Final Weekly Ethanol Production Report for 2011

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol plants continued to crank up production right through the end of 2011, setting yet another record for the last week of the year after already setting new records for the two weeks prior. According to the Energy Information Administration, ethanol production averaged 963,000 barrels per day – or 40.45 million gallons daily – for the week ending 12/30/2011. That’s …

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Register Now for Process Optimization Seminar

Cindy Zimmerman

Managers of ethanol plants are encouraged to attend the latest in the Process Optimization Seminar management series, coming up February 8-10 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The event is organized by Fermentis, Fremont Industries, Novozymes and Phibro Ethanol Performance Group. “This is our seventh event,” said Phibro’s Tom Slunecka. “All prior events have been sold out and we believe that’s based …

Audio, conferences, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Coalition for E85 Fights Back Against Rising Prices

Cindy Zimmerman

As prices for 85 percent ethanol fuel are rising in the wake of the expiration of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) on January 1, the Coalition for E85 is increasing its effort to have American-made 85-percent ethanol recognized as an alternative fuel along with natural gas, propane, and hydrogen alternatives. The expiration of the VEETC resulted in an …

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News

California Files Appeal in Ethanol Ruling

Cindy Zimmerman

As expected, the California Air Resources Board today filed an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to challenge last week’s ruling that the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) violates the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) responded to the expected action by noting that the judge who issued the …

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

DuPont and NexSteppe Team for New Bio Feedstocks

Cindy Zimmerman

Two companies have teamed up to develop advanced feedstocks for biofuels, biopower and biobased products. The collaboration between DuPont and the bio-based firm NexSteppe will be working on new feedstocks for renewable energy, including sweet sorghum and high biomass sorghum hybrids. Under the agreement, DuPont has made an equity investment in NexSteppe, and through its Pioneer Hi-Bred business, will provide …

advanced biofuels, biomass, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, sorghum

BASF Invests in Cellulosic Sugar Company

Cindy Zimmerman

Global chemical giant BASF has invested $30 million in a Pennsylvania-based company that has developed a process to produce cellulosic sugars for renewable chemicals and biofuels. BASF, through subsidiary BASF Biorenewable Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG led a $50 million financing round in the technology firm Renmatix Inc. Renmatix has developed the patented Plantrose™ platform whereby industrial sugar can be …

biofuels, biomass, Biotech, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Corn Growers Pleased with Ruling on California LCFS

Cindy Zimmerman

Corn growers are pleased with the ruling last week by a Federal District Court judge in Fresno, California that the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) violates the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution and is therefore unconstitutional. The ruling is in response to a suit filed in December 2009 by the Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy asserting that …

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Growth Energy, NCGA, RFA

Top Ethanol Stories to Watch in 2012

Cindy Zimmerman

At the end of 2011, the Renewable Fuels Association identified the top five stories of the year for the ethanol industry. With the new year now underway, the RFA has predicted the top stories to watch in 2012. They are: 1. First commercial availability of E15 for use in 2001 and newer vehicles 2. Free and fair trade for ethanol …

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report

Two Abengoa Plants Shut Down Temporarily

Cindy Zimmerman

Abengoa Bioenergy is starting 2012 by shutting down production indefinitely at the company’s two smallest ethanol plants, located in Portales, New Mexico and Colwich, Kansas. Company officials say the plant closures are temporary and due to current depressed market conditions for ethanol. The two plants amount to 55 million gallons per year of production. Abengoa is a major biofuels producer …

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Top Two Iowa Winners Support Renewable Fuels

Cindy Zimmerman

The two Republican presidential candidates who topped the Iowa Caucus in a virtual dead heat Tuesday night are both considered to be supporters of renewable fuels. According to the Iowans Fueled with Pride Iowa Caucus Voters Guide, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum were two of four candidates who expressed support for major renewable energy issues, including the Renewable Fuels Standard. …

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government