The group Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) launched a new website, Fuelinggrowth.org, as a way to disseminate information about renewable fuels. E2 members include a broad business base of clean energy and clean tech, finance, and real estate professionals. All of them are working to promote a message of “sound environmental policy that builds economic prosperity”.

To address some misunderstandings about clean energy, Fuelinggrowth.org highlights three basic questions: What are low-carbon fuels? Can we afford clean fuels? What are some policies that support clean fuels?

It is easy to answer the first question – low-carbon fuels are fuels produced in a sustainable way that produce less carbon emissions than fossil fuels. Biofuels should serve us by protecting our environment, reducing global warming pollution, and improving the economic welfare of rural communities. Certification systems such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) help buyers and sellers verify whether biofuels are produced in a sustainable way.

The other important question pertains to the economic impacts. By 2015, E2 estimates there will be about 26 new, advanced biorefineries that will create 1,500 permanent, 7,000 construction, and 9,900 indirect jobs. Also, E2 argues biofuels can contribute to reducing the impact on the trade deficit. It says, “Petroleum’s share of total U.S. trade deficit has risen from 27 percent in 2004 to about 50 percent in 2012.” E2 believes the biofuels industry can help reduce this imbalance.

“U.S. and Canadian biofuel production capacity increased from 437 million gallons annually in 2011 to more than 685 million gallons in 2012.” The site points out that policies like the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) of California and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), along with private capital and government investment, are driving this growth in biofuels which will lead to more jobs and economic prosperity.

ASP is committed to this issue. On January 28, ASP and the Washington Clean Technology Alliance (WCTA) co-hosted an event in Seattle, WA entitled “Clean Energy: The New Public Policy Reality.” ASP Fellow Andrew Holland and CEO B. Gen Cheney USMC (Ret.) attended the event which also highlighted the importance of biofuels and the importance of clean energy.

ASP’s White Paper on Biofuels and National Security demonstrates this belief in the power of renewable fuels. ASP has highlighted in the past the specific threat posed to our military by oil and how this can be mitigated by the military’s commitment to biofuels.

We believe Fuelinggrowth.org is an informative website that explains the biofuels industry to the public – its current state, projected growth, and how it is beneficial to Americans. Because of these security threats, it is important that we understand and continue to explore biofuels so that we are equipped to deal with an evolving energy landscape.

Share on Facebook

Tweet