ICYMI: Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit Replay

Cindy Zimmerman February 2, 2018

The 2018 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit featured an exciting speaker line-up of high-level biofuels industry experts to discuss a “Brighter Future with Biofuels.” The one-day event on January 30 at the Prairie Meadows Conference Center brought together 65 sponsors and vendors and over 800 attendees.

If you, like me, were unable to attend the summit because of all the other events going on at the same time this week, the Iowa RFA has you covered with the instant video replay that includes:

– Iowa RFA CEO Monte Shaw’s review of the economic impact of biofuels on Iowa and other topics.
– Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds talking about her efforts to protect the RFS and to secure E15 RVP parity.
– Growth Energy’s Emily Skor on efforts underway to move E15 into the mainstream
– Lots more

Click here to watch.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA

Reaction to President Trump’s SOTU

Cindy Zimmerman January 31, 2018

President Donald Trump did mention energy in his first State of the Union address, albeit briefly.

“We have ended the war on American energy, and we have ended the war on beautiful clean coal,” said the president. “We are now very proudly an exporter of energy to the world.”

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen appreciates the President’s “America First” focus and hopes the administration will help address trade barriers for U.S. ethanol. “Indeed, last year the U.S. exported a record 1.3 billion gallons of ethanol to more than 60 countries. Increasingly, however, our exports are being met with tariff and non-tariff barriers that reduce U.S. market opportunities, while harming foreign consumers. We look forward to continuing to work with the administration to reduce those barriers and create a free, fair and global market for ethanol.”

Rebuilding infrastructure was a key theme in the president’s address, calling on Congress to “produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment that our country so desperately needs.” Dinneen would also like to see that effort includes continued funding for USDA’s Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership program, and “revising volatility regulations that prohibit E15 and higher ethanol blends from being sold year-round when there’s no environmental or consumer benefit to limiting its access.”

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

IA and MN Governors to Head Biofuels Coalition

Cindy Zimmerman January 30, 2018

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will serve as chair and Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton will serve as vice chair of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition for 2018.

“I look forward to working with Governor Dayton to advance the bipartisan work of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, as the production and use of biofuels increases family incomes in rural America, diversifies our nation’s energy portfolio, and provides consumer choice at the fuel pump,” Governor Reynolds said.

“Minnesota has long been a national leader in adding value to our farm products and supporting the development of alternative fuels,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “Biofuels create new markets for Minnesota corn and soybeans, protect air and water quality, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. I look forward to working with Governor Reynolds to advance biofuel production, and support our farmers.”

biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News

RFA: RFS Not to Blame for Refinery Bankruptcy

Cindy Zimmerman January 30, 2018

Philadelphia Energy Solutions, (PES) the largest oil refinery on the east coast, filed for bankruptcy protection last week, blaming the Renewable Fuel Standard for its financial problems, but Renewable Fuels Association CEO Bob Dinneen disagrees.

In an op-ed in The Hill today, Dinneen says PES has no one to blame but itself. “PES operates one of the nation’s oldest refineries, which is handicapped by hopelessly antiquated technology,” said Dinneen. “Like other refiners, PES could have eliminated its RINs-related costs by making investments in blending more renewable fuels. Instead, PES is blaming RINS for its financial woes.”

Read the whole op-ed here.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Opinion, RFA, RFS

Ethanol Report on RFA Educational Efforts

Cindy Zimmerman January 30, 2018

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is targeting boaters and future drivers in educational efforts for 2018 with the renewal of its co-title sponsorship of the Crappie Masters Tournament Trail, and the launch of an on-line Ethanol in the Classroom program.

In this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast, RFA Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White talks about the importance of these target audiences for the ethanol industry.

Listen to it here: Ethanol Report on RFA Educational Efforts

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS
Subscribe via iTunes

Boats, Education, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, RFA

New Report Highlights Biodiesel Sustainability

Cindy Zimmerman January 29, 2018

A new study on biodiesel’s lifecycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission effects updates and reaffirms the long-understood benefits of using the renewable fuel. Results confirm that biodiesel compared to petroleum diesel reduces GHG emissions by 72 percent and fossil fuel use by 80 percent.

The study, which was released as the National Biodiesel Conference kicked off last week, is the latest to conclusively quantify biodiesel’s widespread benefits. As a collaboration between Argonne National Laboratory, Purdue University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the study represents the most up-to-date and comprehensive lifecycle analysis of biodiesel ever produced.

“It’s encouraging to see the commitment to data and quality analysis brought together in this study,” said Don Scott, sustainability director for the National Biodiesel Board. “It’s not news that biodiesel is good for the environment. Where credible results are needed for sound policies, it serves us well to look at transparent, reliable science.”

This study represents the first time Argonne National Laboratory has published a lifecycle assessment of biodiesel including indirect land use change (ILUC). The improved model reduces ILUC emissions by more than 30 percent relative to the score adopted by CARB in 2015.

“Biodiesel’s emission-reduction benefits are so great that you can overapply penalties aligned with the most conservative models and biodiesel is still the cleanest alternative for today’s diesel engines and the heavy-duty transportation of tomorrow,” said Scott.

The study was a topic of a breakout at the biodiesel conference and you can learn more about it in this interview. Interview with Don Scott, NBB

2018 National Biodiesel Conference

Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference

RFA Cites Small Refiner Exemption Concerns

Cindy Zimmerman January 29, 2018

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen sent a letter last week to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt expressing concern about a troubling “lack of transparency” in EPA’s management of the Renewable Fuel Standard’s (RFS) small refinery exemption provisions that could “destabilize the market for renewable fuels and undermine Congress’s goals for the RFS program.”

EPA has the ability to exempt small refineries with crude oil throughput of no more than 75,000 barrels of crude per day from RFS obligations if they demonstrate that the program would lead to “disproportionate economic hardship.” In the past, EPA has generally exercised restraint and judiciousness in issuing exemptions for small refiners, but recent reports suggest EPA has received requests for exemptions from dozens of small refiners, and RFA believes the public has a right to better understand EPA’s decision-making process for granting or denying exemption requests.

Driving Ethanol Policy Priorities

Cindy Zimmerman January 29, 2018

As attacks on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) have gotten more creative, the need for all segments of the industry to work together has become critical to maintaining the law as Congress intended.

We met up Growth Energy Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley for this episode of the Driving Ethanol podcast after he appeared on a panel at the National Biodiesel Conference to talk about how they worked together last year to fight back against the attempt to change the Point of Obligation and the Notice of Data Availability that threatened volumes of biodiesel and advanced biofuels.

The challenges continue in 2018 and Bliley talks about policy priorities including RVP parity and trade barriers. Listen to the podcast here: Growth Energy Podcast 1-29-17

Subscribe to the Driving Ethanol podcast

advanced biofuels, Audio, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Conference, Driving Ethanol podcast, Growth Energy

RFA Develops ‘Ethanol in the Classroom’ Program

Cindy Zimmerman January 26, 2018

The Renewable Fuels Association has developed a new on-line educational program designed to help tomorrow’s consumers get to know ethanol.

The new “Ethanol in the Classroom” course provides a fun and interactive way for students to learn about the renewable fuel. The e-Learning program is broken down into different grade levels and after selecting the appropriate level, students choose a vehicle that runs on ethanol and navigate through four stops: what is ethanol; ethanol’s environmental benefits; ethanol’s economic impact; and the overall use of ethanol. At each stop, students learn about ethanol and complete activities to see how much they have learned. Students earn badges after completing each stop.

“We wanted to create a fun platform for children and young adults to learn about ethanol’s numerous benefits,” said RFA Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White. “They are tomorrow’s drivers. Education is key and we want to make sure everyone, young and old, knows about the environmental, economic and energy security benefits of this renewable fuel.”

To view this new training program, visit: http://www.ethanolrfa.org/ethanol-in-the-classroom/.

Education, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

ZimmCast 572 – Biodiesel and More

January 25, 2018

This week has been about all things biodiesel in Ft. Worth at the National Biodiesel Conference. It marks the 13th year we have produced the biodiesel conference blog and the 25th anniversary of the National Biodiesel Board, so our ZimmCast this week celebrates all things biodiesel. We start with an interview on biodiesel with Willie Nelson in 2006, and also includes interviews from this week with USDA Deputy Secretary Steve Censky, National Biodiesel Board CEO Donnell Rehagen, and former NBB CEO Kenlon Johannes.

We also hear from Chuck at the John Deere Developers conference this week and the Soil Health Summit last week.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 572 on Biodiesel and More

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here. Use this url in iTunes or your favorite news reader program/app.

The ZimmCast

sponsored by

Locally owned, globally strong.

AgWired Energy, Biodiesel, John Deere, ZimmCast

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