As gas prices go, so goes the price of ethanol, and right now the industry is being adversely affected by the economic constraints caused by the coronavirus, the oil price war, ongoing trade disputes and EPA’s small refinery waivers. “While the policy response to turbulence in the energy markets has so far focused largely on supporting crude oil producers, we …
Ethanol Report 3-16-20
What a difference a month can make! A month ago, the ethanol industry was celebrating the 10th Circuit Court decision that would require EPA to severely limit its small refinery exemptions, and coronavirus was still a problem somewhere else. Last week, just as COVID-19 started to fully hit the fan here in the United States, the Trump Administration snatched defeat …
Ethanol Case Groups Disappointed in Appeal Extension
The four organizations involved in the case against the Environmental Protection Agency over granting of small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are disappointed the Trump Administration has been granted more time to consider an appeal of the court decision siding with the plaintiffs. The petitioners in the case—the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Coalition …
Ethanol Industry Anxiously Awaits EPA Decision on SREs
Ethanol stakeholders were hopeful that an announcement would be made on Friday about how EPA will deal with the recent court ruling on small refinery exemptions, but Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper says they are anxiously awaiting that decision. “We don’t know what exactly what EPA is going to do, but we know what they should …
Senators Claim Court Decision Jeopardizes Refineries
A group of senators from oil-friendly states sent a letter to President Trump last week claiming that if the recent 10th Circuit Court decision on small refinery exemptions is allowed to stand it “will jeopardize nearly all small refineries” in the country. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) Chairman Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) spearheaded the letter urging the …
Legislation Would Target Oil Subsidies
Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced legislation this week to update the nation’s antiquated public lands royalty system and ensure that taxpayers get fair returns on leases of public lands for oil and gas production. Introducing the bipartisan Fair Returns for Public Lands Act of 2020, Grassley said, “Low royalty rates on oil produced on federal lands …
Focusing Forward: Stakeholders Roundtable Discussion
The closing panel at the Renewable Fuels Association National Ethanol Conference discussed how stakeholders are planning for the future, what opportunities they see, and how they can work together to achieve our mutual goals. Participants in the panel included: Geoff Cooper, President & CEO, Renewable Fuels Association; Shane Karr, Head of External Affairs, FCA US LLC; Jon Doggett, Chief Executive …
Global Clean Fuel Standards
In recent years, we have seen several countries beginning to develop clean fuel standards that can offer both opportunities and challenges for U.S. ethanol producers. A panel at the National Ethanol Conference focused on “The Emergence of International Clean Fuel Standards: Innovation Drivers or Industry Protectionism?” with insights on where global standards for clean fuel are headed. Renewable Fuels Association …
Biofuels Part of USDA Innovation Agenda
At the start of USDA’s 2020 Agriculture Outlook Forum on Thursday, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the Agriculture Innovation Agenda, a new initiative to stimulate innovation so American agriculture can achieve the goal of increasing production by 40 percent while cutting the environmental footprint of U.S. agriculture in half by 2050. To do so, USDA has set benchmarks to …
Beyond the Road Benefits of Ethanol
Off the road, on the racetrack, or in the water, the benefits of ethanol go beyond the highway. Attendees at the 25th National Ethanol Conference got to hear about ethanol’s success in recreational uses like off-road vehicles and boats, providing power, reduced emissions and lower fuel costs. They also got to see Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) flex-fuel Jeep Wrangler up …