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Canadian, U.S. Biofuel Leaders Support Collaboration

The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association and the U.S. Renewable Fuels Association sent a letter Tuesday to leaders in both governments praising the United States - Canada Clean Energy Dialogue Action Plan II released in Rio de Janeiro on June 21.  The Action Plan focuses on developing clean energy technologies, including biofuels, that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster collaboration between countries.

"On behalf of the biofuels industry in both the United States and Canada, we commend you for continuing the vital partnership between our nations in developing and deploying clean energy technologies," wrote CRFA President W. Scott Thurlow and RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen.  "These technologies will be critical in solving the energy and environmental challenges of the future while creating exciting new career opportunities for hundreds of thousands of our citizens."

"As you are well aware, no clean energy technology has had more of an impact in helping reduce oil dependence, improve environmental conditions, and create jobs than the growth of biofuel production," the leaders wrote.  "All told, the production of over 15 billion gallons of renewable fuel in North America is directly responsible for more than 100,000 jobs, hundreds of millions of barrels of oil displacement, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector."

The groups also noted that simple actions taken by each nation in conjunction with the other would speed the use of higher level ethanol and other biofuel blends and bring new technologies to the market.

"Simple actions, such as more collaboration between our nations' fuel standards bodies, ASTM and CGSB, to approve higher ethanol and renewable fuel blends for public use more rapidly and the adoption of sound, scientifically-justified greenhouse gas accounting would dramatically improve the prospects for more immediate growth and innovation in clean energy production," Thurlow and Dinneen wrote. 

"Likewise, continued support for stable and forward-looking public policy encouraging the production and use of renewable fuels will be critical as these new technologies emerge. All of these actions are consistent with the pledge by Prime Minister Harper and President Obama to pursue regulatory integration where it is appropriate and will effectively safeguard the environment and health of our citizens."

The leaders concluded, "As representatives of our nations' biofuel industry, we commend you for your leadership on these important issues. We also make available any and all resources we have at our disposal to assist in helping make the Action Plan II a success.  To that end, we hope you will consider including both the Renewable Fuels Association and the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association in the working group on these issues, and particularly the working group studying the swift adoption of advanced biofuels.  The expertise and experience of the members and staffs of our associations are unparalleled and would add valuable insight into this important and ongoing effort."