DuPont Launches SYNERXIA® Gemstone Yeasts for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has launched the SYNERXIA® Gemstone Collection of high-performance yeasts for the U.S. ethanol market. The new collection from the XCELIS® platform includes SYNERXIA® SAPPHIRE and SYNERXIA® RUBY designed for the unique needs of ethanol producers.

This marks the first time that DuPont has co-launched two high-yield yeasts. SYNERXIA® SAPPHIRE brings the most powerful combination of yield, robustness and enzyme expression in a yeast. It offers enhanced ethanol yield increase paired with revolutionary thermotolerance and infection robustness in fermentation and has been genetically engineered to withstand harsh stressors, while still finishing fermentation with ultra-low DP1.

SYNERXIA® SAPPHIRE has been engineered to provide a strong ethanol yield increase compared to conventional yeast and powers through fermentation finishing clean when ethanol producers encounter hot fermentations or severe infections. The product also expresses enough glucoamylase to displace up to 80 percent of the glucoamylase injected to fermentation. The yeast’s strong expression of the powerful glucoamylase offers reduced residual starch for many producers.

SYNERXIA® RUBY is the highest yielding yeast available today from the XCELIS® platform, delivering exceptional performance to producers via a patented PKL pathway and additional targeted genetic modifications. It produces less acetic acid compared to SYNERXIA® THRIVE GX and enables up to 65 percent glucoamylase reduction.

Dupont, enzymes, Ethanol, Processing, Production

China Starting to Buy U.S. Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Reports that China is buying U.S. ethanol again sent a positive message to the industry Tuesday that the Phase One trade agreement promises may yet be met.

During an investor call, Archer Daniels Midland Co-Chief Financial Officer Ray Young said they believe China has already made commitments “in the first half of the year for U.S. ethanol equal to the previous all-time high for the calendar year, roughly 200 million gallons.”

During a panel discussion at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit, former Ambassador to China and Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said Chinese purchases of U.S. ethanol are long overdue. “We need to hold their feet to the fire and keep the pressure on for them to fulfill the commitments they made under the Phase One trade agreement.”

Also on the panel with Branstad were U.S. Grains Council CEO Ryan LeGrand and Hagan Rose with Eco-Energy, with Absolute Energy CEO Rick Schwarck moderating the discussion. Listen to some of their comments here about the potential for China to buy more ethanol and DDGs.

IRFA Summit Trade panel segment (7:36)

Audio, biofuels, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports

Iowa Governor Supports Higher Biofuels Blends

Cindy Zimmerman

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds once again addressed the annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit this week, something she has done every year as governor, as well as multiple years prior as lieutenant governor, but the first time in a virtual format.

Gov. Reynolds said she was looking forward to working with the new Biden Administration to grow demand for biofuels around the world, as well as continuing the leadership of Iowa in the renewable fuels space by advancing policies in the state that make “biofuels the clear choice for Iowa’s drivers.”

IRFA Summit - Gov. Kim Reynolds (7:11)

Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA, IRFA Renewable Fuels Summit

RFA Celebrates Decade of Ethanol Safety Training

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association recently celebrated 10 years of its industry-leading safety training program that has reached thousands of first responders, rail shippers, ethanol plant workers and others, protecting the industry’s employees and saving lives in communities around the world.

RFA Director of Technical Services Missy Ruff says that over the past decade, RFA has hosted 328 training events reaching more than 13,000 attendees since December 2010. The ethanol Emergency Response Seminars and Webinars have reached over 8,000 people, while “Train the Trainer” programs and the Online Ethanol Emergency Response Course have reached more than 4,000. In-person training has been held in every state except Hawaii, but Ruff says they are working on getting that done this year.

The COVID-19 pandemic did have an impact on the in-person training segment of the program, but Ruff says it did actually help them expand their reach. “Because of the pandemic and moving our training to an on-line platform we’ve also trained attendees in 26 countries on five continents,” said Ruff.

RFA is currently working to update eight training module videos and an additional learning management platform, to be completed by spring 2021. In addition, a full slate of online training seminars has been scheduled for 2021. Listen to the interview with Missy Ruff below and visit www.EthanolResponse.com for more information.

Interview with Missy Ruff, RFA, on ethanol safety training (9:14)

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

New Corn Ethanol Study Shows Lower GHG Emissions

Cindy Zimmerman

A new study published by the Environmental Research Letter this week finds that greenhouse gas emissions from corn ethanol have decreased by half over the last 30 years and are now estimated to be 46% lower than the average carbon intensity of gasoline with some corn ethanol in the market today achieving a reduction of more than 60 percent.

The study by Harvard and Tufts University and Environmental Health & Engineering Inc. scientists cite an American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) 2018 White Paper titled “The Case for Properly Valuing the Low Carbon Benefits of Corn Ethanol” that highlights how U.S. farmers and ethanol producers are improving efficiencies, investing in technologies, and adopting practices to dramatically reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from corn ethanol.

“The findings in this report reinforce what we have been promoting for the last several years; the greenhouse gas reduction benefits of corn ethanol have been significantly undervalued because too many regulatory bodies refuse to apply or use the latest lifecycle science,” ACE CEO Brian Jennings said. “Today’s corn ethanol indeed reduces GHGs by approximately 50 percent compared to gasoline, and given improvements occurring in corn farming and within ethanol facilities, corn ethanol’s carbon footprint will continue to decline over time.”

“As elected leaders at the state and federal level look to craft new policies to tackle climate change and meet net-zero emission goals, we strongly encourage them to appreciate that corn farmers and ethanol producers are part of the solution,” Jennings added.

Read the report here.

ACE, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Former Sen. Daschle Comments on Split Senate

Cindy Zimmerman

Tom Daschle at 2019 National Ethanol Conference

Former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle shared his thoughts on a 50-50 split Senate during an appearance on a panel at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Summit Tuesday. He offered advice from his own experience in the 107th Congress in 2001, the only other time in history there was a split Senate.

“It’s going to take good chemistry, it’s going to take communication between the two leaders in order to move what is basically an operating manual for the U.S. Senate for the next two years,” said Daschle, noting the good relationship he had with Mississippi Republican Sen. Trent Lott.

The former senator, who was instrumental in the development of the Renewable Fuel Standard, is now a strong advocate for higher blends of ethanol. “If we could get into orbit, E30 is going to take us there,” he said on the panel Biofuels Policy in 2021 and Beyond. “If we’re looking for solutions to carbon, ethanol provides it. If we need solutions for high octane, ethanol provides it. But we have to take it beyond E15 to get there.”

Listen to some of Daschle’s comments here:

IRFA Summit - Tom Daschle comments on split Senate (1:53)

IRFA Summit - Tom Daschle comments on higher ethanol blends (2:04)

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA

Future is Bright for Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Feedstocks

Cindy Zimmerman

Soybean oil has a long history as a vital feedstock for biodiesel, and more recently for renewable diesel, and it will likely continue to be. At the same time, newer sources of fats and oil are needed to feed the increasing demand for renewable energy plants coming on line.

Alan Weber has been in the biodiesel business from the beginning as both a Missouri farmer and an agricultural economist. He is founding partner of MARC-IV, a firm that helps commercialize industrial products from agriculture, and serves as a consultant to the National Biodiesel Board. He moderated two interesting panels during the 2021 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo related to the future of feedstocks and he is very excited about that future.

“I’m really excited about the potential for investment, because investment can drive innovation,” says Weber.

In this interview, Weber talks about soybeans, fats, oils, and feedstocks.
2021 Biodiesel Conference interview with Alan Weber, NBB advisor (7:53)

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, NBB, Soybeans

Corn and Ethanol Fuel the Crappie Masters Again

Cindy Zimmerman

Brothers Robert and Tommy Sellers win with E10

The Renewable Fuels Association and the National Corn Growers Association are once again partnering with the Crappie Masters National Tournament Trail to continue proving ten percent corn ethanol is a winner on the water. NCGA and RFA are co-title sponsors for the fifth year in a row.

The tournament trail kicked-off last weekend with a two-day national qualifier at St. Johns River in Deland, Fla., where Robert and Tommy Sellers took home $10,000 top honors plus a $500 bonus for using E10 fuel in the competition.

“We are looking forward to another great season being teamed up with the National Corn Growers Association and Renewable Fuels Association coming off our sixth straight year of all winners of the national tournament trail using E10 fuel in their boat,” said Crappie Masters President Mike Vallentine. “The anglers have been receptive to learning about ethanol fuel and now have full confidence after seeing nothing but positive engine performance results.”

Last year, Crappie Masters expanded their reach by starting state chapters. This structure has been expanded again this year, bringing the total number of state chapters to 16. Because of this, memberships in Crappie Masters tripled, the average age of anglers was reduced, and their social media presence was greatly expanded. The state chapters are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, north Louisiana, south Louisiana, east Mississippi, west Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, middle Tennessee, and west Tennessee.

The next Crappie Masters National Tournament Trail event is Feb. 26-27 at Lake D’Arbonne in Farmerville, Louisiana. The 2021 Crappie Masters Tournament Trail season runs through Sept. 25.

Crappie Masters Television highlights each tournament with a weekly show that can be found on the Pursuit Channel, which is on DIRECTV 604, Dish Network 393, Verizon, CenturyLink and Roku. You can also follow the tournament trail on Facebook with host Brian Sowers.


Boats, corn, crappie masters, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Video

NBB to Celebrate 30th Year in 2022 with Commemorative Book

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) will be 30 years old in 2022. To commemorate the anniversary, the organization plans to document stories of individuals and associations instrumental in its development and growth with a coffee table style book which will unfold the story behind the industry’s greatest successes and share narratives of the industry influencers.

“We wouldn’t be on the trajectory for six billion gallons by 2030 if it weren’t for the blood, sweat, and tears put in over the years from our founders,” says NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen. “The stories will help bring to life how a novel idea grew into a carbon-reducing solution for our country. Biodiesel is making a difference now because of what has been accomplished over the last 30 years.”

Ron Kotrba is partnering with NBB in documenting the stories. Kotrba, the former editor in chief of Biodiesel Magazine, now owns RonKo Media Productions LLC and serves as editor and publisher of Biobased Diesel Daily, the next-generation source for news, information and perspective on biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel.

“When I began covering the biodiesel industry in early 2005, national production was maybe the total of one or two large biodiesel plants today,” Kotrba said. “The work committed up front, from the R&D, vehicle testing and fuel specifications to the boots-on-the-ground state and federal policy efforts, laid the foundation for what the industry looks like today.”

More information on the book will be released closer to its release – stay tuned!

Biodiesel, NBB

2021 Fuel Ethanol Workshop Now Planned for July

Cindy Zimmerman

BBI International is planning a fully in-person 37th annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo now scheduled for July 13th through the 15th, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“Based on the latest vaccine dissemination information and feedback we have received from our sponsors and exhibitors, BBI International’s leadership team has made the decision to reschedule the event to July to put us in the back end of the year,” said John Nelson, vice president at BBI International. “With that said, I can’t express enough how excited and eager we are to get back to a physical event and make 2021 the best FEW yet.”

The FEW will be offering four tracks of comprehensive content designed for ethanol production and will be bringing back a co-located event titled, “Biodiesel Production and Technology Summit.” Produced by Biodiesel Magazine, the co-located event is intended for biodiesel and renewable diesel producers to learn about cutting-edge process technologies, new techniques and equipment to optimize existing production, and efficiencies to save money while increasing throughput and fuel quality.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, FEW