Getting Ethanol ‘Up to Spec’

Carrie Muehling

Fuel quality and ensuring the safe arrival of ethanol to its destination were among topics on the program during the first session of the 31st annual American Coalition for Ethanol conference in Minneapolis.

Kristy Moore of KMoore Consulting led a panel called “Up to Spec,” looking at international fuel specifications and how American ethanol could further penetrate global ethanol markets.

“Looking globally, where can ethanol make a difference? Where are there regulatory markets?” asked Moore. “Where are there economic advantages?”

Moore pointed out that while introducing ethanol to global fuel markets is a top priority for the industry, it needs to be a continued focus for ethanol producers and stakeholders.

Listen to Moore’s entire presentation here: ACE18 Kristy Moore, KMoore Consulting

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Export Panel at #ACEconf18 Explores Tariff Wars

Cindy Zimmerman

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) interim CEO Jon Doggett and CHS Director of Global Trading Max Thomasson explored the impact of current trade negotiations and tariff wars on the global market for corn and ethanol during a panel at last week’s American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference in Minneapolis.

Doggett drove home the point that if it was President Clinton in the White House rather than Donald Trump, people might be viewing the trade decisions made over the past 18 months differently. “We can’t let people have a bye just because they have an R after their name,” said Doggett. “If Hillary Clinton had done all that, we’d be talking that I word right now.”

Thomasson talked about how global demand for U.S. ethanol continues to grow, driven by mandates, and will continue to grow. “Consumption for the first time in a while is outpacing production, which is a good thing,” said Thomasson.

Listen to comments from both here:
ACE18 Exports panel

In this interview, Doggett talks about the trade situation, as well as his thoughts on Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler and what it will take to please oil refiners so E15 can be approved year round.
Interview with Jon Doggett, NCGA

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Biodiesel Board Hires Communications Manager

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Biodiesel Board welcomes new Communications Manager Samantha Turner to the staff this week. Turner comes to NBB from Monsanto, where she served as their Food and Nutrition Engagement Communications Manager. In her new role, Turner is responsible for the development of communication strategies for the team and plans to support the industry through content enhancing the biodiesel narrative.

Turner grew up on her family’s fourth generation row crop farm in Norborne, Missouri and earned her bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education and her master’s degree in Agricultural Leadership, Communication and Education from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

Samantha has previously worked for several agriculture and membership organizations including the Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, Osborn Barr, and the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

Biodiesel, NBB

Retailers Winning With Ethanol at the Pump

Cindy Zimmerman

Retailers Glenn Badenhop and Bob O’Connor on panel with Ron Lamberty, ACE

The retailer panel is always a popular one for attendees at the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference to learn more about how their product is being marketed to consumers at the pump. This year, members of the ACE Marketer Advisory Panel (MAP) discussed what is working and what is not, as well as the question of how to brand higher blends, during the panel moderated by senior vice president Ron Lamberty.

American Freedom Energy owner Glenn Badenhop and JETZ Convenience Center owner Bob O’Connor shared their experiences and ideas about what ways the ethanol industry can help retailers and how they view the future of biofuels. Listen to the panel here: ACE18 Retailers panel

During the panel, Lamberty presented O’Connor with the Paul Dana Marketing Vision award. The award is presented to a company that has exhibited leadership in ethanol marketing. “I’ve been a fuel retailer my entire life, pumping gas from the age of six, and there’s been a lot of bad press put out there about ethanol,” O’Connor said. “Years ago, I was convinced of that bad press, but when I did my due diligence and started to engage with the product, I found out I was wrong. Because of this industry’s efforts, I’m now on this stage as an advocate for your brand.”

Bob O’Connor, Jetz, winner of 2018 Paul Dana marketing award –
Interview with Bob O'Connor, Jetz

Ron Lamberty discussed how ACE is helping retailers market higher blends during his address to the conference. Listen to that here –
ACE18 remarks from Ron Lamberty, ACE Senior VP

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NFU and Urban Air Initiative Join to Expand Biofuels Use

Cindy Zimmerman

National Farmers Union, Farmers Union Enterprises and the Urban Air Initiative have announced the formation of a new alliance to expand the use of American-grown biofuels.

The three groups intend to pursue a broad spectrum of advocacy and advertising activities in furtherance of social, regulatory and legislative solutions to current barriers that limit the amount of biofuels used in the nation’s transportation sector.

“Protecting the public health and welfare—and at the same time improving the rural economy and benefiting family farmers, is a win-win for America,” said NFU president Roger Johnson.

Urban Air Initiative Director Trevor Hinz noted that the vast body of best available science proves renewable ethanol’s superior octane properties substantially reduce the most harmful mobile source air toxics (MSATs), the predominant source of which are benzene-based aromatics that refiners synthesize from crude oil. Hinz cited the mandatory provision in the Clean Air Act that requires EPA/OTAQ to reduce MSATs to the “greatest extent achievable…as technologies present themselves.”

Farmers Union Enterprises President Doug Sombke adds that the recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT/NHTSA) proposed rule requesting input on whether and how U.S. regulatory policy should require higher quality, cleaner burning fuels such as E30 provides a great opportunity to expand the use of cleaner, higher octane fuels.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, NFU, Urban Air Initiative

ACE Awards for Grassroots and Media

Cindy Zimmerman

Brownfield’s Ken Anderson receives ACE Media Excellence award from Katie Fletcher

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) honored two special individuals for their work in helping to advocate for ethanol during the 31st annual conference last week in Minneapolis.

Brownfield Ag News reporter Ken Anderson received the Media Excellence award for his work in covering news and issues important to the U.S. ethanol industry. Presenting the award, ACE Communications Director Katie Fletcher said Anderson, who grew up on a South Dakota farm, “epitomizes objective news reporting, and covers the policy, markets, events and issues that the ethanol and agricultural industries need to know.” For his part, Anderson said while he is an objective reporter, he has to admit that he sincerely loves ethanol.

Dale Tolifson, CVEC, receives ACE Grassroots award from Liz Bunkers

Minnesota farmer and Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company board member Dale Tolifson was presented with the Grassroots Leadership Award for his efforts to cultivate interest in higher ethanol blends in both their community and throughout the country.

Tolifson regularly attends ACE Washington, D.C. fly-ins where he sits down with the friends and foes of ethanol to share his story and has also dedicated almost 10 years to serving on the ACE board of directors representing the Minnesota Corn Growers Association and CVEC.

Listen to my interview with Tolifson here –
ACE18 Interview with Dale Tolifson, CVEC

Find audio of presentations, interviews, photos and video from the annual meeting on the ACE Conference virtual newsroom.

2018 ACE Conference Photo Album

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31st ACE Conference is a Winner

Cindy Zimmerman

The 31st annual American Coalition for Ethanol conference last week was another successful one for the grassroots ethanol organization during yet another challenging time for the industry, according to CEO Brian Jennings.

“I think there’s some concern in the industry about where we’re going to find that next gallon of demand,” said Jennings. “I’m hoping people walked away with a dose of reality saying ‘Let’s get to work.'”

The theme of “Grit Wins” was meant to empower members of the industry to look at all they have accomplished with the odds against them. “We know that we are outnumbered, we are outspent, we don’t have the money that oil companies have, but we have a fantastic fuel…and we just have to continue to fight,” said Jennings.

In this interview, Jennings also talks about the new White Paper released by ACE at the conference, and comments to the EPA submitted on Friday – Interview with Brian Jennings, ACE CEO

Find audio of presentations, interviews, photos and video from the annual meeting on the ACE Conference virtual newsroom.

2018 ACE Conference Photo Album

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NBB Seeks Higher Biodiesel Volumes

Cindy Zimmerman

Comments filed by the National Biodiesel Board on the proposed Renewable Fuel Standards for 2019 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2020 urge EPA to increase the volumes in both categories and to fully account for small refinery exemptions.

In a letter accompanying the comments, Kurt Kovarik, vice president of federal affairs for NBB, writes, “The biomass-based diesel industry has proven year after year that it can deliver increasing volumes. We appreciate the agency’s recognition of that fact and welcome the signal of growth in the proposed rule. NBB asks that you fully support the industry’s growth by setting the biomass-based diesel volume for 2020 at 2.8 billion gallons and increasing the 2019 advanced biofuel volume to allow growth.”

NBB’s comments demonstrate that the increased biomass-based diesel volume is achievable with available feedstocks. “Most importantly, once EPA has set the annual volumes, it must ensure they are met,” Kovarik continued. “The volumes EPA ultimately finalizes will be meaningless if the agency continues to retroactively reduce them through small refinery exemptions.”

Biodiesel, EPA, NBB, RFS

Syngenta Names New Biofuels Account Managers

Cindy Zimmerman

Jeff Oestmann and Anne Osentowski at 2018 ACE Conference

Syngenta has added two new key account managers to support its expanding U.S. biofuels business, which includes more than 30 ethanol plants across 12 states.

Anne Osentowski and Allen Ziegler will be part of a team that supports the growing number of ethanol plants using Enogen® corn and is helping broaden access to both Enogen corn and Cellerate® process technology.

Osentowski is an industry veteran, having spent almost 20 years in the biofuels industry, and joins Syngenta from RPMG, which is among the largest ethanol marketers in the nation. She is a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato, and holds a degree in Corporate Finance.

Ziegler’s involvement in the biofuels industry spans 20 years of global experience in all sectors of production and feedstocks, most recently starting Archangel Inc. in 2015, specializing in antimicrobial technology. He previously served as the director of Biofuels Marketing for Ashland/Solenis and holds a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on finance, chemistry and microbiology from Fort Hays State University.

Osentowski joined Enogen Biofuels Operations head Jeff Oestmann last week at the 2018 American Coalition for Ethanol annual conference. Learn more about her in this interview –
Interview with Anne Osentowski, Syngenta Enogen biofuels account manager

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ACE White Paper on Low Carbon Benefits of Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) released a White Paper on “The Case for Properly Valuing the Low Carbon Benefits of Corn Ethanol,” coinciding with a general session panel at the 31st annual ACE conference in Minneapolis last week.

The panel highlighted the paper in a discussion on updates to lifecycle modeling and opportunities on the horizon for ethanol as a low carbon fuel. Members of the panel included Bill Hohenstein, Acting Director of the Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, Office of the Chief Economist, USDA; Ron Alverson, member of ACE’s Board of Directors representing Dakota Ethanol and a chief contributor to the White Paper; and Brendan Jordan, Vice President of the Great Plains Institute.

“The ACE White Paper makes a compelling case that lifecycle GHG modeling must reflect the latest science if low carbon fuel programs are to achieve their desired results,” said Jordan. “The Great Plains Institute agrees there is a huge opportunity for existing corn ethanol plants to lower their carbon footprint through innovative technology and updated lifecycle modeling.”

“Since the direct effects on soil carbon stocks of each biofuel feedstock crop can have a very large impact on carbon intensity, it is crucial that this accounting is included in the modeling,” Alverson said. “The trend is biofuel’s friend — petroleum-based transportation fuel lifecycle GHGs continue to rise and biofuel lifecycle GHGs continue to improve.”

Click here to read the White Paper and listen to the panel and interviews with Jordan and Alverson below.

Low Carbon Fuel panel with Bill Hohenstein, USDA; Ron Alverson, Dakota Ethanol; and Brenden Jordan, Great Plains Institute –
ACE18 Low Carbon panel

Former ACE President Ron Alverson, Dakota Ethanol, talks about White Paper on Low Carbon Benefits of Corn Ethanol –
Interview with Ron Alverson, Dakota Ethanol

Interview with Great Plains Institute Vice President Brendan Jordan
Brendan Jordan, Great Plains Institute

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