Davis / 6 Senator Ghodrati

S.R._____

A BILL
To include algae-based ethanol into the advanced biofuel section of the Renewable Fuel Standard program.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
This act may be cited as the Ethanol Biofuel Act of 2015.
SECTION 2. FINDINGS
Congress hereby finds and declares that,
1) Ethanol has a higher octane rating than the highest grade gasoline available for street use.
2) The number one most used biofuel in the world is ethanol.
3) Using ethanol as a fuel source reduces engine knock, an occurrence where fuel ignites too early in the piston,
and can be run at a higher compression ratio to produce more power.
4) The corporation Algenol can create ethanol from algae that reduces carbon emissions from a gasoline car by
over 60 percent.
5) Since ethanol is produced from plant matter, it removes CO2 from the atmosphere when it is grown.
6) Algae can be grown in salt water and release freshwater as a byproduct.
7) Using ethanol reduces CO2 emissions from your car and reduces global warming.
8) When Algae is harvested the lipids in its oil are used to make biodiesel while the remaining carbohydrates are
used as a biomass that is fermented into ethanol.
9) About 67 percent of the electricity generated in the United States during 2014 was from fossil fuels.
10) The EPA gives a 1.56 dollars per gallon to private producers of cellulosic ethanol.
11) Corn biomass ethanol production results in around 400 gallons of fuel per acre.
12) Algenol achieved 9,000 gallons of fuel per acre of their algae.
13) the advanced biofuel category is currently comprised of two sub-categories: cellulosic biofuel and biomassbased diesel.
14) The RFS program was authorized under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and expanded under the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007.
15) The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is a requirement that a certain percentage of petroleum transportation
fuels be displaced by renewable fuels.
16) The RFS is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 138 million metric tons in 2022; this is
equivalent to taking about 27 million vehicles off the road.
SECTION 3. STATUTORY LANGUAGE
A) This Bill shall amend the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to include algae-based biofuels with its advanced
biofuel mandate. The RFS explicitly states that twenty one billion gallons of advanced biofuel be either used
directly as fuel or as a minority percentage in a mixture of it and gasoline in the year 2022. Algae based biofuels
shall account for eleven billion gallons and be given parity to other advanced biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol.
Algae biofuels are defined as liquid fuel produced from the biomass of non vascular aquatic plants (algae). The
requirements for a cellulosic biofuel will be altered to include algae based biofuels so they are given the same tax
credit.
B)The EPA will then yield full control through the RFS program. Funding for the advanced biofuels sector will
remain the same since algae-based biofuel production are replacing other fuels, rather than adding on.
C) Henceforth each gallon of algae-based biofuel grown by a taxpayer will be given a 1.56 dollar credit. Failure
to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard requirement shall result in fines that are already existent in RFS. The
incentives will remain as long as the RFS program is in operation.
D) This bill shall go into effect starting January 1, 2016 and shall continue until the Renewable Fuel Standard is
expired.

Ethanol is a renewable biofuel with similar properties to gasoline and is the most common biofuel in
the world. The current main mode of its production is from fermenting corn, but harvesting algae is another
innovative and efficient method. The EPAs Renewable Fuel Program calls for an annual increase of biofuel
use in the United States and includes incentives for private sector ethanol producers, but it does not include
the most promising algae-based biofuels. Algae-based ethanol shall be used to fill the majority share of the
advanced biofuels portion of the Renewable Fuel Source (RFS) program because increased use of biofuel,
namely ethanol, is a necessity in the current climate of the energy sector, algae-based biofuel technology is

superior to all other biofuel sources, and it deserves parity with the other forms of ethanol regarding the tax
breaks and incentives given to private producers.
An increase in the use of ethanol biofuel is the best substitute for gasoline since it can be used in
similar engines, work more efficiently, and improves the emissions of our vehicles. Small engines tuned to
run ethanol fuel (E85) can create more horsepower than a large inefficient gasoline engine. Ethanol is also a
more environmentally conscious choice that decreases tailpipe emissions of CO2 and harmful toxins such as
benzene. E85 cars are superior to electric cars because while their tailpipe emissions might be zero, 67% of
Americas electricity comes from fossil fuels so electric cars are powered by nonrenewable resources.
Algae-based ethanol should be the primary form of ethanol production since it actually creates two fuel
types, requires the least land, and improves the environment. When algae is grown the lipids in its oil are
used to make biodiesel while the remaining carbohydrates are used as a biomass that is fermented into
ethanol giving you two different fuels from one crop.
A private company growing algae-based ethanol has achieved 9,000 gallons per acre per year, while the
current, main method of corn biomass creates 400. The algae can be grown in land that is too poor for
agriculture as well. The production of Algae-based ethanol absorbs CO2 and emits oxygen and freshwater as
byproducts. Production of algae-based ethanol will create many jobs to meet the recent increase in job
demands for STEM graduates. Algae-based ethanol shows the most promising data and should be included
as an advanced biofuel.
The RFS program mandates that by the year 2022, there will be 22 billion gallons of advanced biofuels
mixed in with all fuel sold that year. The RFS currently neglects to include algae-based ethanol as part of the
advanced biofuel portion. The EPA gives a $1.56 tax credit to private producers of cellulosic ethanol but not
to algae-based producers. The definition of cellulosic biofuel under the Internal Revenue Code should be
modified to include algae based biofuels. Since algae-based ethanol has the most efficient production and
can be used to make two different fuels it should account for 11 of the 21 billion gallon RFS programs
requirement.
It is blatantly apparent that the United States needs to create renewable fuel sources, that algae-based
ethanol is the best biofuel option, and that it deserves to be included as an advanced biofuel in the RFS
program. The government needs to protect the environment and this is one simple step that can lead to
significant change in greenhouse gas emissions and ease America off of fossil fuels. The RFS program
needs to be amended to include algae-based ethanol as an advanced biofuel and focus on using algae as the
primary biomass for future biofuels.