Verbio Acquires South Bend Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Verbio North America Holdings Corporation has acquired South Bend Ethanol in Indiana, making it the company’s second U.S. production facility following the successful commissioning of its Nevada, Iowa plant. Verbio intends to subsequently expand and develop the plant into a modern biorefinery at an estimated total investment of $230 million.

“We are excited about the opportunity to integrate the production of ethanol with renewable natural gas
(RNG) in the state of Indiana,” comments Stefan Schreiber, Executive Board Member for North America
of Verbio AG, the German based parent company. “We believe this transaction provides an excellent path
for Verbio to further strengthen its North America business and growth strategy. The site offers a
competitive location as well as existing infrastructure and meets our requirements for access to the natural
gas grid, electricity, feedstock sources and water supply.”

Verbio will retain the assets of the existing ethanol plant and seek to improve yields and reduce energy
consumption over the next several months. The investment will incorporate additional equipment and
processes necessary to produce value-added by-products, such as liquid fertilizers. Further, the Inflation
Reduction Act of 2022, aiming to boost investments in climate protection and clean energy in the United
States, offers provisions that will benefit the Verbio project.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, RNG

May is Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska

Cindy Zimmerman

May is the month to celebrate Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska, highlighting the importance of renewable biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, especially for the Cornhusker State.

Fueled by Nebraska, a partnership of Nebraska biofuels organizations, and the Nebraska Soybean Board, is leading the initiative this month to celebrate renewable fuels as we head into the summer driving season. Gov. Jim Pillen will make the official declaration of May as Renewable Fuels Month later this week.

“Nebraska agriculture is well-positioned to greatly impact the country’s transition to be less carbon-intensive. While new technologies find their footing, corn and soybeans grown right here in Nebraska will continue to feed and fuel the world for a long time,” said Sherry Vinton, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. “Please celebrate this hard work with us throughout May. Fill up with biofuels, save money, and tell others of the importance of renewable fuels to our state and communities.”

Ethanol is the third largest Nebraska agriculture commodity, and the use of a 10% blend saves Nebraskans $275 million per year. Nebraska is also the second largest producer of ethanol in the country. For soybean growers in the states, biodiesel adds 70 cents per bushel to the value of soybeans while reducing lifecycle emissions by 86% compared to petroleum-based diesel fuel.

Biodiesel, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Soybeans

Ethanol Report on E15 Summer Waiver

Cindy Zimmerman

After waiting until the very last minute, the Environmental Protection Agency issued an emergency fuel waiver to allow E15 gasoline — gasoline blended with 15% ethanol — to be sold during the summer driving season this year. A decision had to be made before April 30 so terminal operators would still be able to sell the blend after May 1.

In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, Renewable Fuels Association Senior Vice president for Government and Public Affairs Troy Bredenkamp talks about the waiver and what comes next to avoid the same situation next year. The report also includes audio with EPA Administrator Michael Regan, Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA), and Rep. Rusty Johnson (R-SD) from a House Agriculture Committee hearing held April 19.

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Ethanol Report 4-28-23 22:44

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

EPA Agrees to Allow Summer E15 This Year

Cindy Zimmerman

After weeks of intense lobbying by ethanol supporters, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided to use its existing authority to provide continued access throughout the summer months for E15, literally at the very last moment to allow continued sale of the fuel from terminals after April 30th

EPA announced today that the 15% ethanol fuel blend will be exempted from summer volatility requirements that effectively block sales from June 1 to Sept. 15 throughout much of the country. As it did last year, EPA cites conditions similar to last year and “determined that extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances exist and has granted a temporary waiver to help ensure that an adequate supply of gasoline is available.”

EPA’s emergency fuel waiver will go into effect on May 1 when terminal operators would otherwise no longer be able to sell E15 in the affected regions of the country and will last through May 20 which is the statutory maximum of 20 days. EPA will continue to monitor the supply with industry and federal partners, and the Agency expects to issue new waivers effectively extending the emergency fuel waiver until such time as the extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances due to the war in Ukraine are no longer present.

Ethanol stakeholder organizations welcomed the news. “We join consumers across the nation in thanking EPA Administrator Regan for taking action to combat potential fuel shortages and higher gas prices this summer,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “U.S. gasoline inventories are even tighter than they were a year ago, and Putin’s war on Ukraine continues to wreak havoc on global fuel supplies. EPA’s action allowing summertime E15 will help extend gasoline supplies, prevent fuel shortages, protect air quality and reduce carbon emissions.”

“We appreciate Administrator Regan’s timely action to prevent a disruption in E15 availability,” said National Corn Growers Association President Tom Haag. “EPA’s action will help address fuel supply constraints and ensure drivers continue to have access to a lower-cost fuel choice that cuts emissions.”

American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings thanked the agency but added a permanent remedy to expand consumer access for E15 long term is still necessary. “This annual drama of threatened summertime E15 sales, followed by last-minute reprieves, has got to end. It’s wearing on retailers selling E15 today and is a major reason more marketers aren’t offering it,” Jennings. “Consumers could be saving 5 to 15 cents per gallon and emissions could be reduced if Congress would fix the problem and pass legislation making E15 legal year-round.”

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

ACE Opens Registration for 36th Annual Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

“Everything Counts” is the theme for the 36th annual American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference, August 23-25, at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center and registration is now open.

“ACE continues working to ensure farmers and ethanol producers are in a position to obtain valuable clean fuel credits for the many steps they are taking to improve ethanol’s carbon score,” said Brian Jennings, ACE CEO. “We encourage ethanol producers and industry members to join us in the Twin Cities this summer to discuss these and other initiatives ACE is working on to increase the value of and demand for ethanol.”

“For nearly four decades, biofuel stakeholders have utilized the ACE conference as an opportunity to not only have candid conversations about the latest technology developments and market updates, but also about where the industry is headed and aspires to be,” said Katie Muckenhirn, ACE Vice President of Public Affairs. “We’re developing an event agenda that encompasses what industry leaders need to know and explores topics aimed at framing the continued future success of this industry.”

The conference provides two days of general sessions, including updates from ACE leadership, and topics like new uses and markets for ethanol producers, the retail marketplace for E15 and E85, farm-to-biofuel carbon market opportunities, and trade developments. The conference also offers breakout sessions with subjects covering the latest in technology updates, strategic planning advice, as well as ways for ethanol plants to lower their carbon score and raise profitability.

This year’s event also includes the option to attend the Minnesota Twins versus Texas Rangers game on the evening of August 24. Stay tuned for more agenda details and event announcements over the coming months. For more information about the event, or to support the conference via a sponsorship, please contact Katie Muckenhirn at kmuckenhirn@ethanol.org or visit ethanol.org/events/conference.

ACE, ACE Ethanol Conference, Ethanol, Ethanol News

RFA Welcomes New Director of Environment, Health & Safety

Cindy Zimmerman


The Renewable Fuels Association has named ethanol industry veteran Justin Schultz as its new Director of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S). In this role, he will serve as a resource to member companies on EH&S and regulatory issues, interact with key regulatory agencies, lead RFA’s member committees focused on EH&S issues, and oversee other activities that support the association’s mission.

Before joining RFA, Schultz worked for Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy since 2009. He has managed regulatory, safety, and compliance issues for the Council Bluffs, Iowa, biorefinery. His duties included managing programs regulated by OSHA , FDA, SEC, and other federal and state agencies, as well as investor relations and interacting with state and federal legislators and regulators on industry policy issues. He also has served seven years on the Pottawattamie County board of supervisors and holds the rank of Major in the Iowa Army National Guard. Schultz has also been an active member of RFA’s Young Professionals Network since its inception. Schultz received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree from American University in Washington.

“I am thoroughly excited to be joining the RFA team for this incredible opportunity—I’m truly honored and grateful,” Schultz said. “With my unique set of skills and experience, I hope to bring a fact-based, real-world perspective to the regulatory agencies and policy makers whose decisions affect RFA’s members. Our industry has some tough challenges and some big opportunities ahead, and I am eager to hit the ground running!”

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

RFA Unveils New Ethanol Emergency Response Website

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association has unveiled a new and improved Ethanol Emergency Response website, where emergency responders can easily access the various types of training resources offered.

The new website was created under a grant received from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration through TRANSCAER, an outreach program focused on assisting communities and training emergency responders to prepare for and respond to hazardous material transportation incidents.

“One of RFA’s main priorities is safety in the renewable fuels industry, and we consider it our mission to help and provide the best resources available to our ethanol plants and the emergency response community,” said RFA Director of Safety and Technical Programs Missy Ruff. “The new Ethanol Emergency Response website helps us ensure the best resources are easily available and user friendly. We are thankful to have received the ALERT Grant through TRANSCAER.”

Through this website, visitors can learn about the many elements of RFA’s award-winning emergency training program—seminars, webinars and self-paced online opportunities—along with a library of training materials that can now be viewed and downloaded in both English and Spanish versions. The Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response consists of eight modules. Each module includes an instructor manual, participant guide, PowerPoint presentation embedded with instructor notes and training video—also available in both English and Spanish.

Last year, RFA sponsored 37 training opportunities for more than 1200 individuals. Since its inception in 2010, RFA’s safety program has been responsible for training over 15,000 individuals and conducting over 400 training sessions and events.

Check out the new Ethanol Emergency Response website

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA, transportation

Comment Period for Eight State E15 Waiver Ends

Cindy Zimmerman

The comment period for EPA’s proposed rule issued in response to petitions by the governors of several Midwest states to remove the 1-pound per square inch Reid vapor pressure waiver for summer conventional gasoline containing 10% ethanol ended yesterday, almost exactly one year to the day since it was requested. EPA is proposing to remove the 1-psi waiver in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin starting in 2024, leaving this summer in limbo without any plans to allow sales of the less expensive fuel option for most vehicles on the road today.

In formal comments filed yesterday, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) said EPA should implement a regulation allowing the lower-cost, lower-carbon E15 fuel blend to be sold in eight Midwest states this summer, rather than waiting until 2024 as proposed. “There is no economic, environmental, or legal justification for the Agency to defer implementation another year,” wrote RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “If there is any problem with implementing the governors’ requests this summer, it is one of the administration’s own making, which is not a legitimate reason for further delay.”

RFA’s comments focused on three other points:
EPA did not demonstrate that implementing the year-round E15 regulation this summer would cause an insufficient supply of gasoline in the petitioning states; an insufficient supply is the only permissible justification for delaying implementation.
EPA mischaracterizes RFA-commissioned studies from MathPro and ICF that indicate implementation of the governors’ request in 2023 is expected to be manageable.
Any difficulty in implementing the regulation starting this summer, rather than in 2024, would likely be a result of the EPA’s lengthy delay in responding to the governors’ petitions.

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) also submitted comments to EPA yesterday. CEO Brian Jennings says if EPA chooses not to implement the rule in 2023, the “legally questionable delay to 2024 will force millions of people in conventional gasoline areas of the U.S. to pay much more at the pump during this year’s summer driving season – on the heels of last year’s record-high gasoline prices and continued inflationary pressure on American families.”

With the sense of urgency about the fast-approaching June 1, 2023 summer driving season and market access for E15 in all areas of the country, including conventional gasoline areas, Jennings urged the Agency to take emergency action in ACE’s comments. “Given the pressing need for consumers in conventional gasoline areas of the country to have access to the lowest-cost fuel available to most vehicles on the road this summer, we strongly urge EPA to take emergency steps pursuant to Section 211(c)(4)(C)(ii) to allow E15 for the 2023 summer driving season, similar to the steps taken by yourself and President Biden last year.”

During a House Agriculture Committee hearing this week, EPA Administrator Michael Regan told lawmakers the agency was just not able to get the governors’ request completed as quickly as required. “We took that request very seriously, we tried to ramp it up in a timely fashion to have 2023 included, but we’re probably not going to be able to do that,” Regan said.

“Because there would be a significant disruption in consumer pricing and the like if we move too quickly in 2023,” Regan said. “We feel confident that E15 being sold year round will be ready to go in 2024 – 2023 is a little too soon for that rule making.”

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

What ChatGPT Knows About Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

What does the artificial intelligence chatbot known as ChatGPT know about ethanol? I decided to chat with ChatGPT and find out.

One question I asked was “Is ethanol fuel good for the environment?”

ChatGPT response:
Ethanol fuel can have both positive and negative impacts on the environment, depending on how it is produced and used.

On the positive side, ethanol fuel is a renewable fuel source that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful pollutants when used in place of gasoline. Ethanol is produced from crops such as corn, sugarcane, and switchgrass, which absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, helping to offset the emissions from burning the fuel. Ethanol can also reduce emissions of other harmful pollutants such as benzene, a known carcinogen, and particulate matter.

However, there are also some potential negative impacts of ethanol fuel on the environment. For example, producing ethanol from corn and other crops requires significant amounts of water, energy, and other resources. It can also lead to deforestation and habitat destruction as farmers clear land to plant crops for fuel production.

In addition, the use of ethanol fuel in some vehicles and equipment can lead to decreased fuel efficiency, which can increase overall emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

When questioned about what it knew about E15, ChatGPT gave a brief summary of what it is (15% ethanol, 85% gasoline), how it was approved for use by EPA in 2001 model year and newer vehicles by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2011, advantages and concerns. “Despite these concerns, E15 fuel is becoming more widely available at gas stations across the United States, and many automakers have approved its use in newer vehicles.”

However, when asked “Can E15 be used in the summer months in the US?” ChatGPT was behind the times, saying “E15 is approved for year-round use in vehicles that are designed to use it…EPA issued a final rule in 2019 that allows for the year-round sale of E15 in the United States, reversing previous regulations that restricted the sale of E15 during the summer months due to concerns about increased emissions from gasoline evaporating in warm weather.”

When I responded that the Supreme Court reversed that rule for E15, ChatGPT apologized and said, “You are correct that the Supreme Court reversed the EPA’s rule allowing for the year-round sale of E15 in the United States. In June 2021, the Supreme Court ruled in a case brought by oil refiners and others that the EPA had exceeded its authority in allowing year-round sales of E15.”

Continuing the conversation, I asked “Will EPA approve E15 sales for this summer?”
As of my knowledge cutoff of September 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had not yet issued a new rule regarding the year-round sale of E15 following the Supreme Court decision. However, it is possible that the EPA may issue a new rule or take other actions to address the ruling and potentially allow for year-round sales of E15 in the future.

In the meantime, it’s important for consumers to be aware of the seasonal restrictions on E15 sales and to check with fuel retailers and state regulatory agencies to determine if E15 is available and approved for use in their vehicles or equipment during the summer months. It’s also important for consumers to follow the recommendations of vehicle and equipment manufacturers regarding the use of ethanol blends and to use caution when using higher ethanol blends in non-approved equipment.

ChatGPT explained that its training data is based on a specific time period, ending September 2021. “However, I may not have information on more recent events or developments unless they were part of my training data or unless I have been updated with new data since then.”

AI, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News

EPA Administrator Grilled on Summer E15

Cindy Zimmerman

Despite repeated questioning from members of the House Agriculture Committee on the topic, EPA Administrator Michael Regan refused to say when, or if, the agency will grant emergency waivers to allow retail sales of E15 this summer.

“If I give you an answer today I can guarantee you that somebody’s going to file into court and it’s going to be kicked out tomorrow,” Regan responded to a plea from Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) that time is running short and ethanol plants and fuel retailers need an answer soon. “Prior administrations attempted to issue E15 waivers and they were overturned by the court,” said Regan.

In response to questioning by Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), Regan said the agency just did not have enough time to allow the eight states who requested a waiver for E15 to be able to sell it this summer. “We took that request very seriously, we tried to ramp it up in a timely fashion to have 2023 included, but we’re probably not going to be able to do that,” Regan said.

Regan told Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) why they would not get it done for this summer in those eight states. “Because there would be a significant disruption in consumer pricing and the like if we move too quickly in 2023,” Regan said. “We feel confident that E15 being sold year round will be ready to go in 2024 – 2023 is a little too soon for that rule making.”

The administrator said in order to grant the waivers for the eight states – Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin – EPA has to do an air quality modeling analysis to determine whether or not E15 would “have any adverse impact,” despite the fact that E15 has been sold in the summer months nationwide for the past three years.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) took Regan to task for delaying the decision on the eight state waiver, and for not making the decision to allow E15 this summer. “It’s because of your agency’s inability to do your job in a timely manner,” said Van Orden. “It constitutes a crisis for our farmers and other consumers.”

“Use the empiric knowledge that you gathered to get this waiver to use E15 year round, use the same information because it hasn’t changed, so that we can use E15 this year,” Van Orden added. “If the conditions were the exact same as they were last year when I was administrator, I would have issued that E15 waiver,” Regan responded.

Democrat Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota also weighed in on the E15 situation, asking if the administration would take action in time for the summer driving season, but getting a non-answer from the administrator. “We haven’t taken anything off the table and the E15 waiver is being looked at as a potential tool for this summer in addition to the longer term strategy around our response to the eight governors for a year round E15 waiver for those states in 2024,” said Regan.

EPA's Michael Regan hearing - Rep. Mike Bost 1:23

EPA's Michael Regan hearing - Rep. Dusty Johnson 3:04

EPA's Michael Regan hearing - Rep. Randy Feenstra 1:54

EPA's Michael Regan hearing - Rep. Van Orden 2:02

EPA's Michael Regan hearing - Rep. Angie Craig 5:13

Audio, E15, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News