ACE Conference 2026

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis to Assume New Role

Cindy Zimmerman

growth-energy-logo1Growth Energy has announced today that CEO Tom Buis has been named as co-chairman of the organization’s Board of Directors, joining POET Founder and Executive Chairman Jeff Broin in that role.

In his new role Buis will remain actively involved in member activities and policy matters important to the industry. Buis will continue overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization until a new CEO has been appointed.

buis“I love this job and I love advocating for an industry that means so much for America,” Buis said. “As co-chair, I will remain engaged in growing membership and advocating for policies that benefit American farmers and consumers, but I’m also at a point in life where I’m ready to assume more of a guiding role as a leader on the board. I am proud of the accomplishments we have had at Growth Energy, as it has grown from a startup to the largest trade association representing the ethanol industry in America.”

Growth Energy has retained Korn/Ferry International, the world’s largest executive search firm, to lead a nationwide search for its next CEO.

Ethanol, Growth Energy

UPS Substantially Ups Renewable Diesel Use

John Davis

UPSShipping giant UPS is taking a giant leap forward in its use of renewable diesel. The company announced agreements to buy and use up to 46 million gallons of renewable fuels over the next three years, a 15-fold increase over prior contracts and making UPS one of the largest users of renewable diesel in the world.

The agreements with three leading suppliers of renewable fuels, secure access to an advanced renewable diesel fuel in order to meet the company’s objectives for alternative fuel utilization. Neste, Renewable Energy Group (REG) and Solazyme will supply renewable diesel to UPS to help facilitate the company’s shift to move more than 12% of its purchased ground fuel from conventional diesel and gasoline fuel to alternative fuels by the end of 2017. UPS has previously announced a goal of driving one billion miles with our alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles by the end of 2017.

“Advanced alternative fuels like renewable diesel are an important part of our strategy to reduce the carbon emissions impact of our fleet,” said Mark Wallace, UPS senior vice president, global engineering and sustainability. “We have used more than three million gallons of renewable diesel to date with positive results. Renewable diesel has a huge impact significantly reducing lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 percent less versus conventional petroleum diesel. Renewable diesel also performs well in cold weather, does not have any blending limitations and can be easily ‘dropped in’ to our fuel supply chain without modifications to our existing diesel trucks and equipment.”

“UPS believes these agreements are especially important because they will help stimulate demand for investment in refinery technologies and sustainable feedstocks needed to produce renewable fuels at a total cost that is comparable to more carbon-intensive petroleum fuels,” said Wallace.

UPS has been running its trucks in Texas and Louisiana on renewable fuels for more than a year. These new agreements provide a path for expanded use across the U.S. and potentially in parts of Europe.

REG, renewable diesel

ASA Wants RFS Biodiesel Goals to be Realistic

John Davis

ams15-asa-wadeGoals for biodiesel in the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) recently announced by the government could be a bit better and should be realistic, as the green fuel benefits everyone and gains some unlikely allies. Cindy caught up with Wade Cowan, Texas farmer and president of the American Soybean Association (ASA) during the Ag Media Summit and got his thoughts on biodiesel and what the Environmental Protection Agency’s goals on biodiesel in the RFS means.

“We would hope [the EPA] would raise the goals [to high but attainable levels],” he said. “It’s a product that not only helps all the consumers in the country who use diesel, but it also helps livestock producers” by keeping a steady supply of soybean meal available. “We’re not asking for the moon, but we want [the RFS goals] high enough to keep making the industry want to go forward and be more productive.”

Wade said biodiesel even has fans in the oil industry.

“They like biodiesel, because someone has to distribute it,” adding companies like Exxon are also interested in helping make the environment better and reduce the U.S.’ dependence on foreign oil. “They’re in it with us, and we expect to see more and more cooperation.”

You can hear all of Cindy’s interview with Wade (or if you’re impatient and just want to get to the biodiesel parts, fast-forward to about the 5:00 mark) here: Interview with Wade Cowan, ASA president

2015 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Ag group, Agribusiness, Audio, Biodiesel, Soybeans

Icom Adds New Propane Vehicles to Lineup

Joanna Schroeder

001-2016-ford-police-interceptor-utility-1Icom North America, based in New Hudson, Michigan, has added several new propane powered vehicles to its offering. Customers can now purchase 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016 3.7 engine Ford Police Sport Utility, Police Sedan, Explorer, Taurus, Edge, Flex and Lincoln MKT, MKS and MKX. These fleet platforms are focused on police, government and livery vehicles and Icom said using propane reduces fuel costs and offers a more sustainable transportation option.

Ed Zoglman Icom V.P. Central Division, said, “Icom enjoys a large Police, Government Fleet and Livery market and Icom is the first to certify these key vehicle platforms for which we have a large order-bank.”

“I drive many thousands of miles each month in an Icom Liquid Injection System SUV and enjoy noticeable increased performance and miles per gallon as compared to propane vapor injection kits and performance exceeding gasoline,” noted David Griffin Icom Southeast autogas specialist. “Having been a Propane Fleet Manager and Technician for almost 20 years what most impressed me about the Icom System are the many benefits of Liquid Injection and how Plug and Play the Icom Systems are.”

Icom is anticipating additional EPA Certifications for additioanl fleet platforms powered by liquid injection propane systems.

Alternative Vehicles, Propane

Grains Council Presents Ethanol Export Strategy

Joanna Schroeder

During this week’s 55th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting in Montreal, Canada, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) unveiled an ethanol export promotion strategy. The program was developed with input from the ethanol industry including U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).

U.S. Grains Council Chairman Ron Gray.

U.S. Grains Council Chairman Ron Gray.

“In 2014, the Council and its partners completed in-depth market assessments in Southeast Asia, Peru, Panama, Japan and Korea that produced valuable information used develop this strategy,” said USGC Chairman Ron Gray. “Our plans in these markets continue to develop, and we are carrying on market assessment work in places like Canada and the European Union. However, we are also moving forward aggressively with market development and policy-focused work in countries like the Philippines that have the potential to increase demand for U.S. ethanol in the near term.”

Ethanol was the subject of a general session panel at the meeting, including input from Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis, RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen and Green Plains Renewable Energy Executive Vice President for Ethanol Marketing Steve Bleyl, moderated by USGC’s Chief Economist Mike Dwyer, a leading global biofuels analyst.

Ethanol export plans were explored in more depth during the Ethanol Advisory Team meeting, comprised of members from throughout the value chain, and a breakout session focused specifically on USGC’s ongoing ethanol-focused programs.

“U.S. ethanol exports are becoming increasingly vital to our stakeholders’ bottom line, which makes finding new markets for U.S. ethanol is a priority for the Council,” Gray added. “This plan shows our and our partners’ commitments to making that happen.”

Among other activities, two trade teams in the United States and three missions traveling overseas are scheduled to focus on ethanol in the remainder of 2015.

corn, Ethanol, Exports, Growth Energy, RFA, USGC

Express Lube Offers Gevo’s Isobutanol

Joanna Schroeder

Gevo has announced that Express Lube of Fredericksburg, Texas, is the first U.S. service station to sell gasoline blended with Gevo’s renewable isobutanol at the pump. Gevo said this is anticipated to be the first of many retail locations to offer Gevo’s product as the company rolls out its isobutanol to the marina, outdoor equipment and off-road gasoline markets.

Gevo logoAccording to Express Lube owner Adam Sheffield, he decided to sell isobutanol-blended gasoline because its moisture resistance and capacity to reduce engine corrosion are ideal for equipment and vehicles that are used intermittently. Sheffield learned about Gevo’s renewable isobutanol from Kino Oil, a local distributor that sells the product in drums. Kino began to offer the fuel made with isobutanol after finding that it is ethanol-free and is excellent for use with marine and off-road engines. Today the station is selling its fuel at over a 50 percent premium in comparison to local E10 gasoline blends that contain 10 percent ethanol.

“Isobutanol is great for weed eaters, mowers and farm or ranch equipment that sits unused for long periods of time – because it does not cause carburetors to gum up the way ethanol does,” said Sheffield. “I tried it myself after discovering that the ethanol-blended gasoline sitting in my riding mower over the winter had ruined the carburetor. It cost me $700 to replace. That’s when I switched to isobutanol.”

According to Gevo, its isobutanol is blended with gasoline to help meet renewable fuel
and clean air standards, and after several years of work and testing, has successfully obtained registration with the U.S. EPA as a fuel additive. Recently, the National Marine Manufacturers Association officially endorsed isobutanol as a drop-in fuel for marine and recreational boat engines. Gevo believes that retail sales of isobutanol-blended gasoline by Express Lube will help establish the value proposition for other fuel retailers.

Dr. Patrick Gruber, Chief Executive Officer of Gevo, added, “We welcome Express Lube as the very first retail service station to sell gasoline made with our isobutanol. It’s only a matter of time before other distributors and gas stations across the U.S. and in other parts of the world discover the benefits of isobutanol, and begin to offer our product commercially as well.”

biobutanol, biofuels, Renewable Energy

BioEnergy Bytes

Joanna Schroeder

  • BioEnergyBytesDF1Ocean Energy Europe, the industry group for ocean renewable energy in Europe, exceeded 100 members when Wavepower, Marine Power Systems and Mojo Maritime joined as members. They join a growing list of industry representatives uniting behind a common plan for industrialising the ocean energy sector.
  • The Waste Conversion Development & Finance Summit is scheduled September 29 to October 1, 2015, at the Law Offices of Baker & McKenzie in Chicago, IL. According to a study conducted by Grand View Research in early January 2015, the global WTE market is expected to reach $37 billion by 2020. The three-day event, hosted by InfoCast, will focus on the development and financing of the projected market.
  • SkyPower, under the guidance of the Government of Kenya, will distribute two million solar kits to homes and working families across the nation currently without access to electricity. The portable SkyPower Home solar kits include a solar panel and an inverter to help Kenyans harness the power of the sun. The home solar kits include LED bulbs, a fan, USB charging capabilities and a radio that will be powered and recharged by the sun.
  • VIASPACE Inc. has announced that it has completed the engineering and design work for a 2 MW biogas power plant in Papua New Guinea for Clean Energy Solutions Pacific (CES). The CES project located in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is to own and operate a biogas power plant and Giant King Grass plantation that delivers reliable, 24/7 electricity to the grid to meet the customer demand profile, under a power purchase agreement from the government electricity company.
Bioenergy Bytes

Power of Biodiesel to be on Display at Farmfest

John Davis

FarmfestThe power of biodiesel will be on display at the upcoming Farmfest in Minnesota. The United Pullers of Minnesota, a state organization of the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA), will hold the Minnesota BioDiesel Pull-Off at the Redwood County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, Aug. 4th.

[T]his fun and exciting event promises something for everyone featuring seven classes of tractors, trucks and semis! Come out and support the Redwood County Fair Board and get ready for a night of great entertainment!

You can get your tickets for the BioDiesel Pull-Off at the fairgrounds beginning at 4:00 p.m. the day of the pull. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for children 6-12, and free for kids 5 & Under: FREE

Biodiesel

Biodiesel, Livestock Industries Work Together in Iowa

John Davis

IBBThe biodiesel and livestock industries are working together in Iowa. This news release from the Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB) says poultry and livestock producers are seeing greater profits because of the green fuel.

That was the message … at Western Dubuque Biodiesel’s plant, where soybean groups hosted a tour of the biodiesel facility and gave an economic presentation to members of the state livestock industry. The United Soybean Board, Iowa Biodiesel Board and Iowa Soybean Association hosted about 40 ag leaders to share information and answer questions on how biodiesel impacts the profitability of the livestock industry.

An increased demand for biodiesel also increases the demand for domestic soybeans to crush, growing the supply of soybean meal. This greater supply lowers the meal’s price, which decreases the relative cost of it to poultry and livestock farmers.

That means in addition to soybean farmers, animal agriculture also benefits from biodiesel.

“Animal agriculture is the soybean farmer’s No. 1 customer with 97 percent of soybean meal going to feed poultry and livestock,” said Delbert Christensen, a soybean farmer from Audubon, Iowa and director on USB. “Biodiesel helps animal agriculture by creating demand for soybean oil, which helps lower the cost of animal feed and creates an additional market for animal fats.”

More demand for biodiesel helps keep soybean meal prices competitive as demand for soybeans continues to rise globally, while biodiesel has also created demand for animal fats and tallow to be made into biodiesel. IBB says for Iowa farmers, these meal savings and increased fat and tallow values really add up. In 2013 alone, pork farmers saved $60,802,700 and dairy and beef farmers saved $25,511,700 respectively, strengthening animal agriculture in the state. Biodiesel by-product glycerin also can be an additional energy source in feed troughs.

Ag group, Agribusiness, Biodiesel, livestock

New Ethanol Production, Corn Oil Comes to Market

Joanna Schroeder

Pacific Ethanol has begun commercial production of corn oil utilizing Valicor’s corn oil recovery system at its Columbia ethanol plant located in Boardman, Oregon. With the completion of this 2-year initiative, all four of the western Pacific Ethanol plants are now producing corn oil.

Neil Koehler, the company’s president and CEO, said of the milestone, “With the production of distillers corn oil at our Columbia plant, all eight of our ethanol facilities separate corn oil for sale into high-value markets. Corn oil production has been a major milestone for the company, and one that we expect to provide significant benefits as it broadens our co-product mix, further diversifies our revenue streams and enhances operating income.”

Cellulosic sugars, following extraction from bagasse at Iogen's Raizen Costa Pinto Plant (Brazil) where cellulosic ethanol is not being produced. Photo Credit: novocana.com

Cellulosic sugars, following extraction from bagasse at Iogen’s Raizen Costa Pinto Plant (Brazil) where cellulosic ethanol is now being produced. Photo Credit: novocana.com.

Moving to the Midwest, the Dakota Spirit AgEnergy ethanol plant was fully commissioned. The 65 MMGy facility, located in Spiritwood, North Dakota, is the first corn-ethanol plant to be built in the U.S. in more than five years. The plant is unique in that the process steam is purchased from Great River Energy’s nearby Spiritwood Station and is used to help produce electricity.

Across the pond (and an ocean) in Brazil, Iogen Energy’s cellulosic ethanol plant is now up and running at the Raízen`s newly expanded Costa Pinto sugar cane mill in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was on hand for a celebration and noted, “the production of second generation ethanol from sugarcane bagasse is the realization of a dream for the country. The collaboration between the State and Raízen is part of the government’s commitment to ethanol production as a strategic measure for economic development.”

advanced biofuels, Brazil, Cellulosic, corn, Ethanol, Renewable Energy