The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to adopt the latest GREET model for the lifecycle analysis of corn ethanol. In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, ACE CEO Brian Jennings highlighted the important role corn ethanol could have in further reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if properly valued under the Renewable Fuel …
REG to Close New Boston, Texas Biodiesel Plant
Renewable Energy Group (REG) is closing its New Boston, Texas biorefinery “due to challenging business conditions and continued federal policy uncertainty, most notably the long-lapsed federal biodiesel tax credit.” The company acquired the 15-million gallon per-year biodiesel plant near Texarkana, Texas in October 2012 and began producing biodiesel there several months later. The facility is capable of running both high …
Energy Secretary Contradicts EPA in Letter to Senator
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) finally got an answer this week from the Department of Energy to a request he sent in April about the agency’s role in Small Refinery Exemptions, and it directly contradicts what the Environmental Protection Agency has been saying. Contrary to assertions by the EPA, the Energy Department confirmed in a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) …
BP and Bunge Grow Biofuels Business in Brazil
BP and Bunge have formed a 50:50 joint venture to create a world-scale producer of sugarcane ethanol in Brazil, BP Bunge Bioenergia. BP will combine its Brazilian biofuels and biopower businesses with that of Bunge and BP’s interest in the new venture will grow its existing biofuels business by more than 50 percent. Brazil is the world’s second largest and …
Ethanol Report on Current Issues
While the rest of us are filling up on E15 to fuel our summer vacations, the Renewable Fuels Association is having a busy summer keeping up with the latest EPA actions impacting ethanol. In this edition of “The Ethanol Report,” RFA president and CEO Geoff Cooper discusses preparing for the July 31 public hearing on the proposed 2020 volume obligations, …
MN Biofuels Releases Mid Year Report
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 …
REG Opens Retail Station in Illinois
Renewable Energy Group, Inc. this week celebrated the grand opening of the company’s first diesel fueling station in Seneca, Illinois. “This diesel fueling station is another example of how REG is moving fuel forward by expanding our capabilities,” said Cynthia J. Warner, REG President & CEO. “It gives us another avenue of getting our high quality, clean fuel to new …
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 …