Pruitt Visits South Dakota Farmers

Pruitt Visits South Dakota Farmers

Cindy Zimmerman June 14, 2018

Farmers and ethanol producers in South Dakota held a good old fashioned tractor rally in Sioux Falls as EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt met with farmers in Reliance about 200 miles west. A crowd of about 250 carried signs as speakers called on the administrator to cease granting waivers to refiners causing demand destruction for both corn and ethanol.

“Corn prices right now are at breakeven or below and we’ve lost 1.5 billion gallons of ethanol to exemptions that EPA has granted to refiners,” said South Dakota Corn Growers president Troy Knecht. “That equals about 570 million bushels of corn.”

An economic analysis from the Renewable Fuels Association estimates the 2016 and 2017 RFS requirements have actually been reduced by at least 1.63 billion gallons so far and the minimum economic impact of these lost gallons is approximately $5.3 billion.

American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings says they just want Administrator Pruitt to do his job. “He needs to uphold the RFS as the law of the land and stop the secret waivers and he needs to make good on the president’s promise to allow E15 use year round,” said Jennings.

He just hopes that this is more than just a publicity stunt for Pruitt. “The last thing farmers need is for Administrator Pruitt to come out to farm country and pander to us, only to go back to Washington to continue doing favors for oil refiners,” Jennings said.

Click on the audio files below for Knecht’s remarks at the rally and interview with Jennings.

Remarks by Troy Knecht, SD Corn president

Interview with American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings

ACE, Audio, corn, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Making Chemicals From Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman June 14, 2018

Ron Cascone (right) is wearing a corn hat he won in the trade show door prize drawings, pictured with (also Golden Mic Club member) Ken Skunes, who conducted the drawing.

Participants in the 2018 Corn Utilization & Technology Conference in St. Louis were largely interested in expanding the market for ethanol, and not necessarily in conventional ways.

“We’re hoping to provide alternatives to the sale of ethanol into the fuels market,” said Ron Cascone, principal with Nexant, Inc. “The theme of what I’m doing here is to show that there are options for converting ethanol to chemicals and materials that compete with the petroleum based materials.”

Cascone said his company can offer corn growers knowledge of the chemical industry and the energy industry, recognizing that corn has always been food and feed, but now has grown into an important fuel and chemical raw material resource. He said the analysis of operations and markets his company has been able to provide to the petrochemical industry can also be applied to the bio-based industry, which is largely led by ethanol production.

Cascone chaired a panel on making chemicals from ethanol during this year’s conference, discussing early chemicals made including ethylene for polyethylene, ethylene oxide, and ethylene glycol, and butadiene. Other options discussed included multiple optional routes to butadiene, acetic acid, and various esters.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Ron here: Interview with Ron Cascone, Nexant

Listen to the panel discussion here: 2018 Corn Utilization & Technology Conference - Industry Panel

2018 Corn Utilization & Technology Conference Photo Album

Audio, corn, CUTC, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NCGA

RFA’s Custom Ethanol Motorcycle a Hit at #FEW18

Cindy Zimmerman June 13, 2018

The slick, custom-made motorcycle that runs on 85% ethanol was a big hit at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop Tuesday and so was its creator Paul Teutul Jr., who spent two hours at the Renewable Fuels Association trade show booth taking photos with FEW attendees.

Teutul is the owner and master-designer of Paul Jr. Designs and one of the stars of Discovery’s American Chopper, which revealed the new bike during Monday night’s episode. In the process of designing the motorcycle for RFA, he became an ethanol advocate. “There seems to be a misnomer about ethanol and motorcycles. It is almost like people that ride motorcycles think ethanol messes up their bikes, and the research that I have done tells me that is just not true,” Teutul Jr. said.

The partnership with Teutul evolved from the RFA’s new Fuel Your Knowledge campaign aimed at educating bikers, boaters, and other small engine users about ethanol. RFA wants bikers to know that only ethanol blends up to E10 are approved by every motorcycle manufacturer, and the custom motorcycle simply demonstrates the functionality and compatibility of ethanol.

Chuck Zimmerman caught up with Paul Jr. at the RFA booth yesterday to learn all about the making of the ethanol bike and what he learned in the process. Interview with Paul Teutul Jr. at FEW18

2018 Fuel Ethanol Workshop Photos

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Pruitt Visits with Kansas Corn and Ethanol Producers

Cindy Zimmerman June 13, 2018

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt got an earful from Kansas corn and ethanol producers during a visit yesterday to East Kansas Agri-Energy (EKAE) in Garnett.

After touring the plant Tuesday morning, Pruitt sat down with a roomful of farmers and ethanol supporters who told him they were “mad as hell” about EPA efforts they believe undermine the RFS law. The EPA administrator told the standing-room-only crowd that as regulators, EPA is not supposed to pick winners and losers. (Click for release from KS Corn)

According to a press release from EKAE, Pruitt defending his granting of “small refinery exemptions” but did says that EPA could reallocate the RINs lost from those waivers. He also said EPA is working hard behind the scenes to perform the legal work necessary to hopefully move ahead with a nationwide RVP waiver to allow year-round sales of E15.

Pruitt said he had “a candid and productive dialogue with Kansas corn and grain sorghum farmers on the Renewable Fuel Standard.”

After visiting EKAE, Pruitt toured a farm and formally announced that EPA has approved the registration submitted by Butamax Advanced Biofuels, LLC — a manufacturer of bio-isobutanol, as an approved fuel additive.

EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Driving Ethanol Podcast from FEW18

Cindy Zimmerman June 13, 2018

The past two years have been among the most challenging for the ethanol industry, and Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor has been at the front lines of the battles which are continuing stronger than ever.

In this edition of the Driving Ethanol podcast, Skor reflects on her two years at the helm of the industry organization and talks about what is going on today, particularly as it relates to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and his granting of waivers to refineries. She outlines five major answers that Pruitt should provide to the industry during his travels this week meeting with farmers and ethanol producers in Kansas, South Dakota, and Nebraska.

Growth Energy Driving Ethanol Podcast 6-13-18

Subscribe to the Driving Ethanol podcast

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Ethanol Industry Awards Presented

Cindy Zimmerman June 13, 2018

Ethanol industry excellence was honored at the 2018 Fuel Ethanol Workshop during Tuesday’s general session.

Kristy Moore of KMoore Consulting received this year’s High Octane Award, which recognizes a person whose commitment and passion have benefited the ethanol industry. Moore was honored for her more than two decades of service in the industry, which includes working for Archer Daniels Midland and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). “I am humbled to join the ranks of Tom Buis and Geoff Cooper by receiving this award,” she said.

Dr. Graeme Walker received the Award of Excellence in recognition of his more than 40 years of work in the areas of yeast and fermentation. The Scotsman dressed in traditional kilt was also celebrating his birthday as he received the award. “You might be asking yourself why is a Scotsman up here accepting this award? In fact, Scotland doesn’t have a particularly active ethanol industry but we have been making ethanol for over 500 years,” Graeme said. “The problem is we bottle it!”

In addition to these long time industry awards, some new awards were instituted this year at the workshop.

Pacific Ethanol, Chippewa Valley Ethanol Co. (CVEC), Homeland Energy Solutions, and Al-Corn Clean Fuel were recognized for excellence with the first Ethanol Producer Awards from Ethanol Producer Magazine and BBI International.

Pacific Ethanol Magic Valley Inc., in Burley, Idaho received the new “Good Neighbor Award” for its active participation in community service programs.

“Board of the Year” went to CVEC, which produces beverage and industrial alcohol as well as ethanol and has also invested in Guardian Energy, which owns ethanol plants across the country.

Homeland Energy Solutions of Lawler, Iowa, won “Project of the Year” for its $42.7 million, 35 million gallon per year expansion completed last November.

Al-Corn Clean Fuel in Claremont, Minn., won “Collaboration of the Year,” for its work with engineering firm Karges-Faulconbridge Inc., on its 70-million gallon expansion of its ethanol plant.

Listen to the opening of the FEW general session and awards presented. FEW18 Opening session and awards
2018 Fuel Ethanol Workshop Photos

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Plenty for Ethanol Industry Panel to Discuss

Cindy Zimmerman June 13, 2018

A panel discussion on “Surveying the Health of Renewable Fuels Policy under the Trump Administration” gave participants plenty to talk about during the opening session of the Fuel Ethanol Workshop on Tuesday in Omaha.

The panel included Geoff Cooper, executive vice president of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA); American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings; and John Fuher, vice president of government affairs for Growth Energy.

As EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt was at the same time visiting the East Kansas Agri-Energy ethanol plant, he was brought up numerous times during the panel regarding the agency granting of small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “Frankly, he needs to get his ass chewed by ethanol advocates and farmers,” Jennings said of Pruitt.

Listen to the discussion here. FEW18 Industry Panel

2018 Fuel Ethanol Workshop Photos

Fuel Ethanol Conference content sponsored by

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Growth Energy CEO Keynotes #FEW18

Cindy Zimmerman June 12, 2018

Two years ago, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor was brand new to the job and the Fuel Ethanol Workshop was her first public introduction to the ethanol industry. Today, Skor keynoted the industry event again as an ethanol professional who has been seasoned by fighting for the fuel during some very difficult battles.

“The battles ahead are tougher, and higher-stakes, and we need to remind ourselves that we have what it takes to win,” said Skor. “And we’ll keep on fighting, from the EPA to the halls of Congress, where other oil-backed lawmakers have already announced their latest plans for so-called reforms of the RFS.”

Skor highlighted the victories over the past year and the challenges the industry continues to face. Listen here:
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor #FEW18 Keynote

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NFU Raises Concerns About EPA REGS Rule

Cindy Zimmerman June 12, 2018

The National Farmers Union (NFU) and South Dakota Farmers Union are raising concerns that a proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule would ban the use of E16 or higher blends of ethanol in non-flexible fuel vehicles.

The organizations sent a letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt this week urging EPA not to finalize the proposed rule, Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support (REGS), as it is written.

“If the REGS rule were finalized as proposed, it would codify a ban on E16+ fuel blends in non-flexible fuel vehicles,” said the letter. “This would unduly restrict use of ethanol’s ‘clean octane’ in the U.S. gasoline market, inflicting severe damage on the nation’s family farmers, and the public health and welfare.”

“The most cost effective and environmentally safe way for EPA to comply with Section 202(l) (of the Clean Air Act) is to encourage the widespread use of EXX/E30 blends in 98 – 100 RON higher octane gasoline…This is consistent with automakers’ requests to support higher octane fuels. Unfortunately, the REGS proposed rule would do the exact opposite—it would prevent their use.”

American Chopper Unveils Ethanol Bike

Cindy Zimmerman June 12, 2018

The highly anticipated debut of the custom Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) ethanol motorcycle created by Paul Jr. Designs on Discovery Channel’s American Chopper revealed a masterpiece with a patriotic theme that runs on E85.

“The bike encapsulated everything we were hoping to get,” said RFA Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White. “Patriotic theme, running on 85 percent ethanol, E85 – it’s perfect.”

Bike designer Paul Teutel Jr. said it was easier than he expected to make the chopper run on E85. “The only thing we had to do was up the jets about 30 percent and advance the timing a little bit and the thing runs like a top.”

Teutel says the whole effort is to help educate people about ethanol. “The same way I got educated about ethanol through the process of building a bike for RFA,” he said. “It’s about public awareness and letting them know that ethanol is a good product – matter of fact it’s a very good product and it works very well in motorcycles.”

The custom motorcycle is the centerpiece for RFA’s new consumer-focused educational campaign called “Fuel Your Knowledge” to educate and inform consumers about the proper use of ethanol-blended fuels in boats, motorcycles, lawn and garden equipment and other off-road engines.

Teutel was with White last night at a viewing party in Omaha for the big reveal and today will be at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop meeting and greeting folks at the RFA booth from 11 am to 1 pm. The bike will be on display at the booth as well.

Click here to see more photos of this awesome motorcyle.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, FEW, Motorcycle, RFA

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