The Urban Air Initiative (UAI) is a non-profit organizations dedicated to improving the quality of motor fuels to improve air quality and enhance public health, especially in urban areas. UAI is building a diverse coalition of stakeholders to work on replacing harmful aromatic compounds in gasoline with safer alternatives, like ethanol. At the American Coalition for Ethanol conference last week, …
RFS Update from EPA at ACE Meeting
Environmental Protection Agency official Paul Machiele visited the American Coalition for Ethanol conference this week in Minneapolis to discuss various issues, including plans for the 2014 volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Machiele, who is director for Fuel Programs in EPA’s Assessment and Standards Division, said they understand the rule is very important and they are working very …
Future for Ethanol Blends
Getting higher blends of ethanol in the marketplace continues to be frustrating, even with the approval of E15 (15% ethanol). The biggest problem continues to be roadblocks by oil companies, according to American Coalition for Ethanol Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty, who compared the sale and use of E15 to premium gasoline. “If you total (all the) vehicles that could …
Export Opportunities for Ethanol and DDGs
U.S. exports of ethanol totaled 59.9 million gallons (mg) in June, up 13% from the seven-month low in May, according to a Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) analysis of government data, and the opportunities are expanding. That was the topic for the last session at the American Coalition for Ethanol conference this week in Minneapolis and one of the speakers was …
Ethanol Plant Innovators
Four ethanol producers who are innovating plants through new process and product technology took the podium at the American Coalition for Ethanol conference this week to talk about what they are doing. First up was ACE president Ron Alverson of Dakota Ethanol who talked about the importance of carbon, particularly the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and how it …
Collin Peterson Honored for Ethanol Support
The American Coalition for Ethanol meeting in Minneapolis this week honored Congressman Collin Peterson of Minnesota with its highest award for supporters of ethanol, the Merle Anderson award. Anderson himself presented Peterson with the award, as well as an ethanol lapel pin and five dollars for his campaign. Peterson says ethanol has been great for agriculture and he continues to …
ACE President Optimistic About Ethanol Industry
American Coalition for Ethanol president Ron Alverson of Dakota Ethanol says there are lots of reasons to excited about the ethanol industry right now. “We’re just super competitive,” Alverson said in his opening comments at the 27th annual ACE conference, showing a graph indicating the positive price spread between ethanol and gasoline. “I think we’re building new markets because of …
ACE Celebrates “Power by People”
This morning during the opening session of the 27th Annual Ethanol Conference, the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) launched a new campaign featuring the people of ethanol. Their redesigned website features personal and authentic stories of the people who built and continue to innovate the ethanol industry. In addition, ACE released a new video, “The Home Place”. “Instead of keeping …
Students Present Research at Ethanol Conference
Several University of Minnesota students are giving the ethanol industry a preview of their cutting-edge research in biofuels, biochemicals and bioproducts during the 27th Annual Ethanol Conference in Minneapolis. One such student is Sahana Ramanna who is a PhD student who is working on improving the pre-treatment technologies used for biomass, specifically Aspen. Ramanna explained that one of the most …
Minnesota Gov Mark Dayton Kicks Off 27th ACE Conf
The 27th Annual Ethanol Conference kicked off last night with some brief remarks from Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton. The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) annual event, taking place at the Depot Renaissance Hotel, began with hundreds of ethanol advocates who heard from Governor Dayton that he appreciated ethanol producers, “for what you are doing,” to boost the nation’s energy independence, …