The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today a final determination in its “changed circumstances review” of antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on imports of Argentine biodiesel. As a result, the rates on biodiesel imports from Argentina will remain at their current levels. National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is pleased with the decision. Kurt Kovarik, NBB’s VP of Federal …
Ethanol Production Gains a Little
Ethanol plants showed signs of new life last week, as production increased 11.4% from the previous week, according to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending May 1. However, production remains tempered due to COVID-19 disruptions, coming in 42.3% below the same week in 2019. The four-week average ethanol production rate declined 3.1% to 567,000 …
Biofuels Industry Welcomes USDA Infrastructure Funds
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making up to $100 million in competitive grants available to help expand the availability and sale of renewable fuels. The Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) consist of up to $100 million in funding for competitive grants or sales incentives to eligible entities for activities designed to expand the sales and use of ethanol …
Coalition Opposes API Petition on 2020 RFS Obligations
A coalition of ethanol and farm groups sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday opposing the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) recent petition requesting reconsideration of the 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) final rule. API claims reconsideration of the 2020 RFS rule is necessary in light of the coalition’s recent Tenth Circuit court victory that overturned small refinery …
Ethanol Report 4-30-20
Ethanol producers are literally in the battle of their lives for the survival of the industry, as losses continue to mount from restrictions on travel put in place due to COVID-19. The latest production data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending April 24, ethanol production dropped another 4.6%, or 26,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 537,000 …
Bipartisan Bill to Expand Biofuels Infrastructure Introduced
Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) on Tuesday introduced bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored by Reps. Angie Craig (D-MN), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Roger Marshall (R-KS), that would provide funding for installing and converting fuel pump infrastructure to deliver higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel. The Clean Fuels Deployment Act of 2020 “authorizes $600 million over six years to help retailers offer higher ethanol …
ACE Asks Administration to Help Ethanol Producers
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings is asking President Trump to “provide a much-needed boost to ethanol producers and rural America in response to the mounting economic harm as a result of the sudden and severe drop in ethanol demand” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “More than half of U.S. ethanol production capacity is already offline, high-skill jobs …
2020 FEW Rescheduled for August
The 2020 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo, has been moved due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Originally scheduled for mid-June in Minneapolis, the FEW is now rescheduled to take place August 24th through August 26th, 2020 in Omaha, Nebraska. “Based on the most current information available, and with the best interests of our members, exhibitors, attendees and the global …
RFA Earns TRANSCAER Award for 8th Year in a Row
The Renewable Fuels Association has received the TRANSCAER National Achievement Award for the eighth year in a row. In 2019, RFA held 27 ethanol safety seminars in 10 locations, four Train-the-Trainer webinars and an online ethanol safety training initiative, which trained emergency responders on how to properly respond to an ethanol incident. Collectively, these events trained nearly 900 individuals last …
ADM Idles Plants in Iowa and Nebraska
ADM announced Friday that ethanol production is being idled at the company’s corn dry mill facilities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Columbus, Nebraska, which means furloughs for about 90 employees at each facility in the coming weeks. During the furlough, employees will continue to receive medical benefits and will be eligible to apply for state and federal unemployment benefits. They …