The biofuels industry welcomed Senate approval last week of Scott Pruitt to be the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. “As Mr. Pruitt said during his confirmation hearing last month, ‘To honor the intent and the expression of the Renewable Fuel Standard statute is very, very important.’ We could not agree more,” said Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen. …
Ace Ethanol to Install D3MAX Cellulosic Pilot Plant
D3MAX has announced its pilot facility employing the patented D3MAX cellulosic ethanol technology will be installed at ACE Ethanol in Stanley, Wisconsin this month with startup and testing at the facility taking place over the next two months. “We are very excited to take this next step in developing the D3MAX technology,” says Mark Yancey, chief technology officer for D3MAX. …
Iowa Tells Pruitt to Leave RFS Alone
With the Senate poised to confirm Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Iowa has a message for him – Don’t Mess with the RFS. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) and other state organizations urged Pruitt to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by rejecting a petition to change the program’s point of obligation, which …
RFA Suggests Retool for REGS
In comments submitted this week on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support (REGS) rule, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) said the proposal fails to address key regulatory barriers that are constraining growth in ethanol production and use. “In fact, we are concerned some elements of the REGS proposal may actually serve to add complexity and create …
China Supreme Court Rules for Novozymes
In a landmark biotechnology ruling, the Supreme People’s Court of China has ruled in favor of Novozymes, upholding the company’s patent on enzymes for production of fuel ethanol and beverage alcohol. The patent dispute began in 2011, when Novozymes found evidence that Shandong Longda Bio-Products Co., Ltd. and Jiangsu Boli Bioproducts Co., Ltd. were producing and selling a proprietary Novozymes …
Trade Talk about Ethanol Exports at #USGC17
Exports of U.S. ethanol and distillers feed co-products has been a big topic this week at the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) 14th International Marketing Conference & 57th Annual Membership Meeting in Panama City, Panama. USGC president and CEO Tom Sleight says the export picture is changing but still positive. “Last year we had China buying a lot, now Brazil is …
Register For Nebraska Ethanol Forum
Registration is open for the Nebraska Ethanol Emerging Issues Forum April 13-14 in LaVista, Nebraska. Emerging issues on the agenda this year include Policy Prospects Under the Trump Administration, RINs and the Point of Obligation, Policy Impacts on Exports, Ethanol Marketing Challenges, Protein Formulations and Bio-Products and much more. Undergraduate and graduate students can apply for a scholarship to cover …
Lower DDGs Exported to China in 2016
A new report from the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) shows that U.S. exports of the ethanol co-product distillers grains (DG) were lower last year, mainly due to a significant drop in exports to China. Exports of the high protein co-product of dry mill ethanol production used to feed livestock and poultry totaled 11.48 million metric tons (MMT) in 2016, down …
Biofuels Continue to Power Iowa Economy
Record high production of ethanol and biodiesel in 2016 continued to power the rural Iowa economy engine despite another challenging year, according to the latest economic impact study commissioned by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA). “The environment facing Iowa’s biodiesel industry was more favorable than that experienced by ethanol producers,” said study author John Urbanchuk, ABF Economics. “Both the …
NCGA #Ethanol Action Team Discusses Demand
Members of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Ethanol Action Team (ETHAT) were recently in Savannah, Georgia to talk about expanding demand for corn ethanol. The agenda covered topics ranging from fuel dispenser infrastructure to sports marketing sponsorships, according to ETHAT Chair Paul Jeschke, who noted that there is a lot of excitement over the Trump administration’s stated support for …