After the ethanol industry went through such a tight year last year, it’s no wonder refineries are looking to squeeze every penny out of profitability out of every gallon that comes out of the plant. During the recent Fuel Ethanol Workshop in St. Louis, Mo., Joanna had a chance to talk with Brian Thome, the President and CEO of Edeniq, …
For Summer Fun, Rent an Alt Vehicle
This summer, Disneyland is promoting energy efficiency to those coming to their famous theme park. MPG Car Rental gives California visitors a chance to try out some alternative energy cars including the Prius, the Volkswagen TDi and the fully electric Tesla Model S, winner of the 2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year award. The tie-in to green cars and …
Management & Planning Key to Biofuels Profitability
How you manage and plan your biofuels operation is just as important to ensuring its profitability as the price of the inputs that go into making the green fuels. “The biofuels industry is like any other company,” explains John Christianson, partner and founding member of Christianson & Associates, a Minnesota firm that specializes in working with farmers and rural businesses, …
Uncertainty over RFS Hurting Biofuel Investment
While Florida was debating the future of its Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) many biofuel companies fought hard to keep it in place. One supporter was Brad Krohn with Florida-based United States EnviroFuels. Brad recently spoke with our Chuck Zimmerman following a day of testimony heard by the Florida House. They just had a follow up discussion about how things are …
Genscape Monitoring to Ensure RIN Integrity
The recent crisis over fraudulent Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) led to great consternation in the biofuels community, as obligated parties sought assurances that the RINs they were buying were legitimate and met their obligations. Provider of energy information for commodity and financial markets Genscape, which got its start in monitoring the power grids, has expanded into the biofuels area. “We …
EPA Approves EcoEngineer’s QAP Program
The U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA) has approved EcoEngineers’ application to implement a quality assurance program (QAP) for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) generated on biofuels produced at foreign facilities and imported into the U.S. In February, EcoEngineers became the first in the U.S. to be approved to audit domestic RINs, which oil companies use to account for their compliance under the …
Enzyme Trio Minimizes Inputs & Maximizes Profits
Novozymes made a big announcement during the recent Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) – they have launched a new enzyme technology that can increase ethanol yield from corn by up to 5 percent. According to Jack Rogers, bioenergy marketing manager, the technology also increases corn oil extraction by 13 percent while saving 8 percent energy. In a time when corn-based ethanol …
Ethanol Industry Bites Back at Restaurant RFS Attack
The National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR) today announced a new campaign focused on repealing the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the ethanol industry is biting back. Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen says the restaurants just want to fatten profits while denying that it is energy that supersizes food costs. “Here’s a hot, heaping serving of …
Rise in Alt Fuels Prompts Training Network
Several of the top alternative fuel experts in the U.S. have joined forces to form the Alternative Fuel Training Network, launched this month on the website AFVtraining.net. With a rise in alternative fuel vehicles on the road coupled with a rise in biofuels and alternative fuels at the pump, a need has been created for professional alternative fuel fleet training. …
Rally Without a Cause
As the sun shines on Capitol Hill this week, motorcycles are rolling in to to participate in the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) “E15 Fuel for Thought Lobby Day” sponsored by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers Associations (AFPM). While ethanol industry representatives has shown frustration, Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) couldn’t help but chuckle. …