Senator Al Franken (D-MN), together with Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) have introduced the Agricultural Energy Programs Reauthorization Act of 2017, to reauthorize Title IX programs and funding through 2023. “Each and every day, our nation’s farmers have our backs,” said Sen. Franken, a member of the Senate Energy Committee. “I believe we need to have theirs as …
Ethanol Days of Summer Over
Labor Day marked the unofficial end of summer and the official end of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Ethanol Days of Summer Contest. According to RFA, more than 4,000 new users of E85prices.com registered and helped report prices for higher ethanol blends and conventional fuels during the three-month contest, which offered the chance to win $50 in free fuel per …
Ethanol Industry Calls for U.S. Response to Brazilian Tariff
U.S. ethanol producers are asking the government to develop an immediate response to Brazil’s recently implemented tariffs on U.S. ethanol imports The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and the U.S. Grains Council are calling on the Trump Administration to “immediately engage their Brazilian counterparts on the future of our relationships with regard to biofuels.” On August 23, 2017, Brazil’s Chamber …
High-Octane Ethanol Blends Can Help Meet GHG Standards
Ethanol organizations presented testimony to the EPA Wednesday that high-octane ethanol blends in optimized engines would be the lowest cost means for the country to meet 2022-2025 fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards. The testimony was provided during a hearing on Reconsideration of the Final Determination of the Midterm Evaluation (MTE) of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Model Year …
Vietnam to Resume Imports of U.S. DDGS
The government of Vietnam has notified the U.S. that it will resume imports of American distillers dried grains (DDGS), which were suspended in December 2016 after reported detections of quarantine pests in U.S. shipments, according to USDA. Prior to the suspension, Vietnam was the third-largest market for U.S. DDGS, with exports valued at more than $230 million in 2016. The …
Using More Ethanol May Help Hurricane Relief Efforts
The national gas price average has increased 27 cents over the past week to $2.65 a gallon, but using more ethanol in fuel blends could help as refineries affected by Hurricane Harvey remain at below production capacity. The waiver last week from EPA relaxing the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) requirement so E15 may be sold again in 38 states – …
D3MAX Designing Commercial Cellulosic Plant
D3MAXA successful pilot test of the D3MAX corn fiber-to-ethanol process this year at Ace Ethanol in Stanley, Wisconsin has allowed the company to move forward with the design of a commercial-scale D3MAX cellulosic ethanol process at the location. D3MAX has signed a contract with AdvanceBio Systems, LLC for a full-scale D3MAX design integrated with the Ace Ethanol plant and upon …
American Ethanol Earns Top Gun 3Peat
For the third year in a row, Don Onken’s American Ethanol Mystic Powerboat recorded the fastest time to earn “Top Gun” honors at the recent 2017 Lake of the Ozarks Shootout. The boat’s crew hit a top speed of 204-mph run on a course that was shortened from 1 mile to 3/4 of a mile. “I’m very proud of the …
EPA Waiver Should Relax Other E15 Restrictions
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is pleased with the EPA waiver this week of the summer low volatility gasoline requirement for 12 states due to concerns about fuel shortages from Hurricane Harvey, but they believe the agency should go further to relax other restrictions on the sale of 15% ethanol blended fuel (E15). In a letter to EPA Administrator Scott …
Biofuels Voices Comment on RFS Rule
The comment period for the EPA’s proposed volume obligations for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has officially ended and stakeholders in both the biodiesel and ethanol industries made their voices heard. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) submitted comments “urging the agency to finalize the RVOs that were included in EPA’s first draft of the proposal that was submitted …