Refinery state senators are hitting back against the Trump administration for bowing to pressure from ethanol supporters last week and abandoning proposed changes in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) this week put a hold on the nomination of Iowa’s Bill Northey for USDA Under Secretary of Farm Production and Conservation, who was approved by the Senate …
U.S. Ethanol and DDGS Exports Drop in August
U.S. ethanol exports totaled 103.1 million gallons (mg) in August, down 12% from July shipments, according to government data analyzed by the Renewable fuels Association (RFA). Canada and Brazil were again the top destinations for U.S. exports, combining to receive more than half of total exports in August. Year-to-date U.S. ethanol exports to all destinations stood at 906.5 mg, indicating …
Ethanol Conference Scholarships Available
For the ninth year, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the Renewable Fuels Foundation (RFF) are joining to offer scholarships for students interested in attending the National Ethanol Conference (NEC), scheduled for Feb. 12-14, 2018 in San Antonio. Six scholarships are available to students in higher education to attend NEC. Scholarships cover the cost of the conference registration fee—a $925 …
PA Governor Seeking RFS Waiver
In a letter to President Donald Trump late last week, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf asked the administration to waive Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for Northeast refiners “unless or until the prices of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) deflate,” according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). “Numerous studies—including some funded by the oil industry—show that merchant refiners recover …
Ethanol Summit Focuses on Trade in Americas
Industry and government officials from more than 15 countries in the Western Hemisphere got together last week at the Ethanol Summit of the Americas in Houston to discuss current and future opportunities for ethanol in the region. The Summit was sponsored by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, …
Ethanol Report: Industry Putting Pressure on EPA
With the deadline this week to comment on EPA’s recent Notice of Data Availability that would further lower biofuels volume levels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), industry supporters have been putting pressure on the agency to uphold President Trump’s campaign promises. In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen discusses …
RFA Receives Grant for Ethanol Safety Training
The Renewable Fuels Association has received a $50,000 federal grant to help continue the its ethanol safety training program efforts. The Assistance for Local Emergency Response Training (ALERT) grant, from the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, was awarded to the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). RFA is among several partners in the grant. The grant, …
Study of RINs and Retail Gas Prices Finds No Relationship
A new study by Informa Agribusiness Consulting finds that prices of the Renewable Identification Number (RINs) credits used for RFS compliance have not caused changes in retail gasoline prices The analysis, commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), looked at trends in the prices for conventional biofuel RINs and retail gasoline from 2013 to the summer of 2017. “Based on …
Registration Open for 2018 National Ethanol Conference
Registration is now open for the Renewable Fuels Association’s 23rd annual National Ethanol Conference (NEC), to be held Feb. 12–14, 2018 in San Antonio. The theme for the conference in 2018 will be “Ethanol Strong: Empowering Dialogue to Grow Markets.” “RFA’s NEC is the preeminent and most widely attended policy conference for the ethanol industry,” said RFA Board Chairman Mick …
Senators Call on EPA to Keep RFS Strong
Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are leading a bipartisan group of 38 senators in calling for a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as the Environmental Protection Agency works toward finalizing biofuels volume requirements for 2018. In a letter to EPA Scott Pruitt this week, the senators urged “the continued implementation of the RFS as intended by Congress …