In response to the major ad campaign funded by Big Oil in an effort to block higher blends of ethanol into the marketplace (such as E15), ethanol advocacy group Growth Energy has launched an advertising campaign called “You’re no Dummy“. The goal of the campaign is to help Americans better understand that the oil industry is trying to stop the …
GPRE Cuts Ribbon on Atkinson Ethanol Plant
Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) held a ribbon cutting for their newly acquired ethanol plant in Atkinson, Nebraska. GPRE bought the idled plant in June 2013 after being offline for nearly a year. The plant employs 42 people, a third of which were employed at the plant prior to its shutdown, and is now in full operation. With the acquisition …
Farm Bureau: RFS Bendable, Just Don’t Break It
Farm Bureau officials are making the case that the Renewable Fuels Standard has some flexibility… but just don’t break it. In this story on its newsline, American Farm Bureau energy economist Matt Erickson makes the case that the RFS is working, but Americans are using 10 billion fewer gallons of gasoline this year than in 2007 when the law was …
Happy 5th Anniversary Patriot Renewable Fuels
Patriot Renewable Fuels celebrated their five year anniversary today and dozens of community members, legislators, employees and those from the ethanol industry were on hand for the celebration. With fierce attacks from ethanol detractors on the corn-based ethanol industry, the celebration was proof that the ethanol industry is standing firm. Bob Dinneen, RFA president and CEO attended the celebration touting …
Interactive Map Shows Biofuel Friendly Policies
According to the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA), 62 countries now have biofuels friendly policies in place that have driven global demand to over 1 million barrels per day. To help people around the world keep track of the changing political landscape, GRFA has launched an Interactive World Biofuels Map available on their new website. “It is amazing to watch …
Wallace Goes Full Throttle for Ethanol
Bristol Motor Speedway will see a familiar face and a familiar brand Saturday for the Food City 250, as American Ethanol again joins forces with veteran driver Kenny Wallace. Wallace climbs back behind the wheel of the No. 29 RAB Racing American Ethanol Toyota Camry. “I’m so excited to be going to Bristol Motor Speedway, the ultimate short track, for …
Senators Call for Big Oil Investigation
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) called on the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate possible anticompetitive practices by oil companies that limit consumers access to homegrown renewable fuels such as ethanol. In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, Klobuchar, the Chair of the Antitrust Subcommittee, and Grassley, …
Iowa E85 Sales Jump 43% in 2nd Quarter
Sales of E85 have increased 43 percent over the first quarter of 2013. Iowans purchased more than 2.62 million gallons of E85 in the second quarter of 2013, up from the 1.83 million gallons of E85 purchased in the first quarter of 2013, according to Iowa Department of Revenue data. “E85 sales were down at the end of 2012 and …
How the Make the RFS Attainable
According to Purdue University energy policy specialist Wally Tyner, the U.S. can likely produce federally mandated levels of biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in 2014 if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reduces its requirements by 2.3 billion gallons. The RFS requires a minimum amount of biofuels to be blended into transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel. For …
New EPA Head Positive on Renewable Fuels
The newly confirmed head of the Environmental Protection Agency visited the Iowa State Fair last week where she spoke to farmers and met with environmentalists. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy stressed her goal of building a better relationship with farmers. “My commitment to you is that at the end of my term, we will have a stronger, more productive, more trusting …