Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen says the Environmental Protection Agency is missing an opportunity to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and create new economic opportunity by limiting its decision on E15 (15% ethanol/85% gasoline) to only model year (MY) 2007 and newer vehicles. “EPA’s scientifically unjustified bifurcation of the U.S. car market will do little to …
EPA Announces Decision on Higher Ethanol Blends
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has granted a partial waiver to allow up to 15 percent ethanol in gasoline for 2007 model year vehicles or newer. A decision on the use of E15 in model year 2001 to 2006 vehicles will be made after EPA receives the results of additional DOE testing, which is expected to be completed in November. …
Fragmented Approval for Ethanol Boost Expected
All eyes in the ethanol industry are on the Environmental Protection Agency this morning, awaiting a ruling on the waiver to allow up to 15 percent ethanol in regular gasoline that was requested in March of 2009. Industry sources are expecting to see a fragmented approval of E15, allowing it in cars 2007 and newer, but waiting for more testing …
Ethanol Report on Export Exchange Turnout
This edition of “The Ethanol Report” features comments from participants in last week’s Export Exchange held in Chicago to promote exports of the ethanol co-product distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). About 500 buyers and sellers of DDGs from the United States and over 30 countries took part in the two day event. We hear from event sponsors Renewable Fuels …
New E85 Pump in Michigan
PS Food Mart recently installed a new E85 pump in Jackson, Michigan, thanks to assistance from Growth Energy’s 2010 E85 and Blender Pump Program, offering funds to retailers for the alternative fuel infrastructure. The new pump opened on September 20th and has been dispensing about 100 gallons a day. “We wanted to be able to provide a fuel that is …
Corn Crop Lower But Ethanol Stays Steady
Corn production for this year was cut by four percent in the latest forecast out this morning from USDA, a bigger drop than expected by the industry. Corn production is now forecast at 12.7 billion bushels, down 3 percent from last year’s record production of 13.1 billion bushels. Yields are now expected to average 155.8 bushels per acre, down 6.7 …
Ag Secretary to Make “Major” Biofuels Speech
Later this month, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will give a “major speech on domestic biofuel production.” According to USDA, Vilsack will discuss the progress USDA and other federal agencies are making toward achieving the 36 billion gallon biofuel production goal mandated by the Renewable Fuels Standard and new efforts by the Obama administration to bolster the industry and reduce U.S. …
Ethanol Report With New RFA Chairman
The board for directors for the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) last week elected Chuck Woodside, General Manager of farmer-owned KAAPA Ethanol in Minden, Nebraska as the new chairman for the organization. The election was held at RFA’s Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, DC. Woodside succeeds Chris Standlee, Executive Vice President of Abengoa Bioenergy, who served for three one-year terms. Chuck …
Second Look at USDA Ethanol Energy Balance Report
A report released by USDA in June on the energy balance of ethanol plants is getting a second look this week, thanks to a post on the USDA blog. The second look is well deserved, since the report, titled “2008 Energy Balance for the Corn Ethanol Industry,” got less coverage than it deserves when it was first released. The findings …