Incentives could turn costs of biofuel mandates into environmental benefits
Researchers examined the economic and environmental costs of the Renewable Fuels Standard mandates through 2030, including the impact on water quality in the Mississippi River basin and Gulf of Mexico. Models showed maintaining the corn ethanol mandate will lead to substantial social and environmental costs because it incentivizes expanded corn production. But the cellulosic ethanol mandate can provide an overall benefit with the right performance-based policies. …read more