USGBC Members, Industry Experts Join Biofuel Conferences in Japan

In early December, the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council office in Tokyo, Japan participated in two conferences sharing the environmental benefits of biofuels and the availability of U.S. ethanol, supported by key contributors in the U.S. biofuel supply chain.

Pictured, Ron Lamberty of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), a USGBC member, speaks to attendees about ethanol's compatibility with a wide range of vehicles. / SOURCE: USGBC

USGBC members Collin Watters of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Traci Menke of Renewable Fuels Nebraska (RFN), and Ron Lamberty of the American Coalition for Ethanol joined Council staff for the program along with two Illinois farmers and University of Illinois at Chicago Professor Dr. Steffen Mueller.

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“As Japan has established a policy pathway to include 10 percent ethanol in its fuel blending by 2030 and a 20 percent blend by 2040, in addition to examining deployment of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), it’s a critical time to ensure the Japanese industry and public understand the U.S. is a reliable ethanol supplier,” said Tommy Hamamoto, director in Japan, U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council.

“To that end, we were proud to host both the Nikkei Symposium/Advertorial on Bioethanol Expansion in Japan and a separate technical conference on the current and future carbon intensity value of U.S. ethanol to cover a lot of bases in terms of consumer questions about biofuels.”

Nearly 50 industry stakeholders and media members attended the technical conference, where Dr. Mueller showcased the carbon-reduction abilities of biofuels. Watters and attending U.S. farmers then discussed the sustainable production practices that maintain the quality of U.S. corn and its co-products, like ethanol, throughout the value chain.

The conference is expected to raise the understanding of how decarbonization can be measured and the status and future expectations of the CI values including the recent revision of the CI values by CORSIA and the International Civil Aviation Organization.

The next day, the group attended a biofuel informational meeting held by Nikkei Shimbun, a nationwide business journal. The symposium attracted nearly 100 people and provided explanations on the unique selling points of ethanol. Attendees also visited a gas station selling E7 fuel to further their understanding and trust in ethanol.

“The Nikkei Symposium provided both a physical platform for the Council to connect directly with participants as well as longer-term media exposure in a prestigious outlet,” Hamamoto said.

“We expect further media coverage of the event in the coming months, highlighting the role the Council’s members played in familiarizing the Japanese public with ethanol as a safe, affordable, and abundant resource to decarbonize the Japanese transportation sector.”

Learn more about the Council’s work in Japan here.