NUVU Fuels to Make E15 Standard Blend

Carrie Muehling

Michigan-based fuel retailer NUVU Fuels plans to make E15 the standard blend at all locations, according to Growth Energy.

NUVU Fuels will offer flex vehicle owners the choice of higher biofuel blends like E85. In addition, E10 will be available at designated dispensers for owners of older cars (which represent less than 10 percent of the vehicle fleet) and small engines. This news follows the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) approval of summer sales of E15. E15, known to consumers as Unleaded 88, is approved by EPA for all cars 2001 and newer.

“This decision is consistent with the purchase patterns of our customers, follows consumer demand, and allows us to be highly competitive in the marketplace,” said NUVU Fuels CEO Mitch Miller. “Now that we can reliably offer E15 year-round, we can confidently make it our biggest focus and offer our consumers better fuel choices to match their lifestyles. Higher biofuel blends give all drivers access to choices that are smart for their engines, kinder for the environment, and better for their wallets.”

“Growth Energy is proud to have led the fight on year-round E15 alongside fuel retailers to give all Americans access to a cleaner-burning, engine smart fuel year-round,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We’re excited for the model NUVU Fuels is setting and have heard interest from other retailers in moving in this direction now that E15 year-round is a reality.”

E15 is currently sold at 1,807 stations in 31 states.

E15, Ethanol, Growth Energy

Auto Channel Gives E15 Blending Tips

Cindy Zimmerman

Marc Rauch, Executive Vice President and Co-Publisher of THE AUTO CHANNEL, is offering do-it-yourself advice for motorists who want to use E15 (15% ethanol) but can’t find it nearby – make your own.

“In fact, you can do what I have safely and economically done to make my own E20, E30, E40, and even higher “custom blends” for use in both non-flex fuel and flex fuel vehicles: I splash-blend my way to saving money and contributing to a healthier environment,” said Rauch.

The first step, according to Rauch, is to find a station that sells E85.

Put in the desired amount of E85 into your tank, and then move to a regular E10 pump and fill the tank the rest of the way to average out at the target blend level. Can your vehicle safely and efficiently use E15? Yes, of course. In fact, all gasoline-powered vehicles on the road can safely and efficiently use E15 and higher ethanol-gasoline blends. How do I know? Simple! In 2010, the EPA issued their advisory that all vehicles manufactured after 2001 could safely and efficiently use E15. In the press conference held by the EPA, I asked if any other blends were tested, and the EPA Administrator answered that E20 was also tested. In follow up questions, I was told that the results for E20 were comparable to E10 and E15 – in other words, just as safe.

Read his entire piece.

automotive, blends, E15, E85, Ethanol

Trump to Visit Iowa Ethanol Plant

President Donald J.Trump will be showing his love for the American farmer again this week as he visits an Iowa ethanol plant to celebrate the easing of summer restrictions on the sale of E15.

Trump will be touring Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC (SIRE) in Council Bluffs on Tuesday and will speak to hundreds of farmers and other ethanol industry stakeholders. In his remarks, the president is expected to discuss disaster assistance and trade in addition to ethanol.

Just a few weeks ago, President Trump welcomed representatives from a number of agricultural organizations to the White House to discuss the $16 billion in trade assistance offered to offset unjustified retaliation and trade disruption in the agricultural sector. The president’s admiration for farmers and ranchers also brought him to speak at the past two American Farm Bureau Federation conventions.

This will not be Trump’s first visit to an ethanol plant ever, but will be his first as president. As a candidate, Trump toured the POET Biorefining ethanol plant in Gowrie, Iowa in 2015.

AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, corn, Ethanol, Trade

RFA is Source for Everything E15

Carrie Muehling

For nearly four decades, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has been the trusted ethanol industry leader both on Capitol Hill and on Main Street U.S.A., supporting those who produce and sell ethanol. With the recent decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to allow the year-round sale of E15, a 15 percent ethanol blend, retailers in particular need information and technical resources they can trust.

“EPA’s action last week allowing E15 to be sold year-round is already generating lots of interest and questions from retailers who were waiting for more clarity and certainty,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Our association has worked with EPA, terminal operators, retailers, and many others to provide important tools to every part of the supply chain before E15 ends up in drivers’ gas tanks. We want to ensure that retailers, marketers, terminal operators and others who are taking a serious look at E15 for the first time have all the information they need at their fingertips.”

RFA recently conducted a free webinar to help fuel marketers and others understand E15.

Click here for more information about key RFA resources on E15.

E15, Ethanol, RFA

Secretary Perdue Discusses Disaster Aid in Florida

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited Florida and Georgia to participate in roundtable discussions on USMCA and disaster aid signed by President Trump yesterday.

At his first stop in Tallahassee, Perdue participated in a short press conference with Governor Ron DeSantis prior to the roundtable.

Listen here:

USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue presser in Florida on disaster aid

AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio, Trade, USDA

Casey’s General Stores Expanding E15 Stations

Cindy Zimmerman

Casey’s General Stores will expand its E15 offering to more than 60 new sites this summer across their footprint following EPA’s approval of E15 year-round. Making that announcement this week, Casey’s and Growth Energy attributed this rapid expansion to the lifting of an outdated regulation that now allows American drivers to access the cleaner, more affordable biofuel all year-round.

“The summertime E15 restrictions have been a major concern for us for a long time and would typically slow down our E15 expansion,” said Casey’s Director of Fuels Nathaniel Doddridge. “Now that we know we can provide our guests with a consistent experience at the fuel pump year-round, we are expanding E15 at a faster pace to stay ahead of our competition.”

“Growth Energy has relentlessly led the fight on year-round E15 to grow the ethanol marketplace and give all drivers access to a cleaner, engine smart fuel,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We are thrilled that Casey’s will be rolling out E15 at dozens of new sites this summer, and know from conversations with retailers all over the country that they will soon be joined by others who’ve been waiting for this day.”

E15 is currently sold at 1,807 stations in 31 states. To learn more about Growth Energy’s work to unlock access to E15 year-round, visit GrowthEnergy.org/E15.

E15, Ethanol, Growth Energy

Biodiesel Association Expands with Additional Organizations

Carrie Muehling

Four new organizations are joining the National Biodiesel Board.

These new companies range from feedstock producers, to distributors, to environmental consultants, who join the extensive and diverse organizations that make up NBB.

“NBB is fortunate to have a diverse group of talented organizations within our membership who are passionate about moving this industry forward as a collective,” said NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen. “I’m happy to welcome these new partners, as their addition reflects the continued growth of our industry. Our members ensure that biodiesel and renewable diesel remain the top choice for diesel engines nationwide. I look forward to working alongside them, and all our members, to continue promoting America’s Advanced Biofuel from coast to coast.”

NBB’s newest members include:
Louisiana Soybean Grain Research and Promotion Board – A feedstock producer organization representing Louisiana soybean growers, dedicated to the state’s most important production and marketing issues.
Sack Energy Co. – A wholesale and commercial energy distributor working for more than 100 years who is committed to sustainability, superior service, and environmental stewardship.
Barr Engineering Co. – An engineering and environmental consulting agency providing service across the Midwest, throughout the Americas, and around the world.
Broco Oil – A veteran-owned fuel distributor located in New England with two rail served terminals which will soon be receiving and distributing biodiesel.
Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil and animal fats, biodiesel is a renewable, clean-burning diesel replacement that can be used in existing diesel engines without modification. It is the nation’s first domestically produced, commercially available advanced biofuel. NBB is the U.S. trade association representing the entire biodiesel value chain, including producers, feedstock suppliers, and fuel distributors, as well as the U.S. renewable diesel industry.

Biodiesel, NBB

Western Iowa Energy Begins Monarch Fueling Station Project

Carrie Muehling

Western Iowa Energy is adding a Monarch Fueling Station to the site of its Wall Lake plant.

The monarch habitat will span roughly four acres. The plant will start the process by spraying to eradicate non-native grasses this June and in late fall. They plan to do a dormant seeding of native plants and milkweed in the field in early November.

“Biodiesel production is all about turning the seemingly useless into something useful,” said Kevin Bieret, Operations Manager of Western Iowa Energy. “We transform agriculture coproducts into green fuel. We see this Monarch Fueling Project as a new way to do that again, by turning something we have to mow into habitat to help fuel monarch butterflies.”

The location and size of the plot was decided in consultation with Kevin Reynolds, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association’s Habitat Establishment Coordinator.

“It’s exciting to see the reach of this project grow,” Reynolds said. “More and more biofuels plants are stepping up to be leaders in the statewide effort to establish monarch habitat and protect this important pollinator. Considering the fact that the whole state of Iowa is in the monarch butterfly migration path, each plot can make a difference.”

The Monarch Fueling Station Project was established by IRFA in partnership with the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium in December 2017. It is a program to help Iowa’s ethanol and biodiesel plants establish patches of monarch habitat on plant grounds. To learn more about the IRFA Monarch Fueling Station Project, contact IRFA at info@IowaRFA.org or 515-252-6249.

Renewable Energy

Hydrite Launches Innovative Formulation for Ethanol Industry

Carrie Muehling

Hydrite Chemical Co. launches a new product line for use in the fuel ethanol industry.

The integrated manufacturer and supplier of chemicals and related services announces its new Hydri-Maize™ catalyzed bisulfite product line for scrubber applications that will decrease plant emissions, decrease energy costs and freshwater consumption, and debottleneck operations.

All Hydri-Maize™ catalyzed bisulfite products are made in the USA by Hydrite. These products are used for VOC abatement in CO2 scrubbers which can effectively help VOC reduction goals. Hydrite’s new catalyzed bisulfite product line is designed to help reduce carbon footprint and improve operations.

Scott Cumming, Biofuels Product Manager for Hydrite, commented, “We are excited about the announcement and launch of the new Hydri-Maize™ catalyzed bisulfite product line. Our catalyzed bisulfite line has already taken over 2 billion pounds of fresh water out of ethanol processes across the United States. We look forward to taking out 2 billion more pounds.”

As a company with a strong commitment to sustainability, Hydrite Chemical Co. continues to invest in research, quality control, and training to offer products and systems that reduce water and energy usage and have a minimal impact on the environment.

To learn more, visit www.hydrite.com or call 262-792-1450.

AgWired Energy, Ethanol

GROWMARK Names VP, Energy and Logistics

Carrie Muehling

Effective September 1, Carol Kitchen will be GROWMARK‘s Vice President, Energy and Logistics.

“I am truly honored to have been chosen to lead GROWMARK’s Energy and Logistics divisions,” Kitchen said. “As a native of central Illinois and having spent several of my early career years in the GROWMARK System, this is a career opportunity for me and one I’m extremely excited about.”

Kitchen is currently CEO and President of United Farmers of Alberta (UFA), a CDN$1.7 billion western Canada cooperative serving more than 110,000 Alberta members and commercial accounts in the petroleum and agriculture market segments. In the 1990s, she held positions GROWMARK’s internal auditing (Bloomington, Ill., office), and in Canadian accounting operations (Ontario office). Kitchen also has held roles at Land O’ Lakes, including senior vice president, corporate strategy and business development, and senior vice president and general manager, global dairy ingredients.

Carol holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accountancy from the University of Illinois. She is a Certified Public Accountant and earned an MBA from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Business. Carol and her husband, Jim, have a son, Jack.

Jim Spradlin, GROWMARK CEO, heralded Kitchen’s nearly 30 years of global, multi-channel experience including business unit management and strategy development. “At UFA, Carol drove the organization to be as customer-focused as possible, delivering growth across all platforms, while consistently improving employee engagement, delivering a new IT operating platform, and improving customer satisfaction. We look forward to welcoming Carol to the leadership team.”

Kitchen will replace Mike Builta, who passed away unexpectedly in April.

Energy, GROWMARK