The biofuels industry is eagerly awaiting the highly anticipated release of 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) renewable volume obligations (RVOs) expected today. In July, the agency proposed a total renewable fuel volume of 19.24 billion gallons (BG), maintaining the conventional biofuel (corn ethanol) requirement at the 15 billion gallon level but reducing advanced biofuels (mostly biodiesel) to 4.24 billion gallons, …
Biodiesel Advocates Storming the Hill
With EPA set to release final volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), and Congress back at work on tax legislation, this week is a perfect time for members of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) to put biodiesel on the front burner in Washington D.C. Nearly 100 NBB members are storming the Hill to talk with lawmakers about the …
Corn Harvest Wrapping Up
The corn harvest is not quite finished, but weekly USDA crop progress reports are done for the year. According to the last report issued on Monday, 95 percent of the corn crop nationwide is in the bin, less than the 98 percent average for the end of November. Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin are dragging behind with less than 90 percent …
Ethanol Production Hits Weekly Record
Weekly U.S. ethanol production hit a new record high this month. According to Energy Information Administration data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), ethanol production for the week ending November 17 averaged 1.074 million barrels per day (b/d)—or 45.11 million gallons daily, up 20,000 b/d from the week before. That is the highest rate of output ever recorded, beating …
Industry Thankful for EPA Obligation Point Decision
The ethanol industry got something extra to be thankful for the day before Thanksgiving as the Environmental Protection Agency followed through on the promise made by Administrator Scott Pruitt to deny a petition to change the point of obligation for compliance under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “Based on a wide range of stakeholder input and information provided as a …
Medford Celebrates 20 Years of Biodiesel School Buses
When it comes to using cleaner burning biodiesel in school buses, Medford Township Public Schools in New Jersey goes to the head of the class, as they celebrate 20 years this month, making Medford the nation’s longest continuous user of biodiesel in a student transportation fleet. The school district’s use of biodiesel has eliminated more than 123,376 pounds of smog-forming …
No Back to the Future for the RFS
Guest contributor – Rachel Gantz, Renewable Fuels Association Do you remember the scene towards the end of “Back to the Future,” where Doc Brown is refueling the time-traveling DeLorean with banana peels and beer waste? That was biofuel before it was available at so many of our neighborhood gasoline stations. Nowadays, Doc Brown just needs to pull up to his …
S&P Global Platts Launches New Weekly Ethanol Assessment
S&P Global Platts has launched a new North-Northeast Brazil anhydrous ethanol assessment which reflects demand for greater transparency and a clearly defined methodology to help market participants understand the drivers of pricing. “The North-Northeast of Brazil is a region that is net short ethanol and therefore needs to import from the Center-South region of the country as well as from …
RFA Releases Ethanol Savings Calculator
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has just released an easy-to-use online calculator just in time for the holidays to help drivers find out how much money they can save by choosing ethanol blends like E15 and E85. Here’s how it works: Step 1 – enter retail prices for E10, E15 and E85. Prices from thousands of stations nationwide, along with …
Holiday Drivers Can Save $$$ With E15
Drivers who are heading over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house for the holidays could save big money if they fill up the tank with 15 percent ethanol for the holidays. According Growth Energy, if all of the drivers hitting the road this week fill up with E15, the total savings would be nearly $4 million. AAA …