The ethanol industry is welcoming two major wins in the past week – EPA’s release of proposed renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for 2026 and 2027 and the Supreme Court ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is the proper venue for legal challenges to small refinery exemption (SRE) decisions. In this edition of “The Ethanol Report” …
Supreme Court Rules on Small Refinery Exemptions Case
The U.S. Supreme Court today issued its opinion that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is the proper venue for legal challenges to small refinery exemption (SRE) decisions. The Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy presented oral arguments to the Supreme Court regarding the case on EPA’s behalf and urging the court to reject the argument by …
Senate Foreign Feedstocks Credit Concerns Soybean Growers
Soybean farmers are concerned with changes made by the Senate Finance Committee in the House-passed Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit language that would allow foreign biofuel feedstocks to qualify for the credit. The American Soybean Association expressed disappointment in the text that removes a key provision to prevent foreign feedstocks from benefiting from U.S. taxpayer dollars. “The Senate 45Z …
Whitefox Technologies Marks 25th Anniversary
Whitefox Technologies celebrated its 25th anniversary last week at the 2025 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo and honored their customers as the industry honored its CEO. Gillian Harrison, CEO of Whitefox Technologies, received the 2025 Women in Ethanol Award for her visionary leadership in expanding Whitefox from a startup into a key player in the global ethanol market. “It’s a …
Clean Fuels Updates BQ-9000 Website
Clean Fuels Alliance America recently unveiled a redesigned BQ-9000® website to better showcases the value of biodiesel quality assurance and the benefits of certification through the industry’s gold standard program. Administered by the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission and supported by Clean Fuels, the BQ-9000 program combines ASTM fuel standards with best practices for production, storage, handling, and distribution. The revamped …
Industry Welcomes New Renewable Fuel Standards
The renewable fuels industry welcomed new Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirements for 2026 and 2027 announced by the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday. EPA proposal includes a total Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) of 24.02 billion gallons (bg) for 2026, including 15 bg for conventional renewable fuels like corn ethanol and 9.02 bg for advanced biofuels, with 5.61 bg of …
Chevron Opens Tech Center to Drive Innovation in Future Fuels
Chevron Corporation celebrated the grand opening of the Ames Technology Center this week on the Chevron Renewable Energy Group (CREG) Campus. The 45,000 square foot facility will expand the company’s lower carbon fuels technology development and advanced technical support capabilities by adding new analytical laboratory and R&D space, along with new offices. “It’s inspiring to see so many people from …
Land Use Change Study Author Moves to MSU
The author of a 2022 land use change study out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison that caused negative headlines for the ethanol industry is moving to Michigan. Tyler Lark will join the Michigan State University Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences in August as an assistant professor after spending the last six years as a scientist in the University …
Iowa Governor Vetoes Pipeline Bill
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds made corn growers and ethanol producers in her state happy today with her veto of a bill passed by the state legislature that would have limited the future for carbon sequestration pipelines. In her explanation for vetoing the bill, Gov. Reynolds said the bill would set a troubling precedent. “For example, the bill would block a …
Awards Presented at #FEW25
Several ethanol industry leaders were honored for their years of service and commitment during the awards presentation at the 2025 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo Tuesday. Rick Schwarck, president and cofounder of Absolute Energy, received the Distinguished Service Award for a career defined by advocacy and innovation. A longstanding leader in the ethanol sector, Schwarck has earned accolades including …