As the first summer of nation-wide approved E15 use winds to an end, a fuel retailer workshop hosted last week by the Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB) and American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) showed a lot of interest in learning more about offering the fuel. ACE Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty, a former fuel retailer, keynoted the workshop which included testimonies …
ACE Presents Grassroots and Media Awards
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) honored media excellence and grassroots advocacy during its 32nd annual conference last month in Omaha. The ACE Grassroots Award is given to individuals who often perform “behind the scenes” to advance the cause of ethanol. Mike Finarty received this year’s award for promoting ethanol around the country via the Biofuels Mobile Education Center, funded …
Biofuels Industry to EPA: Restore Lost Gallons
Ethanol and biodiesel producers, corn and soybean farmers, all had the same message to the Environmental Protection Agency regarding proposed renewable volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) – restore the gallons of biofuel blending volumes lost under the numerous small refinery exemptions granted by the agency over the past two years. Industry organizations delivered comments to the EPA …
Biofuel Retailers Have What it Takes
Mike Lewis co-founded Pearson Fuels in 2003 as an “alternative fuels” station in San Diego, California. Today, Pearson Fuels is the largest distributor of E85 in California, supplying over 140 locations and about 76% of the market. Receiving the Paul Dana Marketing Vision Award at the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) annual conference last week, Lewis noted that Pearson Fuels …
Managing Costs During Tight Margins
Margins are tight in the ethanol industry, and for a number of reasons from political to regulatory to economic. John Christianson, Principal, Christianson PLLP, told those attending the 2019 American Coalition for Ethanol Conference that successful plants have to be strategic and focused. “It really comes down to leadership and it comes down to a laser focus,” said Christianson. “The …
Rep. Axne Calls for Investigation into Waivers
U.S. Representative Cindy Axne (D-IA), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, is calling for a federal investigation into the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) expansion of refinery exemptions from blending requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Rep. Axne chose Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) to hold a press conference yesterday, the same site where President Donald Trump triumphantly announced …
ACE Honors Randy Ives with Merle Anderson Award
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) presented its highest award to Randy Ives, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) delegate and a key figure in the development of distiller’s dried grain with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol market development programs. The Merle Anderson Award, named after the founder of ACE, is given to individuals who display unmatched dedication and support to the organization …
Ethanol Industry Has What It Takes
It was a somber yet determined group of ethanol industry representatives that met last week in Omaha for the American Coalition for Ethanol 32nd annual conference, in the wake of the EPA granting another 1.43 billion gallons of refinery waivers. ACE CEO Brian Jennings says they had a tough and honest board meeting prior to the start of the conference. …
Ethanol is Number One Priority for Grains Council
Ethanol is the number one priority for the U.S. Grains Council today, according to USGC CEO Ryan LeGrand, who spoke at the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference last week in Omaha. “There’s nothing more important to us right now than ethanol,” said LeGrand. The council has seven priority markets, with Mexico being one of the most significant. While the …
ACE: Carbon and Octane Future for Ethanol
Low carbon and high octane are the future for ethanol, according to leaders of the American Coalition for Ethanol speaking Thursday at their annual conference in Omaha. ACE Board President Duane Kristensen of Chief Ethanol in Nebraska said that as the agriculture and ethanol industries are dealing with challenging market conditions, things have to change. “With uncertainty surrounding the RFS …