Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act Reintroduced

Cindy Zimmerman

Legislation that would allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10% was reintroduced in both the House and Senate this week.

Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led the reintroduction in the Senate of the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act this week, as Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Angie Craig (D-MN) and Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) did the same in the House.

The legislation not only has bipartisan and bicameral support, it also has support from a wide mix of stakeholders, including the National Corn Growers Association, Renewable Fuels Association, American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), and the American Petroleum Institute.

“This commonsense legislation is supported by a broad and diverse coalition, ranging from farmers to filling stations and from ethanol producers to petroleum companies,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We all agree that American drivers need access to lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 at the pump every day of the year and across this country. With the summer driving season right around the corner, we call on Congress to move quickly and adopt this legislation as soon as possible.”

“Securing national and permanent market access for E15 year-round is best done through Congress,” said ACE CEO Brian Jennings “ACE members look forward to fostering support for this legislation during our annual fly-in at the end of the month. Given the urgency to ensure uninterrupted market access for 2023, ACE is pushing for immediate action via emergency waivers, passage of this legislation and other options to unleash the cost-saving benefits of E15 this summer.”

Original Senate supporters of the bill include: Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and John Hoeven (R-N.D.).

Original House supporters of the bill include: Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), Sam Graves (R-Miss.), Mike Flood (R-Neb.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Jake LaTurner (R-Kan.), Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Miss.), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Andre Carson (D-Ind.), Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.), Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), and Zach Nunn (R-Iowa).

ACE, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Rabobank Analyst Sees Potential in SAF

Cindy Zimmerman

The sky seems to be the limit for the future of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and can be a real opportunity for farmers, according to RaboResearch Senior Grains & Oilseeds Analyst Owen Wagner.

Wagner was at Commodity Classic last week talking about how sustainable aviation fuel fits into the landscape for commodity demand. “This (SAF) is not just for vegetable oils,” said Wagner. “We’re also seeing new facilities going up that are going to be using corn or cellulosic materials as feedstock.”

Wagner says the policy to promote SAF is moving rapidly with tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act and even state incentives like one recently brought forth in Illinois. “That’s a really phenomenal way to get this product off the ground,” he said – no pun intended. Listen to a recent Rabobank podcast with Wagner on the topic.

Learn more in this interview from Commodity Classic.
Classic 23 interview with Owen Wagner, Rabobank (6:08)

2023 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, aviation biofuels, biofuels, Commodity Classic, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, SAF, Soybean

Secretary Vilsack Excited About SAF

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed the Commodity Classic for the 10th time last week with the theme of new opportunities and markets for farmers and one he is excited about it sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

“I get electric cars, you know, you drive them and if the charge runs out, you pull off the side of the road, pick up your cell phone, call for a charge and get back on the road,” said Vilsack to applause and laughter. “But what if you’re in a plane? And it’s over a body of water? We need a sustainable low carbon fuel. It’s a 36 billion gallon industry that doesn’t exist today. It’s a new opportunity for American agriculture to lead the way.”

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addresses Commodity Classic
Classic 23 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack address (28:49)

Vilsack also took the opportunity to sign memorandums for two of USDA’s new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities programs – Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) and the Midwest Climate Smart Commodities Project.

“It is the beginning of a process of a number of projects that are going to transform how we farm, where we farm, what we do to sustainably produce crops,” said Vilsack.

Secretary Vilsack and USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie joined the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and farmer-leaders with Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) to sign a $95 million USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant, officially launching the Farmers for Soil Health initiative.
Classic 23 Agriculture Secy Vilsack - Farmers for Soil Health MOU (3:28)

Vilsack also joined the Iowa Soybean Association to sign the Midwest Climate Smart Commodities Project, which also includes other partners such as PepsiCo, Cargill, Renewable Energy Group, Ingredion, Target, JBS, Coca-Cola, Mano y Ola, FarmRaise, Rural Community Assistance Partnership.
Classic 23 Secy Vilsack - Midwest Climate Smart Commodities MOU (2:58)

2023 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, aviation biofuels, biofuels, Commodity Classic, Electric Vehicles, Ethanol, Ethanol News, USDA

RFA Brings Flex Fuel Plug-In Hybrid EV to #Classic23

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association showed off its new 2022 Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) at the Commodity Classic in Orlando last week, right down the road from where it debuted at the National Ethanol Conference the week before. The concept is to use this vehicle to demonstrate that ethanol (E85) and electricity can jointly power today’s vehicles.

Students at the University of Nebraska’s Husker Motorsports Team assisted RFA’s VP for Industry Relations Robert White with the conversion to flex fuel using a kit from eFlexFuel. “It’s a pretty phenomenal vehicle,” said White. “There’s a little electricity to get you going but with the eleven gallons of liquid fuel we now have an electric vehicle with a range of over 400 miles.”

Learn more about the vehicle in this interview with White and see it on display this year at a number of events including the Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Farm Progress Show.
Classic 23 interview with Robert White, RFA (7:08)

2023 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, Commodity Classic, E85, Electric Vehicles, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Lallemand Biofuels Supports Future of Ethanol Industry

Cindy Zimmerman

LBDS president Angus Ballard (2nd from right) poses with some of his team at NEC

The Renewable Fuels Association Young Professionals Network is itself very young, only started in the summer of 2020, but it is growing quickly thanks to strong industry support and the dedicated sponsorship of Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS).

“We’ve always believed in the importance of gatherings like NEC where professionals can get together and exchange good ideas,” said LBDS president and general manager Angus Ballard. “The networking in people’s careers is so important so when the concept (of YPN) was floated, we jumped in right away. We’re passionate about the industry. It’s very important that we look after young people and keep them engaged so they want to stay in the industry.”

RFANEC23 interview with LBDS president Angus Ballard (3:21)

Two members of the RFA YPN were among six young people who were awarded scholarships this year to attend the National Ethanol Conference in Orlando.

Ben Parsley, Innovation Manager at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy and Alex Stanley, Lab Manager with Ringneck Energy & Feed, are pictured here with RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. It was the first NEC for both and they were excited to attend and get to meet other professionals, both young and old, in the industry. Other YPN scholarship winners were Ben Rhodes, Ethanol Program Manager, Nebraska Ethanol Board, and Bailey Arnold, Director of Clean Air Initiative, American Lung Association.

RFANEC23 interview with Ben Parsley, SIRE, YPN member (2:33)

RFANEC23 interview with Alex Stanley, YPN member (1:44)

Student scholarship recipients were Xueli Chen, who is working toward a doctorate from the Dept. of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Purdue University and serves as a research assistant at Purdue University’s Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering; and Tianbo Tang, who is in the doctoral program in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside and is the lead graduate researcher for recent work on the “Comparison of Exhaust Emissions Between E10 California RFG and Splash Blended E15” report, emissions testing for E15 approval in California.

Click for more National Ethanol Conference content

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Davis Hosts NEC Innovation and Transportation Panels

Cindy Zimmerman

Kelly Davis’ involvement in the ethanol industry goes back 40 years and for the past decade she has served as Vice President of Technical & Regulatory Affairs for the Renewable Fuels Association, but this year’s National Ethanol Conference will be her last as a staff member.

“I’m going to take the challenge of turning corn stover into ethanol,” Davis said about the soon-to-be-announced opportunity she is taking. “I’ll never leave RFA. I’ve been a member on some level for the past 40 years … and hope to return as a member of the board.”

RFANEC23 Interview with Kelly Davis, RFA (5:27)

Davis had the opportunity to host two panels on topics right in her wheelhouse – innovation and transportation. The Ready for Innovation panel featured exciting opportunities for biorefineries to expand into new markets and uses, including green chemical manufacturing. Listen to the panelists’ presentations below:

Geoffrey Inch, Sustainability & Circular Economy Director, Braskem

RFANEC23 Geoffrey Inch, Braskem (13:06)
Michael Bloesch, President & CEO, Next Wave Energy Partners

RFANEC23 Michael Bloesch, Next Wave Energy Partners (21:58)
Leigh Abrams, Renewable Fuels Offering Manager, Honeywell UOP
RFANEC23 Leigh Abrams, Honeywell UOP (16:16)

Davis also moderated the panel on Confronting Supply Chain Challenges, including labor issues, infrastructure problems, and other difficulties that continue to plague the rail, waterborne freight, and trucking industries. Listen to what her panelists had to say about what’s being done to address these challenges and future growth:

Ken Eriksen, Senior Vice President, Agri Supply Chain, S&P Global Commodity Insights
RFANEC23 presentation Ken Eriksen, S&P Global (35:37)
Dan Keen, Assistant Vice President, Policy Analysis, Association of American Railroads
RFANEC23 presentation Dan Keen, Association of American Railroads (21:46)

Click for more National Ethanol Conference content

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

#RFANEC Explores New Congress Opportunities

Cindy Zimmerman

There are almost 100 new Members in the 118th Congress this year, which provides obvious challenges for biofuels interests, but also some opportunities.

At the 2023 National Ethanol Conference, D.C. insiders provided an outlook for the new Congress and discussed the potential for legislation focused on transportation fuels during the New Congress, New Opportunities panel moderated by Troy Bredenkamp, Senior VP, Government & Public Affairs for the Renewable Fuels Association.

The panel featured Chris Hessler, Founding Partner, AJW, Inc.; Dan Bowerson, Senior Director, Energy & Environment, Alliance for Automotive Innovation; Frank Macchiarola, Senior Vice President of Policy, Economics, and Regulatory Affairs, American Petroleum Institute; and just recently former Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Retired.

RFANEC23 New Congress panel (46:00)

Bustos was the architect of the Next Generation Fuels Act when she was in Congress and she says there is still a chance for the legislation, which is being sponsored by Reps. Angie Craig (D-MN) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Sens. Amy Klobuchar(D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA). “We have the right people supporting it,” said Bustos. “Those are the four leaders and they’re the right people…they understand it and they’re passionate about it. But we still have a very divided Congress.”

Interview with Cheri Bustos, former U.S. Representative from Illinois
RFANEC23 interview with Cheri Bustos, former IL Rep. (9:02)

RFA NEC Virtual Newsroom

Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

ACE DC Fly-in Ready to Soar

Cindy Zimmerman

The last time American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) members were able to meet face-to-face with lawmakers in Washington D.C. was 2019. After three years of being cancelled, ACE is pleased to be headed back to the nation’s capitol for its 12th annual Washington, DC Fly-in and Government Affairs Summit, March 29-30.

ACE CEO Brian Jennings says there will be plenty for ethanol stakeholders to discuss, including last week’s proposal from EPA answering eight Midwest governors’ petition for year-round E15 that delays implementation until 2024. “Congress does have a role to play here because they could clarify the statute and make clear once and for all that any blend above E10 ought to be allowed to be used in conventional gasoline areas of the country because of lower evaporative emissions,” said Jennings. “So, that will become a center piece of our fly-in.”

Priorities for ACE advocates this year also include supporting technology-neutral clean fuel policy which recognizes farmers’ and ethanol producers’ contribution to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and promoting the Next Generation Fuels Act, as well as the Farm Bill, ensuring the Renewable Fuel Standard is getting back on track, and implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act.

For more information about the event, please contact Katie Muckenhirn at kmuckenhirn@ethanol.org or visit ethanol.org/events/fly-in.

Learn more about the ACE Fly-in from Brian Jennings in this interview.
ACE Fly-in preview with CEO Brian Jennings 3:59

Get more details from Katie Muckenhirn, Vice President of Government Affairs
Classic 23 interview with Katie Muckenhirn, American Coalition for Ethanol (3:32)

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Iowa and Nebraska AGs Push EPA for E15 by Summer

Cindy Zimmerman

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers started the challenge against the EPA’s illegally delayed decision regarding the sale of year-round E15 gasoline this week by sending an intent-to-sue letter demanding EPA change the proposed rule to allow for E15 sales this summer.

The letter requests that the EPA issue a waiver allowing sale of year-round E15 starting April 28, 2023. Sending the letter is a required step under federal law at least 60 days before filing a lawsuit. Should the EPA fail to change the rule’s effective start date, the States have reserved the right to sue.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper said they appreciate the action taken by the AGs. “The law is clear—EPA should have finalized the Governors’ petition last July and had everything ready to go for this summer. Now, the marketplace finds itself in between a rock and hard place because of the administration’s inaction, and consumers are at risk of losing access to low-cost, lower-carbon E15 in a few short months. We join these AGs in urging EPA to follow through on its statutory obligation to finalize the Governors petition before this summer.”

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Ethanol Report on #RFANEC 2023 Highlights

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association 2023 National Ethanol Conference coincided with the release of EPA’s proposed rule to allow year round sales of E15 ethanol, making it a very timely event with attendance back to pre-pandemic levels.

This edition of the Ethanol Report podcast includes highlights from the NEC, including remarks from RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper; Ben Hengst, EPA Deputy Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality; Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds; Former Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL); RFA Director, Government Affairs Jared Mullendore; Dana Jackson, Partner with RSM US; Former RFA chair Randall Doyal; and current RFA chair Erik Huschitt, Badger State Ethanol.

Ethanol Report 3-6-22 20:18

The Ethanol Report is a podcast about the latest news and information in the ethanol industry that has been sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association since 2008.

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Audio, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA