Here's some uplifting news for corn-based ethanol enthusiasts. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is putting its weight behind ensuring that aviation fuel made from this source doesn’t miss out on hefty subsidies. At a biofuels-focused conference, Tom Vilsack shared that the USDA would invest as much as $400,000 to refine a particular greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions model.
This step is all about making sure that various feedstocks, especially ethanol, are in line to benefit from these subsidies to soothe the biofuel industry's nerves. They've been worried about not getting a slice of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) pie. This SAF market, which has the backing of both airlines and the administration, could be a game-changer in slashing transportation emissions.
Digging a bit deeper, there’s the Inflation Reduction Act from the previous year to consider. This Act waves the carrot of lucrative tax credits in front of SAF producers. But there's a challenge – these producers must showcase that their fuel is half as polluting as regular gasoline.
There's a small problem. People can't agree on which model to use to measure the emissions. While the biofuels camp roots for the GREET model, some environmentalists are skeptical. They believe this model might downplay the emissions from biofuel farming.