The state of Massachusetts has banned any biofuel which is not made from waste feedstocks. This cuts out feedstocks like algae, cyanobacteria, jatropha, miscanthus and switchgrass. This means that basically all but restaurant oils are banned from producing oil.
The state Department of Energy Resources in coordination with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs announced that the Biofuels Mandate will begin July 1, 2010, and that mandated volumes would be waived in for the first year, however “Early Action Credit” will be provided for all gallons of qualified advanced biofuels, which will be applied to 2nd- year mandate obligations.
The DOER and MassDep will continue however to monitor Federal and Californian rules and protocols on non-waste feedstocks biofuels and will adopt such protocols as they become available.
The DOER went onto say that until further notice the Department will only accept applications for biofuels derived from feedstock which, as defined and provided in the statute, are exempt from a detailed greenhouse gas reduction analysis, provided a preliminary analysis based on both CARB and EPA methodologies indicate such waste feedstocks will yield the 50% greenhouse gas reduction threshold in the Massachusetts law.”
This is completely ridiculous. It makes no sense.
Algae consumes one of the most important of Greenhouse Gases (CO2), it actually sucks it up, why this decision, does anyone know the answer? Please click here to see the state order
Tony Piccolo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome-Italy
Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
