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NBB resources to launch its largest-ever initiative to date. NBB’s goal was to achieve a workable and successful RFS2, which would work for biodiesel in ways the RFS1 did not. This led to the creation of the advanced biofuel category with the carve-out for biomass-based diesel. After a huge, sustained effort, we achieved this goal with bipartisan support leading to President Bush’s signing of the Energy Independence and Security Act in December of 2007. It took two years for the preliminary rule to be issued. The preliminary rule would have disqualified approximately 70 percent of the available feedstock for biodiesel based on life-cycle carbon numbers that utilized flawed indirect land use change (ILUC) models. NBB had recently launched its sustainability program, which invested in sound science to improve ILUC modeling and fill data gaps. This effort was effective and a workable final rule came out in 2010. 2011 saw a transition for the industry, where the RFS2 demonstrated its effectiveness as a stabilizing energy policy, catapulting the biodiesel industry above a billion gallons for the first time. The
program continued to demonstrate success in 2012, and is on track to exceed 2011 volumes. RFS2 has become, by far, the policy cornerstone and biggest driving force for the industry. The future is exciting for biodiesel. Energy policy will continue to be important for the near- and medium-term. But that energy policy will continue to stimulate growth and innovation in areas hardly imagined today. Our nation’s energy picture absolutely must change to a more diversified and domestic portfolio of energy options. The U.S. biodiesel industry has demonstrated that it is one of the most resilient industries ever. Now we are larger, stronger, and more diverse. We are battle-tested, seasoned and salty. We know adversity. We eat it for breakfast. Then we eat it again for second breakfast, elevensies, lunch, tea, dinner... we ain’t just fresh out of the Shire. We can handle adversity and we will. Twenty years from now, I predict that we will have prevailed in doing our part to diversify the fuel pool and will have proven that we were the ones on the right side of history. Joe Jobe, CEO, National Biodiesel Board
Biodiesel champion Byron Dorgan to give keynote address at National Biodiesel Conference A former U.S. senator widely recognized as a national leader and expert in energy and agriculture issues will give the keynote address at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo Feb. 4-7. First elected to Congress in 1980, former Sen. Byron Dorgan represented his home state of North Dakota for 30 years in Washington, first for 12 years in the U.S. House and then for 18 years in the U.S. Senate. After retiring, he became a senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center, where he recently joined former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott to launch and chair the center’s Strategic Energy Policy Initiative. As a House member and in the Senate, Dorgan was a champion for biodiesel and other renewable fuels. He repeatedly sponsored legislation to create renewable fuels requirements for U.S. fuel supplies and strongly advocated the biodiesel tax incentive. He also was an advocate for renewable energy programs in the Farm Bill.
“During his career in public office, Sen. Dorgan consistently championed renewable energy and energy independence, promoted the economic needs of rural America, and fought for sound economic policies,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “Sen. Dorgan continues to be a thought leader in Washington, D.C., and is highly engaged in energy policy development. We’re thrilled that he will join us at our conference to share his insights as we lay a course for the next 20 years.” Dorgan was a senior senator on the Appropriations, Energy and Commerce Committees in the Senate. He currently serves as co-chairman of the government relations practice Arent Fox. Also, it is never too early to save the date for the 2014 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo set for Jan. 20-23 in San Diego.
JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2013
BIODIESEL MAGAZINE
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