A report released by the National Academy of Sciences states: The Renewable Fuel Standard, which mandates that 35-billion gallons of ethanol-equivalent biofuels and 1-billion gallons of biomass-based diesel be consumed in the United states by 2022, is not likely to be met. The report continues: even if RFS is to be achieved, it may not be effective in addressing global greenhouse-gas emissions because the extent of emissions reductions depends to a great degree on how the biofuels are produced and what land-use or land-cove changes occur in the process.
But, the Advanced Ethanol Council disagrees. AEC Executive Director Brooke Coleman says - it is discouraging to see the National Research Council miss an opportunity to cast the RFS in the proper light. Congress was seeking a sober analysis of the RFS, and regrettably, this is not it. According to Coleman, - the most glaring problem is the Council analyzed the ongoing development of the biofuels industry in a vacuum which comes at great economic and environmental cost to the consumer.
Meanwhile, the Renewable Fuels Association cautions this report should be interpreted with extreme caution. RFA Vice President Geoff Cooper says - global demand for energy continues to escalate, yet this report chooses to focus on the perceived shortcomings of conventional and next-generation biofuels. While today’s report does recognize some of the improvements in biofuels production, it also rehashes many of the well-worn criticisms that have been discredited time and again. |