Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is continuing to push for the use of higher ethanol blends in regular car engines. Last fall, Grassley and several other senators wrote the Environmental Protection Agency requesting testing of blends of ethanol above 10% for non-flexible fuel vehicles. Now Grassley is asking car makers what they are doing in the area of research and testing …
Latest Ethanol Podcast Features Industry Leaders
The latest “Ethanol Report” podcast from the Renewable Fuels Association features comments from four ethanol industry leaders about the future of the ethanol industry and what role the RFA will play in it. Featured are RFA Vice Chairman Tom Branhan of Glacial Lakes Energy in Watertown, South Dakota; Renewable Fuels Foundation chairman Bill Lee with Chippewa Valley Ethanol in Minnesota; …
Half-Baked Ideas
Bakers are blaming ethanol for higher wheat prices and demanding changes in the ethanol policy to “Save Our Wheat,” but their claims are “half-baked,” according to ethanol industry officials. “The idea ethanol production is the driving factor behind high wheat prices is half-baked,” said Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen. “American farmers increased their wheat production in 2007 at a …
Ethanol Industry Counters Attacks
The Renewable Fuels Association countered attacks from the food processing and petroleum industries this week with fact checks. Referencing news stories about statements made by officials with Valero Energy and Pilgrim’s Pride, RFA President Bob Dinneen said, “To put the blame for rising commodity, food and energy prices solely at the feet of the American ethanol industry is misleading and …
Ethanol is Helping Cut US Petroleum Demand
The latest report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) concludes that ethanol will reduce U.S. petroleum demand by 130,000 barrels per day this year. According to the EIA’s Short-Term Energy Outlook, “The slowing economy combined with high petroleum prices is expected to constrain growth in U.S. consumption of liquid fuels and other petroleum products to just 40,000 barrels per day …
Karsner Promotes Domestic Fuel
I finally had the chance today to sit down and listen to the entire speech Assistant Energy Secretary Andy Karsner made at the National Ethanol Conference last month. He is quite the orator and he definitely got the crowd all fired up. If you can find 40 minutes to listen to it all, it is well worth the time. But, …
Texas Ethanol Plant Grand Opening
The first large-scale ethanol plant in Texas will hold its grand opening this weekend near Hereford. Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen says the opening of plants like White Energy outside of the traditional ethanol producing area of the country is critical to the continued growth of this industry. “No longer are Midwesterners the only Americans to realize the benefits …
Final 2007 Ethanol Numbers
It should be no surprise to anyone that the American ethanol industry produced a record amount of fuel ethanol in 2007. According to year-end figures released by the Energy Information Administration, U.S. ethanol production averaged 423,000 barrels per day, totaling 6.48 billion gallons for the year. That is an increase of 108,000 barrels per day over 2006. Ethanol demand, as …
Outlook Puts Biofuels in Focus
Biofuels had a seat on the plenary panel entitled, “Getting It Right: Responding to Market Forces” at USDA’s 2008 Outlook Forum last week. Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen noted that while ethanol is “not a silver bullet” for all of America’s energy, economic and environmental issues, but “biofuels are absolutely a part of addressing each of them to some …
Pennsylvania Gets First Ethanol Plant
BioEnergy International was the first to break ground in Pennsylvania and construct an ethanol plant. Pennsylvania will be home to a new Bionol Clearfield biorefinery. BioEnergy International, LLC announces ground breaking for the Bionol Clearfield LLC, 100 mgpy corn ethanol biorefinery under construction in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. The corn and cellulosic pilot plants to be built in Clearfield are core to …