A group of Republican Senators is requesting a meeting with President Biden to discuss the Renewable Fuel Standard and promote biofuels as a key solution for America’s energy and climate agenda. The letter was led by Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall of Kansas. “We seek an audience to discuss the tremendous opportunity that biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel present …
Ethanol Report RFA 40th Anniversary Feature – Bob Reynolds
The Renewable Fuels Association was born in 1981 and RFA is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year by spotlighting some of the pioneers in the ethanol industry who were there at the beginning, like Bob Reynolds. Bob Reynolds founded Downstream Alternatives shortly after joining New Energy Co. of Indiana as it was opening a new plant outside South Bend. As …
Low Carbon Ethanol Could Power Sustainability
Former USDA Under Secretary and previous Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey was part of the inaugural Tech Hub LIVE conference in Des Moines last week. Much of the focus at the event was incentivizing sustainability for farmers, and an increasing demand for ethanol as a low carbon fuel could provide some incentive. “I believe we will gravitate towards more …
Ethanol Producers Pledge to Hit Net Zero by 2050
Renewable Fuels Association members from across the country sent a letter to President Joe Biden this week pledging to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint, on average, by 2050 or sooner. Ethanol is already cutting greenhouse gas emissions by half compared to gasoline, the letter says, but “we can—and must—do more” to decarbonize transportation fuels and combat climate change in the …
Governors Urge Expanded Use of High Octane Ethanol
Governors’ Biofuels Coalition leaders Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem are asking the Biden Administration to expand the use of higher-octane ethanol to meet climate and public health goals. The governors’ letter focuses on the timeliness of the expanded use of ethanol now: “As the Office of Management and Budget continues to review the Safe Affordable …
New Campaigns Promote Ethanol in DC
Two new campaigns are taking aim at lawmakers in Washington D.C. with information about the environmental benefits of corn ethanol to reduce carbon emissions. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) launched a digital campaign including non-skippable video units on streaming services, video on local websites within Washington D.C. and social media marketing on Facebook and Instagram. In addition, NCGA was …
Corn Growers Oppose Anti-Ethanol Bill
A bill aimed at corn ethanol that was introduced in the U.S. Senate this week is being challenged by the National Corn Growers Association. The bill, referred to as the “Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act,” was introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Susan Collins (R-MN). It’s aim is to remove the implied conventional …
ACE Conference Breakout Sessions to Explore Industry Issues
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) 34th annual conference is less than a month away now and plans include a variety of breakout sessions covering the latest in technology updates, strategic planning advice, and ways to make ethanol plants more profitable. “Our conference theme is ‘Accelerate,’ which aligns with the membership initiative we launched this year that builds upon ACE’s …
Court Upholds 2019 RFS Volumes, Rejects Refiner Arguments
A D.C. Circuit Court decision Friday upholds 2019 renewable fuel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard, while at the same time rejecting arguments from oil refiners that the RFS causes them economic hardship. The National Biodiesel Board, one of the biofuels petitioners in the case challenging EPA’s failure to account for retroactive small refinery exemptions that undercut the annual volumes …
Kemin Launches New Ethanol Production Enzyme
Kemin Industries has just launched a new high-temperature alpha-amylase for use during liquefaction, ZyloZyme™ AA. ZyloZyme AA is used in the production of ethanol by fermentation and has yielded favorable results. In a study comparing the use of ZyloZyme AA to conventional alpha-amylase, Kemin’s product reduced viscosity while maintaining optimal dextrose equivalents, ethanol production and ethanol-to-solids ratio at a dose …