Press Release
May 16, 2024

The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) today released a new brief outlining policy recommendations and community insights on low-carbon fuels following a regional roundtable held in Minnesota in the fall. The meeting convened more than 35 stakeholders for a discussion in Minneapolis to explore the economic opportunity of expanding low-carbon fuels production and deployment in Minnesota.

As major airlines and other potential buyers seek increased access to low-carbon fuels to remove climate emissions from their supply chains, funds provided by the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act present new economic opportunities for communities to participate in the low-carbon transition.

A current leader on biofuel production and the first state to launch a sustainable aviation fuel hub, Minnesota is poised to spur the utilization of low-carbon fuels across the transportation sector. The state passed a SAF tax credit last year and is considering a clean transportation standard that would encourage greater proliferation of electric vehicles and low-carbon fuels.

In addition to exploring specific opportunities for the state to grow its share of the evolving biofuels market, the discussion centered on the environmental, community, and workforce impacts of producing fuel feedstocks, building supporting infrastructure, and deploying low-carbon fuels across ground transportation and aviation.

Several policy recommendations emerged from the discussion, including:

• Congress should extend the duration of production tax credits for low-carbon fuel to a minimum period of ten total years to support certainty among investors
• Minnesota policymakers should establish a multi-agency task group to examine comprehensive permitting reform for low-carbon fuel production to reduce permitting timelines in the state
• Congress should establish a national clean fuel standard for the transportation sector consistent with achieving net-zero emissions by midcentury.

• Congress should establish a funding program through DOE and EPA that facilitates engagement between low-carbon fuel infrastructure developers and communities, including environmental justice groups, tribal communities, and farmers.
• Congress should expand Department of Education resources for career and technical education that can support recent graduates and mid-career workers in skilled trades to acquire expertise relevant to the clean energy industry.

The regional roundtables bring together local, state, and federal policymakers; businesses of all sizes; community organizations and nonprofits; academics and issue experts; trade associations; investors; philanthropy; economic development organizations; and others.

Learn more about the key takeaways in our recent blog post, and read the full policy brief here.

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About C2ES: The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) works to secure a safe and stable climate, by accelerating the global transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and a thriving, just, and resilient economy. Learn more at www.c2es.org