The Environmental Protection Agency released its proposal for 2019 biofuel obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Tuesday, maintaining the statutory level for corn ethanol while increasing advanced biofuels, but failing to address the small refinery exemptions that have decimated demand and effectively lowered the required amount of biofuels to be blended. Under the proposed rule, conventional renewable fuel volumes …
Groups Support Biodiesel Tax Credit
A diverse group of trade associations are presenting a united front to Congress in support of maintaining and extending the current biodiesel blenders tax credit. Eight organizations joined the National Biodiesel Board in a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), House …
House Subcommittee Hearing on Advanced Biofuels
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment held its fourth hearing this year aimed at addressing issues related to fuels and vehicles, this time focusing on advanced biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Among those who testified at the hearing on Friday were Advanced Biofuels Association president Mike McAdams, National Association of Truck Stop Operators representative Robin Puthusseril, …
Lamberty Focused on E10 in Mexico and E15 in US
Right after the Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) wrapped up in Omaha this month, word came that a Mexican federal court overturned an injunction blocking ethanol blends from climbing to 10 percent from 5.8 percent, allowing most of the country to move forward with E10 blends. That was very good news as American Coalition for Ethanol senior vice president Ron Lamberty …
Enogen-Enhanced Cellerate Technology Advancing Biofuels
The Advanced Biofuels Conference ran in conjunction with the 2018 Fuel Ethanol Conference last week in Omaha and several sessions were sponsored by Cellerate® process technology, enhanced by Syngenta Enogen corn. Miloud Araba, Technical Services for Enogen, participated in two panels to discuss how Enogen and Cellerate are helping move advanced biofuels forward. “Cellerate allows producers to get more ethanol, …
EPA Decision Boosts Isobutanol
In news that was somewhat overshadowed during his Midwest tour last week, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced the registration of isobutanol as a fuel additive for blending into gasoline at levels up to 16 volume percent from the previous 12.5 percent blend level. Pruitt issued a letter of notification on June 12 to Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC registering isobutanol “after …
ACE Awards 2018 Scholarships
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has announced the winners of its 2018 scholarship program recipients. Keithen Drury, Brett Galles, and Emma Baker will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to help further their collegiate education. Keithen Drury from Blue Hill, Nebraska, is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa. Keithen is the son of …
House Democrats Demand Answers from EPA
Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Committee on Agriculture led by Reps. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) and Cheri Bustos (D-IL) are demanding that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt provide additional information regarding his agency’s “failed implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).” A letter signed by a dozen Democrats presents a series of questions seeking information …
Growth Energy Touts Prime the Pump Success
More than 2,800 retail sites will offer E15 by 2021, generating approximately 350 million new ethanol gallons annually, according to a new report by Growth Energy on the success of E15 and the accomplishments of Prime the Pump, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping build the infrastructure and distribution of higher biofuel blends. “Thanks to the hard work and generosity …
White Energy Teams with Occidental for CO2 Study
Occidental Petroleum Corporation and White Energy are teaming up to evaluate the economic feasibility of a carbon capture, utilization and storage project. The project would capture carbon dioxide (CO2) at White Energy’s ethanol facilities in Hereford and Plainview, Texas, and transport it to the Permian Basin, where Occidental would use it in its enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations. Occidental injects …