WASHINGTON D.C.—Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, welcomed industry leaders from across the U.S. to Washington, D.C. this week for the 15th annual Growth Energy Biofuels Summit (GEBS). The summit kicked off today and will continue through Thursday.
GEBS is the premier advocacy event for advancing biofuels policies and securing America’s energy future. This year, attendees will participate in more than 100 meetings on Capitol Hill, giving lawmakers and rural champions the information and support they need to drive change and progress in the bioeconomy. The event program also features a lineup of influential guest speakers, including keynotes from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and other sessions featuring government officials and energy industry leaders:
- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will provide insights into the Administration’s vision for biofuels in its broader decarbonization strategy.
- EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor will engage in a conversation about the successes and challenges facing the biofuel industry today.
- Ernest Moniz, 13th U.S. Secretary of Energy and CEO and founder of Energy Futures Initiative Foundation (EFIF), will preview the latest research on exciting opportunities to further decarbonize bioethanol.
“You aren’t just representatives of a crucial sector,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor in her welcoming remarks to the biofuels summit this morning. “You are ambassadors for the future that our nation deserves … Because what’s good for biofuels, producers, and the entire bioeconomy is good for working families on a budget; good for energy security and independence; good for environmental stewardship and decarbonization; and good for economic development in communities that need it most.”
In her keynote, Skor focused on policy priorities that deliver on values shared across the political spectrum. Those include finalizing timely and accurate guidance for the 45Z tax credit, setting Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) that align with current market conditions, and securing a permanent, year-round solution for E15 access nationwide.
On driving investment in America’s rural communities:
“If growers and producers can count on RFS requirements that are timely, ambitious, and reliable, that economic stability ripples out into entire communities … RFS, SREs, carbon capture: These aren’t wish list items to help an industry. It’s a platform to secure and strengthen the rural economy.”
On giving American consumers greater choice and lower prices:
“Inflation and the cost of living are dominating kitchen-table conversations around the country — and biomanufacturers deliver relief straight to Americans’ pocketbooks. Drivers across America deserve the freedom to maximize their savings at the pump. That means E15 access should be permanent, year-round, and nationwide. Period.”
On accelerating innovation in America’s bioeconomy:
“We are just scratching the surface of the new bioeconomy. We aren’t competing over scarcity. We’re unleashing abundance. We can’t let 21st-century innovation be held back by messy bureaucracy or special interests pushing inaccurate science.”
On securing American dominance in hard-to-electrify sectors:
“Air travel. Marine and freight transportation. These markets need different solutions … Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is key to decarbonizing the skies. Both Republicans and Democrats understand this. The United States can choose to lead or choose to follow.”
On unlocking foreign markets for American bioproducts:
“It won’t be enough to bolster our bioeconomy here at home if we lack access to global markets. America is home to the most innovative biomanufacturers in the world. We need to be proactively knocking down barriers and opening new opportunities for them to compete and win.”
Skor’s full biofuels summit speech, as prepared for delivery, is available here.