An explosion rocked Ringneck Energy ethanol plant in Onida, South Dakota Sunday causing major structural damage to the facility. No one was injured at the plant but DRG Media Group reports there were six employees working at the time. “The explosion occurred in the ethanol production side of the plant,” said Onida Volunteer Fire Department Chief Caleb Shepherd. “Major damage …
Ethanol is Star of Trump Rally
Former President Donald Trump held a rally and launched his Farmers for Trump coalition this past weekend in Council Bluffs, Iowa to tout his support of agriculture and ethanol. The Republican presidential candidate highlighted actions he took while in office to help farmers, such as rolling back the Waters of the United States, ending the estate tax, renegotiating trade agreements, …
Ethanol Exports Down, DDGs Up in May
U.S. ethanol exports were down 10 percent in May to 113.2 million gallons (mg), mainly due to lower undenatured non-beverage, non-fuel ethanol shipments, including 12.6 mg lower exports to India, according to the latest analysis by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Canada was our largest destination for the 26th consecutive month and accounted for 45% of global ethanol sales. The …
Groups Urge Fairness in Tailpipe Emissions Standards
Seven national associations representing the renewable fuel supply chain sent a letter this week to EPA Administrator Michael Regan asking him to adopt a market-oriented, technology-neutral approach to transportation decarbonization in its upcoming final tailpipe emissions standards for 2027-2032 light- and medium-duty vehicles. The groups wrote that the proposed rule favors electric vehicles while failing to consider the decarbonization potential …
Celebrate Independence Day with Ethanol
With AAA projecting that a record number of Americans will hit the road for a long holiday weekend, the Renewable Fuels Association is reminding drivers that lower-cost, lower-carbon ethanol fuel blends are better for the environment and the family budget. “Across the country, the lowest-cost fuel available at the pump is the fuel with the highest content of ethanol, whether …
USDA Opens Fuel Retailer Incentive Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially begun accepting application for $450 million in grant applications for the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP). The funding, which comes the Inflation Reduction Act, will have application windows that run quarterly from July 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024. Approximately $90 million will be made available each quarter to fueling stations, stores …
Ethanol Industry Leads in Military Vet Employment
According to a new Department of Energy (DOE) report, the military veteran workforce in the ethanol industry is triple the rate seen in the national workforce average and higher than the petroleum fuels and general energy workforce. According to the DOE report, veterans make up 15% of the corn ethanol fuels workforce, which is higher than the 9% energy workforce …
Praise for USDA Biofuels Grants
After last week’s disappointing final biofuel volume rule from the Environmental Protection Agency, stakeholder organizations this week are happy with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for announcing new infrastructure funding. Clean Fuels Alliance America says some of the new Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program grants will increase consumer access to biodiesel from California to New Hampshire, by companies such as …
USDA Announces Biofuels Infrastructure Funding
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced plans to invest up to $500 million from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act to increase the availability of domestic biofuels and give Americans additional cleaner fuel options at the pump. Joined by Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, Vilsack announced the first awardees of 59 infrastructure projects that will receive a total of …
House Energy Sub Committee Hearing on Affordable Fuels
A House Energy and Commerce Sub Committee heard testimony this week on “Driving Affordability: Preserving People’s Freedom to Buy Affordable Vehicles and Fuel” regarding several bills related to lowering emissions from transportation vehicles. National Corn Growers Association CEO Neil Caskey testified in support of several bills that would leverage the benefits of biofuels to ensure a level playing field in …