Clariant to Build sunliquid® Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in Romania

Cindy Zimmerman

Swiss company Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has chosen Romania as the site for a new full-scale commercial cellulosic ethanol plant using its sunliquid® technology. The flagship facility will use wheat straw and other cereal straw sourced from local farmers.

“After five years of operating our pre-commercial sunliquid® plant in Straubing, Germany, and thorough process demonstration we are now ready to scale-up to the next level,” explains Markus Rarbach, Head of Start-up Business Biofuels & Derivatives at Clariant.

To further focus on the commercialization of bio-ethanol, licenses and enzymes, Clariant has set-up a new Business Line Biofuels & Derivatives, as part of the Business Area Catalysis. Last month, Clariant announced the first technology license agreement with Enviral, the largest producer of bioethanol in Slovakia.

Cellulosic, enzymes, Ethanol, Ethanol News, International, technology

Growth Energy Celebrates Two Billion Miles on E15

Cindy Zimmerman

American drivers are hitting the road on more 15% ethanol than ever before.

According to Growth Energy, American drivers have surpassed another billion miles on E15 in just five months this year, bringing the total miles driven across the U.S. to 2 billion. This comes on the heels of Growth Energy’s recent announcement that more than 1,000 stations across the country are currently offering E15 to consumers.

“This latest milestone cements the fact that drivers have embraced the tremendous benefits E15 offers and highlights just how rapidly consumer demand is growing,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “E15 is experiencing incredible growth both in terms of retailers offering it at their convenience stores and consumers reaching for it at the pump. This momentum is another clear reminder for lawmakers that we must make this choice available year-round.”

E15 is approved for use in all vehicles 2001 and newer, as well as, all flex fuel vehicles, which combined represent more than 87 percent of the vehicles on the road.

E15, Ethanol, Growth Energy

2017-18 National FFA Officer Team Elected

2017-18 FFA National Officers: President Breanna Holbert, Wastern VP Gracie Furnish, Secretary Erica Baier, Western VP Bryce Cluff, Central VP Piper Merritt, and Southern VP Ian Bennett

Students from Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky and Oklahoma were elected to serve on the 2017-18 National FFA Officer team.

Breanna Holbert, an agricultural education major at California State University of Chico, made history as the first female African American elected as National FFA president. Her fellow officers include:

National Secretary – Erica Baier, agricultural education major at Iowa State University
Central Region VP – Piper Merritt, agricultural economics major at Oklahoma State University
Western Region VP – Bryce Cluff, agricultural technology and management major at the University of Arizona
Southern Region VP – Ian Bennett, majoring in plant breeding and genetics at the University of Georgia
Eastern Region VP – Gracie Furnish, career and technical education major at the University of Kentucky

Listen to an interview with Breanna from FFA: Interview with Breanna Holbert, FFA National President

Click for interviews, bios and hi-res photos of all the new officers.

Watch video of the officers being announced:

AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio, Video

More than 4,000 U.S. Stations Offering E85

Cindy Zimmerman

Coast to coast, drivers of flex fuel vehicles (FFVs) now can find more than 4,000 stations to fill up with 85% ethanol blended fuel (E85).

According to E85prices.com, operated by the Renewable Fuels Association, Minnesota offers the most E85 stations, but states outside the Corn Belt have shown the greatest growth in recent years, including California, Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

“Reaching this milestone is a tremendous achievement,” said RFA Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White. “Consumers with FFVs ought to have access to E85, whether they’re in Iowa, California or Florida. This expansion allows consumers with FFVs in many areas the opportunity to fuel with E85 for the first time.”

With more than 22 million FFVs now on the road nationwide, White says this shows how the country can accommodate higher Renewable Fuel Standard Renewable Volume Obligation requirements than what EPA has proposed. “If just half of the FFVs on the road today used E85, there would be more than 6 billion gallons of E85 demand, and you cannot ignore the growing demand from E15 and other blends,” he said.

White says the growth in E85 is due to a combination of factors, including RFA’s overall market development efforts, the past Blend Your Own Ethanol Campaign, USDA’s Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) Program, and the ethanol industry-funded Prime the Pump initiative.

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Flex Fuel Vehicles, RFA

Ethanol Producers Going “RINless”

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Identification Number credits (RINs) have been trading higher this week and some ethanol producers and marketers are taking advantage of the higher values to offer denatured ethanol as low as 30 cents per gallon and E85 at 55 cents per gallon (plus tax and freight).

American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty reports that Glacial Lakes Energy in South Dakota announced it was making “RINless” denatured ethanol available to retailers for just 30 cents per gallon, and Absolute Energy in Minnesota was offering “RINless” E85 for just 55 cents. RINless means the RIN is retained by the seller, and its value is subtracted leaving a low net fuel price.

“There are a growing number of retailers buying RINless ethanol directly from producers like Absolute Energy and GLE,” Lamberty said. “Owners of single stores and small chains are the primary buyers of this RINless ethanol and E85.”

“After taxes and freight, the wholesale cost of E85 is under a dollar for many Midwest markets,” Lamberty added. “And pricing that reflects the discount earned from the extra RINs in higher ethanol blends is available in other markets, too. We’re constantly looking to match E15 and flex fuel retailers with ethanol suppliers who will sell them competitively priced fuels.”

Opponents of the Renewable Fuel Standard claim that higher RINs equate to higher fuel prices, but Lamberty says RINs do exactly the opposite and the proof is higher ethanol-blended fuels at lower prices at the pump in real-world stations across the U.S.

Examples of other fuel marketers offering wholesale, RINless ethanol and E85 can be found on the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website.

ACE, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFS, RINS

Ethanol Politics Hold Up Northey Nomination

Cindy Zimmerman

Refinery state senators are hitting back against the Trump administration for bowing to pressure from ethanol supporters last week and abandoning proposed changes in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) this week put a hold on the nomination of Iowa’s Bill Northey for USDA Under Secretary of Farm Production and Conservation, who was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee last week along with Greg Ibach of Nebraska for Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. Ibach was confirmed by the full senate late Thursday but no vote was held for Northey

“Mr. Cruz has put that hold on for purely retaliatory reasons,” said Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen during a segment on Agri-Talk radio show on Thursday. “He doesn’t like what happened last week and the fact that Scott Pruitt has affirmed his support for the RFS.” Dinneen says there is no “policy justification” for the hold.

Meanwhile, Senator Cruz and seven other senators from refinery states sent a letter to President Trump this week asking for a meeting “to discuss a pathway forward toward a mutually agreeable solution” together with Midwest lawmakers. Like the ethanol state senators last week, these senators also played the jobs card, saying that there will be a loss of jobs around the country if reforms are not made to the Renewable Fuel Standard.

“This is nothing more than an attempt to roll back the president’s strong commitment to the RFS and undo the pledge issued last week by the EPA Administrator to assure America’s hardworking farmers that the biofuels market will continue to thrive,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Growth Energy, politics, RFA, RFS

House Ag Chair Says Farm Bill on Track

House Agriculture Committee Chair Mike Conaway (R-TX) says they are moving forward with work on the 2018 Farm Bill.

“Still on track for late for fourth quarter (this year) or early first quarter of next year,” said Conaway during a conference call with reporters Wednesday. “We’re going to be ready on the committee…when floor time opens up.”

Rep. Conaway was asked about trade, crop insurance, CRP, budget, nutrition programs, and more. Listen in here: Cong. Conaway call 10-25-17

AgWired AgNewsWire, AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio, farm bill, Government

U.S. Ethanol and DDGS Exports Drop in August

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. ethanol exports totaled 103.1 million gallons (mg) in August, down 12% from July shipments, according to government data analyzed by the Renewable fuels Association (RFA).

Canada and Brazil were again the top destinations for U.S. exports, combining to receive more than half of total exports in August. Year-to-date U.S. ethanol exports to all destinations stood at 906.5 mg, indicating an annualized export total of 1.36 billion gallons. Top importer, Canada, brought in 38.7 mg of ethanol, while Brazil recorded 27.0 mg in of imports in August, down 20% from July. Through the first eight months of 2017, Brazil was the top market for U.S. ethanol exports, accounting for a third (337.0 mg, or 37%) of all export demand. On a year-to-date basis, Canada has been the No. 2 market (218 mg, capturing 24% of total exports) while India is quickly catching up to the leaders (103.6 mg, or 11%).

Exports of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) were down 24% at 761,467 metric tons (mt) in August. Mexico remained the top customer with 172,470 mt, increasing its market presence with 23% of total demand. Turkey reduced imports by 61% to 72,376 mt–a 9-month low, while Indonesia boosted its offtake by 12% to 63,074 mt.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, RFA

Ethanol Conference Scholarships Available

Cindy Zimmerman

For the ninth year, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the Renewable Fuels Foundation (RFF) are joining to offer scholarships for students interested in attending the National Ethanol Conference (NEC), scheduled for Feb. 12-14, 2018 in San Antonio.

Six scholarships are available to students in higher education to attend NEC. Scholarships cover the cost of the conference registration fee—a $925 value. Recipients are responsible for other costs associated with travel to the conference, including airfare, hotel and meals.

“The NEC is the most widely attended ethanol conference in our industry,” said Dana Lewis, chairperson of RFF and chief administrative officer for Redfield Energy. “This scholarship provides an excellent opportunity for students to gather real-world experience by meeting top experts and hearing about the latest issues affecting the ethanol industry. I highly recommend this scholarship to any students interested in pursuing a career in agriculture generally or within our industry specifically,” she said.

The scholarships are available to students attending a U.S. institution of higher learning or foreign students who are affiliated with the U.S. ethanol industry. Interested students should apply by January 8, 2018 and submit a 500-word essay explaining how their attendance at the NEC will help them achieve their future goals. They should also submit two letters of recommendation, an up-to-date resume, and a school transcript.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

PA Governor Seeking RFS Waiver

Cindy Zimmerman

In a letter to President Donald Trump late last week, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf asked the administration to waive Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for Northeast refiners “unless or until the prices of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) deflate,” according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).

“Numerous studies—including some funded by the oil industry—show that merchant refiners recover their RIN costs at the wholesale level, while retail gasoline prices are unaffected by RINs. However, even if a refiner could show that RINs truly represent a cost that is not recouped, it could not demonstrate ‘severe harm’ to the economy,” said RFA president and CEO Bob Dinneen. “That’s because the Pennsylvania governor’s RFS waiver request doesn’t meet the very high threshold required by the statute and previously utilized by EPA in responding to similar requests. Section 211(o)(7) of the Clean Air Act allows a waiver if the EPA Administrator determines that implementation of the RFS requirements would severely harm the economy of a state, a region or the United States. Further, for a waiver to be granted, EPA must find that implementation of the RFS itself would severely harm the economy, not just contribute to such harm on one sector of the economy.”

In the letter, Reuters reports that Governor Wolf said, “The Northeast and specifically Pennsylvania will experience significant economic impacts” if RIN prices don’t go down, and “the nation’s refinery sector may be almost eliminated in this region of the country, negatively affecting the manufacturing sector, the Commonwealth (of Pennsylvania) and regional economies.”

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, RFS