Ethanol Production Hits Record High

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

U.S. ethanol production hit a record high for the last week of October, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association.

For the week ending October 31, ethanol production ramped up 2.9% to a record high of 1.12 million b/d, equivalent to 47.17 million gallons daily. Output was 1.6% higher than the same week last year and 5.3% above the three-year average for the week. The four-week average ethanol production rate increased 1.2% to 1.10 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.91 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks also increased the same week, up 1.3% to 22.7 million barrels. Stocks were 2.9% more than the same week last year and 4.2% above the three-year average.

Ethanol exports, however, dropped by nearly 39% to an estimated 107,000 b/d (4.5 million gallons/day). It has been more than a year since EIA indicated ethanol was imported.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, Production, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Ethanol Education Program for High Schools Updated

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

High school students can now learn more about ethanol in a newly updated ethanol education program presented by the Renewable Fuels Foundation.

In the course of four stops on a GPS-style map, students learn what ethanol is, its environmental benefits, how it creates jobs, and how it can be used. An activity sheet provided by Kansas Corn STEM helps students and their teachers monitor their progress.

“At a time when there are so many myths and much misunderstanding about renewable fuels like ethanol, offering the right education materials is crucial,” said RFF Chairman Neal Kemmet. “The Renewable Fuels Foundation is proud to offer this revised program that takes advantage of the newest information and modes of learning for students, in a format that respects their time and their intelligence. With high schoolers learning how to drive or being new drivers, it’s even more important that they learn how to choose the best option as they pull up to the pump to fuel their vehicle.”

The RFF’s overall Ethanol in the Classroom effort also includes modules for grades 3–5 and grades 6–8, where students choose a vehicle to navigate an interactive roadmap for their online journey to learn about ethanol, earning badges along the way.

The Renewable Fuels Foundation was established to help meet the education, research and strategic planning needs of the U.S. fuel ethanol industry.

Education, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

EPA Approves More Small Refinery Exemptions

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved more Small Refinery Exemptions Friday, prompting backlash from the renewable fuels industry.

Acting on 16 individual SRE petitions from eight refineries seeking an exemption from their Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations for compliance years 2021–2024, EPA is granting full exemptions to two petitions, granting partial exemptions to 12 petitions, and denying two petitions.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper says the action by EPA creates even more uncertainty and confusion in the renewable fuel and agriculture markets, which are already under immense pressure from record corn and soybean harvests this fall. “EPA added another 14 small refinery exemptions to the already-massive pile today, based on the agency’s questionable new approach to determining whether those refiners experienced ‘disproportionate economic hardship,'” said Cooper. “We continue to dispute the notion that SREs are warranted at all, as EPA’s own analysis shows that all refiners—large and small—face a proportional RFS compliance obligation and pass their RIN costs through to buyers of their refined products.”

EPA also announced it is reaffirming its policy of returning Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs), previously retired for compliance when a small refinery receives an exemption for a prior compliance year. “While no actual RINs will be returned today, EPA will follow standard agency policy and instruct those impacted to contact the EPA Fuels Program Helpdesk to initiate the RINs return process.”

Cooper called that a “silver lining” that EPA will be returning expired RINs to the six refineries who were granted exemptions from their 2021 and 2022 RFS obligations, but noted at the same time that more than 500 million valid RINs will be issued to eight refineries who were gifted exemptions from their 2023 and 2024 obligations. “Meaning there are now more than 2.5 billion RINs associated with 2023-2025 SREs that are likely to be dropped back onto the market in the months ahead. If EPA fails to reallocate those volumes when it finalizes the 2026 and 2027 RVOs, the impact on biofuel and agriculture markets will be devastating.”

EPA continues to review comments on the supplemental proposed rule that takes into consideration the expected impacts of the August 22 SRE decisions as the agency continues to work on final regulations for the “Set 2” rule. Cooper says today’s action makes it even more important for EPA to finalize 2026-2027 RVOs that “fully reallocate any and all SREs granted, or expected to be granted, for the 2023-2027 compliance years.”

EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

New Report Finds California ILUC Score Obsolete

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

A new report from Life Cycle Associates on “Advances in Estimation of Land Use Change Emissions Associated with Ethanol” shows that the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) method of calculating hypothetical indirect land use change (ILUC) associated with ethanol is obsolete and should be revised.

According to Life Cycle Associates, “The cumulative effect of methodological improvements has been a steady reduction in estimated GHG emissions from corn ethanol land use change, producing results that are more consistent with observed global market behavior.” After extensively reviewing the evolution of models and emissions factor estimates, they conclude, “These improvements have allowed for a more nuanced and accurate assessment of how modeled biofuel shocks in response to different policies affect land use and associated GHG emissions. A key outcome of these analysis efforts is a reduction in predicted GHG emissions from LUC associated with corn ethanol.”

They also state, “Analysts recommend using the [Global Trade Analysis Project, or GTAP] 2017 model for its latest data and refinements.”

The report was prepared by Life Cycle Associates for the Renewable Fuels Association in advance of a virtual forum on Biofuels and Land Use Change held by CARB yesterday. RFA notes that CARB applies its decade-old ILUC penalties to every gallon of corn- and sorghum-based ethanol sold into California, with no evidence that such land use changes have actually occurred.

“RFA calls on the California Air Resources Board to fundamentally rethink its outdated, hypothetical ILUC penalties assigned to ethanol, for the reasons substantiated in this study. Real-world experience and empirical data show that the amount of cropland needed to satisfy California ethanol demand continues to trend downward, as crop yields increase and ethanol producers get more renewable fuel from each bushel,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper.

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Indirect Land Use, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Gevo Completes Sale of Minnesota Ethanol Facility

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Gevo, Inc. has completed the sale transaction of Agri-Energy in Luverne, Minnesota to A.E. Innovation, LLC. The transaction includes Agri’s 18-million-gallon-per-year ethanol-production facility and a portion of the adjacent land.

Gevo retained assets at the site with capacity to produce 1 million gallons per year of low-carbon isobutanol for use in chemicals markets, as feedstock for racing fuels, gasoline, and jet fuel.

For Gevo, this is a divestiture of a non-core asset that provided $2 million in cash up front and $5 million in future cash installments, while saving annual idling costs of approximately $3 million per year. Under the terms of the sale, Gevo retained ownership of the majority of the isobutanol production assets onsite and approximately 30 acres of land.

A.E., an agriculture-oriented buyer group located in Minnesota, acquired Agri with the intent to restart ethanol production at the plant, which has been idled since March 2020. A.E. intends to use the site to produce ethanol, and to make the site available for other companies to scale up new technologies and ideas as an innovation site.

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, SAF

Agri-Pulse Webinar on Renewable Fuels

Cindy Zimmerman

Agri-Pulse is pleased to announce a webinar focused on how renewable fuels can help farmers, livestock producers, and ranchers generate new revenue streams.

“The Race for Renewable Fuels to Improve Rural Prosperity,” will discuss demand drivers that leverage agricultural waste and renewable resources while stabilizing rural communities.

“It’s no secret that many farmers are facing extremely tough financial conditions while input costs remain elevated,” said Agri-Pulse Founder and Publisher Sara Wyant. “But there are some new opportunities on the horizon, including the potential to include biofuels in the maritime industry, which could represent substantial markets. But much will depend on whether or not state and federal policies are aligned with international developments.”

Wyant will moderate the webinar which is sponsored by Roeslein Renewable and will be held at noon (CT), 1 p.m. (ET) on Nov. 12.

Speakers include:
Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. (invited)
Rod Snyder, Principal and Founder, Junction Strategies; former EPA advisor
Michael O’Laughlin, Chief Executive Officer, Vanguard Renewables
Ben Kruger, Senior Vice President, Roeslein Renewables

Click here to register.

Agri-Pulse, Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News

EPA Urged to Fully Reallocate Exempted RFS Volumes

Cindy Zimmerman

Lawmakers and industry leaders are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to fully reallocate renewable fuel volumes impacted by granted Small Refinery Exemptions.

Fifty members of Congress, led by Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA), sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin Thursday to express strong support for the reallocation of 100% of the waived gallons from any granted SREs, and to urge the EPA to finalize the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) “Set 2” rule as quickly as possible.

“President Trump and his administration have done great work to lower prices at the pump for American families. A final, timely Set 2 rule that includes strong RVOs and necessary reallocation represents the most meaningful commitment to farmers and rural communities, homegrown American energy, and affordability for consumers,” said Rep. Feenstra.

The Renewable Fuels Association submitted comments today strongly urged EPA to reallocate 100 percent of exempted renewable fuel volumes, given the agency’s statutory obligation to ensure that finalized blending requirements are met. Additionally, RFA reiterated its position that EPA must prospectively reallocate exempted volumes anticipated for 2026 and 2027.

RFA expressed serious concern with the agency’s continued reliance on an outdated and flawed Department of Energy study to evaluate petitions for small refinery exemption, and emphasized that EPA should modernize its evaluation process for exemption petitions by using current market data, transparent metrics, and rigorous economic analysis when determining claims of “disproportionate economic hardship.” According to the association, doing so would help ensure a more level playing field across the refining sector and protect the integrity of the RFS program.

In addition to reallocation, comments from the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) reiterated support for EPA’s proposal to set record-high renewable fuel volumes and encouraged EPA to consider conventional biofuel levels exceeding 15 billion gallons to offset potential export market losses and ensure conventional ethanol maintains its role in the fuel supply.

In its comments to EPA Friday, Clean Fuels Alliance America also urged the agency to adopt supplemental “SRE reallocation volumes” and updated estimates of exempted volumes for 2026 and 2027 representing 100% of all granted, pending, and expected exemptions for the 2023 – 2025 compliance years. Clean Fuels also asked the agency to be judicious in granting exemptions.

Clean Fuels provided EPA a full analysis from World Agricultural Economic and Environmental Services (WAEES) of the economic consequences of small refinery exemptions for farmers and the agricultural economy. The study shows that if the agency fails to fully account for small refinery exemptions, biomass-based diesel production will fall by nearly a billion gallons and soybean farmers and processors could lose as much as $7.5 billion in crop value.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Clean Fuels Alliance, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

National Ethanol Conference Scholarships Available

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Foundation 2025 NEC Scholarship Winners

The Renewable Fuels Foundation is now accepting applications for college students and members of RFA’s Young Professionals Network interested in receiving a scholarship to attend the 2026 National Ethanol Conference, Feb. 24–26 in Orlando. The scholarships cover registration, hotel, and up to $500 in airfare, and a limited number will be awarded.

Now in its 17th year, the program is named in honor of Robert “Bob” Sather, an educator who helped found RFA member company Ace Ethanol in Wisconsin. Sather was a past chairman of the Renewable Fuels Foundation. The aim of the Bob Sather Memorial Scholarship is to reach young adults aspiring to a career related to ethanol and open doors and present new perspectives on ethanol’s place in our world today and beyond. The program provides eligible applicants with opportunities to hear from, and engage with, top industry leaders, policymakers, and academic and technical experts.

“The National Ethanol Conference is a terrific learning experience for those new to the U.S. ethanol industry,” said Neal Kemmet, chairman of the Renewable Fuels Foundation and president and general manager for Ace Ethanol. “Students and young professionals will have an excellent opportunity to learn and network as they prepare for meaningful careers tied to renewable fuels. We strongly recommend this program to any student studying in ethanol-related fields, and to any young professional in the industry.”

Interested college students are asked to submit a 500-word essay explaining how their attendance at the NEC will help them achieve future goals. They should also submit a letter of recommendation and an up-to-date resume. Interested members of YPN need to complete the application questions and provide a resume and letter of recommendation from a supervisor or someone else familiar with their qualifications. YPN scholarships are limited to one per company.

Click here for complete application details and to apply. Applications are due January 16.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Ethanol Report on the Trade Front

Cindy Zimmerman

The United States is on track to export a record amount of fuel ethanol for the second year in a row in 2025, driven by growing international demand.

That demand was evident at the recent Global Ethanol Summit, hosted by the U.S. Grains and Bioproducts Council and supported by the Renewable Fuels Association, which drew more than 450 international buyers and end-users of ethanol and its co-products from more than 40 countries.

In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast we hear from RFA’s exports expert Ed Hubbard who discusses the summit, his participation in a recent trade mission to the UK, and what the new trade deals in Southeast Asia mean for the ethanol industry.

Ethanol Report 10-30-25 17:29

The Ethanol Report is a podcast about the latest news and information in the ethanol industry that has been sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association since 2008.

Choose an option to subscribe

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, Exports, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA, USGC

SIRE Celebrates Two Billion Gallons of Ethanol Production

Cindy Zimmerman

Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE), based in Council Bluffs, Iowa, is celebrating production of two billion gallons of ethanol since its opening in 2009.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper congratulated the company for the milestone. “The investors and staff at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, along with the entire Council Bluffs community, should be proud of this remarkable achievement. Over the past 16 years, SIRE has made invaluable contributions to the economy of southwest Iowa, southeast Nebraska, and northwest Missouri, while at the same time boosting national energy security and improving the environment.”

Eric Fobes was recently appointed President and CEO of SIRE, replacing Mike Jerke who will retire at the end of 2025 after seven years of leadership. SIRE’s dry mill ethanol plant sits on 275 acres and produces 140 million gallons of ethanol each year. The company began production in February 2009 and sells its ethanol, distillers grains, corn syrup, and corn oil across the continental United States, Mexico, and the Pacific Rim.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA