President Trump’s comments Thursday confirming that the administration is working on allowing year-round sales of 15% ethanol blends (E15) sparked a flurry of press releases from ethanol supporters. Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen called it “welcome news to consumers across the country, farmers who have worked to build value-added markets here at home in the face of …
Iowa Blender Pump Program Demand Exceeds Funding
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) is already out of funding for 2018, but many more retailers are interested in offering higher blends in the state. During the third of its four scheduled meetings, the RFIP board awarded funds to 15 projects for retailers around the state to install the necessary equipment to offer higher blends of ethanol and …
Iowa Biofuels Groups Spotlight Oil Industry Study
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw and Iowa Biodiesel Board Executive Director Grant Kimberley held a joint press conference Friday to discuss an oil industry study make public by Reuters that shows putting a cap on prices for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINS) would not be the “win-win” that Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has repeatedly said he wants …
E15 Now Available at 158 Iowa Stations
Iowa has added a dozen new E15 stations since the end of 2017, bringing the total statewide to 158 fueling stations. Iowa-based Casey’s General Store added the most new stations, including locations in Sioux Center, Akron, Cedar Rapids, and Lone Tree. Kum & Go, Kwik Star, and Key Cooperative each added two new stations at various locations across the state. …
Nearly 50,000 Iowa Jobs Tied to Biofuels
A new study, authored by John Urbanchuk of ABF Economics and commissioned by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), finds that nearly 50,000 Iowa jobs are supported by biofuels production. IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw says the study indicates how many livelihoods are at stake in the continuing efforts by Texas Senator Ted Cruz to convince the White House to …
Second Iowa Plant Commits to Monarch Habitat
Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) is preparing to establish a Monarch Fueling Station on its property near Council Bluffs, the second Iowa biofuels facility to commit to creating monarch butterfly habitat. “We saw creating a Monarch Fueling Station as a great opportunity to protect an important aspect of our state’s environment,” said SIRE CEO Brian Cahill. “The SIRE board views …
Iowa RFA Sends Message to EPA Administrator
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has a message for EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to answer the question of how to reduce RIN prices associated with the Renewable Fuel Standard – grant E15 the same RVP treatment as all other ethanol-blended fuels. On January 30th, while Administrator Pruitt was testifying before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Iowa …
ICYMI: Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit Replay
The 2018 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit featured an exciting speaker line-up of high-level biofuels industry experts to discuss a “Brighter Future with Biofuels.” The one-day event on January 30 at the Prairie Meadows Conference Center brought together 65 sponsors and vendors and over 800 attendees. If you, like me, were unable to attend the summit because of all the other …
Iowa RFA Elects Officers
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) recently elected its Board of Directors, Officers, and Executive Committee for 2018. Eamonn Byrne with Lakeview Plymouth Energy was reelected to a second term as President of IRFA. “We had a number of successes in 2017– including securing another year of funding for the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program and protecting the 2018 Renewable …
Iowa Biofuels Plants Help Fuel Monarch Butterflies
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has launched the Monarch Fueling Station Project to help ethanol and biodiesel producers across the state establish monarch butterfly habitats on green spaces surrounding their plants. “Because of their migratory patterns, monarchs need small patches of habitat throughout the state,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “Iowa’s ethanol and biodiesel plants are scattered across …