Biofuels Policy and Legislation
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Energy Policy Act of 2005
On July 29, 2005, Congress passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (PDF), and President George W. Bush signed it into law on August 8, 2005. The $14-billion national energy plan includes provisions that promote energy efficiency and conservation, modernize the domestic energy infrastructure, and provide incentives for both traditional energy sources and renewable alternatives.
Several important sections of the Energy Policy Act relating to biofuels and biobased products are summarized below. Additional sections that promote the use of biofuels and bioproducts, describe more specialized biofuels studies, and provide funds to cover loan guarantees associated with demonstrating the feasibility of producing certain biofuels can be found in Title II (Renewable Energy), Title IX (Research and Development), and Title XV (Ethanol and Motor Fuels) of this Act.
Section 932. Bioenergy Program. Authorizes the Department of Energy's biomass and bioproducts programs to partner with industrial and academic institutions to advance the development of biofuels, bioproducts, and biorefineries. Goals include using biotechnology and other advanced processes to make biofuels from lignocellulosic feedstocks cost-competitive with gasoline and diesel, increasing production of bioproducts that reduce the use of fossil fuels in manufacturing facilities, and demonstrating the commercial application of integrated biorefineries that use a wide variety of lignocellulosic feedstocks to produce liquid transportation fuels, high-value chemicals, electricity, and useful heat.
Section 941. Amendments to the Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000. This section amends and updates wording in the Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000. One important amendment introduces four new technical areas for R&D activities: (1) develop crops and systems that improve feedstock production and processing, (2) convert recalcitrant cellulosic biomass into intermediates that can be used to produce biobased fuels and products, (3) develop technologies that yield a wide range of biobased products that increase the feasibility of fuel production in a biorefinery, and (4) analyze biomass technologies for their impact on sustainability and environmental quality, security, and rural economic development.
Section 942. Production Incentives for Cellulosic Biofuels. This section authorizes the establishment of incentives to ensure that annual production of one billion gallons of cellulosic biofuels is achieved by 2015.
Section 977. Systems Biology Program. This section promotes the establishment of a research program (the Genomics:GTL program) focusing on microbial and plant systems biology, protein science, and computational biology to support DOE energy, national security, and environmental missions. Funds will be available for projects to plan, construct, or operate special instrumentation or facilities for researchers in systems biology and proteomics and associated biological disciplines.
Section 1501. Renewable Content of Gasoline (Renewable Fuels Standard). This section establishes a program requiring gasoline sold in the United States to be mixed with increasing amounts of renewable fuel (usually ethanol) on an annual average basis. In 2006, 4 billion gallons of renewable fuels are to be mixed with gasoline, and this requirement increases annually to 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2012. For 2013 and beyond, the required volume of renewable fuel will include a minimum of 250 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol.
See Also: On the Road to Energy Security: Implementing a Comprehensive Energy Strategy. A Status Report. A one-year retrospective DOE Report detailing efforts that have been undertaken since the passage of EPAct. [Report, Press Release (08/08/06)]
The 2002 Farm Bill
Title IX of the 2002 Farm Bill (PDF) establishes new programs and grants that support increased use of biofuels and biobased products, advance biorefinery development, and reauthorize the bioenergy program. A summary of key provisions is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Biomass R&D Act of 2000 (as revised by Energy Policy Act of 2005)
The Biomass R&D Act directed the departments of Energy and Agriculture to integrate their biomass R&D and established the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee (BTAC), which advises the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Agriculture on strategic planning for biomass R&D.
Related Links
- Ethanol From Biomass: How to Get to a Biofuels Future. Recommendations from the Governors' Ethanol Coalition (Dec. 2006)
- Advanced Energy Initiative (PDF). National Economic Council
- Federal Biomass Policy. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Biomass Program
- Renewable Fuels Standard, Overview of the EPA of 2005 from the Renewable Fuels Association
- 2005 Year in Review, U.S. Biomass Energy Policy. Renewable Energy Access
- Renewable Legislation and Incentives. Energy Information Administration
- Biomass Research and Development Initiative. Initiative established by Biomass R&D Act of 2000 and jointly supported by the departments of Energy and Agriculture.
