[originally published in RealClear Energy]

The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, kicking off one of the largest environmental grassroots campaigns in U.S. history. In the following months and years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established and landmark legislation like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act were passed. Now, as Earth Day squarely hits middle age, it’s time to recommit to the size and scope of its initial ambitions.

As climate change becomes a more dire threat, we can draw inspiration from the environmental activists of the 1970s, who embraced a comprehensive approach. Just as they were able to split their efforts between clean air, water, and numerous other priorities, we need to invest in all available technologies to decarbonize our planet. For our policymakers, the U.S. needs to broaden its climate change strategy beyond electrification to include other proven technologies like advanced biofuels.

While in 1970 advanced biofuels seemed a distant prospect, today they are actively mitigating emissions on land, air, and sea. These fuels are revolutionizing decarbonization efforts, particularly in sectors that cannot be easily electrified – like marine shipping and aviation which combined account for over 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As a drop-in fuel, advanced biofuels work in existing combustion engines and can offer an immediate solution to reducing emissions.

With proper governmental support, the advanced biofuels industry can expand. In March, the Department of Energy (DOE) released the 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23), which laid out a potential path where U.S. production of biomass could sustainably triple to more than one billion tons a year. One key finding was that we already have 350 million tons of biomass we could be using to double our bioeconomy.

Recent developments illustrate tangible progress towards this goal. In January, LanzaJet opened the world’s first ethanol to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility, slated to produce 10 million gallons of SAF and renewable diesel annually.

Advanced biofuels’ history is one of surpassing expectations and groundbreaking innovation. Since the 2009 establishment of an advanced biofuel target in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), advanced biofuels have grown from 0.6 billion gallons to a projected 7.8 billion gallons in 2025.

Producers are also relentless in their pursuit of innovation. While advanced biofuels are legally mandated to reduce emissions by at least 50%, many achieve 80% reductions or more through smart initiatives that decrease emissions across the supply chain. Many feedstock producers, for instance, are implementing climate smart agricultural practices – such as multi-cropping and over cropping, water and nutrient management, adjusting crop choices, and low or no-tilling – to reduce emissions from the outset of the production process.

Despite this growth and vision, advanced biofuels are often underestimated. While the Biden administration has prioritized electrification efforts — evidenced by recent tail pipe restrictions — policy surrounding advanced biofuels is inconsistent. When the EPA released the most recent RFS ruling in 2023, it undervalued advanced biofuels’ production capacity despite the consistent growth it has shown in the program’s history and estimates of current production capacity.

We owe it to our planet to use every method at our disposal to reduce emissions and fight climate change. Electrification efforts and low carbon liquid transportation fuels like advanced biofuels are not mutually exclusive and can work side-by-side. They both serve unique purposes, and to truly make an impact on decarbonization we must use both.

Earth Day is more than just a token holiday. It reminds us of the power that collective action can have. An all-of-the-above approach to climate change is the only way to make true progress. This Earth Day let’s make advanced biofuels play an important role in that.

Michael McAdams is the president of the Advanced Biofuels Association.