The Crappie Masters National Tournament Trail Championship was held this past weekend near Monroe, Louisiana where more than one hundred teams competed in the two-day tournament. Eric Cagle was crowned the National Champion for his haul of fourteen fish weighing a total of 28.81 pounds. For his efforts, Cagle took home a grand prize of $30,000, along with a $2,000 …
Study Pegs Ethanol Industry COVID Impact at $8 Million
A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization finds that ethanol producers will experience roughly $8 billion in losses this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on world fuel markets. The study, conducted by agricultural economists from the University of Florida and Arizona State University, estimates ethanol producer losses due to COVID-19 …
Energy Bites 9/28
Chief Ethanol Now Producing USP Grade Ethanol – Chief Ethanol is now producing USP Grade Ethanol at its plant in Hastings, Nebraska. Chief Ethanol has modified its current process operations to produce higher grades of ethanol for use as the active ingredient in hand sanitizer and is able to provide long-term supply of higher grades of ethanol into industrial alcohol …
Next Generation Fuels Act Introduced in House
U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL) yesterday introduced the Next Generation Fuels Act, legislation that “leverages greater fuel octane to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, improve air quality by reducing the use of harmful aromatics and increase demand for biofuels.” Fuels with greater levels of octane are more stable and have the potential to make engines more fuel-efficient. This legislation establishes …
Ethanol Coalition Urges EPA to Fully Restore RFS
The coalition of farm and ethanol groups behind the case against Small Refinery Exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that was decided in January is still waiting for EPA to implement the court decision or even communicate the intention to do so after eight months. The four associations representing farmers and ethanol producers – the Renewable Fuels Association, American …
Ethanol Report 9-21-20
Last week brought a flurry of good news for the ethanol industry in three major areas – exports, expansion of higher blends, and protecting the renewable fuel standard. In this edition of the Ethanol Report, we hear ethanol industry leaders comment on EPA denial of retroactive refinery waivers, Brazil’s 90 day extension of its ethanol tariff rate quota, and the …
Energy Bill Includes Renewable Fuel Standard Provisions
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce this week introduced the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, which contains provisions requiring more transparency and accountability in EPA’s process for evaluating small refinery exemption requests under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The provisions are based on the Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act, introduced last year by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson. …
RFA Pleased Gap Year Petitions Being Denied
The ethanol industry was pleased to hear Monday that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is denying petitions for retroactive small refinery waivers for the 2011-18 compliance years. The Renewable Fuels Association welcomed the news that EPA is denying 54 “gap-year” small refinery exemption petitions and will deny the remaining 14 petitions once they are received from the Department of Energy. …
EPA to Deny Gap-Year Refinery Waivers
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it is denying petitions for small refinery exemptions for past compliance years, the so-called “gap-filling” petitions for the 2011-18 compliance years. “This decision follows President Trump’s promise to promote domestic biofuel production, support our nation’s farmers, and in turn strengthen our energy independence,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “At the EPA, we …
Ethanol Industry Hopeful for US-Brazil Trade
U.S. ethanol stakeholder organizations are less than thrilled that Brazil’s tariff-rate quota (TRQ) has been extended now for another 90 days, but they are hopeful continued discussions will lead to a resumed free trade situation with that country. “The Renewable Fuels Association, U.S. Grains Council, Growth Energy, and the National Corn Growers Association believe the 90-day extension of the TRQ …