The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels) released its 2019 First Half Report last week, giving an overview of Minnesota’s ethanol industry in the first six months of 2019 and what they have been doing to help increase ethanol consumption in the state. MN Biofuels executive director Tim Rudnicki says the report highlights projects in the fields of advocacy, communications and …
Japan Receives First Shipment of ETBE from U.S. Ethanol
The U.S. Grains Council reports a new milestone in the effort to develop new export markets for U.S. ethanol with the first shipment of ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) made with U.S. corn-based ethanol arriving in Japan. The sale of ETBE, a gasoline component, was made following a policy change by the Japanese government recognizing the positive greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits. …
New Studies Show Ethanol GHG Benefits
Two new studies released this week provide further evidence that grain-based ethanol is significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and call into question the reliability of recent “land use change” analyses based on flawed satellite imagery-based methodologies, according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). The first new study, conducted by the Laboratory for Applied Spatial Analysis at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville …
EPA Schedules Hearing on Proposed RFS Volumes
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public hearing in Ypsilanti, MI on July 31, regarding the proposed rule “Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2020 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2021.” On July 5, EPA proposed a total renewable fuel volume of 20.04 billion gallons, of which 5.04 billion gallons are advanced biofuel, including 540 million gallons of …
Mexican Fuel Marketers Learn From Iowa Ethanol Tour
Mexican fuel marketers who took part in an ethanol industry tour last week in Iowa are excited about incorporating what they learned to offer ethanol blends in their businesses back home. The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) organized the tour in conjunction with the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) to show nine decision-makers from key …
Mexican Retailers Touring Iowa Ethanol Supply Chain
Representatives from the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and Iowa Renewable Fuels Association are leading Mexican retailers on a tour across Iowa this week to see how U.S. ethanol is made, distributed, and sold. The groups are working with the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) in an effort to show Mexican retailers the opportunities for sourcing, marketing, and retailing ethanol-blended gasoline …
Ethanol Report on 2020 RVO Proposal
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday issued proposed volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard program for calendar year 2020, with a total renewable fuel volume of 20.04 billion gallons, of which 5.04 billion gallons are advanced biofuel, including 540 million gallons of cellulosic biofuel. That leaves the 15-billion-gallon requirement for conventional renewable fuels like corn ethanol unchanged from 2019. …
Biofuels Groups Blast EPA for RFS Proposed Volumes
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday (EPA) issued proposed volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard program for calendar year 2020, leaving them basically unchanged and not reallocating gallons lost due to small refinery exemptions. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper says the proposal “completely betrays President Trump’s commitment” to uphold the integrity of the RFS by …
CoBank Forecasts Weak Outlook for Ethanol
According to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange Division, operating margins for ethanol producers will likely remain weak for the rest of this year due to abundant production, while declining corn production this year will also “squeeze margins and some ethanol plants will be forced to shut down or idle their production due to high corn prices or insufficient …
ACE Conference Agenda Highlights
The agenda for the 2019 American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) annual conference in Omaha, Nebraska, August 14-16 has what it takes to focus of the major issues facing the industry. Newly appointed President and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Ryan LeGrand will start it off with a keynote address following a welcome from Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and …