Bioenergy Policies.ppt

Bioenergy Policies Chad Hart Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Iowa State University E-mail: chart@iastate.edu June 23, 2008 International Visitor Leadership Program Iowa State University Ames, Iowa Renewable Fuels Standard Cellulosic Biofuel Waiver Provisions EPA (in consultation with DOE and USDA) can reduce the cellulosic biofuel mandated volume Waiver trigger based on EIA projections EPA will also sell cellulosic biofuel credits Price set at Max($0.25 per gallon, $3.00 – Average wholesale gasoline price per gallon) Components of 2007 Energy Act Up to $500 million per year in grants for the production of advanced biofuels (with at least an 80% reduction in GHG emissions relative to current fuels) Up to $25 million per year in grants for RD for biofuel production in states with low rates of biofuel production Energy in the Farm Bill Grants for the development and construction of advanced biofuel biorefineries, up to 30% of the cost of the project Loans for the same, up to $250 million or 80% of the cost per project Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels Payments to support advanced biofuel production Payment structure to be determined by USDA Not more than 5% of the funds can be directed to biorefineries with production capacities above 150 million gallons per year Biomass Crop Assistance Program To support production of crops for bioenergy and assist with collection, harvest, storage, and transportation of biomass to conversion facilities Excluded materials Farm program crops, animal byproducts, food waste, yard waste, algae Biomass Crop Assistance Program Requires producers and conversion facilities to submit proposal establishing a project area Establishes contracts between USDA, producers, and facilities to promote project Sets up establishment payments for perennial crops and annual payment to biomass producers Biomass Crop Assistance Program Payments are also authorized for biomass collection, harvest, storage, and transportation Ma