Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA has selected for funding 450 projects focused on helping agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy consumption and costs; use renewable energy technologies in their operation; and/or conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy projects. Funding is made available through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) under the 2008 Farm Bill. …
China Drops Anti-Dumping DDGS Case
China‘s commerce ministry is ending an 18-month anti-dumping investigation into imports of the ethanol co-product distillers dried grains (DDGS), offering the opportunity to bring U.S. exports back up as it means no anti-dumping tariffs will be imposed. China’s imports of DDGs dropped by nearly half last year compared to 2010 when they topped 2.5 million metric tons, up 385 percent …
Peterson Skeptical of Cellulosic Ethanol
The ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee has doubts about whether cellulosic ethanol will ever be commercially viable. “I just don’t think that cellulosic will ever be commercialized,” Congressman Collin Peterson said during an interview with Domestic Fuel reporter Chuck Zimmerman after he talked to members of the American Seed Trade Association meeting in Washington Wednesday. “And it’s become …
Death of Ethanol-Killing Amendment Welcomed
A measure that would have killed ethanol and other renewable energy programs under the Farm Bill was stopped today in Washington, D.C. Senator Pat Toomey’s amendment to the Farm Bill that would have repealed the Biorefinery Assistance Program went down to defeat in a bipartisan 63-33 count. The vote was welcomed by Growth Energy CEO, Tom Buis: “The Biorefinery Assistance …
Poor Market Closes Valero Nebraska Ethanol Plant
High prices for corn and low margins for ethanol have forced Valero to temporarily close its Albion, Nebraska ethanol plant. But as you can see from this statement I just received this morning from Valero spokesman Bill Day, company officials expect the plant to be back up and running soon: Yesterday morning the Valero Renewables-Albion ethanol plant temporarily halted production …
RFA Partners with Talker Likis to Educate about Ethanol
Getting out the facts about ethanol is what the Renewable Fuels Association is all about. That’s why the RFA is partnering with car-talk host Bobby Likis to extend their ethanol educational outreach to automotive service professionals. This RFA press release says the outreach is highlighted with the program “Calling All Technicians…20 Facts About Ethanol” on the Car Clinic Network, using …
Ethanol Group to Honor Nebraska Senator
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is saluting U.S. Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) during its upcoming 25th annual ethanol conference for the Senator’s efforts in advancing the ethanol industry. Nelson will be receiving the Merle Anderson Award for his leadership in supporting the renewable fuels industry while serving as Governor and Senator of Nebraska. Nelson established the Governors’ Ethanol Coalition …
Ethanol Industry Prepares for E15 Sales
With the approval by EPA of the first retailers to sell 15% ethanol blends, the industry is gearing up for imminent sales of the new blend level, possibly this week. In this edition of “The Ethanol Report,” Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Bob Dinneen talks about how the final, final hurdle to E15 sales was overcome and what …
Butamax expands Biobutanol Early Adopters Group
Four additional plants have joined the Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels Early Adopters Group (EAG), indicating their interest in biobutanol production. According to the company, Platinum Ethanol LLC of Arthur, Iowa; Little Sioux Corn Processors of Marcus, Iowa; Granite Falls Energy LLC of Granite Falls, Minnesota; and Siouxland Ethanol of Jackson, Nebraska have joined the EAG, which was launched in December 2011, …
Ethanol Co-Product Prices Higher
Tight corn supplies, higher corn prices, low ethanol processing margins, export demand and high soybean meal prices are among the factors contributing to higher prices for dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS), the ethanol co-product used as livestock feed. South Dakota State University economics professor Darrell Mark says price for distillers grains usually declines going into summer as cattle feedlot …