With yet another record grain crop this year, having the transportation infrastructure to keeping it moving is more important than ever. “Transportation is everything,” said Ken Eriksen with Informa Economics at this week’s Export Exchange, sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the U.S. Grains Council. Eriksen says grain exports are expected to set a record this year at …
Supply Demand Outlook for DDGS at #ExEx16
At Export Exchange 2016 in Detroit this week, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Senior Vice President Geoff Cooper delved into the supply-demand outlook for U.S. ethanol industry co-product exports, with a focus on distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). “We’re looking at record ethanol production this year, so obviously we’re going to be producing a record amount of distillers grains as …
Megatrends Mean New Opportunities at #ExEx16
A number of global megatrends can mean new opportunities for agribusiness moving forward, according to Chris Nolan with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), who gave the keynote address at the 2016 Export Exchange this week in Detroit. Nolan identified five global megatrends – demographic shifts, global economic power shifts, accelerating urbanization, resource scarcity, and evolving technology – that provide opportunities for the agricultural …
USGC Chairman Bullish on #ExEx16
The chairman of the U.S. Grains Council is attending his first Export Exchange this week in Detroit and he is very impressed. Maryland farmer Chip Councell says he is amazed by the number of attendees and the prospects that the event offers for U.S. grain suppliers. “We have over 200 international customers from 35 countries,” said Councell. “It’s a great …
#ExEx16 Considers Election Impact on Trade
Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen had the unenviable task of talking about the U.S. presidential election to an international audience at Export Exchange 2016 today in Detroit. “I know half of you are sick to death of the election and just want it over, and half of you are watching in somewhat bemused amazement wondering what in …
GFRA Tells G20 to Take Immediate Climate Action
On the heels of the recent data showing that global temperature rise has been accelerating at faster rates than were anticipated when negotiating the Paris Agreement during COP21, Bliss Baker, president of the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GFRA) is calling on G20 countries to take immediate climate action on reducing GHG emissions. The climate data was released by National Aeronautics …
New IRENA Report Looks at Future of #Biofuels
IRENA has released the second report in it’s Innovation Outlook series called, “Innovation Outlook: Advanced Liquid Biofuels. The report looks at the global outlook future for liquid biofuel technology. According to IRENA, advanced biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 to 95 percent as compared to fossil fuels. This, said the agency, puts biofuels in the position as the …
Hundreds in Detroit for #ExEx16
Hundreds of buyers and sellers of U.S. coarse grains and ethanol co-products have arrived in Detroit for Export Exchange 2016 and even though they are from more than 30 countries they are busy making connections and building relationships. The event, which has been held every two years since 2010, is co-sponsored by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and the Renewable …
Homeland Energy Joins Billion Gallon #Ethanol Club
Homeland and Energy Solutions has joined the one billion gallons of ethanol club. The ethanol plant produced its one billionth gallon on August 31, 2016. The biorefinery went in to production in April 2009 and today has a nameplate capacity of 150 million gallons of ethanol each year. It’s one of the largest dry grind plants in operation today and …
Ames Lab to Develop Imaging to Study Plant Walls
The saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is being put to the test with research funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to deconstruct plant cell walls as a means of learning how to more effectively convert plant material into bioenergy. The project has been awarded $1 million per year for three years. The research will …