Discussing A-Maizing DDGS at #ExEx16

Lizzy Schultz November 2, 2016

Research continues to show the value of dried distillers grains (DDGS) as a high quality animal feed, and the need to increase global demand for DDGS was a hot topic of discussion at this year’s Export Exchange. Dr. Jerry Shurston, professor at the University of Minnesota and Consultant for the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), gave a presentation during this year’s event on the co-product’s potential in both the domestic and the global animal feed markets.

For the last 18 years, Dr. Shurson has focused his research on the ways to increase the value of DDGS, a product that he finds truly amazing. He discussed how production, exports, and the industry’s understanding of the feeding value of DDGS has changed through his years of studying the industry.

“One of my messages today is that we’ve got to narrow this gap between what we’ve discovered at Universities and through research and helping those that are buying and using the product to know how to use it to optimize its value,” he said.

Listen to his full presentation here:
A-Maizing DDGS Presentation

He also discussed what he called “precision DDGS,” referring to the changes in the technologies that are able to analyze an assess the properties of DDGS that have long been thought of as variable and uncertain.

“Here’s an ingredient that is a co-product, and anytime that you have a byproduct or a co-product, you have variability in nutrient composition and quality, and it creates questions in end users,” he said in an interview following his presentation. “What I was taking the group toward today is that we’ve developed technologies to take some of this uncertainty out of the market and allow us to more accurately assess the economic value and the nutrient profile of this ingredient.”

Learn more in Cindy’s full interview with Dr. Shurson here:
Interview with Dr. Jerry Shurson, University of Minnesota

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 Export Exchange Photo Album.

Coverage of Export Exchange 2016 made possible by

Audio, corn, Distillers Grains, Export Exchange, Exports, University, USGC

Why Ethanol Gas Is Never Going Away

Joanna Schroeder November 1, 2016

Digital Trends recently examined ethanol in our fuel in an article, “Is ethanol in your gas a problem? We revisited the question with an expert,” written by Jeff Zurschmeide. The piece was a follow-up to an earlier story, “The effects of ethanol in gasoline,” that created quite a dialogue in its comment section. For this piece, Zurschmeide reached out to Dr. Andrew Randolph, Technical Director for ECR Engines who holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University, with a specialty in the combustion properties of ethanol-gasoline blends. He’s been working with NASCAR since 1999 and started with ECR in 2008. (For those avid readers of AgWired, you’ll know that NASCAR race cars have been racing for several years using E15 and the Indy Series has used E100.)

In the article, Dr. Randolph hits on several topics:

Small engines – It’s OK to use E10 in small engines but not higher blends such as E85.
Classic cars – It’s case-by-case but before the 21st century cars used carburetors, technology not designed to use ethanol. Cars today do not have this problem.
The future of ethanol – Ethanol will not only stay in our fuel but the amount will rise.

“It’s largely driven by economics,” Randolph told Digital Trends. “The price of gasoline is dependent on the price of oil. On the other hand, the economy of ethanol in the United States is linked to the health of the corn crop. It’s linked more to weather than politics. Long term, ethanol is a much more stable commodity to rely upon, because you don’t have governments and wars that are going to put your supply at risk. Also, the dollars that you’re spending on ethanol are paid to U.S. farmers and U.S. infrastructure. Ethanol is also preferred as an oxygenating additive because it is less toxic than prior octane-boosting additives like tetraethyl lead and Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE).”

But the big reason ethanol will win at the pump? Randolph told Digital Trends it’s about price. “I think consumers want whatever’s going to be cheapest at the pump. That’s the long-term driver. I think ethanol’s going to win.”

It’s a good piece so be sure to check it out.

biofuels, E85, Ethanol

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder November 1, 2016

Ener-Core, Inc., a developer of innovative gas conversion technologies for global commercial and industrial facilities, has delivered two of its 2 MW sized Power Oxidizers to the Stockton Biorefinery site owned by Pacific Ethanol. The Power Oxidizers, after delivery and installation with the Dresser-Rand KG2 turbine, are expected to provide up to 3.5 MW of electricity and over 26,000 pounds of steam/hr from the two Power Station units. The Power Stations will provide Pacific Ethanol with a first-of-its-kind solution that can reduce air pollution by converting by-product low-quality waste gases generated by the Stockton plant’s ethanol production into useful electricity and steam.
Turf Feeding Systems, a Houston company, has teamed with AgriProjects, a South African company, to create special high-yield seed oil production for the Monarca Biojetfuel refinery in the Yucatan of Mexico. According to Turf Feeding Systems, this is the first biofuel project in the world to combine a 33,000 hectare Jatropha plantation producing feed oil with a refinery on site and transform jobs and the region’s economy.
Monarca, a BioJet Fuel Project planned in Mexico, is in discussions with AVStar Aviation Services, a corporate aviation service company based in Houston, to be their exclusive distributor of BioJet fuel in the U.S.
The Companies Vs. Climate Change Conference will welcome Alaska, JetBlue and United Airlines for a panel on December 2, 2016 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. This is the first-ever conference focused on bringing together companies from around the world to discuss climate change and how they can work together to address it. The two airlines will discuss sustainability efforts and operational efficiencies within the airline industry.

Bioenergy Bytes

REG to Increase Ralston, IA Biorefinery to 30M Gallons

Joanna Schroeder November 1, 2016

Renewable Energy Group (REG) has announced it is increasing the annual capacity of its Ralston, IA biodiesel plant to 30 million gallons. Once the company’s largest biodiesel facility at 12 million gallons per year, over time it became REG’s smallest nameplate capacity. When the plant was built in 2001, it was a division of West Central Cooperative, now Landus Corporation. REG is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the project on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 where Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will be a speaker.

REG Ralston is a 12 million gallon per year nameplate capacity biorefinery in Ralston, Iowa. REG announced today the company will increase Ralston’s capacity to 30 million gallons.

“Ralston is where it all began for REG and the experience and lessons we have learned, and are still learning, have helped our company grow into what it is today,” said Daniel J. Oh, President and CEO.

The REG Ralston expansion announcement comes on the heels of Landus Cooperative expanding their adjacent soy crush operation.

“On behalf of our farmer-owners, we look forward to finalizing plans with REG for their expansion as another way to add value to our soybeans via oil utilization at the Ralston biorefinery,” said John Scott, an Odebolt, Iowa farmer and President of the Landus Cooperative Board of Directors.

Brad Albin, REG vice president, manufacturing, added, “With a greater, adjacent feedstock supply and continuous improvements at REG Ralston, this capacity expansion is a logical investment. We look forward to more good things from this outstanding biorefinery and our continued relationship with Landus Cooperative.”

Once completed, the Ralston expansion would increase REG’s cumulative nameplate capacity from its 11 active biomass-based diesel plants across the country to 470 million gallons annually.

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, REG

Novozymes Named to Climate “A-List”

Joanna Schroeder November 1, 2016

The international non profit CDP, an organization that runs a global carbon disclosure system, has announced its annual “A-List” of highest scoring companies on climate action. On the list was Novozymes for its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the business risks of climate change.

“Apart from being honored to once again be recognized as a global leader on climate action, we are also extremely thrilled to see that business is making substantial effort to transit to a low-carbon world. The Paris Agreement and the SDGs are already working as the new compass for business,” said Claus Stig Pedersen, Novozymes’ Head of Corporate Sustainability. “It is exciting to witness the ongoing shift in the role of business as it realizes that some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, also represent some of the biggest future business opportunities.”

Novozymes implemented 40 different energy-saving and process optimization projects in 2015, helping reduce CO2 emissions in the company’s own operations by 7 percent, as compared with 2014. Last year, Novozymes’ customers avoided an estimated 60 million tons of CO2 emissions by applying the company’s products. The savings achieved are equivalent to taking approximately 25 million cars off the road.

According to Novozymes, its biological solutions save customers 100kg CO2 for every 1kg of product applied, on average. The company made history last year by becoming one of the first in the world to align its corporate strategy with the SDGs.

Climate Change, Environment, Novozymes

Sharing the Benefits of #Ethanol with Mexico

Cindy Zimmerman November 1, 2016

Mexico’s Secretariat of Energy (SENER) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently hosted a workshop in Mexico City to help local authorities determine how ethanol fits into their country’s energy mix. The two day workshop featured the latest environmental research on ethanol, technological advances in production, distribution and commercialization of ethanol for mixture with fuels, and how other countries have benefited from biofuels programs.

Among the experts were representatives from the National Federation of Biofuels of Colombia, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Paraguay, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Energy For All. From the United States, there were experts from Oakridge Labs, the American Lung Association, Urban Air Initiative, Growth Energy, the U.S. Grains Council, University of Illinois-Chicago, and Lifecycle Associates.

At the conclusion of the workshop, USDA and SENER agreed to establish a bilateral ethanol working group to continue the dialogue and to plan a “study group” of Mexican government and industry representatives to come to the United States to see firsthand the U.S. ethanol supply chain and experts to learn further about the benefits of ethanol blending.

The workshop is part of a larger effort by the U.S. industry to share information with Mexican regulators as they consider increased use of ethanol produced locally from sorghum or imported from the United States. At last week’s Export Exchange, I talked with U.S. Grains Council director for Mexico City Ryan LaGrande about that effort.

“We’re heavily involved in the ethanol scene in Mexico and the prospects are very bright,” said LaGrande. “The Mexican government recently passed a regulation allowing 5.8 percent ethanol to be blended into gasoline in the entire country outside of the three major cities – Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. So we still have about 65-70 percent of the market that we can work with to blend ethanol.”

LaGrande says the industry has been doing trade missions and technical conferences to educate Mexican regulators about the benefits of increased ethanol use “so we can hopefully lift the prohibition in the three major cities and eventually move to 10 percent blends or higher.”

Learn more in this interview: Interview with Ryan LaGrande, USGC

2016 Export Exchange Photo Album

Coverage of Export Exchange 2016 made possible by

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Export Exchange, Exports, RFA, USGC

New @NationalCorn President Attends #ExEx16

Cindy Zimmerman October 31, 2016

The new president of the National Corn Growers Association says growing demand continues to be a big priority for farmers.

“The crop is bigger than we’ve seen before, we just keep being able to produce these records,” said Wesley Spurlock, a corn farmer from Texas who just took over as NCGA president at the beginning of October. “Demand is what we’re working on. It’s demand, demand and more demand.”

And increasing demand for U.S. coarse grains and ethanol co-products is what the Renewable Fuels Association and U.S. Grains Council were doing with the Export Exchange 2016 in Detroit last week. “We really appreciate the work they do,” said Sprulock, noting that there were some 200 international buyers and end users from 35 countries at the event. “They’ve got small rooms set up so buyers and sellers can get together … for them to be able to communicate together is amazing.”

“We know we have the ability to produce these crops, so we have to be able to move them,” Spurlock said. “We need these exports healthy.”

Listen to my interview with Wesley here: Interview with Wesley Spurlock, NCGA president

2016 Export Exchange Photo Album

Coverage of Export Exchange 2016 made possible by

Ag group, Audio, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Export Exchange, Exports, NCGA, RFA

Minnesota Student #Biodiesel Contest Adds Video

Joanna Schroeder October 31, 2016

Students looking for a little help with continuing education costs should look to biodiesel. The Clean Air Choice® Biodiesel Scholarship contest offers high school seniors awards to help with college. Now in the eighth year of the program, students may submit a short video of three minutes or less or a brief essay of 1,000 words or less about biodiesel to the American Lung Association in Minnesota. Rules and online applications are available at www.CleanAirChoice.org.

All entries will be judged on the following criteria: accuracy of information; a thorough understanding of biodiesel and its uses; and creative thinking and original ideas on biodiesel.

Two scholarships will be awarded: a first place award of $1,000 and a second place award of $500. All high school seniors in Minnesota public or private schools are eligible for the scholarship. All essays and videos must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 7, 2017. The scholarship is sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council.

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel

Sheetz Opens #E15, #E85 Station in Virginia

Joanna Schroeder October 31, 2016

Virgina drivers now have access to E15 and E85 with the opening of a new Sheetz station. This marks the 10th E85 and E15 station in the state, and the infrastructure for the mid-level and high-level blends of ethanol was paid for in part by a USDA Biofuel Infrastructure Project Grant. The new station is located at 11774 Sudley Manor Drive in Manassas, VA.

“Sheetz, is proud to be a partner in the Biofuel Infrastructure Project Grant,” said Mike Lorenz, Sheetz Executive Vice President Petroleum Supply. “As we continue our reputation as an industry innovator and the ultimate one-stop shop, we are pleased to continue expanding the offering of E85 and E15, the new and innovative blends of fuel, to consumers in Virginia.”

Sheetz has 10 more stores planned in the state that will offer E85/E15 with additional assistance from the Biofuel Infrastructure Project Grant. The Virginia project adds nearly 40 total stations in Virginia and Maryland and is an award to the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy and supported by Virginia Clean Cities. The Grant, totaling nearly $5 million to install ethanol refueling infrastructure in Virginia and Maryland, represents the only multi-state proposal selected for the award.

“Virginia drivers now have cleaner and more affordable fuel choices thanks to the availability of higher ethanol blends at the pump,” said Michael Scuse, Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services. “Now that projects across the country are starting to take shape, it is clear that the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership is working to increase access to renewable, American-made fuels that will help reduce our environmental impact and support rural economies.“

biofuels, E15, E85, Ethanol, Retailers

#Biodiesel Board Names New CEO

Cindy Zimmerman October 31, 2016

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) today named Donnell Rehagen as the trade group’s chief executive officer. Rehagen has been chief operating officer for NBB since 2004 and was named interim CEO in June.

New NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen

“We couldn’t be more excited to elevate Donnell to the permanent position of CEO,” said NBB Chairman Ron Marr. “His detailed knowledge of our organization and deep understanding of our industry certainly leads to a smooth transition. But the main reason we have asked him to take on this position is his proven ability to think strategically about our issues and apply creative solutions that lead to success.”

As COO, Rehagen managed the implementation and execution of NBB’s budget and the day-to-day responsibility of managing the organization’s program managers, staff and contractors. Additionally, Rehagen has led the annual National Biodiesel Conference & Expo, NBB’s signature event that attracts thousands of enthusiasts to learn more about biodiesel and for industry professionals to network with their peers. Prior to joining NBB in 2004, Rehagen was the fleet administrator for the Missouri Department of Transportation where he was responsible for all aspects of the department’s $400 million fleet including implementation of their biodiesel (B20) use program.

Rehagen is excited about the new opportunity. “I’m proud to be a part of the team that has helped lead biodiesel’s growth to become the first advanced biofuel to reach full commercialization, but I also recognize the challenges we face,” said Rehagen, who adds that one task he will be immediately working on is member visits to Capitol Hill at the end of next month when NBB is pressing Congress to provide a long-term extension of the biodiesel tax incentive and convert it from a blender’s credit to a producer’s credit.

The NBB Governing Board search committee led the effort to identify and sort through nearly 300 potential candidates for the CEO position. “The Governing Board was extremely pleased with the quantity and quality of the applications for the CEO position,” said Ron Heck, Iowa Soybean Association. “In the end, Donnell’s proven record of success at NBB made the difference in the final selection. His deep knowledge of the participants and process in the growth of the biodiesel market means that NBB will continue its success.”

Rehagen has a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Missouri – Columbia and a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Systems from Southwest Missouri State University. He was born and raised in Jefferson City, where he and his wife Shelly have raised four children and are now the proud grandparents of two young boys.
Read more here.

Biodiesel, NBB

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