12 September - 14 September 2022
In-person: Monterey, California, US & Online Access

Argus North American Biofuels, LCFS & Carbon Markets Summit

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Agenda 

The 3-day agenda at the 2022 Argus North American Biofuels, LCFS & Carbon Markets Summit consists of:

  • Day 1 - Argus RINs, RFS, and LCFS Workshop, a primer on regulatory framework developments and market drivers, runs alongside Main Conference Day 1: Carbon Markets and Regulation in North America

  • Day 2 - Main Conference Day 2: Biofuels — LCFS Program Developments

  • Day 3 - Main Conference Day 3: Biofuels — SAF and Feedstocks and the post-conference Best Practices in Fuel Buying Workshop that details seven steps you can take to achieve best practices in fuel buying and selling downstream
  • 09:00
  • -
  • 16:00
  • Argus RINs, RFS, and LCFS Workshop
A primer on regulatory framework developments and market drivers
Understanding the RFS and LCFS markets and regulatory landscape is critical to industries including refining, biofuels, natural gas, utilities, environmental, energy management, transportation & logistics, agriculture, engineering and beyond.
• Introduction to the regulatory framework of the RFS and CA LCFS program and the road ahead.
• A review of US renewables/biofuels market, the challenges and opportunities for ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel and renewable natural gas.
• Price drivers of RINs and LCFS credits
  • 17:00
  • -
  • 18:30
  • Reception

Regulatory updates - Carbon Markets

Start End
  • 08:00
  • -
  • 09:00
  • Registration and breakfast
  • 09:00
  • -
  • 09:05
  • Conference welcome     Belle Andrews, Conference Producer, Argus 
  • 09:05
  • -
  • 09:10
  • Chairperson’s opening remarks   Jessica Dell, Editorial Manager — Environmental Markets, Argus
  • 09:10
  • -
  • 09:45
  • Keynote address: The future of the California carbon market Rajinder Sahota - Deputy Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board
Hear directly from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on the latest regulatory developments for 2022 and beyond.  
• What progress has California made towards reducing emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030?  
• Short lived climate pollutants need to be reduced in California — what steps is CARB taking to address this?  
• Outlook for the California cap and trade programme as seen in the scoping plan.  
 
  • 09:45
  • -
  • 10:20
  • Outside of California: Updates and progression in Washington and Oregon
• What are some of the legislative and legal challenges that each state faced in their respective fights for these programmes?  
• How is the Oregon cap and trade program planning to operate trading wise? 
• Washington’s programme will cover about 75% of the state's total emissions, with the remaining 25% being allowed to opt in. How does the state plan to incentivise this?  
• How might Washington, Canada and Oregon state programmes overlap or align with California? Is harmony between these states feasible? Is it being considered when mapping out the future?  
• What can North America’s carbon markets  learn from other markets, including the EU emissions trading scheme? How have speculators impacted pricing in these markets over the past year? 
 

 
  • 10:20
  • -
  • 10:45
  • Argus presents: North American carbon markets Michael Ball - Editor — Air Daily, Argus
• What have we seen across carbon markets in the past year?  
• What new programs are in the works and how might their markets evolve?  
• Updates on the federal level programs pertaining to carbon reduction goals. How is the Biden administration planning to reduce carbon emissions on a federal level by 2030 and how could market based measures be incorporated? 
• Overview of carbon credits and trading trends
 

 
  • 10:45
  • -
  • 11:40
  • Coffee and networking break
  • 11:40
  • -
  • 12:00
  • Compliance versus voluntary: Is a global carbon market feasible?
• Though voluntary and compliance markets operate in entirely separate spheres, is there any space for collaboration? Are there stakeholders who are interested in or working towards this overlap?  
• Is there a chance for future harmony and collaboration between Europe and the Americas?  
• Is a global carbon market the long-term goal? Should it be or will these markets remain regional in nature?  
 
  • 12:00
  • -
  • 13:10
  • Lunch break
  • 13:10
  • -
  • 13:55
  • Voluntary Carbon Markets: Insights into an opaque market

• How has liquidity in the voluntary carbon market shifted and what groups are we likely to see participating more? How have corporate net-zero targets impacted VCO demand?  
• What benefits can companies capitalize on by operating in an ‘unregulated’ space? On the flipside what are some of the consequences?  
• What types of companies are leading the way in the voluntary space and what types of VCOs are they investing in? 
• What legal and reputational risks are involved? Why is there some skepticism surrounding VCOs? 
 

 
  • 13:55
  • -
  • 14:25
  • Standardisation of the voluntary space — the intersection between regulated and unregulated
The voluntary carbon market is constantly evolving and growing, this session aims to illustrate how standardization on organizations are tackling issues of regulation and accountability.   
• How do standardisation and verification organisations set regulatory standards? How are companies held accountable in a voluntary system?   
• How can we ensure environmental integrity as the market continues to scale up?   
• What challenges has the standardisation side of voluntary carbon markets faced so far? What are some of the lessons learned?  
• What work has the VCMI done in this space? What are the prospects for federal regulation from the SEC or CFTC and how could that affect the market?  
 
  • 14:20
  • -
  • 14:55
  • The aviation sector and carbon markets — a look at the role of Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)
• Updates on how CORSIA impacts demand for VCOs and how that could change over time.
• Because of the nature of the aviation sector, CORSIA operates across multiple countries and jurisdictions — how successful has it been in overcoming some of the legislative and legal boundaries of the various regions that airlines operate in?  
 
  • 14:55
  • -
  • 15:55
  • Coffee and roundtable break
1. The pros and cons of carbon capture storage — carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) versus carbon capture and storage (CCS).
2. Developing carbon markets outside the US — a deep dive into Canada’s cap and trade programmes.  
3. Political whiplash: how are companies preparing for the potential volatility an impending election can bring to the American biofuels market as well as sustainability efforts in the US more generally?  
4. Where does CORSIA stand today?  
 
  • 15:55
  • -
  • 16:50
  • Decarbonisation technology in North America — carbon capture projects and progress
• Mini presentation on the most promising carbon capture projects in North America today. Where are they on the marketability of their product?  
• What are the benefits and consequences of acknowledging or accrediting CCS versus CCU? Who gets the credit after the carbon has travelled through the supply chain?  
• Is carbon capture the future of decarbonisation? If so, what needs to happen at a regulatory level to support this?  
 
  • 16:50
  • -
  • 17:00
  • Closing remarks
  • 17:00
  • -
  • 18:30
  • Reception

Regulatory updates - LCFS

Start End
  • 08:00
  • -
  • 09:00
  • Registration and breakfast
  • 09:00
  • -
  • 09:15
  • Chairperson’s opening remarks   Mathew Oatway - SVP North America, Argus
  • 09:15
  • -
  • 09:45
  • Keynote address: The future of the California LCFS program Richard Corey - Former Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board
• Reflecting on your time at CARB, what are some triumphs and lessons learned over the past few years? What is your hope for CARB’s future? 

New clean fuel standards in North America

Start End
  • 09:45
  • -
  • 10:45
  • LCFS program developments and updates: Washington, Oregon, California, and BC
• What must happen over the next five years to ensure California meets its EV infrastructure and adoption goals? What are CARB’s top considerations for appropriate LCFS and general carbon targets? 
• What role will renewable natural gas (RNG) play in the California LCFS programme? How are they incentivising the market so that it is used more in transport fuels?
• Looking to Washington’s LCFS program, what are the most important first steps as the program launches in January? How will this impact biofuels demand along the USWC?
• Why was Oregon able to pursue such an aggressive increase in targets between 2030 and 2035? What might we see next for the program 
• How close is the BC LCFS to achieving its goal of reducing five million tonnes of greenhouse emissions? 
 
  • 10:45
  • -
  • 11:30
  • Coffee and networking break

Three networking streams: 

1. RNG  
2. Biofuels  
3. Carbon markets  

 
  • 11:30
  • -
  • 12:10
  • A federal carbon and LCFS program in Canada? Possibilities, challenges and delays
• From an industry perspective, what effects might the market experience because of this prolonged delay? 
• Is the country still on track to meet the 13% emission reduction goal by 2030? 
• When will  proposed regulations and legislation be finalized? 
• How will this federal program open up opportunities for new trade flows in Canada?  
 

  • 12:10
  • -
  • 12:50
  • A question of expansion: why aren’t LCFS programs spreading east?
• Why are environmental justice and other green groups against LCFS?
• What are the major obstacles to other markets adopting LCFS?
• For example, New York has yet another opportunity for the State Assembly and Senate to include a clean fuels standard yet the legislation has not crossed the finish line. How close are we to a LCFS in New York? What are its future prospects?
 
  • 12:50
  • -
  • 14:00
  • Lunch break
  • 14:00
  • -
  • 14:30
  • The shift from bio to renewable diesel: What impacts will this have on the market?
• How much biodiesel v. renewable are we seeing in today’s market?
• What are the key markets for biodiesel over the next five years? For RD (renewable diesel)?
• Will biodiesel still play a key role in the decarbonization of the transportation sector, despite this shift? 
 

 
  • 14:30
  • -
  • 15:10
  • The supply chain breakdown: How is increasing demand impacting the biofuels supply chain?

As the world begins to embrace sustainable practices, many supply chains are looking to incorporate alternative or renewable fuels into their supply chain processes.  

• How are high energy prices and the current global geopolitical situation affecting supply chains in the North American biofuels market?  
• How are companies restructuring to positively disrupt their respective supply chains? What infrastructure should companies be investing in to meet new demand?  
• What strategies can different markets employ to help lower their overall CI?  
• What role does vertical integration play in the biofuels supply chain? Is vertical integration the optimal economic or business strategy for producers?  

 
  • 15:10
  • -
  • 15:50
  •  Coffee and networking break
Women in carbon, biofuels and future fuels high tea   
  • 15:50
  • -
  • 16:30
  • Looking to the future: Can and will EVs displace the biofuels market?
• What have we seen over the past few years with EVs? What impact has the pandemic had?
• EVs have not penetrated the larger freight transport vehicle market, what can we expect to change here?  
• How has policy helped or hindered the progression of EVs? What is needed to continue to incentivise growth in the EV market? 
• Many automakers have committed to a large scale-if not total- shift to EV production. What is the future of internal combustion?
• How will growing EV use impact LCFS pricing?
 
  • 16:30
  • -
  • 16:45
  • Closing remarks  

North America’s SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) market today

Start End
  • 09:05
  • -
  • 09:40
  • Keynote Address: biofuels from a refiner’s perspective
• From the perspective of a refinery, does investing in renewable diesel ensure more financial and environmental success?  
• How do you see the biofuel market evolving over the next 10-15 years? 
• What is your refinery doing to prepare for the push for increased biofuels usage?  
 
  • 09:40
  • -
  • 10:40
  • The future of SAF in North America: incentives for growth and next steps
• To what extent will SAF replace conventional jet fuel? 
• How can this commodity become more efficient and mainstream? 
• Though SAF is a promising alternative, there are many hurdles in getting it from the producer to the end-user, what are these obstacles and how has the market overcome them so far?
• SAF has to be mixed with JET A and also stored in different tanks during the mixing process, is there a way to circumvent this aspect of the supply chain? 
• Is there EV technology or alternative renewable fuels in place in the aviation sector that could eventually displace the SAF market? 
• Airlines are looking at both SAF and carbon offsets to meet CORSIA obligations. How are they weighing these options?
 

 

 
  • 10:40
  • -
  • 11:10
  • Coffee and networking break
1. RNG  
2. Biofuels  
3. Carbon markets  
 
  • 11:10
  • -
  • 11:40
  • Federal versus state: regulatory updates on the renewable fuel standard (RFS) programme
• An overview of this year's RINs market and credit trading trends   
• What’s next in terms of amendments to the RFS?   
• How is the Biden administration supporting the RFS programme and what are their future plans?    
• In 2019 the Trump administration pushed to extend the blender tax credit into 2022 in a bid to keep biodiesel producers afloat, what will be the future of this tax credit?
 
  
 

Feedstocks, Ethanol and RNG

Start End
  • 11:40
  • -
  • 12:20
  • What does the future hold for RNG in North America?
  • As a vehicle fuel, RNG has the capacity to be both carbon neutral and in some cases carbon negative. If this is the case, why hasn’t RNG taken over the biofuels market? Is this a feedstock or scalability issue?  
  • An update on feedstock technology being developed for RNG. Where are these projects located? Where are they on the marketability of their technology?  
  • There has been a lot of movement in the LCFS arena across North America — what impact could these policy reforms have on RNG? How are LCFS markets incentivising the use of RNG and waste feedstocks? 
  • Can municipal waste be used as an alternative for most, if not all, biofuels and RNG? 
 

 

 
  • 12:20
  • -
  • 12:55
  • What role will ethanol play in terms of carbon reduction technologies?
  • How has ethanol been utilised for SAF production? What role does it play in helping — or further hindering — the SAF supply chain?  
  • What role could ethanol play in carbon capture and sequestration?  
  • Will ethanol remain a key product in the biofuels and sustainability arena in North America, despite all the technological developments with RNG and EVs?  
 
  • 12:55
  • -
  • 13:30
  • Feedstocks of the future: Availability, scalability and technological developments
  • Will there be enough feedstock to support rapid growth and accelerating demand for biofuels and alternative fuels? What role will second generation feedstocks play.  
  • From an industry perspective, how do you plan to scale up feedstock production to keep up with the goals set out in the various LCFS programmes and demand markets?  
  • Food versus fuel — how do we ensure that food supply is not impacted by feedstocks?  
  • Overview of technological developments for feedstocks.
 
 
  • 13:30
  • -
  • 13:35
  • Closing remarks
  • 13:35
  • -
  • 14:00
  • Grab and go lunch
  • 14:00
  • -
  • 16:30
  • Fuel buyers workshop – seven steps to getting your physical fuel buying program up to date Scott Berhang - VP Business Development, Argus
Are you up to speed on the seismic changes that are happening in the downstream world of fuel sales? Pricing at the rack has become more complicated than ever – it’s not just fuel price volatility. It’s understanding formula pricing at the rack, and understanding the subtleties in indexes, or benchmarks for downstream fuel deals. 

At “Fuel Buyers Workshop,” Scott Berhang – who has taught physical fuel buying to the downstream’s leading suppliers and end users for 30 years  – will detail seven steps that you can take to achieve best practices in fuel buying and selling downstream. That includes understanding the mechanics of wholesale pricing – from futures to spot to rack to retail – and how the smartest buyers and sellers are using hourly price discovery to time purchases, and “beat the rack price.”

If your company does anything with fuel in the downstream space, this is a breakout session you should not miss.