It was April 12, 2022 when President Biden traveled to an ethanol plant in Iowa to announce an emergency waiver to allow the sale of 15 percent ethanol (E15) in the summer months – and once again the industry finds itself in the same situation a year later. In a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan last week, Renewable Fuels …
Ethanol Industry Worth $2.7 Billion to MN Economy
Minnesota’s ethanol industry contributed $2.7 billion to the state’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022, according to a new study by the University of Minnesota Extension, sponsored by MN Bio-Fuels. The study found the industry produced 1.34 billion gallons of ethanol last year, up from 1.27 billion gallons in 2021, resulting in $8 billion in economic activity through sales and …
Preliminary Agenda Announced for 2023 FEW
Ethanol Producer Magazine has announced the preliminary agenda for the 2023 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo (FEW) taking place June 12-14, 2023 in Omaha, Nebraska. This year’s agenda includes three co-located events: Biodiesel Summit: Sustainable Aviation Fuel & Renewable Biodiesel, Carbon Capture & Storage Summit, and the annual Ethanol 101. “In addition to ethanol production, management, and product diversification …
Ethanol Report with More #NEC23 Highlights
The centerpiece of the 2023 National Ethanol Conference was a new concept vehicle that runs on both electricity and up to 85 percent ethanol. In this edition of The Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association VP of Industry Relations Robert White talks about the new Flex Fuel EV, which has already become a trade show star. We also hear from Jeff …
Senators Reintroduce Next Generation Fuels Act
Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), together with Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), this week led bipartisan colleagues in reintroducing the Next Generation Fuels Act, legislation that would leverage higher-octane fuels to improve engine efficiency and performance. “Instead of continuing to buy more oil from foreign adversaries, we should be increasing the use of ethanol made …
USDA Under Secretary Supports US Ethanol in Panama
USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor is on a trade mission to Central America-Dominican Republic and supporting U.S. ethanol on the way. The mission included Taylor witnessing a memorandum of understanding signing between the U.S. Grains Council and the Panamanian Sugar Cane National Industry on ethanol blending. “Our U.S. industry and the Panamanian industry are …
EPA Holds Virtual Hearing on Proposed E15 Waiver
The Environmental Protection Agency held a virtual hearing Tuesday on the recently proposed rule for a permanent waiver to allow eight states to sell E15 year round. For ethanol stakeholders, comments boiled down to one message: EPA took too long to respond to the governors’ request and must do something immediately to implement a waiver before summer. Renewable Fuels Association …
Second Part of Iowa Carbon Study Released
The second part of a study looking at potential impacts if Iowa prevents carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects was released this week by Decision Innovation Solutions (DIS) and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), finding that farm income could drop by more than $1 billion annually. DIS concluded: “Ethanol production in the state of Iowa has brought tens of …
Nuseed Launches 2023 Carinata Program at Classic
Look, up in the sky! It’s a mustard seed! It’s a cover crop! No, it’s super Carinata sustainable aviation fuel! Once a lowly Ethiopian mustard seed with little to offer for human consumption, this plant is growing in popularity as a certified sustainable non-food cover crop that can be used as a low-carbon feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). “Carinata …
RFA Provides Comments on California LCFS
The Renewable Fuels Association submitted comments last week to the California Air Resources Board that identified several areas in CARB’s proposal and underlying analysis that need improvement. The top area of improvement cited by RFA Chief Economist Scott Richman is immediate approval of E15 for use in California. “Migrating all E10 to E15 in California today would result in approximately …