2 decades of success with RFS

Geoff Cooper
Aug 8
2 min read

Lower gas prices. More energy independence. Stronger farms. Cleaner air. What’s not to like?

These results are the proven outcomes of a groundbreaking bipartisan energy policy established 20 years ago, which continues to deliver benefits today.

Aug. 8 marks the 20th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard, and we’re proud of the Renewable Fuels Association’s long history of developing, supporting and resolutely defending this successful landmark policy.

Created to promote U.S. energy independence, the RFS requires transportation fuel sold in the U.S. to contain annually increasing volumes of renewable fuels like ethanol and biobased diesel.

The effects of this policy speak for themselves.

It has helped lower fuel prices for American families, reduced our dependence on foreign oil, revitalized farm economies and cut greenhouse-gas emissions and tailpipe pollution—all while building a domestic energy sector that is cleaner and more competitive, diverse and resilient.

Like any major public policy, the RFS has certainly faced challenges including fluctuating market dynamics, regulatory uncertainty and evolving political and environmental priorities.

But the core value proposition remains clear: By expanding the availability of American-made renewable fuels, the RFS supports our national interests economically and environmentally.

As the United States continues to chart a course toward a more secure and diversified energy future, the RFS can serve as a foundational model of a policy that bridges economic development and environmental responsibility.

Far from being a relic of early-2000s energy policy, as some opponents like to claim, the RFS is a living example of how thoughtful, bipartisan legislation can deliver long-term, multidimensional benefits.

In celebrating two decades of the RFS, we also look ahead—to new innovations in production methods and fuel technologies that will continue to lower emissions, support farmers and deliver value to everyday Americans.

In the end, the RFS is about a future fueled by American innovation.

Click here for RFA’s new report summarizing the successes of the RFS.