Ethanol Safety Seminars Earn RFA 6th TRANSCAER® Award

Cindy Zimmerman

For the sixth consecutive year, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has received a TRANSCAER® National Achievement Award for hosting a series of seminars last year on ethanol safety and emergency responders.

In addition, RFA Technical Services Manager Missy Ruff received the TRANSCAER® Individual Achievement award for work on both RFA’s new ethanol safety DVD that was released last year and for the ethanol safety seminar and webinar efforts. She previously received the award in 2015, 2013, and 2012. The awards are in recognition of extraordinary achievement by an individual person, company, organization or a team in support of the TRANSCAER® initiative.

In 2017, RFA held 35 ethanol safety seminars and four Train the Trainer events, which trains emergency responders on how to properly respond to an ethanol incident. Additionally, 622 emergency responders completed RFA’s online Ethanol Emergency Response Course in 2017, for a combined nearly 1,000 since the program was launched in August 2016.

Since December 2010, RFA has hosted 230 ethanol safety seminars across 39 states, along with 13 Train the Trainer events, and has trained more than 7,700 emergency responders in total.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, safety

Corn and Ethanol Advocates Tweeting #RFSWorks

Cindy Zimmerman

Today from 7-10 AM central time agriculture and ethanol advocates will be participating in a Twitter Townhall, prior to the scheduled meeting today at the White House regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

The effort grows out of news last week that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, already under fire for getting a sweet condo deal from the wife of an oil lobbyist, has been handing out dozens of small refiner hardship waivers to allow them out of their RFS obligations.

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is calling on members to take action. “While the White House weighs options, the EPA continues to undermine and mess with the RFS, granting questionable RFS waivers to refiners with no transparency and failing to provide regulatory parity for higher blends of ethanol. The EPA continues to check-off the items on Big-Oil’s wish list while gutting corn and ethanol demand and undermining the President’s commitment to the RFS in the process.”

Advocates will be using the hashtag #RFSWorks, tweeting to @realDonaldTrump and/or @POTUS, @EPAScottPruitt and members of Congress this morning. The president is expected to meet this morning with Pruitt and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to discuss the issue again. The industry is encouraging the administration to consider real solutions, including RVP parity that would allow year-round sales of ethanol blends greater than 10 percent.

NCGA notes that since discussions about appeasing oil interests by capping Renewable Identification Number (RIN) prices started in January, RIN prices have fallen 50 percent.

Biodiesel, biofuels, corn, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NCGA

Education an Important Goal of Fly-In

Carrie Muehling

Bill Couser presents corn kernel product display to EPA’s Bill Wehrum

2018 marked the 10th year for the American Coalition for Ethanol‘s Annual Fly-In to Washington, D.C., and Iowa livestock producer and ethanol investor Bill Couser has been to most of those events over the years.

“I think the most important thing we do when we come to these fly-ins is educate people,” said Couser, who owns Couser Cattle Company in Nevada, Iowa. “And it seems like every year with the new staffers, the new laws, the new regulations, we’re still telling people that you get a co-product from corn when you put it through an ethanol plant. So it’s all about education and keeping everybody up to speed.”

Couser always brings a number of “Cracking the Kernel” displays that he developed and had produced with support from Monsanto. He has also hosted a number of policymakers at his Iowa ranch, including USDA Sec. Sonny Perdue last May and Administrator EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt in December.

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Bill here: Interview with Bill Couser, Iowa

2018 ACE DC Fly-In Photo Album

ACE, AgWired Energy, Audio, Ethanol

Fly-In Participants Passionate About Ethanol

Carrie Muehling

Tom Blazek of Louisiana talks with Sen. Joni Ernst at ACE DC Fly-In

Retired civil engineer and ethanol investor Tom Blazek of Louisiana has a passion for clean air and clean fuels.

“I’m interested in cleaning up our environment and we can do that by cleaning up our motor fuels,” said Blazek, who attended the American Coalition for Ethanol‘s Annual Fly-In to Washington, D.C. for the first time this year. “Motor fuels are responsible for a significant portion of the pollution that we have in our environment and most of that pollution we can’t see. It’s very small particulate matter that we can’t see, and if we can clean that up, we can live healthier lives and reduce our incidence of cancer.”

Blazek believes ethanol is one of the answers to the puzzle when it comes to cleaning up the air.

Hear Cindy’s interview with Tom here: Interview with Tom Blazek, Louisiana

2018 ACE DC Fly-In Photo Album

ACE, AgWired Energy, Audio, Ethanol

Ethanol Exports Hit Record High

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. ethanol exports skyrocketed to a record 218.7 million gallons in February. That is up 148% from January and nearly 50 million gallons more than the previous record set in December 2011, according to government data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). However, trade sources believe that February’s export data includes some volume that was actually exported in late January, particularly to China.

Still, Brazil and China – which both have import tariffs on U.S. ethanol – were the top two markets in February.

U.S. exporters sent a record 103.2 mg of ethanol to Brazil—besting the previous monthly high to Brazil set more than six years ago. February marked the fourth straight month that Brazil was the top U.S. export customer, taking nearly half of all ethanol exports. According to the data, China increased its purchases of U.S. ethanol to a 22-month high of 33.1 mg. Canada and Singapore captured the third and fourth spots at 22.0 mg and 14.8 mg, respectively. These four markets netted 80% of all U.S. ethanol shipments, with the remaining volumes scooped up by 30 countries. Year-to-date exports stood at 307.0 mg through February, marking the strongest start in history.

China was the third-largest market for U.S. ethanol exports in 2016, accounting for nearly a fifth of total exports; however, shipments nearly disappeared last year as the country imposed its first U.S. ethanol import tariff. While U.S. ethanol shipments to China have resumed in recent months given its overwhelming cost competitiveness, China’s imposition this week of an additional 15% tariff on top of the existing 30% duty will likely put a stop to further shipments in the near term.

Meanwhile, exports of the ethanol co-product dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) dropped seven percent in February to the lowest volume in six months at 835,707 metric tons, despite increases in the top three markets – Mexico (182,411 mt, up 1%), Vietnam (94,206 mt, up 62%), and South Korea (80,466 mt, up 10%).

Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, RFA

New ACE Video Discusses E15 Liability Concerns

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) released a controversial new video this week addressing fuel retailer concerns about potential liability for vehicle damage from the new E15 fuel. The video on the flexfuelforward.com website features current E15 marketers talking openly about customer E15 complaints and includes a collection of consumers who have had damage or had warranties voided by using E15.

“There are going to be some people who aren’t very happy about this video,” said Ron Lamberty, ACE Senior Vice President and host of each episode, “but we felt it was important to get E15 retailers and their customers on the record so other marketers considering adding E15 know what they can expect. With all they’ve heard about the dangers of ethanol, prospective retailers need to know the truth about how other marketers like them have dealt with the E15 liability issue.”

The video is the fifth in a series featuring current E15 and flex fuel retailers who share their experiences and answer common marketer questions about offering the new higher ethanol blends. The video series and flexfuelforward.com are being promoted through paid advertising in print and online convenience store industry publications and websites.

Listen to Ron Lamberty talk about the video here and watch it below: Ron Lamberty on American Ag Network


ACE, Audio, E15, Ethanol, Retailers, Video

Ethanol Report on EPA Small Refinery Waivers

Cindy Zimmerman

Outrage is growing this week over revelations that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been granting Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance exemptions to dozens of oil refineries. Combined with the approval of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions bankruptcy agreement and the agency’s refusal to enforce the 2016 RFS requirements as remanded by the courts, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is saying enough is enough.

In this edition of The Ethanol Report, RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen comments on the PES settlement, RFA’s FOIA request on refinery exemptions, reports of yet another White House meeting on the RFS next week, and whether Scott Pruitt’s days as EPA administrator may be numbered.

Listen here: Ethanol Report on EPA Small Refinery Waivers

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Audio, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA, RFS

RFA Request Demands Answers on Refinery Waivers

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy in pursuit of more information regarding Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance exemptions to dozens of oil refineries.

“We want to know how many (refineries) and how many gallons are impacted by these small refiner exemptions,” says RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “And more importantly, what these companies had to demonstrate in order to claim a unique hardship under this program.”

“Ethanol is less expensive than gasoline today,” Dinneen continued. “It is impossible to demonstrate an economic hardship to blend more of a less expensive product.”

The FOIA request follows a January letter to EPA in which RFA asked for data and documents regarding small refiner exemptions and called for more openness and transparency in the Agency’s process to consider exemption requests. EPA never responded to the January letter.

Listen to Dinneen’s comments on the request here:
RFA CEO Bob Dinneen comments on FOIA request

Audio, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, RFS

DuPont Granted Patent for Ethanol Fermentation Product

Cindy Zimmerman

DuPont Industrial Biosciences has been granted a U.S. Patent entitled “Prevention of Bacterial Growth in Fermentation Processes” which covers the application of stabilized chlorine dioxide, the active ingredient in DuPont™ FERMASURE®, to reduce microbial contaminations in ethanol fermentations.

“FERMASURE® is an innovative technology, representing not just the best work of our scientists and researchers, but also the real-world value DuPont technologies deliver for our customers each day,” said Judy Underwood, global marketing director for Grain Processing at DuPont. “As a company committed to cutting-edge solutions, we’re thrilled to see this work recognized by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. DuPont will continue commercializing this effective, antibiotic-free microbial control solution with the additional intellectual property protection that this granted patent affords.”

When used during fermentation, FERMASURE® controls bacterial growth without the need for antibiotics. FERMASURE® is just one of the products that the DuPont XCELIS™ fuel ethanol platform offers to help ethanol producers improve their yield and profitability.

Dupont, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Production

Growth Energy Demands Moratorium on RFS Waivers

Cindy Zimmerman

With the scandal over the Environmental Protection Agency granting numerous small refinery hardship waivers growing, Growth Energy has sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt demanding a moratorium on waivers being issued.

“EPA appears to be operating under the cover of night in a secretive process where the agency acts as judge, jury, and executioner to effectively reduce the overall demand for biofuels in this country absent any public discourse,” says Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor, noting that EPA has not confirmed or denied news reports this week regarding waivers for one of the nation’s largest refiners.

The increasing number of waivers corresponds to a decrease in demand for both ethanol and corn, and undermines the entire Renewable Fuel Standard program. “You add on waiver after waiver, and the amount of applications being considered, you are looking at upwards of 1.5 billion gallons in cut ethanol demand, a reduction of 500 million bushels of corn demand,” said Skor. That would amount to ten percent of the total Renewable Volume Obligations of 15 billion gallons for 2016.

In this interview, Skor also discusses the organization’s objections to the bankruptcy settlement with Philadelphia Energy Solutions, and – on the positive side – how EPA’s revisit of GHG emissions standards provides an opportunity for higher ethanol blends.

Interview with Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor
Audio, EPA, Ethanol, Growth Energy