The Maryland Biofuels Task Force was established this year to help the state meet the goals of the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, which requires a 60 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2006 levels by 2031, and net-zero emissions by 2045.
Maryland Holds Clean Energy Summit
The 2025 Maryland Clean Energy Summit, themed“ Balancing Supply, Demand & Sustainability: Innovation in the Energy Marketplace!” is being held Oct. 14-15 at College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in College Park, Maryland.
The event brings together leaders in policy, finance, and innovation to address pressing energy challenges and advance solutions that boost the state’ s economic standing. Speakers include Maryland Public Service Commission Chairman Fred Hoover. Roundtable discussions on topics such as“ The Grid of the Future” and“ Impact of Federal Policy” will be led by experts. A roundtable titled“ Advancing Building Energy Performance & Resilience” will explore the critical role of building performance in energy efficiency and resilience. Learn how policies such as Building Energy Performance Standards( BEPS), virtual power plants, energy storage, and security initiatives are driving progress in the built environment.
In April, the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition launched the Maryland Biofuels Task Force to help the state meet the goals of the Climate Solutions Now Act( CSNA) of 2022, which requires a 60 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2006 levels by 2031, and net-zero emissions by 2045. Maryland Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks hosted the kickoff meeting on April 23 The initiative is driven by preliminary research that quantifies the costs and benefits of increasing the use of higher biofuel blends and their impact on the state’ s strategic resiliency and the economic, energy, and environmental security of its residents. Key highlights from the initial research include:
• Economic Security & Agricultural Growth: The transition to higher blends of biofuels could help stimulate Maryland’ s economy through value-added agricultural processing, offering a potential strategy to offset the state’ s $ 3 billion budget shortfall.
• Food & Farmland Protection: Supporting the state’ s agricultural markets may enhance food security, stabilize food prices, and prevent increased carbon emissions from converting farmland into residential, commercial, or industrial power generation projects.
• Fuel Cost Savings: Increased biofuel supply currently saves Maryland drivers approximately $ 569 million annually— an estimated 20 cents per gallon.
• Emissions Reductions: The use of higher biofuel blends could cut 3.2 million metric tons of carbon emissions each year, equivalent to removing nearly 800,000 vehicles from the road, helping close the emissions gap in meeting CSNA goals.
• Legacy Engine Compatibility: Biofuels offer a near-term solution to reduce emissions from every internal combustion engine manufactured since 2001( which accounts for 97 % of gasoline sold), as well as from new ICE and hybrid vehicles sold in the coming decade.
• Health & Climate Savings: The shift to biofuels could save the state an estimated $ 3.4 billion annually— or $ 44 billion over five years— through reduced public health costs, lower
The Maryland Biofuels Task Force was established this year to help the state meet the goals of the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, which requires a 60 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2006 levels by 2031, and net-zero emissions by 2045.
Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks opened the Maryland Biofuels Task Force( MDBTF) meetings on June 23rd in Annapolis, MD. The MDBTF is a diverse coalition of 37 organizations, companies, agencies, and advocacy groups united by a shared interest in clean energy, climate solutions, agricultural development, and low-carbon fuels. The task force’ s role is to assess the challenges, costs, benefits, risks, and feasibility of utilizing higher blends of biofuels to help decarbonize Maryland’ s transportation sector and support the goals of the Climate Solutions Now Act( CSNA) of 2022.
climate-related economic losses, and decreased carbon pollution. The Maryland Biofuels Task Force, led by GWRCCC, unites government leaders, industry experts, and environmental advocates. The Task Force’ s mission is to identify challenges, gather input from stakeholders, develop a roadmap, and establish a“ goalkeeper scorecard” to increase the use of biofuels in Maryland. It will review the current state of economic, energy, and environmental sustainability policies and plans to develop future strategies.
“ Our initiative directly supports the Climate Solutions Now Act. The road to achieving Maryland’ s carbon reduction goals needs to be paved with cleaner fuels in all legacy and new internal combustion engines while
24 OCTOBER 2025 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www. fueloilnews. com