The Renewable Fuels Association, in partnership with TRANSCAER®, is hosting an ethanol safety webinar on March 19 for ethanol emergency response teams. The “Train the Trainer” webinar, which is funded through a Federal Railroad Administration/TRANSCAER® grant, is intended to develop instructors to lead operations-level training and is open to all professional individuals above the technical level of training who are …
USDA Secretary Clarifies E15 Comments
Two days before he appeared at the Commodity Classic last week, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told the House Agriculture Committee that rules allowing the use of E15 year round “probably will not be out for the driving season,” but he says newly confirmed EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler has “figured out” how to get it done by June 1. Perdue says …
Nebraska Ethanol Emerging Issues Forum Next Week
Biofuel stakeholders from across the country will be in Omaha next week for the 14th annual Nebraska Ethanol: Emerging Issues Forum on March 7-8, kicking off with a welcome from Governor Pete Ricketts. The Nebraska Ethanol Board organizes the forum, which brings together ethanol producers and others involved in production, technology, policymaking and marketing of biofuels and its co-products. Topics …
Perdue Doubts E15 Rule will be Ready by Summer
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue appeared before the House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday to update members on the current state of the farm economy and what USDA is doing about it. Among the many topics Secretary Perdue addressed was whether EPA would get a rule allowing the year-round use of E15 ethanol-blended fuel in time for the summer driving season. …
Rock House Advisors Announces Expansion
Rock House Advisors, the business consulting firm founded by former National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe, has announced the addition of Mike Marsch as Senior Vice President. Marsch will help lead an expanded national and international network of strategic partners who serve as Rock House Associates. This network of experts collaborates on projects to expand the scope of business services …
New Review of Argentina Biodiesel Policy Concerns Senators
A bipartisan group of 14 Senators, led by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross this week regarding his agency’s recently launched “changed circumstances” review of U.S. duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina. The Senators are asking for the department to develop a complete record of Argentina’s biodiesel trade actions …
Platts Proposes Chicago Ethanol Price Assessment Revision
S&P Global Platts has made a proposal to revise the methodology for its Ethanol Chicago (terminal) price assessment to expand the delivery (offtake) options to include barge, rail and truck loading, effective May 1, 2019. “By this proposal, we will expand delivery options for our Ethanol Chicago price assessment, reflective of the extensive feedback we received from market participants through …
Targray Opens European Biodiesel Trading Desk in Geneva
Biodiesel marketer Targray has announced the opening of its EU biodiesel trading desk in Geneva, Switzerland as part of a broader investment plan to meet demand for low-carbon fuels in the EU. Targray’s EU biofuels business will be led by biodiesel trader Vincent Cariou. Prior to joining the company in 2019, Vincent worked for nearly 10 years at agricultural commodities …
SD Farmers Union Challenges GM on Higher Octane
The president of the South Dakota Farmers Union took issue with remarks made by a General Motors executive at the recent National Ethanol Conference that 98 RON (Research Octane Number) or higher gasoline was not feasible. In a letter to General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra, Doug Sombke challenged GM vice president Don Nicholson’s claim that “98 RON fuel …
ACE Resumes Ethanol Forums for Mexico Retailers in 2019
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty traveled to Mérida, Mexico last week for the first ethanol technical information forum of the year for Mexican petroleum equipment installers and retailers. The forums are a joint effort of the U.S. Grains Council and the Mexican Association of Service Station Providers (AMPES) to inform Mexican petroleum marketers about opportunities …