An analysis of EPA data by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) shows that small refinery exemptions for 2016 and 2017 have cost at least 1.6 billion gallons of biofuels in lost blending obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The volume of lost blending obligations for these two years is 10 times the collective volume of lost volume from 2013-2015. …
Ag Reporters Grill EPA Chief on RFS Issues
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt faced a grilling from agricultural reporters Tuesday about the agency granting waivers exempting refineries from Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations and why it is taking so long to decide on allowing year round use of 15% ethanol in all markets. The embattled administrator, who faces Congressional hearings this week where he will likely be questioned on …
American Ethanol Teams With Universal Technical Institute
Growth Energy has announced a new partnership between its American Ethanol program and Universal Technical Institute (UTI), the nation’s leading provider of technical training for automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. As part of the agreement, Growth Energy will support the student resource center at UTI’s NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina. “Growth Energy will be a …
HERO BX Partners With Iowa Renewable Energy for Biodiesel
Lake Erie Biofuels, doing business as HERO BX, has announced a partnership to manufacture and market biodiesel from the Iowa Renewable Energy plant in Washington, Iowa. HERO BX Founder & CEO Samuel P. “Pat” Black, III, said, “It has been my ambition to expand the biodiesel expertise harvested from our flagship plant in Erie, PA, nationwide much like has already …
Program Can Help Biodiesel Industry Meet FSMA Requirements
Glycerin is a byproduct of biodiesel production that is often sold to be used as an animal food ingredient. As such, it must comply with the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) guidelines that go into effect this September, so the Iowa Biodiesel Board has developed a biodiesel Food Safety Program to help producers get into compliance with the new …
ACE Addresses Ethanol Retailers in Mexico
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty was in Mexico this week to help Mexican petroleum equipment installers and retailers with the technical details of switching stations to E10 for the first time. It’s the second time this month that Lamberty headed south of the border to conduct seminars as part of a U.S. Grains Council series …
4th Plant to Install Whitefox ICE™ System
Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) in Benson, Minnesota will become the fourth U.S. ethanol plant to install a Whitefox ICE™ membrane dehydration system. Whitefox has already installed its membrane dehydration system at Fox River Valley Ethanol and at United Ethanol in WI, Pine Lake Corn Processor in IA, and Pacific Ethanol in CA. “With the installation of the Whitefox ICE™ …
Ethanol Blend Rate Drops
The latest Energy Information Administration data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) shows ethanol production is lower but still averaging a little over a million barrels a day, while the ethanol blend rate dropped to its lowest point since the beginning of this year. “Although ethanol demand was the most robust in 16 weeks, ethanol content in gasoline supplied …
Senators Call on EPA to Stop Issuing RFS Waivers
A bipartisan group of senators led by Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) are asking EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to stop issuing so-called “hardship” waivers exempting obligated parties from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The 13 senators are also requesting that EPA provide “information about the waivers already issued, disclose whether or not the agency redistributed the waived volume …
E15 Now Available in St. Louis Metro Area
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) announced this week that E15 (15% ethanol, 85% gasoline) has debuted in the St. Louis area and will be available throughout the year. Home Service Oil Co. now offers both E15 and E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) at the Express Mart location in Pevely, Mo., just off Interstate 55 south of St. Louis. The company, …