The latest EIA Weekly Petroleum Status Report released today for the week ending March 27 is the first to reflect more fully the impact on the ethanol industry from the social distancing and stay-at-home restrictions associated with COVID-19. According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association, ethanol production plummeted 16.4%, or 165,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 840,000 …
SAFE Vehicles Rule Misses High Octane Opportunity
Ethanol groups are calling the final Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule setting corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) and CO2 emissions standards for model years 2021-2026 passenger cars and light trucks a “missed opportunity to provide a pathway for high octane, low carbon fuel.” American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings said EPA specifically requested comments on the role …
Lower Ethanol Demand Could Impact Planting Decisions
USDA’s 2020 Prospective Plantings report released Tuesday estimates planted acres for corn this year at 97.0 million acres, up 8 percent or 7.29 million acres from last year. But when farmers were surveyed a month ago, coronavirus had yet to have the impact it is now having on ethanol demand and prices thanks to a drastic cut in demand for …
EPA COVID-19 Response Delays Waiver Changes
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday announced several steps being taken to protect the nation’s gasoline supply in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including making any changes in its policy of granting small refinery waivers as a result of the recent 10th Circuit Court decision. EPA does not intend to unilaterally revisit or rescind any previously granted small …
Administration Will Not Appeal Tenth Circuit SRE Ruling
Biofuels stakeholders are celebrating some good news today with word that the Trump administration had made the decision not to request a rehearing of the recent unanimous ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit that the EPA had “vastly exceeded its authority in granting exemptions from 2016 and 2017 RFS requirements to three refineries.” The challenge …
New Report Shows Ethanol Industry Fueled by Veterans
A new study on employment in the U.S. energy sector shows that America’s ethanol industry employs a significantly larger share of military veterans than any other segment of the energy industry. Nearly one in five ethanol industry employees is a veteran (19%), compared to a national average of 6% across all sectors of the workforce, according to the 2020 U.S. …
Ankeny Casey’s Becomes 5,000th Station to Offer E85
The number of fuel stations now offering Flex Fuel E85 has reached an important milestone this week as a Casey’s store in Ankeny, Iowa, became the 5,000th station nationwide to sell E85. “Reaching the 5,000-station mark is a significant achievement for the ethanol industry and our partner in the retail sector,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. …
Ethanol Report 3-23-20
Coronavirus is making its presence felt in the ethanol industry. Many ethanol plants are on the verge of closing as margins have become non-existent with lower gas prices and declining demand for transportation fuel nationwide. In this episode of The Ethanol Report, we hear from Renewable Fuels Association Chief Economist Scott Richman about the price and demand picture, three ethanol …
Coronavirus is Latest Threat to Ethanol Industry
The impact that coronavirus is having on the energy markets is just the latest threat to the solvency of the U.S. ethanol industry, coming on top of weather, trade disputes and small refinery waivers that hurt producers last year. In a media conference call Thursday, Renewable Fuels Association leaders discussed the impact of these hits on ethanol producers and the …
Coalition Launches Drop the Appeal Campaign
The Trump Administration needs to make a decision by March 23 whether to appeal the unanimous 10th Circuit Court decision against the EPA’s small refinery exemption program, and the coalition that brought the case has launched a new social media campaign urging the administration to drop the appeal. The coalition, made up of the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers …