Ernst Secures GREET Model for Iowa's Biofuel Industry

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has long worked to ensure that America’s domestic energy production is driven by the U.S. Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technologies (GREET) model rather than on the current international model dictated by foreign countries like China and Russia.

Following Ernst’s continued advocacy, today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) announced that it will allow the GREET model as an eligible methodology when calculating sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) credits. Most of the SAF comes from biofuel, or biomass-derived fuels, using renewable feedstocks. The United States is one of the top producers of SAF and utilizes Iowa crops to produce homegrown biofuel. SAF also allows the U.S. to decrease our reliance on foreign oil from our adversaries and replace them with clean, American-made renewable fuels, bolstering our national security.

“GREET is great, and I’m glad that Treasury is finally realizing it,” said Senator Ernst. “By ensuring our farmers and producers are rewarded for their clean practices, GREET creates a market-driven approach to sustainability that is better for our national security and our environment. I will continue holding the Biden administration’s feet to the fire to ensure that any GREET updates are based on sound science. ”

Background

In June, Ernst called on the Treasury to adopt the GREET model. Ernst also supports the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Accuracy Act of 2023, bipartisan legislation to prevent the federal government from penalizing the agriculture sector and biofuel producers from participating in the SAF market by using the GREET model to assess production practices.

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