion in rural benefits and more than 100,000 new jobs while reducing foreign oil dependence by roughly 300,000 barrels per day over 2026–2027; starting 2028, foreign fuels will receive half the RFS credit to favor American-made fuels.
The EPA will temporarily permit broader summer use of the higher-ethanol E15 blend to try to ease rising pump prices amid disruptions tied to the Iran war. Supporters say the move could lower costs and aid biofuel producers, while critics warn it may not be widely useful due to infrastructure and vehicle compatibility limits, could raise air-quality concerns, and may only shift costs within the economy rather than deliver clear price relief.
Amid escalating US-China tensions, President Trump is considering banning Chinese cooking oil imports, particularly used cooking oil (UCO), as part of broader trade retaliations linked to China's refusal to buy US soybeans. While such a ban would likely be symbolic due to the relatively small economic impact, it highlights ongoing disputes over biofuel feedstocks, domestic production challenges, and trade strategies, with implications for both US and Chinese markets.
Researchers at the University of Washington's Institute for Protein Design are using AI models to build synthetic proteins, aiming to make biofuel production more efficient and cost-effective by potentially replacing traditional crop-based methods.
Brazil's government has approved increasing biofuel blends in gasoline and diesel, with ethanol rising to 30% and biodiesel to 15%, making the country gasoline self-sufficient for the first time in 15 years, boosting energy security and decarbonization efforts.
The US EPA has proposed increasing biofuel blending volumes through 2027, supporting the biofuels industry with higher mandates for biomass-based diesel and overall biofuel use, amidst industry support and concerns from oil refiners about market capacity and costs.
The Trump administration's EPA proposes increasing biofuel blending quotas for 2026, aiming to boost domestic biofuel production and reduce imports, with a focus on supporting American farmers and renewable energy industries, while also considering changes to compliance credit values and exemptions for small refineries.
Toyota, along with Subaru and Mazda, is developing new compact 1.5L and 2.0L internal combustion engines that are adaptable to various carbon-neutral fuels like e-fuel, biofuels, and liquid hydrogen. These engines are designed to be smaller, lighter, and more efficient, aiming to meet stricter emissions standards and integrate seamlessly with electric drive units. This initiative reflects Toyota's strategy to maintain a diverse range of powertrain options, including hybrids, as the automotive industry moves towards tougher emission norms and carbon neutrality.
Richard Palmer's Global Clean Energy Holdings acquired an aging California refinery to process camelina, a plant with oil-rich seeds, for biofuel production. ExxonMobil invested $150 million in the venture but later sued GCEH, alleging mismanagement and contract breaches. GCEH denies the allegations and plans to make the refinery operational by midyear, initially producing 9,000 barrels per day. The company aims to use camelina as a low-carbon feedstock and has faced challenges in securing sufficient supply. The lawsuit's outcome could have significant implications for GCEH and its stakeholders, including ExxonMobil.
Scientists have developed a new imaging method to study the symbiotic relationship between leafcutter ants and a fungus that degrades plant material, revealing important insights into the molecular intricacies of this process. The research provides valuable information for future biofuels and bioproducts development, shedding light on how a specialized microbial community composed of fungus, leafcutter ants, and bacteria naturally degrades plants. The team's findings, published in Nature Chemical Biology, offer a deeper understanding of the complex environmental systems involved and could lead to more efficient methods for breaking down plant materials for various applications.
Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have engineered bacteria that can simultaneously produce two valuable chemical products from underutilized plant fiber. The bacteria, called Novosphingobium aromaticivorans, can digest lignin, a challenging component of plant cell walls, and genetically modified strains have been developed to produce plastics and carotenoids. The discovery could contribute to more sustainable and commercially viable biofuel production, as well as the extraction of high-value products from renewable biomass. The researchers aim to further enhance the strains' capabilities and explore the potential for creating other microbial chassis that can produce multiple products.
Virgin Atlantic has conducted the first transatlantic flight powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), using a blend of 88% waste fats and 12% Synthetic Aromatic Kerosene made from plant sugars. While other airlines have used SAF on shorter journeys and in lower blends, this flight aims to demonstrate the viability of greener air travel. SAF, derived from non-fossil sources, has lower lifecycle emissions compared to regular petroleum-based fuel. However, challenges such as supply shortages, higher costs, and concerns over sustainability remain. The industry aims to reach 10% SAF use for global jet aviation fuel supply by 2030.