New Enzyme From Novozymes Can Boost Ethanol Yields

Cindy Zimmerman

Novozymes is launching a new line of advanced enzymes to increase ethanol yields by converting sugar that would otherwise be wasted.

The Spirizyme® T Portfolio is an advanced suite of glucoamylase enzymes with trehalase and other yield enhancing activities for increased sugar conversion in the industry. Trehalase is an enzyme that converts trehalose, a type of sugar that cannot be fermented to ethanol, to glucose, which is easily fermentable. Trehalose makes up a significant part of the so-called DP2 peak, a measure of residual sugar in an ethanol plant. The more DP2 an ethanol plant can convert; the more ethanol it will produce.

“Reducing residual sugar is key to raise profitability at an ethanol plant. Don’t leave your sugar behind,” says Peter Halling, Vice President – Biofuel, at Novozymes. “The Spirizyme T portfolio provides significant DP2 reduction across the board and offers our customers choice. There are options for plants with specific operating conditions, and plants looking to achieve particular goals, such as shorter fermentation or increasing total yield.”

Novozymes is at the National Ethanol Conference this week and will be sponsoring a presentation on “The Buzz on Big Data: Driving Plant Profitability through Better Data Management” today so stay tuned for our coverage from that event.

enzymes, National Ethanol Conference, Novozymes

Industry Comments on Pruitt Confirmation

Cindy Zimmerman

The biofuels industry welcomed Senate approval last week of Scott Pruitt to be the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

“As Mr. Pruitt said during his confirmation hearing last month, ‘To honor the intent and the expression of the Renewable Fuel Standard statute is very, very important.’ We could not agree more,” said Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen. “While the RFS remains our priority, we will also continue advocating for the removal of unnecessary volatility restrictions that have discouraged market acceptance of higher level ethanol blends like E15.”

“We look forward to working with Mr. Pruitt and the EPA as they continue to carry out the Renewable Fuel Standard as enacted by a bi-partisan Congress,” said National Biodiesel Board Vice President of Federal Affairs Anne Steckel. “The RFS is working as intended to deliver jobs and American made energy, a major point of emphasis of the Trump Administration. American-made biodiesel continues to be the fastest growing advanced biofuel in the country and a large portion of that success can be attributed to the success of the RFS.”

“We congratulate Mr. Pruitt on his confirmation and are eager to work with him to help EPA keep the promises that President Trump made about ethanol during the campaign,” said American Coalition for Ethanol Executive Vice President Brian Jennings. “It is imperative that Administrator Pruitt work to help ensure the successful implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard to drive the use of higher ethanol blends, to maintain the RFS point-of-obligation with refiners and importers, and to lift unnecessary restrictions on ethanol use such as the Reid vapor pressure limit.”

Immediately after his approval, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and four other senators sent a letter to Pruitt asking him to address EPA’s volatility regulation that makes it more difficult to sell ethanol blends above 10% year round. The senators asked the administrator to extend the 1-psi RVP waiver to E15 and other higher ethanol blends, “to eliminate this needless obstacle to consumer choice.”

ACE, Biodiesel, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NBB, RFA, RFS

Ace Ethanol to Install D3MAX Cellulosic Pilot Plant

Cindy Zimmerman

D3MAX has announced its pilot facility employing the patented D3MAX cellulosic ethanol technology will be installed at ACE Ethanol in Stanley, Wisconsin this month with startup and testing at the facility taking place over the next two months.

“We are very excited to take this next step in developing the D3MAX technology,” says Mark Yancey, chief technology officer for D3MAX. “ACE (Ethanol LLC) has been an excellent partner in the lead up to the installation and running of the pilot facility.”

“We see this type of bolt-on technology as a clear path forward for cellulosic ethanol,” says Neal Kemmet, president and general manager at ACE Ethanol, LLC. “Of course, much will be determined during the next phase of pilot testing. However, if successful, we feel the D3MAX process will be key in allowing current producers to lead the way for the next generation of ethanol production.”

Once the pilot testing and data collection and data collection is successful, D3MAX intends to complete the full detailed commercial design and license the technology across the United States and Canada.

Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Iowa Tells Pruitt to Leave RFS Alone

Cindy Zimmerman

With the Senate poised to confirm Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Iowa has a message for him – Don’t Mess with the RFS.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) and other state organizations urged Pruitt to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by rejecting a petition to change the program’s point of obligation, which would change the RFS obligated parties from mostly large petroleum refiners to many fuel retailers. “We have a slogan in the renewable fuels family that says ‘Don’t mess with the RFS,’” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “Let me make this perfectly clear: changing the point of obligation is most definitely messing with the RFS in a significantly harmful manner. Iowa’s ethanol and biodiesel producers oppose it and will fight hard to defeat it.”

Under the Obama Administration, the EPA proposed to reject the request, but the public comment period on the proposed rejection is still open meaning the final decision will be up to President Donald Trump’s EPA. Iowa entities urging Pruitt to finalize the pending rejection include Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA), Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa (PMCI), Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB), Truckstops of Iowa, and Kum & Go.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Iowa RFA, RFS

RFA Suggests Retool for REGS

Cindy Zimmerman

In comments submitted this week on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support (REGS) rule, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) said the proposal fails to address key regulatory barriers that are constraining growth in ethanol production and use.

“In fact, we are concerned some elements of the REGS proposal may actually serve to add complexity and create new barriers to renewable fuel market expansion, an effect that would be the opposite of the rule’s stated purpose,” said RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen in the comments. He suggests that instead of proceeding with the current rulemaking, EPA should “initiate a far more comprehensive process to reform existing fuel regulations in a way that levels the playing field for renewable fuels and genuinely removes regulatory barriers to growth.”

RFA recommends a number of actions EPA should take to reform existing fuel regulations, including establishing regulatory parity in the volatility limits; simplifying the petition process for new certification fuels and eliminating unreasonable criteria for approval; eliminating unnecessarily burdensome and costly requirements related to the fuel and fuel additive registration process; and updating the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis of corn ethanol conducted for RFS2.

Read RFA’s full comments to EPA.

EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, RFS

China Supreme Court Rules for Novozymes

Cindy Zimmerman

In a landmark biotechnology ruling, the Supreme People’s Court of China has ruled in favor of Novozymes, upholding the company’s patent on enzymes for production of fuel ethanol and beverage alcohol.

The patent dispute began in 2011, when Novozymes found evidence that Shandong Longda Bio-Products Co., Ltd. and Jiangsu Boli Bioproducts Co., Ltd. were producing and selling a proprietary Novozymes glucoamylase enzyme for use in the bioenergy and beverage industries violating one of Novozymes’ Chinese patents. The Supreme People’s Court’s verdict is final and cannot be appealed.

Novozymes’ General Counsel Mikkel Viltoft says they are pleased with the Court’s decision and commend the Chinese patent and court system for protecting biotech innovations. }This landmark verdict will spur growth and investments in China and encourage local inventions, and it shows that China is serious in its efforts to protect intellectual property rights,” said Viltoft. “Novozymes has been in China for more than 20 years, working closely with local companies and universities to develop technologies that reduce CO2 emissions and the use of harsh chemicals.

Novozymes has been operating in China since 1995 and now has more than 1,000 employees across six sites. The company’s main businesses in China are in household care, textile, waste water treatment, food and beverage, agriculture and bioenergy.

enzymes, Ethanol, Ethanol News, International, Novozymes

Trade Talk about Ethanol Exports at #USGC17

Cindy Zimmerman

Exports of U.S. ethanol and distillers feed co-products has been a big topic this week at the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) 14th International Marketing Conference & 57th Annual Membership Meeting in Panama City, Panama.

USGC president and CEO Tom Sleight says the export picture is changing but still positive. “Last year we had China buying a lot, now Brazil is in the market,” he said. “What the U.S. Grains Council is doing is trying to build those markets for tomorrow.”

China’s recent imposition of anti-dumping duties and tariffs on U.S. ethanol and distillers feed co-products has made business with that country more difficult but Sleight is optimistic. “I think we have to engage even heavier in China and talk to them more clearly,” he said.

In this interview with AgWired reporter Lizzy Schultz, Sleight also talks about a letter the industry recently sent to President Trump about the situation in China and how the new president’s trade agenda might impact export markets. Interview with Tom Sleight, USGC

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, USGC

Register For Nebraska Ethanol Forum

Cindy Zimmerman

Registration is open for the Nebraska Ethanol Emerging Issues Forum April 13-14 in LaVista, Nebraska.

Emerging issues on the agenda this year include Policy Prospects Under the Trump Administration, RINs and the Point of Obligation, Policy Impacts on Exports, Ethanol Marketing Challenges, Protein Formulations and Bio-Products and much more.

Undergraduate and graduate students can apply for a scholarship to cover their registration to the forum. More information and registration here.

Ethanol, Ethanol News

Lower DDGs Exported to China in 2016

Cindy Zimmerman

A new report from the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) shows that U.S. exports of the ethanol co-product distillers grains (DG) were lower last year, mainly due to a significant drop in exports to China.

Exports of the high protein co-product of dry mill ethanol production used to feed livestock and poultry totaled 11.48 million metric tons (MMT) in 2016, down 10 percent from 2015’s record-high but still the second-highest on record, according to the report. While China remained the leading destination for U.S. distillers grains, exports to that country dropped 63 percent compared to 2015 as anti-dumping and countervailing duties against U.S. product were implemented.

“Distillers grains and other co-products have become an enormously important component of the global feed market. This report underscores that our co-products are in high demand in every corner of the world,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “Unfortunately, we saw a slight downturn in total exports in 2016 because of China’s protectionist actions to shut out U.S. distillers grains. Last week, RFA and our partnering organizations sent a letter to President Trump, alerting him to China’s unfair and illegitimate trade barriers, and urging the incoming U.S. Trade Representative to address the issue. We remain concerned with China’s actions and look forward to the administration’s response to ensure free and fair trade between our countries.”

One out of every three tons of DG produced in the United States last year shipped to 50 foreign markets, with Mexico, Vietnam and South Korea, Turkey, and Thailand growing by a combined 2.06 MMT in 2016 — equivalent to the annual DG production of 10 average-sized ethanol plants.

READ MORE from RFA

Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, RFA

Corn + Ethanol = Happy Future

Cindy Zimmerman


Commentary by Chris Novak, Chief Executive Officer, National Corn Growers Association

Growth Energy and its members met last week in Miami, Florida for their annual leadership conference. Next week, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will gather in San Diego, California for their National Ethanol Conference – and in less than a month, the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) will host its annual Fly-In in Washington D.C. Three different ethanol associations, holding three different meetings – each vital to our collective success. In the midst of these meetings, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on corn and ethanol’s shared history – and to consider what opportunities and challenges lie ahead.

For more than twenty years, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and its state affiliates have worked side by side with the ethanol industry to bring ethanol-blended fuels to the marketplace. In so doing, the production of fuel ethanol has contributed significantly to our nation’s economy in terms of job creation, tax revenues and energy independence. At last check, 214 biorefineries in 29 states supported nearly 360,000 jobs and displaced 527 million barrels of foreign oil keeping $26 billion in the U.S. economy. That’s something to celebrate.

READ MORE

Commentary, corn, Ethanol, NCGA