Since more than 70 percent of the ethanol produced in the United States is transported by rail across the lower 48 states as well as into Canada and Mexico, the industry breathed a collective sigh of relief Friday as President Biden signed legislation passed by Congress to avert a major national rail strike. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper …
EPA Finalizes Canola Oil Pathways Rule for RFS
In addition to proposing new Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes and percentage standards for 2023, 2024, and 2025 this week, the Environmental Protection Agency also released a rule finalizing pathways for certain biofuels produced from canola/rapeseed oil. With this action, these fuel pathways will be eligible to generate Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs), provided they satisfy the other definitional and RIN …
Clean Fuels Criticizes EPA Biomass Diesel Volumes
Clean Fuels Alliance America is criticizing the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewable Fuel Standard volumes for 2023 and beyond for “undercutting investments in biodiesel and renewable diesel capacity.” The minor increases for biomass-based diesel volumes in 2023, 2024 and 2025 are below the industry’s existing production and ignore the clean fuels industry’s significant investments in new capacity. The volumes provide …
ACE Provides Feedback on IRA Biofuel Infrastructure Funds
In written comments submitted this week, American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Chief Marketing Officer Ron Lamberty provided expert feedback with the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) on implementation of funds for biofuel infrastructure under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The legislation provides for $500 million in grants for infrastructure for blending, storing, supplying, or distributing …
K-State Researchers Working to Improve Biofuel Feedstocks
Kansas State University researchers are working with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to improve oilseed crops for use as biofuels and other bioproducts. Timothy Durrett, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics, and Ruth Welti, university distinguished professor of biology, received nearly $1.9 million to better understand how changing the biochemistry of oilseed plants alters their oil …
RFA Joins Ag Bioeconomy Coalition
The Renewable Fuels Association has joined the Ag Bioeconomy Coalition, a group founded earlier this year to advance federal policy initiatives that “foster growth toward an economy based on innovative bio-based products derived from agricultural commodities, including ethanol and other renewable fuels.” “With smart policy and targeted investment, the U.S. agriculture and bio-manufacturing sectors can provide practical solutions to today’s …
Biofuel Groups Urge Congress to Avoid Rail Strike
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) joined nearly 200 organizations representing agricultural, food and renewable fuels industries last week in a letter urging Congress to act quickly to prevent a rail strike and service shutdown on November 19, the deadline for unions and railroads to finalize an agreement. “A strike or lockout combined with existing challenges in the rail system, at …
Clariant Buys BASF’s U.S. Attapulgite Business
Specialty chemical company Clariant has completed the acquisition of BASF’s U.S. based Attapulgite business assets for $60 million. The transaction includes the transfer of land as well as mining rights, the processing facility, and inventories, which will be integrated into Clariant’s Functional Minerals business. Adsorbent clays, such as attapulgite, are an important enabler for growth in the purification of edible …
Clean Fuels Help Enhance Tight Diesel Supplies
The latest report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has set off fears of a looming diesel shortage by Thanksgiving, but clean fuels are helping to augment supplies. EIA reports that, as of Oct. 14, the U.S. had only 25 days of reserve diesel supply, the lowest since 2008. In addition, distillate fuel, which includes heating oil inventories, is about …
Honeywell Announces New Ethanol-to-Jet Fuel Technology
Honeywell has announced an innovative ethanol-to-jet fuel (ETJ) processing technology that allows producers to convert corn-based, cellulosic, or sugar-based ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Demand for SAF continues to grow, yet the aviation industry is challenged by limited supplies of traditional SAF feedstocks such as vegetable oils, animal fats and waste oils. Ethanol offers producers a widely available, economically …