Renewable Fuels and the Fight Against Climate Change with Renewable Energy Group’s Kevin Lucke

Path to Zero
Path to Zero
3.17 - Renewable Fuels and the Fight Against Climate Change with Renewable Energy Group’s Kevin Lucke
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In this episode of Path to Zero, Tucker continues the conversation on how renewable fuels can help address the carbon emissions challenge.

Our guest is Kevin Lucke, President of Chevron Renewable Energy Group. The company is an international producer of sustainable fuels that significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions to immediately reduce carbon impact.

Chevron has made a big investment in its renewable fuels business with the acquisition of Renewable Energy Group. REG has 11 biorefineries around the world that produce sustainable fuels and has recently launched ambitious expansion efforts.

Photo courtesy: Renewable Energy Group

Chevron’s acquisition of REG is expected to accelerate progress toward the company’s goal to grow renewable fuels production capacity to 100,000 barrels per day by 2030.

About Kevin Lucke

Lucke has been with Chevron’s downstream and chemicals business for 40 years and he has big growth plans as the new President of Chevron Renewable Energy Group.

Since REG’s headquarters are in Ames, Iowa, it’s a homecoming for Lucke. He’s an Iowa native and received his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Iowa State University.

“We have a talented team here in Ames and at all of our plants mainly in the Midwest,” says Lucke. “We’re all excited to be making a difference by focusing on fuels for the energy transition. Plus, we’re using local products to make our fuels.”

Expansion

Chevron Renewable Energy Group broke ground in 2021 on an improvement and expansion project at its Geismar, LA biorefinery. REG Geismar was the first renewable diesel production facility in the U.S. The plant also makes renewable propane.

REG is investing in feedstock innovation and recently broke ground on the expansion of its Emden, Germany biorefinery. The project includes the addition of a pretreatment system at the facility, which will allow the business to refine some of the lowest carbon intensity feedstocks. Waste fats are converted at the plant into climate-friendly fuels.

Renewable Energy Group Fuels

Pressure is mounting for fleet owners to curb carbon emissions as the transportation sector accounted for about 27% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Lucke says renewable fuels play a significant role in decarbonizing the transportation sector.

The company launched EnDura FuelsTM earlier this year, a complete line of renewable fuel solutions, including a lower-carbon biodiesel solution, a lower-carbon renewable diesel, and a lower-carbon sustainable aviation fuel.

When compared to other fuel alternatives, REG says bio-based diesel’s carbon reduction is about 88% more effective than conventional ultra-low sulfur diesel and about 85% more effective than compressed natural gas. Bio-based diesels stack up similar to electric vehicles, reducing approximately 65% more carbon emissions.

“Chevron and Renewable Energy Group both believe that the future of fuels is lower carbon,” says Lucke. “The reality is, it’s going to take all forms of energy to be able to meet what the world needs.”

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