The Renewable Fuels Association is disputing findings of an Environmental Working Group report released today entitled, “Ethanol’s Broken Promise: Using Less Corn Ethanol Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen says the report relies on “overblown and disputed assumptions of land use change, making ethanol from corn appear to be worse than gasoline,” which he calls “simply …
How to Counter “Evils-of-Corn-Ethanol” Argument
With the unofficial start of summer, there’s no doubt you’ll be at picnics, reunions, get-togethers, etc., and there’s a pretty good chance that if you’re involved in ethanol, there’ll be somebody wanting to debate its merits… or more specifically, its evils. This article from Ethanol Producer Magazine relates a conversation the managing editor had on how corn ethanol is not …
Ethanol Blending Margins Positive Despite Price Rise
Despite a 60 percent increase in ethanol prices, a new record hit last winter, ethanol blending margins stayed positive for most of the period. This analysis from the University of Illinois credits the surprising outcome to highly positive blending margins at the start of the spike, which provided a healthy margin cushion as ethanol prices rose, as well as a …
FL Researchers Look to Sweet Sorghum for Ethanol
A partnership between a university and a private company is researching using sweet sorghum for ethanol. This story from Ethanol Producer Magazine says U.S. EnviroFuels LLC and the University of Florida could use the technology in the company’s 30 MMgy advanced ethanol plant under construction in Florida. A research team from the University of Florida was awarded a four-year, $5.4 …
Patriot Hires Leifmark for Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
Patriot Renewable Fuels has hired Leifmark to plan the first stage of its cellulosic ethanol plant in Illinois. This news release from Patriot says the Inbicon Biomass Refinery technology will be the centerpiece of the platform on the site of Patriot’s 130 million gallon per year grain ethanol plant. “Leifmark’s analysis will give us a clear picture of the overall …
ACE Reminds Drivers that E15 is Fine for Most Cars
Summer driving season kicked off this past weekend, and the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) took the opportunity to remind drivers that most vehicles can be filling up with the higher 15 percent blend of ethanol, E15. ACE Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty says it could save them some money at the pump. “Once the federal government gave the approval …
Former Ethanol Car Driver Wins Indy 500
It was mid-season in 2007 when Ryan Hunter-Reay burst on the IndyCar Series scene wearing the green and blue ethanol logo for Rahal-Letterman Racing. He finished 6th in his first Indy 500 in 2008 and won Rookie of the Year. This year he came in first. “I’m a proud American boy, that’s for sure,” said Hunter-Reay, who is the first …
Corn Growers Fight AAA Stance on Ethanol
The Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA) is fighting back at AAA for disparaging the state’s recent action allowing the retail sale of 15% ethanol blended gasoline (E15). MCGA CEO Gary Marshall took AAA to task in a letter to the organization’s president and canceled his longtime membership following public statements misrepresenting the benefits of E15. A St. Louis Post Dispatch …
Using Ethanol from Glycerol for Biodiesel
A new process that eliminates fossil fuels completely from the biodiesel equation could make the green fuel even more sustainable. Michigan State University reports Gemma Reguera, MSU microbiologist, has found a way that uses microbes to glean ethanol from glycerol and then use that green fuel to replace methanol to help brew the biodiesel. “With a saturated glycerol market, traditional …
Ethanol Stocks Down Despite Production Uptick
Stocks of ethanol in the U.S. are down, despite increased production of the green fuel. This story in Platts says ethanol stocks on May 16 were down 312,000 barrels to a four-week low of 16.99 million barrels. This unexpected drop comes as production actually rose by 3,000 b/d to 925,000 b/d, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration information. In immediate …