Every year is interesting for the ethanol industry and 2014 was no exception. Some of the highlights included record production and sales, healthy exports, and the commercial reality of cellulosic ethanol. The low point of the year was definitely the inability of the federal government to set volume obligations for 2014 under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), leaving the industry …
DF Cast: Bundling Biomass for a Cellulosic Future
As cellulosic ethanol plants are opening up across the country, those facilities need a way to get the feedstocks, while farmers need a way to get that biomass to those new refineries. That’s where Pacific Ag comes in. In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, we talk to CEO Bill Levy and Steve Van Mouwerik, Vice President of Operations …
Green Biologics Buys Central MN Ethanol Co-op
A Los Angeles-based industrial biotechnology and renewable chemicals company has bought a Midwestern ethanol producer with plans to convert the operation to producing renewable normal butanol (n-butanol) and acetone. This news release from Green Biologics Inc. says the company closed the deal to buy Central MN Ethanol Co-op (“CMEC”), which includes a the 21 MGPY ethanol plant. “We are extremely …
PacificAg Can Help Ethanol Plants Go Cellulosic
The largest and most experienced biomass harvest company in the country wants to help ethanol plants develop or expand operations into the production of cellulosic ethanol by saving time and money on supply chain development. PacificAg, which is already supplying biomass for plants in Iowa and Kansas, enables cellulosic biorefineries the ability to source cost-competitive biomass for biofuel and biochemical …
China Approves Imports of Biotech Corn
Syngenta announced today that it has received approval for the Agrisure Viptera® trait (event MIR162) from China’s regulatory authorities, formally granting import approval. The approval covers corn grain and processing byproducts, such as dried distillers grains (DDGs), for food and feed use. The Agrisure Viptera® trait is a key component of Syngenta’s insect control solutions, offering growers protection against the …
Leifmark, New Holland Bale Stover for Ethanol
Baling corn stover is part of the next generation of cellulosic ethanol, and two major players in the green fuel and agribusiness markets are moving that process forward. Leifmark, LLC and New Holland Agriculture recently teamed up to test equipment and methods used to gather, bale, and store the corn stover left behind after the grain harvest in two Iowa …
China May Reopen Market for U.S. DDGs
News out this week that Chinese officials committed to Agriculture Secretary Vilsack that the ban on imports of U.S. distillers grains (DDGs) containing the MIR 162 trait will be dropped is being met with optimism by the ethanol industry. “While we are still awaiting the official regulatory announcement from China regarding the approval of this policy, it is welcome news …
Ethanol Report on RFS Anniversary
Today, December 19, marks the seventh anniversary of the signing into law of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 which expanded the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In this Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen remembers that day seven years ago and talks about its accomplishments so far and how EPA needs to move …
RFA Refutes Univ of Minnesota Report on Ethanol
Those who advocate for ethanol are refuting an academic report about the green fuel. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is countering conclusions made by researchers at the University of Minnesota claiming that ethanol is more harmful to humans and the environment than gasoline. RFA examined the research, recently published in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,” finding it …
Happy Anniversary RFS!
Friday marks the seventh anniversary of the signing into law of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) which expanded the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as we know it today. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has compiled a report that examines the successful impact of the RFS over the past seven years on the economy, job creation, agriculture, …