L-R: RFA CEO Bob Dinneen, former NPPC president Randy Spronk, NCGA CEO Chris Novak
Dinneen discussed common ground with National Corn Growers Association CEO Chris Novak and National Pork Producers Council past president Randy Spronk. Listen to the discussion here: #RFANEC Ag Groups discussion
The co-founder of California’s first ethanol production company received the Renewable Fuels Association 2017 Industry Award in San Diego this week at the 22nd National Ethanol Conference.
Pacific Ethanol CEO Neil Koehler, who is also vice chairman of the RFA board of directors, was the co-founder and general manager of Parallel Products, California’s first ethanol production company, which made ethanol from beverage waste. He also founded Kinergy Marketing, an ethanol marketing company before forming Pacific Ethanol in 2003. Pacific Ethanol’s initial focus was on destination ethanol plants, building facilities on the U.S. West Coast, not in the traditional Midwest where the corn is grown. The company now owns eight biorefineries — in Oregon, Idaho, California, Nebraska and Illinois — with a combined production capacity of 515 million gallons per year.
“Neil has been a longtime fixture in the U.S. ethanol industry and consistently been an early adopter of new technologies,” said RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “Pacific Ethanol has helped to lead the industry in the transition to low carbon renewable fuels, and Neil has been one of our industry’s best and most vocal advocates. On behalf of the RFA, we congratulate Neil on his achievements. This award is well deserved.”
Listen to the award presentation here: Bob Dinneen, RFA and Neil Koehler, Pacific Ethanol
Ethanol was a popular topic for discussion during the 2017 U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Winter Meeting, held last week in Panama City, Panama, with many USGC representatives believing that improving global ethanol demand will be key in sustaining a successful export market for U.S. corn and corn products.
“Our ethanol program that we’ve put a lot of effort in recently has shown some great promise, a lot of countries are anxious to work with us, they just don’t know what to do to get started,” said Mike Dwyer, USGC Chief Economist, in an interview during the event. “So the whole focal point of our market development program is to work with them on the technical and policy side to get the policy right, make sure they understand the benefits of ethanol blending with respect to issues like greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation.”
Dwyer also explained that the market development efforts are focused mainly on trying to develop demand for ethanol that doesn’t exist right now.
“If a country cannot produce enough ethanol to hit their blend levels, they need to pick up their phone and call the U.S. and order whatever they can’t fill domestically. In other words, exports are a supplement to domestic production,” he said.
USGC has committed to reaching 2.63 billion gallons of exports by 2026. Last year’s ethanol exports reached 860 million gallons, but this year’s exports are projected to hit 1.1 billion gallons, which is above where we need to be to hit that benchmark.
“I think we’re just getting started on our growth curve. We have the full support of the U.S. corn community, and we have a strategic alliance with Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuel Association. The three of us are working together for the greater good of developing ethanol demand worldwide with a role for trade,” said Dwyer. “A lot of these countries do not want to import, and we make the case that they’re going to import oil anyway, these are import deficit countries, so wouldn’t you rather import a product that solves an environmental problem rather than one that contributes to it? And so far that message has been resonating.”
Listen to Lizzy’s full interview with Mike here:
Interview with Mike Dwyer, USGC
Biodiesel is taking to the high seas in a special ship traveling from Rhode Island to an ultimate goal of Cuba on 6,000 gallons of B20.
The 200-foot Sailing School Vessel Oliver Hazard Perry fueled up with 20 percent biodiesel this week at Newport Shipyard in Newport, Rhode Island as it begins a voyage from New England to Florida, then on to Cuba in March. The brand new SSV Oliver Hazard Perry is the first ocean-going, full-rigged ship built in the U.S. in more than 100 years.
Newport Biodiesel Chairman Robert Morton (photo courtesy OHPRI)
“Supplying this ship with B20 biodiesel gives us a chance to support a worthwhile seafaring mission, while educating the public and marine industry about the environmental benefits of B20,” said Robert Morton, chairman of the board for Newport Biodiesel. “This is the largest deployment of B20 we have ever done for a marine vessel, so it represents a significant step.”
Morton, a former oceanographer, volunteers on the board of OHPRI and also serves as vice chair of the marketing committee on the National Biodiesel Board. He sees big potential for American biodiesel for marine use. Biodiesel not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to petroleum, but biodegrades in water as fast as sugar and is healthier for people to breathe.
NEC scholarship winners David Orreg and Daehwan Kim pose with RFA chairman Mick Henderson
“The bigger the coalition, the more you can get done,” said Henderson. “We have an opportunity to be bold. If we don’t grab opportunities when they’re in front of us, what are we waiting on?”
Opportunities come in the form of working with industries like the refiners and the auto makers. It also comes from new research, like that being done by two Purdue University Ph.D. students, David Orreg and Daehwan Kim, who received the NEC scholarships this year from RFA and the Renewable Fuels Foundation, on which Henderson served for over four years. “Every year I got to meet with the students and talk with them about about what comes next,” he said. “Innovation and entrepreneurship are a big part of this industry.”
Listen to this interview with Mick from NEC: Interview with RFA Chairman Mick Henderson, Commonwealth Agri-Energy
Retail fuel outlets have many considerations when it comes to offering higher ethanol blends for consumers – from regulatory hurdles, equipment replacement timelines, financial incentives and long term strategies. But higher blends are vital when it comes to increasing the domestic market for ethanol at this point.
Renewable Fuels Association vice president of industry relations Robert White led a discussion on the topic during the National Ethanol Conference with Ryan McNutt, CEO, SIGMA; Jimm Cross, PMAA Western Region Chairman and President, Cross Petroleum; John Eichberger, Executive Director, Fuels Institute; Rick Long, General Manager & Associate General Counsel, PEI.
Listen to that panel here: Understanding Gasoline Markets Panel at #RFANEC
L-R: David McShane, Ricardo; Jim Anderson, Ford Motor Company; Jim Szybist, Oak Ridge National Lab; Geoff Cooper, RFA
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Senior VP Geoff Cooper moderated the conversation with Ricardo Executive Vice President David McShane, Ford Motor Company Technical Expert Jim Anderson, and researcher Jim Szybist with Oak Ridge National Lab.
Listen to the panel here: High Octane, Low Carbon Panel at #RFANEC
Military veterans involved in the biofuels industry, like East Kansas Agri-Energy (EKAE) President and CEO Jeff Oestmann, are requesting that the Commander-in-Chief deploy the use of ethanol and other renewable fuels in the fight to make America First in energy.
“Missing from the president’s (America First Energy) plan is any mention of ethanol or biofuels in general – we are seeking to change that,” said Oestmann, who served in the Marines, during the opening general session of the National Ethanol Conference yesterday. He and other U.S. military veterans working in the ethanol industry drafted a letter to President Trump to remind him that “ethanol is a crucial domestic energy source that plays an important role in reducing oil imports.”
Oestmann says nine of the 52 employees at EKAE are veterans, as are a good percentage of the attendees at the conference who were asked to stand – including Geoff Cooper and Robert White with the Renewable Fuels Association. “Working and investing in the ethanol industry allows us to continue honoring our commitment to making America stronger and more independent,” said Oestmann, encouraging all veterans present to sign the letter to President Trump during the conference at the RFA booth.
Listen to Oestmann (Oohrah!) here: EKAE CEO Jeff Oestmann at #RFANEC
President Donald Trump sent greetings to National Ethanol Conference attendees this week and his regrets that he could not attend.
In a letter to the NEC read by Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen, President Trump reiterated his unwavering support for ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard.
“Rest assured that your president and this administration values the importance of renewable fuels to America’s economy and to our energy independence. As I emphasized throughout my campaign, renewable fuels are essential to America’s energy strategy,” Trump wrote.
“As important as ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard are to rural economies, I also know that your industry has suffered from overzealous, job-killing regulation. I am committed to reducing the regulatory burden on all businesses, and my team is looking forward to working with the Renewable Fuels Association, and many others, to identify and reform those regulations that impede growth, increase consumer costs, and eliminate good-paying jobs without providing sufficient environmental or public health benefit,” Trump added.
Listen to Dinneen read Trump’s letter: Trump letter to #RFANEC
Reporters covering the National Ethanol Conference in San Diego had questions about a number of topics when given the opportunity to have a press “scrum” with Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen.
The first questions centered on the discussion Dinneen had on stage at the NEC with petroleum industry representatives and how the industries can work together. “I’ve been trying to move the dialogue to a different plane where we’re talking about the future growth and certainty for both our industries,” he said.
One issue Dinneen ran out of time to discuss with the panel was the point of obligation change requested by the petroleum industry under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which was requested by the petroleum industry. “Our view is that it should not change, I think it would create a lot of uncertainty in the program that would not be healthy,” said Dinneen. “What happens with that issue I can’t judge.”
Listen to the reporter Q&A here: RFA CEO Bob Dinneen press questions
