California Emissions Study Moves Toward E15 Approval

Cindy Zimmerman

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) Friday released the results of a multi-year study of the emissions impacts of 15 percent ethanol blended fuel (E15). California is currently is one of only two states that does not allow sales of E15.

The results of the study show that, compared to E10, E15 reduces emissions of most pollutants that contribute to ozone formation. The report also shows E15 significantly reduces emissions of particulate matter, which is another key ingredient in “smog.” The study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of California-Riverside, was supported by the Renewable Fuels Association, California Air Resources Board (CARB), U.S. Council for Automotive Research, National Corn Growers Association, and Growth Energy.

“The results of this study clearly demonstrate that E15 cuts emissions of the nasty tailpipe pollutants that contribute to dirty air and cause respiratory illnesses and other serious health concerns,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “In addition to reducing the potential for smog, E15 also cuts greenhouse gas emissions, displaces petroleum, lowers consumer pump prices, and supports renewable energy jobs in California and across the country. The benefits of E15 to the Golden State are compelling and obvious, and we encourage CARB and the Environmental Policy Council to move swiftly to approve the fuel. Now more than ever, California consumers want and need the option to choose lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 at the pump.”

The comprehensive review of the impacts of E15 is in its third year and is expected to take “at least another full year to complete.” Once the full review is complete, CARB and other agencies will make a recommendation to the state’s Environmental Policy Council, followed by the adoption of regulatory amendments allowing E15 use in California.

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Ethanol Report on RFA Young Professionals Network

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Young Professionals Network is celebrating its second anniversary this month and it has grown quickly in those two short years, one of which was almost entirely virtual.

Jackie Hayes, who is now Director of Business Development and Client Relations with the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center in Illinois, started the YPN when she was still with RFA in 2020 and has continued to serve as coordinator for the initiative, which is sponsored by Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits. Membership is open to any young professional who is 39 years old or younger and employed by a company in the U.S. ethanol industry or stakeholder industries with an interest in RFA’s mission to drive demand for American-made renewable fuels and bioproducts worldwide.

In this edition of the Ethanol Report, Hayes talks about how the YPN has grown and why it is important to connect young people in the ethanol industry together.

Ethanol Report 7-13-22 (18:22)

The Ethanol Report is a podcast about the latest news and information in the ethanol industry that has been sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association since 2008.

Choose an option to subscribe

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

ACE Welcomes Governor Ricketts to 35th Annual Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

Nebraska Gov. Ricketts at 2019 ACE Conference in Omaha

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) welcomes Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts as a keynote speaker for its 35th annual conference, August 10-12 at the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District. This will be the second time for the governor to address the annual ACE conference, the last time being in 2019.

Governor Ricketts will kick off the general session on Thursday, August 11, welcoming attendees and providing an update on how Nebraska is advancing ethanol in the marketplace. “For decades, ethanol has helped grow Nebraska and communities across the Heartland,” said Gov. Ricketts. “We look forward to hosting the 35th annual conference of the American Coalition for Ethanol in Omaha this year.”

“We’re thrilled Governor Ricketts can join us again as we gather together to discuss pressing industry issues,” said Brian Jennings, ACE CEO. “Nebraska’s biofuel industry has been strengthened under the Governor’s leadership, and we look forward to hearing an update on Nebraska legislation and programs to advance ethanol in the marketplace, as well as his perspective on a number of trade and policy issues impacting the industry.”

The 2022 ACE conference general session will follow Governor Ricketts’ welcome with an update from ACE leadership. Jennings will be joined by Ron Lamberty, ACE Chief Marketing Officer, and Dave Sovereign, ACE Board President representing Golden Grain Energy’s plant in Mason City, Iowa, in discussing ACE’s strategy for accelerating ethanol demand and positioning members for future success around carbon.

Visit ethanol.org/events/conference for a full agenda and registration.

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Yield10 Bioscience Renames Canadian Subsidiary

Cindy Zimmerman

Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:YTEN), an agricultural bioscience company, today announced a name change for its Canadian subsidiary to Yield10 Oilseeds Inc. from Metabolix Oilseeds. Yield10 Bioscience is focused on innovation in oilseed crops to develop crop-based solutions to address global food security, climate change and plastic waste in the environment.

Yield10 Oilseeds was founded in 2010 and is based in Saskatoon, a city in the Saskatchewan province of Canada. This site, consisting of R&D labs and commercial greenhouse space, serves as Yield10 Bioscience’s Oilseeds Center of Excellence. Yield10 Oilseeds in Saskatoon is primarily responsible for the development and field testing of new commercial varieties of Camelina incorporating input traits such as herbicide tolerance, performance traits such as high oil content and new seed product traits such as PHA Bioplastics.

“By rebranding our Canadian subsidiary to Yield10 Oilseeds Inc. we are unifying our business under the Yield10 brand,” said Oliver Peoples, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Yield10 Bioscience. “We are taking this step now as we are placing an emphasis within our business on grower outreach and engagement to begin ramping up Camelina acres for the production of feedstock oil targeting the biofuels market and protein meal for animal feed. As we move forward, the Yield10 Oilseeds brand will signify our commitment to innovation and excellence in oilseed crops as we bring our elite Camelina varieties to market.”

biofuels, feedstocks

Michigan Soybean Launches Advanced Biofuels Coalition

Cindy Zimmerman

The Michigan Soybean Committee has announced the formation of the Michigan Advanced Biofuels Coalition (MiABC) to promote the use of advanced biofuels, including biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

“MiABC provides education, technical expertise and other resources to help public and private fleets take full advantage of the many benefits of advanced biofuels,” says Janna Fritz, chief executive officer of the Michigan Soybean Committee. Funding for MiABC comes from Michigan farmers through the soybean checkoff program.

Including the Michigan Soybean Committee and Michigan Soybean Association, twelve organizations are initial stakeholders in MiABC.

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, Biodiesel, Soybean, Soybeans, Sustainability, transportation

Dodge Reportedly Working on E85 Challenger

Cindy Zimmerman

Rumor has it that Dodge is developing a new Challenger that runs on 85% ethanol and could be a contender for the most powerful muscle car of the internal combustion era.

Dodge started a campaign last November called “Never Lift” that is unveiling new versions of the Challenger through next year, leading up to the launch of its first all-electric muscle car. As each new announcement is made, a garage door opens on the 24 Months of Muscle calendar, each door having an icon on it to tease what’s coming next. The next two closed doors feature a pair of hands and a tire swing, and after than is a moonshine jug, a good hint that it might have something to do with ethanol.

The rumor is causing some excitement among gear heads because it could result in the most powerful muscle car ever, more powerful than the 840-horsepower 2018 Challenger SRT Demon which was engineered to be able to run on a mix of 100+ octane and premium unleaded fuels. Insiders anticipate the engine could push upwards of 850 hp and the car will be a limited-edition Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody.

Car Makers, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News

USGC CEO to Keynote ACE Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) welcomes Ryan LeGrand, President and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), as a keynote speaker during its 35th annual conference taking place August 10-12 at the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District.

LeGrand joined the Council in 2015, first serving as the director of the USGC’s Mexico City office. In this capacity, he oversaw the expansion of the USGC’s programming in that country to include ethanol promotion and worked to steady relations during the negotiations of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

“Export markets and trade policy are always important topics, particularly given global market disruptions over the past two years, so we’re pleased to have LeGrand join us to provide an update and answer questions for farmers, ethanol producers, and other conference attendees about the opportunities and challenges to increase ethanol and coproduct markets around the world,” said Ron Lamberty, ACE Chief Marketing Officer. “Ryan joined us at our conference in Omaha back in 2019 shortly after he took the reins at USGC, and we look forward to hearing his perspective once again after navigating a few very challenging years in this leadership role.”

LeGrand’s trade keynote address will take place during the August 12 morning general session. More event and agenda details are available at ethanol.org/events/conference.

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, USGC

Corn Planted Acres Down Four Percent

Cindy Zimmerman

Acres planted to corn are lower compared to last year while soybean acreage is a little higher, according to the Acreage report from USDA‘s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

USDA estimates 89.9 million acres of corn planted in the United States for 2022, down 4% from last year. Soybean area planted is estimated at 88.3 million acres, up 1% from last year. NASS surveyed approximately 9,100 segments of land and more than 64,000 farm operators during the first two weeks of June to gather information on what farmers actually planted.

NASS also released the quarterly Grain Stocks report to provide estimates of on-farm and off-farm stocks as of June 1. Corn stocks totaled 4.35 billion bushels, up 6% from the same time last year. On-farm corn stocks were up 22% from a year ago, but off-farm stocks were down 6%. Soybeans stored totaled 971 million bushels, up 26% from June 1, 2021. On-farm soybean stocks were up 51% from a year ago, while off-farm stocks were up 17%.

corn, Soybeans, USDA

Canada Finalizes Clean Fuel Regulations

Cindy Zimmerman

Final Clean Fuel Regulations were announced this week by the government of Canada and welcomed by the U.S. ethanol industry.

In combination with the Government of Canada’s $1.5 billion Clean Fuels Fund, the CFR will create incentives for the increased domestic production of low-carbon-intensity fuels (such as ethanol). This will create economic opportunities for biofuel feedstock providers, such as farmers and foresters. It will also help Canadian fuel producers to compete in the rapidly expanding global market for clean energy.

The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and the U.S. Grains Council welcomed the regulations, which are designed to reduce the lifecycle carbon intensity of fuel and energy used in Canada and achieve more than 20 million tons of annual reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and include an average of 15 percent ethanol (E15) in gasoline by 2030.

“We applaud Canada for finalizing its Clean Fuel Regulations and leading the globe in putting a plan in place to slash greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector through higher blends of biofuels,” the organizations said. “The Clean Fuel Regulations set Canada on a path toward better air quality, energy security, and carbon mitigation, all supported by rural communities, by setting the achievable goals of reducing more than 20 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions through a move to 15 percent ethanol in all gasoline by 2030. The Clean Fuel Regulations stand as testimony to the powerful impact biofuels can and will have for Canada’s transportation future.”

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Grains, Growth Energy, International, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA, Trade

RFA Applauds Sheetz for Ethanol Education

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association thanks fuel retailer Sheetz for slashing prices on higher ethanol blends for a full week ahead of the Independence Day weekend and providing the opportunity for much needed ethanol education.

Sheetz is offering E15 for $3.99 per gallon and E85 for $3.49 at all of their 350-plus stations that sell the fuels, which cover multiple states. The national average price for regular gasoline yesterday was $4.87 per gallon, according to AAA. RFA also released a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document today, aimed at answering the most common consumer questions about E15 and dispelling prevalent myths about the fuel.

“At a time when American families are feeling unprecedented pain at the pump, we applaud Sheetz for this innovative effort to demonstrate and promote ethanol’s enormous cost-saving benefits,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “In recent months, ethanol has been selling for $1-1.50 per gallon less than gasoline at wholesale terminals where fuel is blended.”

Cooper also noted that the Sheetz promotion happens to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the first gallon of E15 being sold, at a retail station in Lawrence, Kansas. “Today, there are roughly 2,600 stations across the country selling E15 and more than 5,500 stations selling flex fuels like E85, with new stations being added on an almost daily basis,” said Cooper. “This Fourth of July, we encourage all Americans to declare their independence from dirty foreign oil by choosing homegrown, lower-cost ethanol blends like E15 and E85.”

E15, E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News