ACE Conference 2026

Ethanol Coalition: Auto Engineers Expose EPA’s Oil Bias

John Davis

ACElogoA new paper from automotive engineers shows how the federal government has a bias toward Big Oil. Officials from the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) praised a new Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) paper authored by experts from Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company, and AVL Powertrain Engineering Inc. that concludes that emissions from higher ethanol blends are cleaner than gasoline, and the approach used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to estimate exhaust emissions, the Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) model, is biased in favor of oil.

“We applaud these Ford, General Motors, and AVL Powertrain engineers for exposing that EPA’s MOVES model is biased in favor of a result oil companies prefer and ignores the way gasoline is blended with ethanol in the real-world,” said [ACE Executive Vice President Brian] Jennings. “This is just the latest example of how Big Oil is twisting EPA’s arm to limit ethanol use. First, it appears EPA is about to completely rewrite the Renewable Fuel Standard to help oil companies avoid their legal responsibility to blend fuels, like E15 and E85, which reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Now, EPA is relying on a biased approach for estimating tailpipe emissions, remarkably making gasoline appear cleaner than ethanol.”Read More

ACE, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Oil

CHS Co-Op to Open Wisc. Propane Rail Terminal

John Davis

CHSpropane1The nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative and a leading energy, grains and foods company is opening a new propane rail terminal in Wisconsin. CHS announced the opening of the new terminal in Hixton, just in time to meet demand for the upcoming heating season.

The new terminal is owned by CHS and operated by Federation Cooperative of Black River Falls, Wis. Served by the CN railroad, the terminal will initially have 360,000 gallons of storage, the ability to unload six railcars every 4.5 hours, and two truck loading bays capable of loading six trucks per hour. The secure terminal, which uses modern automation and safety technologies, will be completed in mid-November.

“CHS invested in this terminal as part of a broader $24 million investment to develop a robust supply network for propane marketers in the Northern Tier region affected by the Cochin pipeline reversal,” according to Drew Combs, CHS vice president of propane. “Our goal is to help marketers serve homeowners, farms and businesses with a safe, reliable supply of propane, and to position our customers for future growth while adding value for our member owners,” says Combs.

State officials on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony said the new terminal will be a major asset for the state.

Propane

Growth Energy Staffer on Advisory Committee

Cindy Zimmerman

growth-energy-logoU.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker has appointed Jim Miller, Growth Energy’s Vice President and Chief Economist, to a position on the Department of Commerce’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee. The departmental committee was established to advise the Secretary on programs and policies to expand U.S. renewable energy and energy efficiency exports.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to help increase awareness of the importance of renewable fuels as well as expand markets across the globe to help export clean, sustainable energy that will help create jobs right here at home, while improving the environment around the globe and reducing the world’s dependence on fossil fuels,” said Miller.

Miller previously served as the Senior Policy Advisor on the Budget Committee under Senator Kent Conrad (D-N.D.). Prior to his service on Capitol Hill, Miller was appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Also appointed to the committee was Kelly Davis of the Renewable Fuels Association.

Ethanol, Exports, Government, Growth Energy

DuPont to Sit on RFA Board

Joanna Schroeder

RFANewlogoDuPont will now be sitting on the governing board of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). The company has been an associate RFA member for more than 10 years and has now upgraded its membership as its first cellulosic ethanol plant is in its final stages of construction. The biorefinery will be co-located next to Lincolnway Energy in Nevada, Iowa and when complete will produce 30 million gallons per year of ethanol using corn ag waste.

“Next generation cellulosic ethanol is emerging on the market and DuPont is at the forefront of innovation. Their knowledge and expertise in all aspects of the biofuels industry make them a valuable addition to the Renewable Fuels Association,” said Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the RFA. “I am eager to work together to advance the renewable fuels industry, which is already directly and indirectly employing nearly 400,000 people, reducing GHG emissions, and lowering America’s foreign oil dependence.”

William Feehery, president of DuPont Industrial Biosciences said of their renewed commitment to the ethanol association, “RFA is a leading voice in Washington on issues related to our industry and we look forward to working even more closely together as we reach full cellulosiDuPont Logoc production in the coming year. We acknowledge the hard work RFA has done to promote and defend the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) both as an individual organization and as our partner in the Fuels America Coalition. A stable RFS is vitally important to support growth for the existing corn ethanol industry while garnering the investment needed to expand and grow cellulosic ethanol in the United States. We must keep the technology, research, and development here in the United States so consumers can continue to have choices at the pump and America can reduce its reliance on foreign oil.”

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

RFA’s Davis Appointed to Advisory Committee

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Director of Regulatory Affairs Kelly Davis has been appointed to the Department of Commerce’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee.

According to Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, the function of the committee is to “provide consensus advice on the development and administration of programs and policies to expand U.S. renewable energy and energy efficiency exports.”

“It is truly an honor to be selected by Secretary Pritzker to serve on the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee,” said Davis. “I look forward to having a seat at the table and helping Secretary Pritzker ensure that our global trading partners understand and appreciate the benefits of U.S. produced ethanol in reducing consumer gasoline prices, improving energy diversity and security, and addressing climate change.”

Davis recently participated in a trade mission to China, led by USDA Under Secretary Michael Scuse, to promote U.S. ethanol and co-products and strengthen the trade relationship between the two countries. Last year, she joined a similar trade mission, led by the U.S. Grains Council, to South Korea and Japan. The RFA board of directors has made opening new markets for ethanol and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) abroad a top priority, and Davis’ appointment to this prestigious advisory committee reflects that commitment.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, RFA

API: Extend Domestic Fuel Supply To Lower Gas Prices

Joanna Schroeder

In a recent blog post authored by Geoff Cooper, senior vice president of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), the American Petroleum Institute (API) recently released a study that argues that the fracking boom has led to dramatically lower prices for crude oil and refined products between 2008-2013. Cooper wrote that the study suggests that increased Cooper Graphic in API study articledomestic production of crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and lease condensate from fracking has already extended U.S. supplies and helped to lower gas prices.

The study finds that every 1 million barrels/day of new supply reduces consumer prices for petroleum products between $0.06-0.20 per gallon. Cooper writes that according to economics more supply generally results in lower prices, in this case there are two problems with API’s rationale.

  • Problem 1: Global demand for petroleum products continues to grow faster than global supply. EIA data show global production of crude oil, NGLs and condensate grew by 4.1 million barrels/day between 2008 and 2013. But global consumption of those products ramped up by 5.4 million barrels/day over the same period. Thus, demand gains outstripped supply gains by more than 30%.
  • Problem 2: When energy economist Phil Verleger and researchers at Louisiana State University, Iowa State University, University of Wisconsin, the Department of Energy, and others separately showed that extending the U.S. gasoline supply with ethanol leads to lower pump prices, Big Oil defiantly screamed “NOT SO!” Verleger found that consumer paid $0.50-$1.50 per gallon less for gasoline in 2013 because of ethanol’s extension of the fuel supply. His conclusion corroborated results from Iowa State/University of Wisconsin that showed consumers saved up to $1.09 in 2012 due to ethanol’s aggregate effect on gasoline supplies.

Cooper ends his article by asking the question, “So, which is it API? Does adding volume to the fuel supply reduce prices, or doesn’t it?”

biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Oil, RFA

Veterans Asset Offering Vets Online Solar Education

Joanna Schroeder

gI_93607_TVA on Roof_SmilesThe Veteran Asset (TVA) is now offering solar PV scholarships for U.S. military veterans through its new 32-hour online training program. The training program is being offered in conjunction with Ambassador Energy Solar College, an Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) accredited training program.

The organization has been providing free solar PV training for vets since May 2014 via a traditional “brick and motar” option at their Ambassador Energy’s training facility in Murrieta, California. The entry level Solar PV Design and Installation is a five-day course with an exam following the completion of the courses. This course is now offered online.

The program is also customized to allow renewable energy company’s to leverage TVA’s specialized vetting process and their program, to help companies hire veteran graduates. Courses can be co-branded to the company, its technologies and geographies it serves.

Kelly Smith, TVA vice president said of the new online program, “The online option not only provides TVA data for determining the next locations for our ‘Brick and Mortar’ training centers but it is also a scalable way for us to cast a wide net, helping us reach as many veterans as possible during this solar ‘gold rush’. We are using technology to help bridge the gap between the desirable supply of a trained veteran workforce and the growing demand from the renewable energy industry. TVA’s entire mission is getting these great folks to work.”

Education, military, Renewable Energy, Solar

ONR Website Features Hawaii’s Renewable Energy

Joanna Schroeder

A new website focused on Hawaii’s multifaceted approach to renewable energy is now live. The website for the Asia-Pacific Technology and Education Partnership (APTEP) is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The military organization notes Hawaii is fast becoming ground zero for the Navy’s drive to develop green technologies.

ATEP websiteAccording to ONR, APTEP approaches the issue from three angles, supporting cutting-edge energy research; educating students and teachers in energy-related fields; and supporting businesses trying to bring alternative energy products to the marketplace.

“Everyone is focused on Hawaii right now,” said Dr. Richard Carlin, head of ONR’s Sea Warfare and Weapons Department. “The studies we’re conducting there and technologies we’re developing will not only help the Navy reduce its need for fossil fuels, but also move the country closer to energy independence.”

October was National Energy Action Month and Hawaii took center stage. For example, in September, the Department of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding reaffirming its commitment to alternative energy efforts in Hawaii, dubbed Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative 2.0. At the same time, ONR, as part of the APTEP program, is sponsoring a new study of technologies and power systems-such as smartgrids and microgrids at three Navy installations on the islands.

Carlin added, “Once we figure out how to make these bases more energy efficient, we can take these new technologies and concepts to other naval bases and ultimately achieve the Navy’s energy goals.”

advanced biofuels, Alternative energy, Alternative Vehicles, Microgrid, military

Chicago to Vote on E15

Joanna Schroeder

Today the Chicago City Finance Committee is considering an amended ordinance that according to Alderman Ameya Pawar, one of the bill’s co-sponsor, will ensure Chicago motorists will have a choice at the pump. The “Chicago Clean Air Choice” ordinance would enable retailers to offer drivers E15 fuel.

Chicago E15 logo“Through the ordinance the City of Chicago will once again help lead the way in cleaning up the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other toxic carcinogens in the air,” said Alderman Pawar. In his remarks he was referring to the Chicago City Council’s actions in 1984 that banned leaded gasoline in the city and its 2000 action where the Council banned various toxic additives.

Co-sponsor Alderman Anthony Beale, added that the ordinance has economic and security implications. “By reducing our dependence on fossil fuels by increasing ethanol usage, this ordinance is supporting a renewable fuel that is grown in America, keeping American dollars and troops at home, instead of sending them overseas.”

The original ordinance was introduced last summer. The enhanced ordinance includes an exemption of all filling stations selling less than 850,000 gallons of fuel per year and a 360 day phase in.

biofuels, Environment, Ethanol

SIUE Prof to Write Book on Illinois Biofuels History

Joanna Schroeder

The Illinois biofuels industry will be reading about its history in a book. Assistant Professor Jeffery T. Manuel, who teaches at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), is teaming up with NCERC at SIUE to write the book. He works in the Department of Historical Studies and his biofuels history project was selected for a faculty fellowship award. The Center’s faculty fellowship program is sponsored by the Illinois Corn Marketing Board to foster collaborative research between the NCERC and the University community.

“Farmers, researchers, business leaders, politicians, and many others have been working to build Illinois’ biofuels industry for decades,” said Manuel. “This is an important but overlooked aspect of the state’s agricultural and business history. Fuel alcohol has been suggested as a promising alternative to oil and gas for over a century. My research asks why Americans have repeatedly turned to alcohol fuel as an alternative energy source and why earlier efforts to promote alcohol fuels were unsuccessful.”

gI_88188_Manuel-JeffManuel said his work will include recorded, in-depth interviews of key players in the biofuels industry. The interviews will be archived at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield as part of the Agriculture in Illinois oral history collection.

“We truly appreciate the Illinois Corn Growers’ support of this collaborative relationship, and we are excited to partner with Dr. Manuel on his project,” said NCERC Director John Caupert. “The biofuels industry has a long and fascinating history, with deep roots in Illinois. Dr. Manuel’s work will shed light on the industry’s evolution, and demonstrate the resilience and innovation of the industry’s past and present pioneers.”

Manuel added, “I believe my research will add a valuable historical perspective to SIUE’s existing strengths in biofuels research. I hope that SIUE can become a world leader in a multidisciplinary study of biofuels as we work to create this valuable record for the general public and future researchers.”

biofuels, Education, Ethanol, Research