Minnesota Moves Forward with B20

Cindy Zimmerman

In 2005, Minnesota became the first state in the nation to require all diesel fuel to have a blend of at least 2 percent biodiesel, known as B2. Minnesota will once again become a leader when it becomes the first state to implement B20 next year.

“This state has been a leader in renewable fuels for the past 30 years,” said Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Commissioner Dave Frederickson during an appearance at Minnesota Farmfest Thursday with the Minnesota Soybean Growers new DieselSellerz biodiesel truck. The state will move from a 10 percent biodiesel blend (B10) to a 20 percent blend (B20) requirement for summertime months beginning May 1, 2018.

Audio file: MN Ag Commissioner Dave Fredrickson announces B20 at Farmfest

The state currently has three biodiesel plants located in Albert Lea, Brewster and Isanti, which produce more than 74 million gallons of biodiesel annually. The Albert Lea facility is owned and operated by Renewable Energy Group, Inc. aid “REG and our biodiesel industry partners will be ready to deliver the approximately 30 million additional gallons of cleaner-burning biodiesel to Minnesota consumers during the summer months which will improve both the state’s economy and environment,” said Gary Haer, REG Vice President, Sales & Marketing.

Audio, Biodiesel, Soybeans

Gov. Ricketts to Keynote ACE Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts will welcome the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) back to Omaha as keynote speaker for the 30th annual ACE conference, coming up Aug. 15-17.

“The governor has served as a great advocate for Nebraska’s ethanol industry, and we look forward to hearing his perspective from recent meetings he’s had with President Trump and EPA Administrator Pruitt on the energy and policy issues impacting this industry,” said Brian Jennings, executive vice president of ACE.

Gov. Ricketts testified on behalf of the ethanol industry at a hearing this week in Washington D.C. on proposed 2018 volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard, urging EPA to reconsider the advanced biofuels and cellulosic ethanol levels.

ACE legislative counsel Jonathon Lehman and more than a dozen ACE member representatives testified at the hearing, stressing a number of key issues, including conventional biofuel levels; EPA’s general waiver authority as it relates to inadequate domestic supply; the use of the reset provisions; and updating the greenhouse gas modeling for corn ethanol as it relates to Brazilian sugarcane ethanol.

Read that testimony here.

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Ethanol, RFS

Ethanol Report on EPA Hearing and Court Decision

Cindy Zimmerman

Last week’s court decision on what EPA can consider when setting volume obligations for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard was still fresh in mind as the industry provided feedback on the agency’s most recent proposals for next year during a public hearing in Washington D.C. this week.

In this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen talks about his testimony to EPA on the proposed RVOs under the RFS, and how the court ruling was a win for the industry. Ethanol Report on EPA Hearing and Court Decision

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

MN Soybean Unveils Minnesota Tough Biodiesel Truck

Cindy Zimmerman

The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council unveiled a DieselSellerz original biodiesel truck this week at the Minnesota Farmfest.

The DieselSellerz is the “world’s largest diesel truck classifieds community,” with a crew that has become known for building and giving away tricked-out diesel trucks, as well as other antics, on the Discovery Channel show “Diesel Brothers.” The crew will be making a special appearance at the Farmfest today.

MSR&PC CEO Tom Slunecka did a walk through of their exhibit on Facebook that really highlights Minnesota Tough biodiesel, and you can expect them to go live on their Facebook page again when the DieselSellerz visit.

Biodiesel, Soybean, Soybeans

Strong Biodiesel Turnout at EPA Hearing

Cindy Zimmerman

The biodiesel industry turned out in force Tuesday to advocate for higher volumes of advanced biofuels and biomass-based diesel.

National Biodiesel Board CEO Donnell Rehagen says the EPA proposal would maintain the minimum required biomass-based diesel volumes at 2.1 billion gallons for 2019 but decrease the 2018 RFS for advanced biofuels to 4.24 billion gallons. “That’s our sweet spot,” said Rehagen. “Unfortunately, we’re not seeing the growth in those numbers that we would like to see.”

Over 30 biodiesel industry representatives attended a public hearing by the EPA held in Washington D.C. Tuesday and at least 20 of them testified, including NBB staff, biodiesel producers, and farmer organizations.

In this interview, Rehagen also talks about how the biodiesel industry fared in last week’s court decision: Interview with NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen at EPA hearing

advanced biofuels, Audio, Biodiesel, EPA, NBB

Governors Testify at EPA RFS Hearing

Cindy Zimmerman

Over 140 witnesses provided feedback to the Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday on the agency’s recent proposed volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), including Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, who both urged EPA to reconsider the advanced biofuels and cellulosic ethanol levels.

“When you’re talking about the advanced biofuels, I think it’s a mistake to go backwards with regards to those targets,” said Gov. Ricketts during a press conference in advance of his testimony. NE Gov. Ricketts, EPA hearing press conference

Gov. Reynolds pointed to the plants in Iowa that are producing cellulosic ethanol from corn stover and corn kernels. “The near term future for cellulosic is much brighter than the proposed obligations,” she said. IA Gov. Reynolds, EPA hearing press conference

EPA proposed setting the 2018 level for advanced biofuels based on a minimum applicable volume of 4.24 billion gallons, a decrease from 4.28 billion gallons for 2017, and cuts the cellulosic biofuel requirement to 238 million gallons.

National Corn Growers Association Board member Keith Alverson also testified at the hearing Tuesday on the need for increasing cellulosic and advanced biofuel levels. “As EPA noted in the proposed rule, many ethanol producers are investing in new technologies to produce cellulosic ethanol at existing facilities. NCGA urges EPA to work with producers to fully quantify this production and consider all 2017 cellulosic data,” Alverson testified. Corn grower Keith Alverson, EPA hearing press conference

Others who testified and took part in the press conference were Jan Koninckx, DuPont Industrial Biosciences; Brent Erickson, BIO Industrial & Environmental Section; Brooke Coleman, Advanced Biofuels Business Council; and Chris Bliley, Growth Energy. Listen to the full press conference here: Fuels America Press Conference

advanced biofuels, Audio

RFA Urges EPA to Increase Cellulosic Ethanol RVO

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Bob Dinneen today urged the Environmental Protection Agency to increase its proposed cellulosic ethanol requirement to reflect growing bolt-on technologies at existing ethanol plants.

“We understand the agency’s dilemma in establishing an appropriate RVO for cellulosic ethanol, but we truly believe the agency has erred on the side of pessimism with regard to the potential for significant growth in cellulosic ethanol commercialization,” Dinneen said during a hearing in Washington, D.C. “We know that many plants are in the process of adding bolt-on fiber conversion technology to their existing facilities that could dramatically increase cellulosic ethanol production next year, and we intend to provide you with updated projections during the comment period.”

Dinneen also thanked EPA for proposing to maintain the 15 billion gallon requirement for conventional renewable fuels in its 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rule.

Listen to Dinneen’s full testimony here: RFA CEO Bob Dinneen remarks at EPA hearing

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, RFS

American Ethanol Powerboat Captain Killed in Crash

Cindy Zimmerman

Captain Keith Holmes of the American Ethanol Cat Can Do Racing Team was killed in a crash Sunday during the St. Clair River Classic offshore powerboat race in Michigan.

The owner of CK Motorsports and throttleman of the American Ethanol Cat Can Do Catamaran, Holmes was considered one of the world’s premier offshore powerboat racers. Holmes was a strong supporter of ethanol and Growth Energy was a strong supporter of him.

“The entire Growth Energy family is shocked and saddened at this terrible news, and we extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Keith’s family, friends, and loved ones,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “Keith was the ultimate competitor out on the water, with nearly three decades of racing experience, competing in over 150 races with 86 victories across the United States. He was a passionate champion for biofuels, but more importantly, he was an amazing person: full of life, energy, and kindness.”

Last year, Holmes testified on Capitol Hill about the importance of ethanol in protecting the environment, preserving America’s energy security and providing a high-octane boost to marine engines.

American Ethanol, Boats, Ethanol, Growth Energy, Uncategorized

Court Decision Sides with Ethanol Industry

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. biofuels interests were pleased with an appeals court ruling Friday that ‘EPA erred in how it interpreted the “inadequate domestic supply”
waiver provision’ of the Renewable Fuel Standard in setting volume obligations.

The Americans for Clean Energy v. Environmental Protection Agency ruling by the court vacates EPA’s decision to reduce the total renewable fuel volume requirement in 2016 and remands the rule to EPA for further consideration.

We hold that the “inadequate domestic supply” provision authorizes EPA to consider supply-side factors affecting the volume of renewable fuel that is available to refiners, blenders, and importers to meet the statutory volume requirements. It does not allow EPA to consider the volume of renewable fuel that is available to ultimate consumers or the demand-side constraints that affect the consumption of renewable fuel by consumers.

“We are still reviewing the decision, but the fact the court has affirmed our position that EPA abused its general waiver authority by including factors such as demand and infrastructure in a waiver intended to be based solely on available supply is a great victory for consumers and the RFS program,” said Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen.

The National Corn Growers Association calls the ruling “a win for farmers, the biofuels industry, and consumers” which affirms that the EPA did not follow the law when it reduced the 2014-2016 renewable fuel volumes below levels intended by Congress. “The court held that EPA was wrong to interpret the phrase ‘inadequate domestic supply’ to mean ‘inadequate domestic supply and demand.’ We agree with the Court that effectively adding words to the law through this interpretation simply exceeds EPA’s authority.”

Americans for Clean Energy includes a number of organizations, including the American Coalition for Ethanol, BIO, Growth Energy, the National Corn Growers Association, National Sorghum Producers and the Renewable Fuels Association.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, NCGA, RFA

RFA Revs Up for Sturgis

Cindy Zimmerman

Ten percent ethanol is the official fuel of the Buffalo Chip Campground for the 77th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Aug. 4-13 in Sturgis, S.D.

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is teaming up with the Buffalo Chip for the ninth consecutive year to promote the benefits of high-octane, low-cost ethanol to the motorcycling community and offer free fuel for bikers.

It will be first Sturgis rally for all motorists to take advantage of a recently opened permanent 93 octane, 10% ethanol fueling station, donated by RFA at the Buffalo Chip Campground, open 24 hours a day to all vehicles, not just motorcycles.

As in previous years, RFA will again sponsor Free Fuel Happy Hours at the rally, providing a free tank of 93 octane E10 for motorcycles. The free tank giveaway will be held Aug. 8-Aug. 10, from 1-3pm MT each day at the Buffalo Chip Campground. RFA will also have a presence throughout the campground with banners, commercials on the jumbotrons and addressing the concert crowd each night.

At the rally, RFA will also sponsor the tenth annual Legends Ride on Aug. 7, which has raised nearly $500,000 for charity since its inception, and will have giveaways, including a free t-shirt with the 2017 RFA .

Read more from RFA.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Motorcycle, RFA, Sturgis