Less than two weeks ago biofuels organizations and stakeholders were praising the Trump Administration agreement to promote biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Now that the details have been made public, not so much. The notice released by EPA on Tuesday “does not change the proposed volumes for 2020 and 2021. Instead, it proposes and seeks comment on adjustments …
Biofuels Industry Reacts to Administration Plan
Under the biofuels plan announced Friday, the Environmental Protection Agency will propose and request public comment on expanding biofuel requirements beginning in 2020 and will seek comment on actions to ensure that more than 15 billion gallons of conventional ethanol be blended into the nation’s fuel supply beginning in 2020, and that the volume obligation for biomass-based diesel is met. …
EPA and USDA Announce Biofuels Agreement
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and USDA Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued joint statements on an agreement promoting biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard. “President Trump’s leadership has led to an agreement that continues to promote domestic ethanol and biodiesel production, supporting our Nation’s farmers and providing greater energy security,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Today’s agreement …
Farmer Leaders Call Out EPA for Biofuels Demand Destruction
In the wake of new plant closures, corn and soybean farmer organization leaders held a press conference Thursday to discuss the current situation in the biofuels industry created by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) overuse of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Participants in the call were: Kelly Nieuwenhuis, farmer from Primghar, Iowa and president of …
Biofuels Industry Still Awaits Waiver Package
It’s been almost a month since President Donald Trump tweeted that “Farmers are going to be so happy when they see what we are doing for Ethanol” and USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue told crowds at Farm Progress Show about “small refinery waiver mitigation efforts” underway that President Trump “really wants to announce himself.” Secretary Perdue expressed the frustration that many …
Davis Introduces Small Refinery Exemption Fairness Act
As farmers and biofuel producers continue to wait for a promised “small refinery waiver mitigation efforts” from the administration, U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) this week introduced the Small Refinery Exemption Fairness Act of 2019, which would require the EPA Administrator to use the average number of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) granted in the previous three calendar years when formulating …
Steps to a Biorefinery
Diversifying ethanol plants into biorefineries was an important topic at the recent American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) annual meeting in Omaha, as a strategy moving forward. Steps to a Biorefinery was a panel at the conference with leading technology providers and producers discussing strategies for ethanol producers to diversify, become more efficient, and remain profitable well into the future. Among …
Governors Suggest Waiver Mitigation Actions
The Governors’ Biofuels Coalition is offering some advice to President Donald Trump on how to mitigate the effects of the small refinery waivers on ethanol and biodiesel producers. Coalition chair and vice chair, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, sent a letter recommending actions the President might include in his promised “giant package” of initiatives for …
Clariant Tests Miscanthus for Cellulosic Ethanol
Clariant announced it has successfully concluded tests on miscanthus provided by INA, Croatia’s leading oil and gas company, that was shipped for processing to Clariant’s pre-commercial sunliquid plant in Germany for conversion into lignocellulosic sugars and ethanol. Final results prove that the sunliquid technology can successfully convert miscanthus biomass into lignocellulosic sugars and ethanol, confirming the benefits of the sugar …
Biodiesel Industry Hits Keep Coming
At the same time the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) submitted comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s annual proposed Renewable Fuel Standard rule on Friday, the industry was hit with a court ruling that upholds the agency’s method for setting biomass-based diesel volumes in the 2017 RFS rules. In comments on the RFS rule, NBB urged EPA to increase advanced biofuel …