ACE Conference 2026

Ethanol Report Previews National Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

The The 17th annual National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is upon us already. It will be held this week, February 22-24, at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando.

Last year, more than 1,250 industry leaders attended the NEC, representing 42 states and 19 countries and at least as many, likely more, will be there this year at the preeminent conference for delivering accurate, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the ethanol industry.

Ethanol Report PodcastIn this edition of “The Ethanol Report,” Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen gives us a preview of what to expect at the conference this year – including speakers, panels, topics and networking opportunities.

The event starts Tuesday with the annual golf tournament and a networking trip to Kennedy Space Center, with the welcome reception that evening. More information about the program can be found on-line at NationalEthanolConference.com. On-site registration for the event will be open starting Tuesday afternoon at 2 pm.

Domestic Fuel will be at the National Ethanol Conference providing start to finish coverage, including live webcast of Bob Dinneen’s State of the Industry address at 8:10 am Eastern on Thursday, February 23, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s address at 8:20 am on Friday, February 24.

Listen to or download the Ethanol Report here: Ethanol Report on National Ethanol Conference

Subscribe to the Ethanol Report here.

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

Genome Map May Lead Miscanthus to Biofuels

Cindy Zimmerman

A genome map for miscanthus could point the way to a source for better biofuels production.

According to Science Daily, researchers at the University of Georgia have mapped the genomes of two originator cells of Miscanthus x giganteus, a large perennial grass with promise as a source of ethanol and bioenergy.

Changsoo Kim, a postdoctoral research associate in the UGA Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, identified a set of approximately 600 bits of Miscanthus DNA that can serve as diagnostic tools. The next step is to determine which pieces of DNA are diagnostic of genes that can make the plant an even better biofuel crop.

Kim’s work-and the Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory-is led by Andrew Paterson, a Distinguished Research Professor who falls under the UGA departments of genetics and plant biology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and crop and soil sciences in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

“What we are doing right now is taking the same individual plants that were used in the genetic map and measuring their height, flowering time, the size of their stalks, the dimensions of their leaves and how far they have spread from where they were planted,” said Paterson, who is also a member of the Bioenergy Systems Research Institute. “And then one can use pretty straightforward statistics to look for correlations between bits of DNA and a trait.”

Miscanthus is a natural candidate for biomass farming. Its sugarcane-like stalks grow to more than 12 feet in height in soil of marginal quality; it requires very little fertilizer; it grows well in moist temperate climates across the United States, Europe and Asia; and in the eastern U.S. it can produce more biomass on less acreage than other candidate biofuel crops.

Read more from Science Daily.

advanced biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Research

Biofuels in Focus at First Farm Bill Hearing

Cindy Zimmerman

The importance of biofuels to rural development was a focus of the first Farm Bill hearing by the Senate Committee on Agriculture this week.

“In the last Farm Bill, this Committee wisely focused on energy policy,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the panel. “Renewable energy – including biofuels, biomass, wind and solar – are an important source of jobs and economic growth in rural communities across the country. Biofuels and biomass in particular offer exciting new opportunities for entrepreneurs, farmers, ranchers and growers.”

Vilsack recommended three areas for the energy title of the farm bill – more efficient production of biofuels developed through research, increasing co-products and by-products from biofuels production, and partnerships to produce biofuels for military aviation and jet fuel.

In addition, Vilsack told the committee that one way to maintain continued growth in rural areas is keeping the Renewable Fuel Standard. “That basically mandates a certain percentage of fuel mixture being bio-based, so we will continue to advocate for that,” he said.

advanced biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, USDA

EPA Approval Moves E15 Closer to the Market

Cindy Zimmerman

Fifteen percent ethanol blended motor fuel has gotten one step closer to commercial availability with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval of health effects testing submitted by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy.

EPA concluded, “Our evaluation therefore concludes that RFA/Growth Energy has submitted data and analysis that would satisfy the Tier 1 and Tier 2 testing requirements for registration.”

“EPA’s action today puts E15 on the precipice of commercialization and means that consumers may be able to choose a more affordable E15 option in time for the expensive summer driving season,” RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “This is huge step toward meaningful market expansion for domestically-produced ethanol.”

The acceptance of the health effects testing clears the way for the final steps in registering E15 as a fuel and offering it in the marketplace. With EPA’s acceptance of the results of the testing submitted by the ethanol groups, suppliers of ethanol and E15 are now able to register with EPA to offer the fuel.

“Now it is up to the retailers and individual fuel companies to register for approval to sell E15,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “With ethanol selling an average of 76 cents a gallon cheaper than gasoline and $4 a gallon gasoline on the horizon, we’d encourage all Americans to ask their local filling station how soon they will see more-affordable E15.”

The next step in getting E15 to consumers is the formulation of a misfueling mitigation plan. As the E15 waiver extends only to MY2001 and newer vehicles, and excludes a number of non-road, marine, and vehicle engines, helping ensure consumers are legally and appropriately using E15 is critical. Once this plan is completed, and companies register with EPA, E15 can be sold to the EPA-approved vehicles in states and at stations that are prepared to do so.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Growth Energy, RFA

2012 Youngerberg Biodiesel Essay Scholarship Offered

High school seniors in Minnesota are encouraged to apply for the 2012 Reuben Youngerberg Memorial Biodiesel Essay Scholarship.

The scholarship is given in memory of Reuben Youngerberg, and in honor of his son, Mike Youngerberg, senior director of field services at Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and huge supporter of biodiesel.

The scholarship is sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, with special thanks to the National Biodiesel Board, MEG Corp, and Renewable Energy Group, Inc. for their added support.

To submit your essay for the 2012 scholarship online, please fill out the form. Do not place your name or high school name anywhere on the essay you submit to ensure fairness of judging.

If you prefer to submit your essay via U.S. mail or FAX, please download, print and complete the 2012 Entry Form.

Review the Biodiesel Essay Scholarship Contest Rules before submitting your application.

Biodiesel, Education

Company Developing Drop-In Fuel From Biomass

Cindy Zimmerman

A New Jersey-based company is developing renewable drop-in gasoline from biomass.

primusPrimus Green Energy reports that the first sample of renewable drop-in gasoline has been produced through the company’s proprietary combination of biomass conversion technologies. The technique “transforms herbaceous and woody biomass, in conjunction with natural gas, into high-octane gasoline.”

According to Primus, the gasoline produced from the technology is virtually indistinguishable from gasoline produced from fossil fuel and can be used directly in engines as a component of standard fuel formulas without engine modifications.

The gasoline produced is a high quality product, with a higher-octane level (93) and a lower level of benzene than gasoline produced from petroleum. Primus Green Energy has produced fuel samples from a test plant, recently broke ground on an automated demonstration plant and is planning to break ground next year on a commercial plant in eastern Pennsylvania that will be designed to produce 4.8 million gallons per year of gasoline from wood pellets and non-food, herbaceous crops.

IC Green Energy, the green arm of Israel Corp., has invested $40m in Primus since 2008.

biomass, Energy

Higher Blends of Ethanol Would Reduce Prices at Pump

Oil prices have reached a new six-month high as Iran’s reduction of oil shipments to Europe is forcing American motorists to pay more for gasoline. In reaction, the American ethanol industry is telling consumers that higher blends of ethanol in motor fuel would reduce prices at the pump and reduce OPEC’s influence over our nation’s economy.

Growth Energy“American motorists are looking down the barrel of $5 a gallon gasoline this summer, all while foreign strongmen and dictators threaten to drive prices up even more by shutting down oil supplies. And yet we have the answer to this right here in front of us with American ethanol,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “Ethanol is trading at about 75 cents a gallon cheaper than gasoline. We ought to be giving motorists here at home more choices at the pump. The choices are simple — stay chained to the whims of an Iranian strongman,or invest in clean, renewable, American-made energy with ethanol.”

Growth Energy petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to permit blends of up to E15, from the current level of E10. After rigorous testing of engine drivability and emissions testing and found that every car tested – from model year 2001 and newer – met standards for E15.

While minor steps remain before E15 can be brought to market, there are some in Congress who continue to slow the advance of alternatives to gasoline. In a House Science Committee vote last week, Rep. James Sensenbrenner’s (R – WI) legislation to delay E15 even further won approval.

“That’s a last desperate step to keep consumers from having a choice at the pump and keep us addicted to the most unstable region in the world,” Buis said of the Sensenbrenner bill.

Read more facts and information on ethanol and prices.

Ethanol, Growth Energy, Oil

Brazil Ethanol Sales Down

Cindy Zimmerman

A lower percentage of ethanol required to be blended with gasoline in Brazil is resulting in lower ethanol sales, according to the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA).

UNICAUNICA reports that ethanol sales by mills in the South-Central region totaled 1.29 billion liters in January, a drop of 32.32% compared to the 1.90 billion liters sold during the same period in 2011. Of this year’s total for January, 1.24 billion liters remained in the domestic market and only 42.44 million liters were exported.

January anhydrous ethanol sales totaled 483.91 million liters, down from 584.38 million liters during the same period of last year. As for hydrous ethanol, 760.40 million liters were sold during the month, down sharply from 1.23 billion liters during the same period of the 2010/2011 harvest.

The drop in anhydrous ethanol sales is the result of a cut in the amount of ethanol blended with gasoline which went into effect in 2011, according to UNICA Technical Director Antonio de Padua Rodrigues. “If the blend level had remained at 25%, sales in January 2012 would have been greater than in January of 2011,” he added.

Brazil, Ethanol, Ethanol News, UNICA

ACE says E15 Could Help Ease Rising Gas Prices

Could E15 ethanol (a blend of 85% gasoline and 15% ethanol) be the economical answer to the nation’s higher fuel costs? The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) believes so.
National surveys indicate that gasoline prices are up about 45 cents a gallon compared to a year ago, while ethanol prices have dropped more than 30 cents. Current ethanol wholesale prices are about 80 cents less than gasoline, says Ron Lamberty, senior vice president for ACE, a national advocacy association for the U.S. ethanol industry.

“At today’s prices, 10% ethanol blends are already saving consumers 8 to 10 cents per gallon compared to unleaded gasoline. Nationally, that saves almost $30 million dollars a day,” Lamberty says. “E15 could offer even greater savings. Drivers with vehicles new enough to use E15 could be saving 12 to 15 cents a gallon by choosing the E15 blend, potentially cutting gasoline costs by an additional $10 million dollars each day.”

E15 would benefit consumers and federal officials should immediately complete any work needed to allow marketers to offer the fuel for sale at stations across the country, Lamberty adds.

After years of testing by EPA and the Department of Energy, E15 was approved more than a year ago, as an option for cars and light trucks built in 2001 and later.

“Ethanol opponents continue to create new roadblocks, claiming to be “pro-consumer” and “pro free market,” while they do everything they can to keep E15 – a tested, approved, safe fuel – off of the market. That causes consumers to over-pay for gas and it is the opposite of a free market.” says Lamberty. “E15 is approved as an option. Retailers don’t have to add it to their product slate and consumers don’t have to buy it. Yet there is considerable effort to continue misleading and frightening consumers into supporting this idea of an auto fuel Nanny Slate that only benefits the oil industry and those who depend on Big Oil’s support,” according to Lamberty.

“ACE is urging federal officials and Congress to get behind efforts to open up E15 for public sale to all vehicles that are 2001 and newer as soon as possible. It’s time that we allow American consumers the option to support a cleaner fuel that helps cut down on imports of foreign oil and supports American jobs. We think that the majority of Americans would be in favor of something this beneficial for consumers rather than supporting efforts that only go to increase profits for oil companies,” Lamberty said.

ACE, Ethanol

Looking Forward to a Dieselex Gold Rush

Cindy Zimmerman

With the official roll out of the FS Energy Products newly-reformulated premium diesel fuel Dieselex Gold coming up next week, we got a little preview from GROWMARK marketing manager for refined and renewable fuels Mark Dehner at last week’s National Biodiesel Conference.

“Our Dieselex product was first introduced in the market place in 1952,” Dehner says, explaining that it was re-formulated in 2002 and re-named Dieselex Gold. “We’re re-introducing and re-formulating the Dieselex Gold product and kicking it off to our member co-operatives in late February.”

The product will have a new look on the marketing side and it does have some different characteristics and Dehner says biodiesel will play a role. “Through the Renewable Fuel Standard, 2012 there is a billion gallon target to hit, and while EPA has not yet ruled on 2013, it appears it will be 1.2 billion gallons, so biodiesel is here to stay,” he said.

Listen to our interview with Mark Dehner from the National Biodiesel Conference here: Mark Dehner Interview

advanced biofuels, Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, GROWMARK