This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. With recent high energy prices, the passage of major energy legislation in 2005 and 2007, and the passage of a new farm bill in 2008, there is congressional interest in promoting alternatives to petroleum fuels. Biofuels -- transportation fuels produced from plants and other organic materials -- are of particular interest. Ethanol and biodiesel, the two most widely used biofuels, receive significant gov¿t. support under fed. law in the form of mandated fuel use, tax incentives, loan and grant programs, and certain regulatory requirements. This report outlines fed. programs that provide direct or indirect incentives for biofuels. For each program described, the report provides details incl.: administering agency, authorizing statute(s), annual funding, and expiration date. Illus.

With recent high energy prices and the passage of major energy legislation in 2005 (P.L. 109-58), there is ongoing congressional interest in promoting alternatives to petroleum fuels. Biofuels -- transportation fuels produced from plants and other organic materials -- are of particular interest. Ethanol and biodiesel, the two most widely used biofuels, receive significant government support under this law in the form of mandated fuel use, tax incentives, loan and grant programs, and certain regulatory requirements. The 17 programs and provisions listed in this report have been established over the past 27 years, and are administered by five separate agencies and departments: Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Internal Revenue Service, and Customs and Border Protection. These programs target a variety of beneficiaries, including farmers and rural small businesses, biofuel producers, petroleum suppliers, and fuel marketers. Arguably, the most significant federal programs for biofuels have been tax credits for the production or sale of ethanol and biodiesel. However, with the establishment of the renewable fuels standard (RFS) under P.L. 109-58, Congress has mandated biofuels use. In the long term, this mandate may prove even more significant than tax incentives in promoting the use of these fuels. This report outlines federal programs that provide direct or indirect incentives for biofuels. For each program described, the report provides details including administering agency, authorizing statute(s), annual funding, and expiration date. The Appendix provides summary information in a table format. This report supersedes CRS Report RL33572, Biofuels Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs.

The fed. gov¿t. supports the use of biofuels -- transportation fuels produced from renewable plant matter, such as corn -- in the pursuit of energy, environ., and agr. policy goals. Tax credits (TC) encourage the prod¿n. and sale of biofuels in the U.S., lowering the costs of producing biofuels, such as ethanol or biodiesel, relative to the costs of producing their substitutes -- gasoline and diesel fuel. Fed. mandates require the use of specified minimum amounts and types of biofuel. This study assesses the incentives provided by the TC for producing different types of biofuels and analyzes whether they favor one type of biofuel over others. Estimates the cost to consumers of reducing the use of petroleum fuels and emissions of greenhouse gases through those TC. Illus.

A wide array of federal incentives support the development and deployment of alternatives to conventional fuels and engines in transportation. These incentives include tax deductions and credits for vehicle purchases and the installation of refueling systems, federal grants for conversion of older vehicles to newer technologies, mandates for the use of biofuels, and incentives for manufacturers to produce alternative fuel vehicles. The current array of incentives for alternative fuels and related technologies do not reflect a single, comprehensive strategy, but rather an aggregative approach to a range of discreet public policy issues, including goals of reducing petroleum consumption and import dependence, improving environmental quality, expanding domestic manufacturing, and promoting agriculture and rural development. Current federal programs are administered by five key agencies: Department of the Treasury, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The incentives and programs described in this report are organized by the responsible agency. Treasury (through the Internal Revenue Service, IRS) administers tax credits and deductions for alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle purchases, expansion of alternative fuel refueling infrastructure, and incentives for the production and/or distribution of alternative fuels. Many of these incentives have expired in recent years and may or may not be reinstated. DOE (mainly through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, EERE) administers research and development (R&D) programs for advanced fuels and transportation technology, grant programs to deploy alternative fuels and vehicles, and a loan program to promote domestic manufacturing of high efficiency vehicles. DOT (mainly through the Federal Highway Administration, FHWA, and Federal Transit Administration, FTA) administers grant programs to deploy “clean fuel” buses and other alternative fuel vehicles. DOT (through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA) also administers federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which include incentives for production of alternative fuel vehicles. EPA (mainly through the Office of Transportation and Air Quality, OTAQ) administers the Renewable Fuel Standard, which mandates the use of biofuels in transportation. EPA also administers grant programs to replace older diesel engines with newer technology. USDA (mainly through the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, RBS) administers grant, loan, and loan guarantee programs to expand agricultural production of biofuel feedstocks, conduct R&D on biofuels and bioenergy, and establish and expand facilities to produce biofuels, bioenergy, and bioproducts.