ACE Conference 2026

Wholesale E85 Prices Drop as Low as Eight Cents

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Retail prices for E85 are already a good deal compared to regular gas, but according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IowaRFA), wholesale prices for E85 are currently as low as eight cents per gallon, with the highest price listed at only one dollar, which makes it a huge deal for owners of flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs).

FFVs are designed to run on any fuel blend from no ethanol up to E85, which contains up to 85 percent ethanol. Wholesale prices do not include federal and state taxes, transportation costs, and markups for things like credit card fees, depreciation and retailer margins.

“As a trade association, we never tell anyone how to price a product at any point in the supply chain,” said Iowa RFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “But the public data shows that E85 should be an amazing bargain for FFV owners right now. So, we do encourage all parts of the supply chain to pass along these savings to consumers.”

Only General Motors currently sells new FFVs but there are over 20 million FFVs on the road in the United States and there is renewed interest in conversion kits to make regular vehicles capable of using up to 85% ethanol-blended fuel.

According to E85Prices.com, the current national average price spread between E85 and regular gasoline (E10) is approximately 30%, or roughly $1.00–$1.26 per gallon less for E85. Some of the biggest price spreads now are being seen in Indiana, with the cheapest price per gallon for E85 at just 85 cents – or a price spread of 76 percent. California is at 62% with the lowest price at $1.99.

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA

New Study Shows Benefits of Biofuels Expansion

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

A new S&P Global Energy study released today shows how expanded biofuel markets are a catalyst for agriculture, revitalizing farm communities, stabilizing farm incomes, and providing both food and energy security.

Commissioned by U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action (USFRA), the research, titled “Fueling Agriculture: Biofuels as the Catalyst,” offers a detailed, evidence‑based assessment of agriculture’s future and presents a data-driven roadmap for sustainable growth.

“This research demonstrates that biofuels are not just an energy solution—they’re an economic engine that could transform farming’s future,” said Maryland farmer Chip Bowling, Vice Chair of USFRA. “New evidence offered by highly respected experts at S&P Global Energy show that biofuels can unlock agriculture’s potential to provide abundant and affordable food, feed and fuel.”

USFRA held a press conference to announce the findings of the report, with comments from Bowling, as well as CEO Kevin Burkum, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tina Smith (D-MN), and Kelsey Barnes, USDA Senior Advisor for Rural Development and Biofuels.

USFRA biofuels press conference (29:39)

Sen. Grassley said the findings show the importance of year-round, nationwide E15. “The report that you are releasing will help grow momentum to get E-15 through the Senate and through the President’s desk. Enacting E-15 is a perfect way to celebrate America’s 250th years of freedom,” said Grassley.

Going off his prepared remarks, the senior senator from Iowa blasted those who came out against the E15 legislation passed by the House despite never being opposed in the past. “We have never heard anything from small refineries. And we never heard from the American Soybean Association that they didn’t like certain things in it,” Grassley said, expressing frustration at the limited time frame left this year to get a vote in the Senate. “But we got to move, and it’s almost too late now if we don’t get some action. So anything you can do to help, and this report is going to help, I’m going to say God bless you.”

Under an optimized high-growth scenario, the study projects global biofuel production, driven by agricultural innovation, could triple by 2050, expanding renewable fuels to capture a significantly larger share of the approximately 940-billion-gallon global liquid fuel market – including marine and aviation fuels.

Kevin Lindemer with S&P Global Energy says the study showed E15 is important for increasing corn demand. “By 2050, E15 would represent about six million (more) acres of corn,” said Lindemer. However, declining oil demand means that will still fall short.

At the same time, technology and innovation advances could dramatically increase ethanol production in the same time period. “We could go from the current level of about 35 billion gallons worldwide up to 140 billion gallons by 2050…if supply could create demand.”

Learn more about the study in Lindemer’s comments.
USFRA biofuels report - Kevin Lindemer (15:32)

Read the report.

Watch the full press conference on the USFRA YouTube channel.

biofuels, corn, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, SAF

Clean Fuels Thanks President for Higher RFS Volumes

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

The Environmental Protection Agency’s final Renewable Fuel Standard volumes for 2026–2027 officially went into effect this week and Clean Fuels Alliance America delivered a letter to President Donald Trump once again thanking the administration for the historic volumes.

“Farmers and biomass-based diesel producers are essential to U.S. energy and national security; and they are putting major investments behind it,” Clean Fuels writes in the letter. “EPA’s rule fully accounts for the investments our industry made over the last several years to increase U.S. biomass-based diesel capacity and oilseed processing. The rule is encouraging additional investments in rural economies, such as grain handling, fuel distribution infrastructure, and new markets for the fuel. Most importantly, EPA acknowledged that American companies will make additional investments only if the policy direction remains certain.”

The letter documents increases in domestic soy and canola processing and record use of soy oil and distillers corn oil for biodiesel and renewable diesel production during the first months of 2026. Additionally, by April, biodiesel and renewable diesel producers returned to capacity utilization rates comparable to highs in 2024.

Clean Fuels Vice President of Federal Affairs Kurt Kovarik notes that EPA’s historic RFS volumes for 2026 and 2027 are supporting the significant investments the clean fuels industry has made to grow domestic markets for American farmers and increase domestic fuel production. “Better still, it is encouraging new investments and job creation to continue growth of biodiesel, renewable diesel, and SAF for the future.”

Biodiesel, Clean Fuels Alliance, renewable diesel, Soybeans

Startup Turns Dairy Manure Into Jet Fuel

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

California-based Circularity Fuels this week completed the world’s first end-to-end conversion of raw agricultural biogas into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Over a six-month pilot run on biogas drawn straight from a California dairy farm’s manure digester, Circularity produced drop-in jet fuel meeting ASTM D7566 Annex A1 specifications. The pilot puts commercial SAF within reach at <$100,000 per barrel-per-day of installed capacity at commercial scale, about one-fifth the capital cost of SAF plants currently under construction in Europe. The reduction in plant cost will make Circularity’s biogas-derived SAF cost-competitive with fossil jet fuel.

Jet fuel supply has come under growing pressure. International geopolitics has destabilized crude oil markets, and prices for airlines and fliers keep climbing. SAF offers a domestically produced alternative, but today’s global SAF production still meets less than 1% of demand. SAF production today is dominated by used cooking oil, which suffers from limited scale and doesn’t mitigate energy security risks given the majority of used cooking oil is imported from China. Advanced SAF proponents have touted e-Fuels as the solution, but rising power prices make power-to-liquid approaches economically challenging.

Circularity’s biogas jet fuel qualifies for federal and state biofuel incentives, including the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) pathway and the company expects to break ground on its first commercial site in 2027, targeting agricultural biogas resources across the United States, Latin America, and Europe.

biogas, biojet fuel, dairy, SAF

Export Exchange 2026 Set for Seattle

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Export Exchange 2026 is set for October 15-17 in Seattle, WA.

Export Exchange is a biennial event sponsored by the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy bringing together U.S. suppliers of coarse grains and co-products, industry representatives and members of the grain trade with international buyers and end-users of coarse grains and co-products, including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

“The Council and its partners are proud to host this event and provide a platform for U.S. producers and exporters to meet international buyers and make lasting business connections,” said Mark Wilson, USGBC chairman.

Previous editions of the conference have each resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in sales of grains and co-products traded on-site or immediately following the event.

In addition to networking opportunities, the event will focus on timely topics related to exports of U.S. corn, sorghum, barley, DDGS and related products. Council-sponsored trade teams from more than 30 countries will also be in attendance, participating in tours before and after the main conference.

Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, RFA, USGC

Ethanol Exports Lower in April But Still Strong

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. ethanol exports dropped below 200 million gallons (mg) in April for the first time in six months amid broadly weaker shipments across several key markets, but still remained strong at 171.6 million gallons, according to the latest Trade Monitor report from the Renewable Fuels Association. Canada remained the top destination for U.S. ethanol, despite a 14 percent decline, while exports to the European Union fell 42% to a 9-month low of 34.1 mg, though strong demand from the Netherlands continued to underpin the market for undenatured ethanol.

Shipments to South Korea jumped 57% to a 4-year high of 16.4 mg, while imports by the Philippines retreated 27% to 11.1 mg. Collectively, these four markets accounted for roughly three-quarters of all U.S. ethanol exports in April. Other significant destinations included the United Kingdom (10.4 mg), Peru (8.6 mg), Mexico (8.0 mg), Nigeria (6.6 mg), and Colombia (6.3 mg). Notably, exports to Brazil dropped to essentially zero as the country emerged from its interharvest period, and India was also absent from the market for U.S. ethanol. Year-to-date U.S. ethanol exports reached 811.3 mg, running 13% ahead of the same period last year.

U.S. exports of dried distillers grains (DDGS) were down just one percent in April to 1.02 million metric tons (mt) as shipments to Mexico declined three percent to 206,786 mt, while exports to Indonesia declined 15% to 139,653 mt. Exports to South Korea were up 6% to 121,565 mt, shipments to Vietnam increased 13% to 114,782 mt, and exports to Turkey surged 32% to 94,663 mt.

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

Ethanol Report from FEW 2026

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association took the home field advantage at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop this year which was held in their own backyard in St. Louis June 2-4.

In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, we hear from many of the RFA team members who helped to make FEW 2026 a home run, including Senior Vice President for Government and Public Affairs Troy Bredenkamp; Senior Vice President for Industry Relations and Market Development Robert White; Vice President for Strategy and Innovation Tad Hapner; Director of Environment, Health and Safety Justin Schultz; as well as President and CEO Geoff Cooper.

Ethanol Report 6-8-26 27:59

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, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

RFA Provides Update on California E15 at FEW

Cindy Zimmerman

It was October 2025 when California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation making way for lower cost 15 percent ethanol fuel (E15) to be made available for the first time in the state, but eight months later it has yet to happen.

At this week’s Fuel Ethanol Workshop, Robert White with the Renewable Fuels Association explained that the will of the state government is tied up in red tape regarding California’s unique stage two vapor recovery equipment.

“Stage 2 vapor recovery is a boot on the end of the nozzle when you fuel your vehicle that captures the vapor from the fuel as it enters the vehicle,” said White. “Unfortunately, it is a necessary requirement because the vehicles that would be approved to use E15 have onboard vapor recovery system that a lot of people don’t realize is there….So all we’ve been trying to say is they could use enforcement discretion, they could use various opportunities that they do at stage one and other pieces of equipment that they use at gas stations to allow E10 certified equipment to allow E15 because all of those systems were tested on E15. It’s just they were listed at E10. And the state fire marshal has dug in. They don’t seem like they’re ready to move. And so eight months later, here we sit.”

Meanwhile, White says sales of E85 in California continue to grow as retail prices are significantly lower compared to regular unleaded. “It’s crazy to think that, in Kansas City, I think the biggest discount I can find is 80 cents, maybe a dollar discount on E85. And you go to California and $2 or $3, we even saw a $4 discount in Glendale, California a couple of weeks ago from E85 to regular gasoline,” said White. “So flex fuel vehicles are definitely in high demand and we’re seeing more and more E85 stations being added – they just crossed 650 in the state.”

Learn more in this interview from FEW.
RFA Senior VP, Industry Relations and Market Development Robert White 12:25

RFA at FEW Photo Album

Audio, E15, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

ACE CEO Discusses Ethanol Issues on FEW Roundtable

Cindy Zimmerman

ACE CEO Brian Jennings (L) on FEW panel with moderator Ben Rhodes, Nebraska Ethanol Board

Nationwide, year-round E15 continues to be the top issue for the ethanol industry and it was the number one topic on the executive roundtable at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop this week.

American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings says passage of the E15 bill in the House last month has bolstered supporters in the Senate. “On the Senate side, we’re engaging with, as you might expect, Majority Leader Thune of South Dakota, a strong supporter of this, can be very instrumental in figuring out the right path,” said Jennings. “I think the Senate feels the pressure now to do something. Now that the House has passed this, the senators that we’ve been talking to are like, okay, wow, now it’s our turn and we actually have to do this. So I think there’s a little more interest in being flexible and being open and finding a path forward.”

The panel also covered topics such as exports and the recent decision on Brazil’s trading practices, and getting rules in place for the 45Z tax credit – all topics that Jennings says will be on the agenda for the ACE’s upcoming 39th annual conference with the theme “Fueling Freedom.”

“We wanted to build off America’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Ethanol gives that independence and that freedom to drivers,” Jennings said. “We’re putting together the agenda right now, but you can expect that we will be talking about all of the public policy issues of the day that this panel did, from E15 to 45Z to exports, you name it, new markets. We’re going to have speakers talk about heavy-duty use for ethanol and like John Deere and other heavy-duty applications, the marine opportunity, the sustainable aviation fuel opportunity. And then just a lot of breakout sessions to help board members in terms of leadership and training and succession planning, financial health of the company, things like that.”

The ACE Conference will be held August 19-21, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Listen to an interview with Jennings from FEW:
ACE CEO Brian Jennings at FEW 12:50

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, FEW

RFA Hits Home Run at 2026 Fuel Ethanol Workshop

Cindy Zimmerman

RFA team at FEW with Cardinals Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith

]The Renewable Fuels Association hit a home run at the 2026 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo (FEW) June 2-4 in St. Louis.

RFA had a full lineup of events throughout the show, including featuring St. Louis Cardinals legend and Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith at their booth.
RFA Senior Vice President for Government and Public Affairs Troy Bredenkamp took part in the executive roundtable discussion while RFA Senior Vice President for Industry Relations and Market Development Robert White discussed California’s ethanol market in the afternoon.

Also presenting at FEW were Tad Hepner, RFA’s Vice President for Strategy and Innovation, and Justin Schultz, RFA Director of Environment, Health and Safety.

RFA’s Troy Bredenkamp (far left) on FEW executive round table panel

Bredenkamp says they went all out for FEW this year, since RFA headquarters is located in the St. Louis area. “You know, this is something we don’t typically do, but again, when you’re in Saint Louis, you take that kind of an opportunity,” said Bredenkamp. “Those that are baseball fans will certainly remember the Wizard of Oz and since we’re in Saint Louis, obviously he was a lifelong Saint Louis Cardinal. We just try and make whatever connections we can while we’re here.”

Based in RFA’s Washington D.C. office, Bredenkamp is on the front lines of the battle in Congress to get nationwide, year-round E15 passed into law, so that topic dominated the executive round table discussion at FEW Wednesday morning. “We just had the successful vote in the U.S. House. So we talked about how we were able to get that done over on the House side. And then we all talked then about what it’s going to take to get it done over on the Senate side. That was probably about half the panel discussion.” said Bredenkamp.

Learn more in this interview.
RFA Senior VP, Government and Public Affairs Troy Bredenkamp 15:48

RFA at FEW Photo Album

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, FEW