S&W Seed Company and Shell Oil Products have agreed to establish a joint venture to develop and produce sustainable biofuel feedstocks called Vision Bioenergy Oilseeds LLC, which will be jointly owned by the two companies. The venture intends to develop Camelina and other oilseed species from which oil and meal can be extracted for future processing into animal feed, biofuels, …
NCERC Celebrates 20th Year of Operations in 2023
This year the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville enters its 20th year of leadership in the biofuels industry. The center opened its doors in October 2003 and since that time has served as the primary location for innovation in the corn ethanol industry. Now, NCERC’s clients have evolved to include companies from across …
What’s New With Plasma Blue
This year marks the third anniversary for Plasma Blue, which debuted at the National Biodiesel Conference in 2020. Created by the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, Plasma Blue is based on a revolutionary new technology to help the biofuels industry better utilize renewable sources of energy, such as wind and solar, in the conversion of sustainably-grown feedstocks to oil. …
United, Tallgrass, and Green Plains Form Ethanol SAF Venture
United Airlines, Tallgrass, and Green Plains have announced a new joint venture called Blue Blade Energy to develop and commercialize a novel Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) technology using ethanol as its feedstock. If the technology is successful, Blue Blade is expected to proceed with the construction of a pilot facility in 2024, followed by a full-scale facility that could begin …
NEC Scholarships Awarded
The Renewable Fuels Foundation announces six 2023 recipients of the Robert Sather Memorial Scholarship to attend the National Ethanol Conference. Two students and four young professionals received the honor this year. Student scholarship recipients are Xueli Chen, who is working toward a doctorate from the Dept. of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Purdue University and serves as a research assistant at …
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to Receive RFA Industry Award
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will visit the upcoming National Ethanol Conference in Orlando next month to receive the Renewable Fuels Association annual Industry Award. Each year, the award is presented to an individual or entity who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the renewable fuels industry and the value-added agriculture sector. Gov. Reynolds’ accomplishments and determined leadership …
DOE Awards $118 Million for Domestic Biofuel Production
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) last week announced $118 million in funding for 17 projects to accelerate the production of sustainable biofuels for America’s transportation and manufacturing needs. “Biofuels are a versatile tool because they have the immediate potential to power our ships, trains, airlines and heavy-duty vehicles—a huge contributor to total carbon emissions—with a significantly reduced carbon footprint,” …
States Attorneys General Push EPA for Response on E15
A bipartisan coalition of seven Attorneys General sent a letter last week to EPA Administrator Michael Regan urging the Biden Administration to follow the law and respond to the request of their Governors and issue regulations allowing the sale of year-round E15 ethanol gasoline in their respective states. The letter was signed by the Attorneys General of Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, …
Ethanol Report Preview of NEC
The 2023 National Ethanol Conference is coming up in less than a month now and there are so many reasons to attend February 28 – March 2 in Orlando. In this episode of the Ethanol Report, we hear from four Renewable Fuels Association staff members about some of the panels and issues that will be explored at the NEC. Jared …
Chevron and REG United as ONE
Last year, Chevron Corporation acquired Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG), which was founded in 2006 in Iowa to become the largest biodiesel producer in the country and a big presence at the Clean Fuels Conference in Tampa. Kevin Lucke, who has been with Chevron since 1982, was named President of the Chevron Renewable Energy Group based in Ames, Iowa. Since …