The Congressionally mandated RFS2 goal is to use at least 36 billion gallons of bio-based transportation fuels by 2022 that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the percentages specified under the RFS2.  Fifteen billion gallons can come from conventional biofuel sources such as corn ethanol.  EPA’s analysis projects that 15 billion gallons of conventional biofuels could come from current or planned production capacity of corn starch ethanol by 2022.

 

In 2009, the United States produced 10.75 billion gallons of ethanol, primarily as corn starch ethanol.  The expectation for 2010 is for the United States will produce approximately 12.0 billion gallons of ethanol.  According to the Renewable Fuel Association (RFA), there are currently 201 ethanol facilities with a capacity to produce 13.5 billion gallons (RFA, April 27,

2010).  In addition, there are facilities currently under construction that will add another 1.2 bg of capacity of corn starch ethanol.  As a result, the United States will soon have the installed capacity to produce up to the 15.0 billion gallons of corn-starch ethanol that is allowed by RFS2.

 

This means that we are already well on our way to meeting the 36 billion gallon goal.  See Appendix A for a state by state breakdown of the current state of ethanol production in the United States.

 

 

Of the remaining 21 billion gallons of advanced biofuels needed to achieve the total 36 billion gallon goal, 16 billion gallons is required to come from advanced cellulosic biofuels (fuels made from cellulosic feedstocks that also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60 percent relative to gasoline).  The contribution of biomass-based diesel to the 21 billion gallons goal can be no less than 1 billion gallons and will be determined at a later date by rulemaking.  An additional 4 billion gallons of advanced biofuels (defined by the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent) by 2022 is also mandated by EISA. .

 

Biodiesel One Billion. The U.S biofuels industry is on track to produce 1 billion gallons of biodiesel by 2022.  In 2009, the United States already produced 550 million gallons of biodiesel. There are presently 173 plants and nearly as many companies that have invested millions of dollars into the development of biodiesel manufacturing plants and are actively marketing biodiesel. Twenty-nine companies have reported that they have plants currently under construction and are scheduled to be completed within the next 12-18 months. Their combined capacity, if realized, would result in another 427.8 million gallons per year of biodiesel production.

 

The remaining 20-bg challenge:  cellulosic and other advanced biofuels.  USDA is working to establish a sustainable biofuels economy to help meet the 20-billion gallons of advanced biofuels challenge.  The intention is to develop strategic partnerships with the private sector.  By so doing, we expect to expedite the development and deployment of research, development and demonstration projects, facilitate the siting of biorefineries through loan guarantees and other existing programs, and identify potential barriers to meeting transportation and distribution needs for an advanced biofuels industry.  The analysis presented below presents one scenario by which the RFS targets could be met.  It is based on a USDA analysis of regional feedstock availability and other factors.  This analysis is based on converting agricultural and forestry feedstocks to ethanol; however, these feedstocks could be converted to other potential fuels such as methanol biobutanol, green gasoline, and jet fuel (i.e. JP-8.)

 

We translated the file about The Role of Corn Starch Ethanol from English into Chinese.

 

国会要求达到的可再生燃料标准第二阶段强制性目标，是到2022年使生物基交通运输燃料的用量至少达到360亿加仑，从而按照可再生燃料标准第二阶段指定的百分比来减少温室气体排量。其中的150亿加仑燃料可以从常规生物燃料来源（比如玉米乙醇）中生产。美国环境保护署的分析预计，到2022年，当前或规划的玉米淀粉乙醇生产能力可以提供150亿加仑的常规生物燃料。

 

2009年，美国生产了107.5亿加仑的乙醇，其中主要部分都是玉米淀粉乙醇。2010年美国乙醇产量的预期是大约120亿加仑。根据可再生燃料协会（Renewable Fuel Association, RFA）的资料，美国当前有201家乙醇生产厂家，生产能力达到135亿加仑（见2010年4月27日可再生燃料协会的资料）。此外，美国当前还有在建的乙醇生产厂，它们将另外增加12亿加仑的玉米淀粉乙醇生产能力。因而，美国很快就会拥有实际能力来生产可再生燃料标准第二阶段所允许的150亿加仑玉米淀粉乙醇。

 

这意味着，在完成360亿加仑可再生燃料的目标方面，我们的行动已经开始。至于美国当前乙醇产量的各州细分数据，参见附录A。

 

 

在规定的360亿加仑可再生燃料目标中，还余下210亿加仑先进生物燃料，按照要求，其中的160亿加仑必须是先进纤维素生物燃料，也就是从纤维素原料中生产的燃料，相对于汽油，这种燃料也能降低至少60％的温室气体排量。在这210亿加仑目标中，生物基柴油将不少于10亿加仑，具体数字将在以后通过订立规则来做出规定。《能源独立与安全法》还规定，到2022年必须再增加40亿先进生物燃料（规定为至少50％的温室气体减排量）。

 

十亿加仑生物柴油。美国生物燃料行业正在为到2022年生产10亿加仑生物柴油而努力。2009年，美国已经生产了5.5亿加仑的生物柴油。当前美国拥有173家生物柴油生产厂家，另外还有数量差不多的美国公司投资了数百万美元来开发生物柴油生产厂，而且它们都在积极地进行生物柴油的营销工作。有二十一家公司报告说它们当前有在建的生物柴油生产工厂，这些工厂计划在今后的12到18个月内建成。如果这些工厂建成，那就能够每年再增加4.278亿加仑的生物柴油产量。

 

余下的200亿加仑的挑战：纤维素生物燃料和其它先进生物燃料。美国农业部正在致力于确立起可持续的生物燃料经济，以帮助解决生产200亿加仑先进生物燃料的挑战。美国农业部的打算，是建立与私营部门的战略合作关系。我们希望藉此推动研究、开发与验证项目的拟订与部署，并通过贷款担保和其它现存计划来促进生物精炼厂家的定址，同时查找出在满足先进生物燃料行业的交通运输需求和分配需求方面潜在的障碍。下文的分析将提出能够达到可再生燃料标准规定目标的一种设想情境，它以美国农业部对地区原料可用性及其它要素的分析作为依据。这种分析的基础，是将农业和林业的原料转化为乙醇，不过这些原料也可以转化为其它有潜力的燃料，比如甲醇、丁醇、绿色汽油和喷气燃料（亦即JP－8）。

 

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