USDA seeking input on new higher ethanol blend sales infrastructure incentive program
17 January 2020
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking public input to help with the creation of the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), a new program that will expand the availability of domestic ethanol and biodiesel by incentivizing the expansion of sales of renewable fuels.
The USDA is exploring options to expand domestic ethanol and biodiesel availability and is seeking information on opportunities to consider infrastructure projects to facilitate increased sales of higher biofuel blends (E15/B20 or higher.)
This effort will build on biofuels infrastructure investments and experience gained through the Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership (BIP). USDA administered BIP from 2016–2019 through state and private partners to expand the availability of E15 and E85 infrastructure to make available higher ethanol blends at retail gas stations around the country.
This new Request for Information (RFI) solicits information on options for fuel ethanol and biodiesel infrastructure, innovation, products, technology, and data derived from all HBIIP processes and/or science that drive economic growth, promote health, and increase public benefit.
Through this RFI, USDA seeks input from the public, including but not limited to: retail fueling stations, convenience stores, hypermarket fueling stations, fleet facilities, and similar entities with capital investments; equipment providers, equipment installers, certification entities and other stakeholder/manufacturers (both upstream and down); fuel distribution centers, including terminals and depots; and those performing innovative research, and/or developing enabling platforms and applications in manufacturing, energy production, and agriculture.
This RFI is intended to gather suggestions on areas of greatest priority within the HBIIP, as well as past or future Federal government efforts to build, promote, and sustain the sale and use of renewable fuels.
The public input provided in response to this RFI will inform USDA as well as private sector and other stakeholders with interest in and expertise relating to such a promotion.
On the one hand, current "biofuels" are so heavily dependent upon fossil inputs they're barely better than petroleum.
On the other hand, if we can get cellulosic liquids (ethanol, methanol, whatever) plus PHEVs we can come after petroleum from two sides.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 17 January 2020 at 06:18 AM
E-P,
What is your take on Nitroalcohols as alternative liquid fuels?
Ammonia is even mentioned in the Hydrogen Council as a possible Marine fuel. What about a blend? Ammonia dissolves in Methanol and there is even LMP-103S Rocket fuel that is a blend of ammonium dinitramide, ammonia, and methanol. Of course, economics is the real issue. Just wondering.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 17 January 2020 at 08:15 AM
My chemistry never got as far as nitroalcohols. This article I found on the subject looks very interesting but I'm having a hard time decyphering it.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 18 January 2020 at 07:24 AM
Thanks E-P,
My interest was related to aviation fuels which need to be liquid. Ammonia will work for Marine fuel like MAN Energy, et al are working on. The Ammonia based liquids work well for rockets (much safer than Hydrazine), just curious if they would be feasible as jet fuel.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 18 January 2020 at 08:15 AM
If the heat of combustion and density are both high enough, I don't see any reason they wouldn't. The issue I can see is the carbon, which has to be captured somehow if fossil carbon must be avoided. Ammonia avoids that issue.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 18 January 2020 at 09:35 AM