ACE Conference 2026

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

Minnesota Teen Takes Part in ACE DC Fly-in

Cindy Zimmerman

Attending the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) DC Fly-in last month was a great experience for a high school junior from Minnesota.

Michael Nagler says his dad David Nagler, a board member for Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company, invited him to attend this year’s event. “I didn’t really know all that much about ethanol before,” said Michael, who had the opportunity to meet with Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), which he thought was pretty cool. “You always hear about them and then you’re standing next to them and they’re not much taller than me!”

David Nagler says it was important for him to bring his son with him to learn how what happens in Washington impacts them on the farm. “This affects rural America, it affects the economy,” he said. “We’re here to try and move this industry into the future.”

Joining the Naglers on their visits to Congressional offices was Patrick Buckwalter, a farmer who serves on the board of Al-Corn Clean Fuel. “This is my first time (at the fly-in),” said Buckwalter. “It’s always been something I was interested in and the timing is very good. There’s a lot of movement and activity in Washington regarding the RFS and I think it’s important to make our voice heard.”

Listen to my interview with them here: Interview with Pat Buckwalter, Dave and Michael Nagler, MN

2018 ACE DC Fly-in Photo Album

ACE, Audio, corn, Ethanol

RFS Waiver for Big Refiner Sparks Backlash

Cindy Zimmerman

A Reuters report about EPA exempting one of the country’s largest oil refiners from complying with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) touched off a backlash from farm groups and ethanol organizations Tuesday.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) was first to respond to the report that Texas-based Andeavor received small refiner economic hardship waivers for three of its 10 refineries that exempted them from complying with 2016 blending obligations. NFU President Roger Johnson called the alleged actions “deeply disturbing,” noting that waiving RFS requirements for large refining corporations undercuts the effectiveness of the law. “What’s equally disturbing is that these actions have purportedly been taken without any transparency, which violates central tenets of responsible governance,” said Johnson. Andeavor reported a $1.5 billion net profit last year and the waiver was reportedly granted earlier this year.

“Providing a small refiner waiver to a company like Andeavor is laughable and abandons the commitment of President Trump to protect the RFS,” said Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen. “Suffice it to say we are exploring all our options to return the RFS to what the statute intended and what the President has supported.”

The impact of the waiver removes additional Renewable Identification Numbers (RIN) from the total 2016 obligation, effectively reducing the total Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) for the year. The agency previously disclosed that it had exempted at least 14 small refiners from the 2016 RFS requirements, and has approved exempting bankrupt Philadelphia Energy Solutions from a majority of its obligations for 2016 and 2017, a settlement expected to be approved in bankruptcy court today.

“Since EPA refuses to disclose which refiners get these RFS exemptions, it blurs the transparency of the RIN market giving an advantage to refiners receiving waivers,” said American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings. “Waiving RFS obligations based on ethanol use thresholds violate the intent of the RFS and invite litigation.”

The waivers impact both ethanol producers and corn farmers, who are facing their fifth year of prices at or below the cost of production.

“Granting these waivers significantly reduces the number of gallons of fuel blended with ethanol hurting rural economies and the nation’s corn farmers,” said National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) president Kevin Skunes of North Dakota. “When refiners aren’t meeting their blending obligations, corn farmers pay the price.”

Two of the Andeavor refineries receiving the waivers are in North Dakota and one in Utah.

ACE, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NCGA, NFU, RFA, RFS, RINS

Rep. Peterson Visits Chippewa Valley Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Janet Lundebrek (CVEC board member), Chad Friese (CVEC CEO), Rep. Collin Peterson and David Thompson (CVEC board member).

Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) visited the Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) plant in Benson, Minnesota last week to reiterate his support for the state’s ethanol industry.

During his visit, which coincided with Ridgewater College’s tour of the plant on March 28, Peterson briefed CVEC on the latest attacks on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“I recently met with Secretary Perdue to emphasize the importance of these programs for rural Minnesota, and will continue to fight changes to the RFS that would undermine its success,” said Rep. Peterson. “A cap on RIN prices would cost Minnesota corn farmers $370 million and hurt a lot of the investments farmers have made in our homegrown biofuels industry.”

Tim Rudnicki, executive director of the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association, said they are glad to have Rep. Peterson working for ethanol and defending the RFS in Congress. “Thanks to the RFS, in 2017, the ethanol industry contributed $2.1 billion to Minnesota’s economy and supported 18,813 jobs while reducing 715,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

The association recently released a short video to show the importance of the ethanol industry to Minnesota – watch it here:


Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFS

ITC Vote Levels Playing Field in Biodiesel Trade Dispute

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. biodiesel interests have won the final procedural battle in the case of unfair dumping of biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia, clearing the way for final antidumping orders to be issued later this month.

The International Trade Commission (ITC) Tuesday voted 4-0 in favor of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Fair Trade Coalition’s position that the industry has suffered injury due to unfairly dumped imports of biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia. “Foreign producers dumping product into American markets below cost has undermined the jobs and environmental benefits that U.S. biodiesel brings to the table,” said NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen. “Establishing a level playing field for true competition in the market will allow the domestic industry the opportunity to put to work substantial under-utilized production capacity.”

Last month, the Commerce Department calculated final dumping rates ranging from 60.44% to 86.41% for Argentine producers, and 92.52% to 276.65% for Indonesian producers. A final determination by the Commerce Department in the companion countervailing duty determination was announced in early November, resulting in duty deposit rates of 71.45% to 72.28% for Argentina and 34.45% to 64.73% for Indonesia.

Biodiesel, Trade

UF Joins New Center to Create Fuel from Plants

Cindy Zimmerman

The University of Florida is one of 17 institutions partnering with the University of Illinois in the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) to develop efficient ways to grow, transform and market biofuels.

UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences agronomy professor Fredy Altpeter will receive more than $4.2 million for his research during the next five years to develop new strategies for biofuel production from sugarcane.

“Our goal is to genetically enhance sugarcane so that the stems and leaves accumulate large amounts of oil while retaining the plants ability to produce large amounts of biomass,” Altpeter said. His team recently created a prototype of this oil-producing sugarcane in collaboration with the Brookhaven National Laboratory, another CABBI partner.

“This breakthrough demonstrates an enormous potential for producing large amounts of renewable and energy dense drop-in fuels, like biodiesel. Sugarcane is one of the most productive high biomass crops on this planet,” Altpeter said.

Using advanced genome editing technologies, sugarcane could far exceed traditional oil crops like soybeans or canola in terms of oil production per acre, according to scientific models.

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advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Research, sugarcane