Former ACE President Reminisces at #ACE2016

Cindy Zimmerman

Former ACE president Bob Scott (right) with ACE founding members Orrie Swayze and Merle Anderson

Former ACE president Bob Scott (right) with ACE founding members Orrie Swayze and Merle Anderson

Former American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) president Bob Scott likes being able to come to the annual meetings and just catch up with friends, instead of having to “work.”

“It’s been seven of these years since I retired so I can come and relax and just enjoy myself,” said Scott during an interview at the 2016 ACE conference.

The conference in Minneapolis this year kicked off on the 11th anniversary of the signing of the 2005 Energy Policy Act creating the Renewable Fuel Standard and Scott attended that event at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico as president of ACE. “One of the best phone calls I’ve ever gotten was the call that says I’m from the White House and you’re invited to the signing of the RFS in the Energy Bill,” said Scott. “It was great because we’d work a lot on getting the RFS done.”

In this interview, Scott talks about how he thinks the RFS has turned out 11 years later and how the industry should continue moving forward. Interview with Bob Scott, former ACE president

2016 ACE Annual Ethanol Conference Photo Album

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Audio, Ethanol, RFS

Direct #Ethanol Sales is #ACE2016 Unsung Hero Strategy

Cindy Zimmerman

ace-16-schwarckAmerican Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Unsung Hero award winner Rick Schwarck of Absolute Energy in St. Ansgar, Iowa is a pioneer in the direct biorefinery to retail station sales of ethanol.

Schwarck says selling ethanol direct to retail stations is a way of passing along the best prices possible to the retail station and ultimately the consumer. “Each gallon of ethanol carries with it a RIN, a Renewable Identification Number,” explains Schwarck. “Those RINS have value but the terminals were not passing that value through to the retailer who then could not pass its value on to the consumer…So we’re basically passing through that savings to the retailer selling E85 who then can pass those savings on to the consumer.”

Absolute Energy actually has a retail station that offers E85 as well as mid-level blends in St. Ansgar and Schwarck says the majority of customers driving flex-fuel vehicles choose blends higher than ten percent. “It’s really just getting it priced where the consumer has access to it,” he said.

Schwarck talks more about the need for more consumer access to higher level retail blends of ethanol in this interview: Interview with Rick Schwarck, Absolute Energy

2016 ACE Annual Ethanol Conference Photo Album

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Audio, E15, E85, Ethanol, Retailers, RINS

EPA OIG Finds Lack of Compliance on #RFS

Cindy Zimmerman

epa-150The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of the Inspector General issued a report today that finds the agency “has not met certain statutory requirements to identify environmental impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).”

According to the report, the EPA’s Office of Research and Development has not complied with the requirement to provide a report every 3 years to Congress on the impacts of biofuels. The last such report was in 2011.

In addition, the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation has not fulfilled the anti-backsliding requirements for RFS, which are to analyze and address any negative air quality impacts of RFS. In 2010, the EPA completed a comprehensive lifecycle analysis to determine greenhouse gas reduction thresholds for RFS. Although not required to do so, the EPA committed to update this analysis as lifecycle science evolves, but does not have a process for initiating an update.

The EPA OIG report recommends that the agency take corrective actions which it has agreed to do.

rfalogo1Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen says they agree with the report findings and recommendations. “Indeed, the RFA has repeatedly asked EPA to update its carbon scoring of ethanol blended fuels,” said Dinneen. “We are confident that once EPA conducts these required studies, they will show that biofuels like ethanol are significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, even above the threshold reductions.”

Dinneen points out that the U.S. Department of Energy’s GREET model shows corn ethanol from an average dry mill reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 34% compared to gasoline—even when hypothetical land use change emissions are included and the use of ethanol in gasoline in 2015 reduced CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by 41.2 million metric tons—equivalent to removing 8.7 million cars from the road for an entire year.

“We look forward to EPA’s environmental analysis of the RFS and believe biofuel use will continue to meet and exceed greenhouse gas reductions,” Dinneen concluded.

Click here for the full EPA OIG report.

EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA, RFS

Bikers Get up Close and Personal with @EthanolRFA

Chuck Zimmerman

Robert WhiteIn a sign of true dedication to his job, Robert White, Renewable Fuels Association, was on location at the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for the 8th year. His wife, Denita, has also attended these educational events but not this year since she and Robert just had their first baby two days before he came out to work at Free Fuel Happy Hours. We got him home as fast as we could though last week.

These Free Fuel Happy Hours provide a unique opportunity for staff and members of RFA to help educate bikers about putting ethanol in their machine. While they fill up or wait in line they can ask questions and get facts and advice from people like Robert, a biker himself. As you can see in the photo Robert is in a discussion with a biker who had some very good questions about the renewable fuel and how it would perform in his bike. RFA works with a local Co-op to supply an E10 blend with 93 octane. That premium level of fuel is hard to find out around Sturgis.

This educational/promotional opportunity is not a massive expense for RFA and as Robert says, it’s not just about motorcycles. All of the people who ride in to get a free tank of fuel also have other vehicles and machines back home that they put ethanol blended gas into like lawn mowers, leaf blowers and more.

RFA’s sponsorship at the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground is the longest sponsorship currently. Other exhibitors and sponsors including motorcycle manufacturers like Harley-Davidson and Indian. Robert gets to talk with them in a pretty relaxed atmosphere to build relationships in the industry that work to the benefit of everyone involved in ethanol production.

Learn more about the value RFA receives via this unique promotion in my interview with Robert: Interview with Robert White, RFA

RFA at Sturgis Buffalo Chip 2016 Photos

Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Motorcycle, RFA

Grains Council Works for #Ethanol Industry

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) is once again partnering with the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) to co-sponsor the Export Exchange, an international trade conference held every other year that is very focused on the export of the ethanol co-product distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

ace-16-erb2“It is the premiere conference worldwide for distillers grains,” said USGC Director of Industry Relations Lyndsey Erb during an interview at last week’s American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference.

Nearly 200 international buyers and end-users are expected to be at the event in Detroit, Michigan October 24-26 to meet and build relationships with more than 300 domestic suppliers in attendance over three days of educational sessions and networking opportunities. “We want U.S. suppliers to meet with their customers,” said Erb. “Rather than having to take a trip around the world to meet all of your customers, you can meet them all in Detroit.”

While the Export Exchange is held every other year, USGC is always working on helping to promote and increase exports of U.S. DDGS. In fact, just before she attended the ACE conference last week, Erb was in Bejing working on the DDGS anti-dumping case. She gives an update on that in this interview: Interview with Lindsey Erb, USGC

2016 ACE Annual Ethanol Conference Photo Album

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Audio, Distillers Grains, Ethanol, Export Exchange, Exports, RFA, USGC

Cellerate and Enogen Combo Highlighted at #ACE2016

Cindy Zimmerman

Advances in cellulosic ethanol technology were a key topic at the recent American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) annual conference, including a collaboration between Syngenta and Iowa-based Cellulosic Ethanol Technologies.

ace-16-cellerateIn a session discussing how corn kernel fiber is leading the way to the development of cellulosic fuels, Quad County Corn Processors (QCCP) Head Engineer Travis Brotherson reported a 26 percent increase in ethanol production after a recently-completed trial using a combination of Cellerate™ process technology and Enogen® corn.

Brotherson said this dramatic increase was achieved by realizing an additional 6 percent yield per bushel from converting kernel fiber into cellulosic ethanol, plus a 20 percent throughput increase by combining Cellerate with Enogen. “These results, and our experience of the past two years, confirm the consistent performance benefits available through Cellerate enhanced by Enogen – and we believe the potential could be even greater,” Brotherson said. “Cellerate can help plants produce more ethanol from an existing asset base, increase total yield of distillers grains corn oil and improve the protein content of feed co-products.”

In 2014, Syngenta announced an agreement with Cellulosic Ethanol Technologies, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of QCCP, to be the exclusive marketer of Cellerate process technology to ethanol plants in North America. QCCP was honored with the Renewable Fuels Association 2015 Industry Award at the 20th Annual National Ethanol Conference for its achievements in advancing the use of cellulosic ethanol technology.

On a webinar hosted by Ethanol Producer Magazine at 2 p.m. Central today (August 17) Brotherson and Dr. Miloud Araba, Head of Enogen Technical Services at Syngenta, will discuss the potential of corn kernel fiber and how new technologies can help ethanol producers achieve significant production and efficiency benefits.

2016 ACE Annual Ethanol Conference Photo Album

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Cellulosic, Enogen, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Syngenta

#Ethanol at Sturgis is a Good Deal

Cindy Zimmerman

RFA board members Chuck Woodside and Dana Lewis chat with bikers getting free 10% ethanol fuel

RFA board members Chuck Woodside and Dana Lewis chat with bikers getting free 10% ethanol fuel

As a past chairman and current board member of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Chuck Woodside of KAAPA Ethanol in Minden, Nebraska wants to make sure that the money the organization is well spent to serve the ethanol industry. After seeing the RFA presence promoting ethanol at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Buffalo Chip Campground, Woodside believes that fits the bill.

“The RFA has one of the longest sponsor relationships with the Buffalo Chip and I think that has paid off through the years,” said Woodside last week during the RFA-sponsored Free Fuel Happy Hours at The Chip. “Part of the promotion is we give a t-shirt away with the fill up and those have become very popular.” He notes that RFA has a presence on signage around the Chip and on the main stage jumbotron where top names in entertainment perform throughout the week.

In this interview, Woodside also talks about the importance of a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for the industry: Interview with Chuck Woodside, KAAPA Ethanol

RFA at Sturgis Buffalo Chip 2016 Photos

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Motorcycle, RFA, RFS, Sturgis

Collaboration Needed in Future of Ag Tech

Jamie Johansen

zp-nh1Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What will play the biggest role in the future of agriculture?”

During the 2016 InfoAg Conference, Jack Uldrich, acclaimed global futurist, speaker and best-selling author, shared thoughts on what the world may look like in just a few short years. Collaboration rose to the top and shows we need to keep all of the above in mind when talking about the future of agricultural technology.

Here are the poll results:

  • Big data – 18%
  • Social media – 0%
  • Robotics – 7%
  • Biotech – 17%
  • Nanotech – 3%
  • Artificial intelligence – 7%
  • Renewable energy – 13%
  • Precision tech – 14%
  • Collaboration – 21%

Our new ZimmPoll is live and asks the question, Is agriculture still relevant at state fairs?

State fairs are taking place across the country and were originally started with agriculture in mind. But fewer and fewer state fairs have focused their efforts on agriculture. With a growing population more discounted to agriculture than every before, shouldn’t our state fairs be agriculture centered? Is agriculture still relevant at state fairs? Let us know your thoughts.

ZimmPoll

Paul Dana Award Goes to @Sheetz

Cindy Zimmerman

Ron Lamberty, ACE with Mike Lorenz of Sheetz

Ron Lamberty, ACE with Mike Lorenz of Sheetz

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) last week presented Sheetz, Inc. with the 2016 Paul Dana Marketing Vision Award for leadership in marketing ethanol. The award was instituted in 2006 in memory of Indy Racing League IndyCar Series driver and biofuels advocate Paul Dana

Sheetz was recognized for their leadership in introducing E15 in 60 of the company’s stores in North Carolina, as well as being one of the first major chains to offer E85 in Pennsylvania and the five other eastern states where Sheetz operates convenience stores. ACE Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty says the retail chain, which has stores mainly in the East Coast and Atlantic based states, was a perfect fit for an award for “marketing vision.”

“I’ve often described the c-store industry as one where ‘everyone wants to be the first to be second.’ In a lot of cases, Sheetz is the company other convenience stores are watching to know what to do next” Lamberty said. “Sheetz is leading again with E15, as they did when they began offering E85 ten years ago, and when they were among the first to bring E10 to the Eastern states where they operate.

Sheetz Executive Vice President of Petroleum Supply Mike Lorenz accepted the award on behalf of the company during the ACE annual meeting in Minneapolis last week. He also participated in a retailer panel at the event.

In this interview, Lorenz talks about the decision to add more fuel choices to their “menu” and how Sheetz customers are responding: Interview with Mike Lorenz, Sheetz

2016 ACE Annual Ethanol Conference Photo Album

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Audio, E15, E85, Ethanol News, Retailers

Record #Corn and #Ethanol Production Forecast

Cindy Zimmerman

USDAUSDA’s first crop production forecast based on actual field data is predicting a bin-busting corn crop this year while ethanol production is also on pace to be record high.

Corn production is forecast at a record 15.2 billion bushels, up 11 percent from last year with yields expected to average 175.1 bushels per acre, up 6.7 bushels from 2015. If realized, this will be the highest yield and production on record for the United States. Meanwhile, the U.S. ethanol industry is on pace to break production records this year, according to Department of Energy (DOE) projections released Tuesday. DOE projects 2016 ethanol production will average 980,000 barrels per day, or 15.1 billion gallons.

“This is shaping up to be an historic year,” said Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen. “Just a decade ago, visionary leaders in the corn and ethanol industries established a goal to produce 15 billion bushels of corn and 15 billion gallons of ethanol by 2015. Ten years later, our nation’s farmers and ethanol producers have made that bold vision into a reality.”

The August World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates Report, also released Friday showing corn ending stocks for the 2016/17 marketing year are expected to be the highest in 29 years at 2.4 billion bushels while corn prices are expected to average just $3.15 per bushel, the lowest in 10 years. National Corn Growers Association president Chip Bowling says these numbers should “be a wake-up call for both Presidential campaigns regarding the economic challenges facing farmers and rural America….We need real solutions that help us access markets, expand biofuel use, and ensure a more sustainable future.”

Both Dinneen and Bowling note that the record production numbers and low prices underscore the importance of continuing to implement the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as intended by Congress while EPA’s proposal would reduce the 2017 RFS requirement for “renewable fuel” from 15.0 billion gallons to 14.8 billion gallons. “This is not the time to undermine demand for corn and tie the hands of the American farmer. Farmers and ethanol producers made investments and business decisions based on the 2007 law that expanded the RFS, and they expected EPA to follow Congress’ intent in implementing the program,” Dinneen said. “EPA’s proposal is limiting market opportunities for U.S. farmers at a time when the agricultural economy needs a boost.”

corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NCGA, RFA, RFS, USDA