The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy in pursuit of more information regarding Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance exemptions to dozens of oil refineries. “We want to know how many (refineries) and how many gallons are impacted by these small refiner exemptions,” …
DuPont Granted Patent for Ethanol Fermentation Product
DuPont Industrial Biosciences has been granted a U.S. Patent entitled “Prevention of Bacterial Growth in Fermentation Processes” which covers the application of stabilized chlorine dioxide, the active ingredient in DuPont™ FERMASURE®, to reduce microbial contaminations in ethanol fermentations. “FERMASURE® is an innovative technology, representing not just the best work of our scientists and researchers, but also the real-world value DuPont …
RFS Waiver for Big Refiner Sparks Backlash
A Reuters report about EPA exempting one of the country’s largest oil refiners from complying with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) touched off a backlash from farm groups and ethanol organizations Tuesday. The National Farmers Union (NFU) was first to respond to the report that Texas-based Andeavor received small refiner economic hardship waivers for three of its 10 refineries that …
Rep. Peterson Visits Chippewa Valley Ethanol
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) visited the Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) plant in Benson, Minnesota last week to reiterate his support for the state’s ethanol industry. During his visit, which coincided with Ridgewater College’s tour of the plant on March 28, Peterson briefed CVEC on the latest attacks on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “I recently met with Secretary Perdue …
UF Joins New Center to Create Fuel from Plants
The University of Florida is one of 17 institutions partnering with the University of Illinois in the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) to develop efficient ways to grow, transform and market biofuels. UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences agronomy professor Fredy Altpeter will receive more than $4.2 million for his research during the next five years …
Ethanol Groups See Opportunity in EPA GHG Revision
As expected, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Monday the Revised Final Determination Regarding Model Year 2022-2025 Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Emissions Standards, with the conclusion that “the current standards are not appropriate and should be revised.” “The Obama Administration’s determination was wrong,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Obama’s EPA cut the Midterm Evaluation process short with politically charged expediency, made …
How EPA is Destroying Demand for Ethanol and Corn
Recent actions by EPA have effectively reduced the Renewable Fuel Standard conventional renewable volume obligation (RVO) for 2016 by more than 1 billion gallons, and the agency appears poised to take similar actions to effectively reduce the 2017 and 2018 conventional RVOs by comparable amounts, according to Renewable Fuels Association Executive Vice President Geoff Cooper. In a blog post last …
Show Me Ethanol Celebrating 10 Years
Show Me Ethanol (SME), a dry-mill ethanol production facility located in Carrollton, Missouri is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The plant broke ground in March 2007 and began commercial production in May 2008. Today, the facility produces more than 60 million gallons of ethanol and 160,000 tons of distiller grains animal feed per year. SME marked the occasion in …
Siouxland Ethanol Educates Tomorrow’s Drivers
Pam Miller, Board Chair and Director of Industry and Investor Relations for Siouxland Ethanol in Nebraska, recently visited a local fifth-grade classroom to educate the next generation of drivers about ethanol. Using the Renewable Fuels Association’s “Ethanol in the Classroom” curriculum as a guide, Miller says the students at Harney Elementary in South Sioux City Community Schools sat with rapt …
NCGA President Working Hard for Ethanol in DC
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) president Kevin Skunes has probably spent more time in Washington DC over the past month or so than on his farm in North Dakota working hard to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the important market of ethanol for corn growers. Last week, Skunes joined the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) in visits to …