Husker Ag Hits Billion Gallon Milestone

Cindy Zimmerman

Husker Ag LLC in Plainview, Nebraska recently produced its one-billionth gallon of ethanol, a milestone noted by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).

“I couldn’t be more proud of the work that the staff has delivered over the last three years to achieve the goals set forth by the Board of Directors to increase gallons, improve our yield and lower our energy per gallon,” said Seth Harder, Husker Ag general manager and Renewable Fuels Association board member. “Hitting the billion-gallon mark is just the type of milestone achievement that commemorates all our hard work. I’m very proud to have been a part of this company since 2002.”

Husker Ag began production in 2003 and expanded its production capacity in 2007. Today, the company produces more than 300,000 gallons of ethanol per day.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

E15 Final Rule: Next Steps

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has removed regulatory barriers allowing access to E15 fuel year-round. Representatives of the Renewable Fuels Association and other industry stakeholders shared information about the future of E15 and what this ruling means for retailers and consumers.

Panelists included: Geoff Cooper, President and CEO, Renewable Fuels Association; Neil Koehler, RFA Board Chairman and CEO of Pacific Ethanol; Steve Walk, Chief Operations Officer, Protec Fuel; and Bryan Stockton, Counsel, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.

Listen to the comments here: E15 Media Call hosted by Renewable Fuels Association

AgWired AgNewsWire, AgWired Energy, Audio, Ethanol, Renewable Fuels Association

Elite Octane Celebrates Opening and E15

Cindy Zimmerman

The grand opening of the Elite Octane ethanol plant in Atlantic, Iowa got an extra celebratory boost on Friday with the announcement that E15 can now be sold year round. Guest speakers including Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds welcomed the news just hours after it was announced.

“Increased demand for E85 and E15 means that we can support more new ethanol plants like Elite Octane,” said Sen. Ernst. “We are officially ready, folks, to start our summer driving season with E15!”

Listen to Sen. Ernst’s remarks here:
Sen. Joni Ernst remarks at Elite Octane grand opening

Elite Octane began operations in July 2018 and produces more than 140,000,000 gallons of ethanol per year.

Audio, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News

E15 Retailer Pleased with EPA Rule

Cindy Zimmerman

Iowa fuel retailer Charlie Good has been working to get E15 approval for years

A fuel retailer who has been on the front lines of getting approval for E15 to be sold year round is one of over 1000 station owners around the country who did not have to re-label pumps over the weekend this year.

“For the first time in six years that I’ve been handling the fuels, I can put an octane sticker on the pump and leave it on there and take flex fuel decals off,” said Charlie Good, owner of Good & Quick store in Nevada, Iowa. “So I believe it’s going to increase sales.”

Good is hopeful the rule will encourage more retailers to buck the system as he did and start selling higher ethanol blends. The American Coalition for Ethanol has a website (FlexFuelForward.com) for interested retailers that includes information from early adopters like Good.

Good has taken many trips to Washington D.C. over the past six years to tell his story to lawmakers, including President Trump himself. “Six years ago as a little piddly independent in Iowa I would have never thought that I would have been sitting in the White House and been able to help get this done,” he said.

Listen to my interview with Charlie here:
Interview with Iowa fuel retailer Charlie Good

Audio, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Retailers

EPA Final Rule Details

Cindy Zimmerman

EPA’s Bill Wehrum at 2019 ACE Fly-in

EPA Assistant Administrator Bill Wehrum provided details to reporters Friday morning of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rule related to retail sales of 15% ethanol blended fuel and renewable identification number (RIN) transparency.

EPA finalized regulatory changes to allow gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol (E15) to take advantage of the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver that currently applies to E10 during the summer months. EPA is also finalizing regulatory changes to modify certain elements of the renewable identification number (RIN) compliance system under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program, in order to bring greater transparency to the market and deter price manipulation.

Wehrum explains the final rule and how it differs from the proposed rule. “We’re doing this because it’s a very important presidential priority,” said Wehrum. “We think this is a win-win, we think it’s going to provide substantial additional market opportunity for ethanol producers.”

Wehrum said EPA is confident in the legality of the final rule. “We know there are folks that disagree with us and some are going to challenge what we’ve done today… but we believe we have very good defenses to the claims that they are going to bring and we believe we are going to prevail in the end.”

Regarding the controversial portion of the proposed rule that would have impacted blender pumps, Wehrum said the final rule makes no changes in blender pump regulation.

Listen here: EPA Assistant Administrator Bill Wehrum press conference

Audio, E15, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Ethanol Report on Year Round E15

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association is celebrating the start of summer and a new era for higher blends of ethanol with the Environmental Protection Agency’s final rule granting a Reid Vapor Pressure waiver for 15 percent ethanol (E15) to allow retail sales of the fuel in the summer.

In this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast, (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper discusses the decision and what it means for the ethanol industry. He also comments on concerns about small refinery exemptions and corn planting delays in the Midwest.

Ethanol Report on Year Round E15

Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA

Ethanol Industry Applauds Final Rule Allowing Year-Round E15

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol industry stakeholders are thrilled with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rule allowing retailers to sell gasoline containing 15% ethanol (E15) year-round.

“E15 already has a proven track record for saving drivers money at the pump and reducing emissions, and today’s action will ensure that more Americans are able to enjoy those benefits. Year-round E15 will also provide a badly needed long-term demand boost for our industry and America’s farmers, who face a number of daunting challenges today,” said Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper.

The second part of the rule proposed by EPA regarding Renewable Identification Number (RIN) transparency was scaled back from the original proposal and will now require “public disclosure when RIN holdings exceed specified thresholds” while collecting “additional data to improve market transparency and enhance EPA oversight.”

RFA CEO Geoff Cooper comments on E15 rule

National Corn Growers Association President Lynn Chrisp said, “Farmers are facing some tough times which makes this announcement particularly welcome. We thank President Trump for following through on his promise to rural America and USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and supporters in Congress for their outspoken commitment to year-round E15.”

“This move to approve the year-round use of E15 in time for the summer driving season provides consumers with more choices when they fill up at the pump, driving demand for our farmers and improving the air we breathe. While the Trump Administration and USDA are expanding the ethanol market in the United States, we continue to fight for more export markets in Brazil, Mexico, China, and other countries across the globe,” said Secretary Perdue.

American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings said, “We’re grateful EPA kept the President’s promise to get the rulemaking done on time and we will work to ensure retailers understand their hands are no longer tied by red tape preventing them from offering a lower priced, higher octane E15 fuel to their customers all year starting this summer. For the ethanol industry and farmers, this means greater market access — more ethanol demand over the long term as additional retailers begin offering E15.”

ACE CEO Brian Jennings interview on E15 rule
Audio, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Nebraska Governor to Kick Off ACE Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts will be the keynote speaker for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) 32nd annual conference August 14-16 in Omaha.

Governor Ricketts will kick off the general session on Wednesday, August 15, welcoming attendees and providing an update on how Nebraska is advancing ethanol in the marketplace. “For decades, ethanol has been an amazing success story, helping grow Nebraska and communities all across the heartland,” said GovernorRicketts. “We look forward to hosting the 32nd annual conference of the American Coalition for Ethanol in Omaha this year.”

The 2019 ACE conference general session will follow Governor Ricketts’ welcome with an update from ACE leadership. Jennings will be joined by Ron Lamberty, ACE Senior Vice President, and Duane Kristensen, ACE Board President representing Chief Ethanol Fuels’ two Nebraska plants in Hastings and Lexington, in discussing the past year’s successes and challenges and highlighting upcoming opportunities for ACE members.

More information and registration is available on-line.

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Corn Growers Sponsor FUELS2019

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) was a proud sponsor of the Fuels Institute FUELS2019 conference in Dallas last week, which provided attendees with the opportunity to take a deep dive into topics around internal combustion engines, the future of retail, biofuels and more. FUELS2019 explored the market through a series of panel discussions and presentations that evaluated the pressures from the environment, government regulations and consumer behavior.

“This was a great opportunity to build new relationships, especially with the members of the retail community,” said Director of Renewable Fuels Mark Palmer. “Gaining insights from the various sectors represented at the conference helps us better understand the challenges and opportunities we have for getting more ethanol into the marketplace.”

There were roughly 150 participants in attendance from all aspects of the liquid transportation industry including retailers, refiners, auto manufacturers, ethanol producers and RIN traders.

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NCGA

RFA Welcomes New Communications Director

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) welcomes new Communications Director Ken Colombini to its staff this week. Colombini will work out of RFA’s headquarters in suburban St. Louis and will be responsible for the development and implementation of a broad range of communications strategies and tactics to support RFA’s mission and objectives.

Colombini has been a free-lance communications consultant since 2016, after serving at the National Corn Growers Association for the previous nine years, where he led NCGA’s multiple-award winning communications team and also helped create and lead the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance. This was preceded by communications management experience at Anheuser-Busch and in California state government, where he served as a governor’s speechwriter and as chief communications officer for the California State Parks system. Colombini holds a bachelor’s degree in the liberal arts from Thomas Aquinas College in California.

“As someone who has worked closely with American farmers, I’m very much looking forward to this role, where I can help communicate the real, historic and measurable value of ethanol and other renewable fuels,” Colombini said. “RFA has been an industry leader for nearly four decades, and I’m proud to now be part of the team.”

To get the latest buzz on ethanol, follow RFA on Twitter at @ethanolrfa and Ken Colombini at @kencolombini.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA