After a day of volatile grain trading based on news stories, the White House late Tuesday denied that there was an executive order in the works to change the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Wednesday, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) made inquiries about the matter and issued a statement. “Based on conversations my staff and I had, there’s no reason to believe …
#Ethanol Officially Breaks Through the Blend Wall
The latest numbers from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that ethanol officially broke through the blend wall in 2016. The latest data shows U.S. ethanol production set a new record of 15.33 billion gallons (bg) last year and the average gallon of gasoline contained slightly more than 10 percent ethanol, according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). “Driven by …
The Global Trends Driving #Ethanol Demand
Ethanol exports continue to serve as a valuable and expanding revenue source for the U.S. ethanol industry. As part of a presentation during last week’s National Ethanol Conference, Scott Richman, Senior Vice President, Informa Economics, provided an in-depth look at current market trends associated with global trade in ethanol and key factors that are driving ethanol demand. “While the domestic …
RFA Talking #Ethanol Regs with Trump Adviser
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen says he has been talking with a special regulatory adviser to President Trump about how they might work together on regulatory changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), but it involves compromising on the point of obligation issue. Dinneen issued a statement regarding a call he received from “an official with …
How #Ethanol and Oil Can Work Together
One of the highlights of last week’s National Ethanol Conference was the Future of Fuels Policy Panel. One of the panelists was Chet Thompson, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) President and CEO. AFPM represents the refining and petrochemical sectors of the fuel industry, and Thompson spoke during the panel about ways that the ethanol and oil industries can work …
#Ethanol Helps Fuel Minnesota Economy
The ethanol industry contributed $1.98 billion to Minnesota’s economy last year, according to a new study released by ABF Economics and commissioned by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association. This in turn generated $6.67 billion in gross sales for Minnesota businesses and supported nearly 18,000 jobs in 2016. “Minnesota’s ethanol industry remains a significant contributor to the state’s economy and supports thousands …
Media Viewpoints at #RFANEC
A year ago at the National Ethanol Conference, Rachel Gantz wore a media ribbon on her nametag. This year, the “hack turned flack” (as she describes herself on Twitter) is communications director for the Renewable Fuels Association and she sat down with a few of her media colleagues to talk about how the ethanol industry can do a better job …
Novozymes Helps #Ethanol Producers Listen to Data
Listening to your ethanol plant can save you money, according to Novozymes technical service manager Laurie Duval, who presented a NEC Tech Connect session at the National Ethanol Conference last week. “Basically ethanol plants are huge machines that are producing tons of data every day,” said Duval. “The opportunity in the ethanol industry is around making better use of that …
Ethanol Export Opportunities in Sight at #RFANEC
For the second year in a row, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) joined with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration to host an International Buyer Program (IBP) at the National Ethanol Conference. The program, designed to introduce U.S. ethanol sellers to foreign buyers in an effort to expand U.S. exports, included 18 international companies from seven top ethanol …
Groups Oppose RFS Point of Obligation Change
U.S. biofuel and agricultural organizations wrote to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt last week opposing any change to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) point of obligation. “The point of obligation is one of the most important remaining tools to help drive higher blends remaining in the RFS. It creates economic incentives for gasoline retailers to offer higher blends such as E15 …