On Monday, two Iowa biofuel plants sent the first donated shipments of ethanol and glycerin to be used by Iowa Prison Industries for the production of hand sanitizer during the national shortage. The donation was made by ethanol producer Absolute Energy and biodiesel producer Western Iowa Energy. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) worked with Iowa Prison Industries to secure …
Ethanol Report 3-23-20
Coronavirus is making its presence felt in the ethanol industry. Many ethanol plants are on the verge of closing as margins have become non-existent with lower gas prices and declining demand for transportation fuel nationwide. In this episode of The Ethanol Report, we hear from Renewable Fuels Association Chief Economist Scott Richman about the price and demand picture, three ethanol …
Ethanol Plants Can Shift to Produce Hand Sanitizer
Ethanol plants are now able to shift to the manufacture of hand sanitizer without permits from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). According to the public guidance issued Wednesday, industrial denatured ethanol can be used “to manufacture hand sanitizer consistent with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance without first obtaining formula approval.” House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson …
Coronavirus is Latest Threat to Ethanol Industry
The impact that coronavirus is having on the energy markets is just the latest threat to the solvency of the U.S. ethanol industry, coming on top of weather, trade disputes and small refinery waivers that hurt producers last year. In a media conference call Thursday, Renewable Fuels Association leaders discussed the impact of these hits on ethanol producers and the …
Coalition Launches Drop the Appeal Campaign
The Trump Administration needs to make a decision by March 23 whether to appeal the unanimous 10th Circuit Court decision against the EPA’s small refinery exemption program, and the coalition that brought the case has launched a new social media campaign urging the administration to drop the appeal. The coalition, made up of the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers …
RFA Calls on Administration as Ethanol Prices Drop
As gas prices go, so goes the price of ethanol, and right now the industry is being adversely affected by the economic constraints caused by the coronavirus, the oil price war, ongoing trade disputes and EPA’s small refinery waivers. “While the policy response to turbulence in the energy markets has so far focused largely on supporting crude oil producers, we …
Ethanol Report 3-16-20
What a difference a month can make! A month ago, the ethanol industry was celebrating the 10th Circuit Court decision that would require EPA to severely limit its small refinery exemptions, and coronavirus was still a problem somewhere else. Last week, just as COVID-19 started to fully hit the fan here in the United States, the Trump Administration snatched defeat …
Ethanol and Biodiesel Continue to Power Iowa Economy
Despite the challenges of 2019, Iowa biofuel production continued to have a significant impact on Iowa’s economy, supporting over 48,000 jobs and more than $2.4 billion in household income, according to the latest study commissioned by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA). The study, authored by John Urbanchuk of ABF Economics, also found that biofuels continue to account for over …
ACE Cancels April DC Fly-in
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has canceled its annual Washington, D.C. Fly-in and Government Affairs Summit scheduled for next month due to the number of congressional offices declining meeting requests in response to concerns about the rapid spread of COVID-19. Many congressional offices have notified ACE they are not scheduling “any in-person meetings for the foreseeable future due to …
Farmers, Biofuel Producers Urge Trump to Support RFS
Farmer leaders and biofuel producers from the Midwest today expressed their concerns about news that the Trump administration has reversed course and decided to side with oil companies in their court battle against biofuels. The debate centers around a unanimous court decision that would halt the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) abuse of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel …