The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) has appointed Brian Werner as its new executive director. Prior to joining MN Bio-Fuels, Werner was the deputy legislative director / senior legislative assistant for renewable energy and agriculture for Sen. Amy Klobuchar. During that time, he supported Klobuchar’s work to protect mandatory funding for Farm Bill energy title programs, maintain stability in the …
Ethanol Report on The Set
When Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) that authorized the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), annual volume requirements were specified through the year 2022 for renewable fuels. But that does not mean this year is the end of the RFS. After this year, the law requires EPA to set RFS volumes for 2023 and beyond, in …
Renewable Fuels Industry Holds Briefing on Set Rule
Fuels America held a webinar briefing with industry stakeholders Thursday about the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard. Under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program in the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets annual biofuel blending requirements in accordance with volumes determined by Congress through 2022. After 2022, in a rulemaking commonly referred to as “The Set,” …
DriveClean Initiative Launches
A diverse coalition of organizations has launched DriveClean, a multi-sector initiative to work on bipartisan legislation creating a market-based, technology-neutral national Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) during the 118th Congress that convenes in January. The coalition is made up of organizations representing agriculture, utilities, renewable fuel producers, environmentalists, technology firms, EV charging companies, and truck and bus manufacturers. Among those groups …
USDA Lowers Corn Use Outlook
USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report for September calls for lower supplies, smaller feed and residual use, reduced exports and corn used for ethanol, and tighter ending stocks for the 2022-23 corn crop. Projected beginning stocks for 2022/23 are 5 million bushels lower based on essentially offsetting export and corn used for ethanol changes for 2021/22. Corn production …
USDA Announces Climate Smart Commodities Project Funding
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing up to $2.8 billion in 70 selected projects under the first wave of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding opportunity, with more projects to be announced later this year. More than 450 proposals were submitted for the funding opportunity and the strength of the projects identified led USDA to increase its investment from …
RFA CEO Joins White House Climate Law Celebration
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper attended an event at the White House Tuesday to celebrate passage of the Inflation Reduction Act which includes provisions to benefit the biofuels sector. “There are lots of tax credit and grant provisions in there for renewable fuels and we are most excited about the sustainable aviation fuel tax credit,” said …
RFA Rebuts Reuters Ethanol Plant Emissions Article
The Renewable Fuels Association responded to a Reuters article published Thursday entitled “How U.S. regulators allow ethanol plants to pollute more than oil refineries.” The article states that “ethanol plants produce more than double the climate-damaging pollution, per gallon of fuel production capacity, than the nation’s oil refineries, according to a Reuters analysis of federal data” because the majority of …
U.S. Exports of Ethanol and DDGS Up in July
In the latest trade monitor update from the Renewable Fuels Association, U.S. exports of both ethanol and the co-product dried distillers grains (DDGS) were up in July. Exports of ethanol increased six percent in July to 107.2 million gallons (mg), marking the tenth consecutive month that exports were over 100 mg. Canada imported 41.6 mg, up 1%, to maintain its …
Ethanol Report from Farm Progress Show
Ethanol was in the spotlight at the Farm Progress Show in Iowa this week and the Renewable Fuels Association was there to promote the high octane benefits of the fuel and the role of biofuels and farming in combating climate change. RFA president and CEO Geoff Cooper, Director of Government Affairs Jared Mullendore, and Vice President of Industry Relations Robert …