House Expected to Vote on Food and Fuel Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote today on the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act led by Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), a package of legislation designed to address supply chain issues for the American energy and agriculture sectors, combat rising fertilizer prices and increase the availability of higher ethanol blends and other biofuels.

The legislation includes Spanberger’s Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act which would tackle anticompetitive practices and increase fairness in the American meat and poultry industry, as well as the Butcher Block Act to expand regional livestock and meat processing capacity.

The Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act also includes contributions from Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA) to help lower prices at the pump by:
Expanding U.S. biofuels investments and giving consumers the choice to purchase fuels that are cheaper than standard gasoline.
Deploying additional storage and dispensing equipment to increase availability of higher ethanol blends and other biofuels.
Moving forward with voluntary year-round sale of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol — known as E-15 or Unleaded 88.

“We are helping not just reduce our carbon emissions and helping our agriculture communities, we are literally putting money in people’s pockets because they’re saving,” said Rep. Axne about allowing year round sales of E15.

Rep. Spanberger held a press conference Wednesday with Rep. Axne, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH), Dean Phillips (D-MN), and Susie Lee (D-NV).

House Food and Fuel Costs bill presser 23:35

Audio, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, food and fuel

Clariant Produces First Commercial Cellulosic Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Global specialty chemical company Clariant announced this week that the first commercial cellulosic ethanol has been produced at its sunliquid® production plant in Podari, Romania.

The company has a multi-year agreement with Shell to supply the product. Approximately 50,000 tons of second-generation biofuels will be derived from 250,000 tons of locally sourced agricultural residues, primarily in the form of straw. The cellulosic ethanol produced at this plant can be applied as a drop-in solution for fuel blending but also offers further downstream application opportunities for sustainable aviation fuel and bio-based chemicals.

Christian Librera, Head of Business Line Biofuels & Derivatives added: “The advanced biofuel produced by the sunliquid® technology process supports the decarbonization of the transport sector by providing up to 120 % CO2 savings compared to fossil fuel. It is particularly encouraging to see that despite the global pandemic, we have successfully managed to start production in our flagship sunliquid® cellulosic ethanol plant on schedule. This proves that Clariant’s technology is commercially deployable and accelerates our licensing business strategy. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all colleagues and partners involved.”

advanced biofuels, Cellulosic, International

FEW Honors Ethanol Industry Leaders

Cindy Zimmerman

Two ethanol industry veterans were recognized for their service and commitment to the biofuels industry this week at the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo (FEW), taking place in Minneapolis.

Randall Doyal, the recently retired CEO of Claremont, Minnesota-based Al-Corn Clean Fuel, received the 2022 FEW High Octane Award for his vision, leadership and advocacy.

Doyal began his career in 1982, taking a job at a small 1 MMgy ethanol plant in Portales, New Mexico, near his hometown. Not knowing anything about ethanol production—as an aspiring minister and carpenter—he took a job in the plant and ended up turning the opportunity into a lifelong career. After a decade of foundational experience in Portales, Doyal accepted a management position at Al-Corn Clean Fuel in 1995, relocating his family in Claremont, Minnesota. The plant was only 10 MMgy when he arrived, but expanded incrementally over the years to 50 MMgy before a major expansion in 2017 took the facility up to 130 MMgy. In addition to managing the plant and its many expansions over nearly 30 years, Doyal was also a founding member of the Renewable Products Marketing Group, better known as RPMG, a marketing cooperative that now represents 19 plants across seven states and is one of the country’s leading ethanol marketing firms. He also served as chairman of the Renewable Fuels Association in 2015-2016 and has held other industry posts.

“Randy is one of the ethanol industry’s true pioneers and has been a driving force behind many of the industry’s policy and marketplace accomplishments over the past four decades,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. Last year, Doyal was profiled as part of a series on RFA’s 40th anniversary as one who was there at the beginning.

John Christianson, the founder and current director of Willmar, Minnesota-based Christianson PLLP, received the 2022 Award of Excellence for helping farmers and investors organize and grow the ethanol industry in its formative years.

Christianson, who grew up on a farm just a few miles from where he would start his renowned accounting firm, Christianson PLLP, also began his career knowing very little about ethanol. As a young certified public accountant in Willmar, Minnesota, in the early 1980s, Christianson gained experience and made important connections during the challenging farm crisis years. In the early ’90s, he started working with a farmer co-op in Benson, Minnesota, helping with the formation of what would become the Chippewa Valley Ethanol Co. ethanol plant. Helping CVEC turned out to be a turning point. Christianson’s involvement with ethanol rapidly took off, and his firm grew and expanded its services, eventually becoming a 90-plus person, full-service CPA and business advisory firm that it is today widely relied upon by ethanol producers. He and his team, listening to their clients, created new and innovative ways to help ethanol producers marry their financial and grain accounting systems. They created Intelego, an enterprise planning software now branded as Beyond, which is currently used in as many as 80 U.S. ethanol plants. His company was instrumental in developing dozens of ethanol plants during the construction boom of 2000’s and is maybe most recognized for its Ethanol Plant Benchmarking program used throughout the U.S. ethanol industry. Christianson left his managing partner role at the firm to become a director in 2021. He is also a member of the Minnesota Governor’s Biofuels Council and current board member of the American Coalition for Ethanol.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, FEW, RFA

Chevron Completes Acquisition of REG

Cindy Zimmerman

Chevron Corporation has completed its previously announced acquisition of Renewable Energy Group, Inc. following approval by REG stockholders.

“We have brought together companies with complementary capabilities, assets, and customer relationships to make Chevron one of the leading renewable fuels companies in the United States,” said Mark Nelson, executive vice president of Downstream & Chemicals for Chevron. “Chevron now offers our customers an expanded suite of cost-effective, lower carbon solutions that utilize today’s fleets and infrastructure.”

Cynthia “CJ” Warner, former president and CEO of REG, has been appointed to Chevron’s Board of Directors with the completion of the acquisition.

Clean Fuels Alliance America CEO Donnell Rehagen welcomed news of the acquisition and noted that Chad Stone of REG will continue to lead the Clean Fuels Governing Board as chair.

“This is a meaningful acquisition for our industry and for Clean Fuels for many reasons,” said Rehagen, who noted that Iowa-based REG has been an association member since 2006. “REG has been a leader in our industry from its inception, being one of the very first companies to build a biodiesel plant in the United States. This leadership in renewable fuels, coupled with the history and strength in the energy sector Chevron brings, will continue to build on the momentum our industry is experiencing as the country continues on its path of carbon reduction through cleaner fuels.”

With 11 biorefineries in the U.S. and Europe and more than half a billion gallons of production of biodiesel and renewable diesel, REG is also one of Clean Fuels’ largest members in terms of fuel production.

REG will remain headquartered in Ames, Iowa, and the team will focus on growing Chevron’s portfolio of lower carbon fuels and feedstocks. The combined company is committed to harnessing complementary cultures and proven track records of developing innovative technologies to grow its renewable fuels production capacity to 100,000 barrels per day by 2030.

Biodiesel, Clean Fuels Alliance, REG, renewable diesel

ACE Introducing Carbon Intensity Calculator at FEW

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is introducing a new carbon intensity (CI) calculator to the industry this week during the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo in Minneapolis.

The CI calculator was developed as a tool to help producers understand the carbon intensity (CI) of their farms and ethanol operations. There is also a simplified version of the tool to raise awareness about factors impacting the CI of ethanol. Both help illustrate corn ethanol’s ability to attain net-zero and net-negative greenhouse gas emissions.

“ACE is focused on highlighting how climate-smart farming practices, efficiencies at ethanol plants, and the capture and sequestration of CO2 from facilities puts ethanol on a trajectory to reach both net-zero and net-negative emissions; a trajectory unique to ethanol,” said Brian Jennings, ACE CEO.

Jennings talks about the potential for the CI calculator in this interview.
ACE CEO Brian Jennings interview 10:46

The calculator was created by South Dakota farmer and ACE board member Ron Alverson to allow users to estimate a carbon score and compare it to the Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET model and average scores used by the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

“When I first looked at the GREET model’s ‘Midwest average’ carbon intensity for corn production, I immediately saw the potential for rapid reductions with more accurate modeling that reflected actual climate-smart production practices being employed by tens of thousands of farmers across the Midwest,” said Alverson. “The CI calculator we developed at ACE is a tool for farmers and ethanol producers to see for themselves what their potential is to lower their carbon score.”

Listen to Alverson talk about the carbon intensity calculator at last year’s American Coalition for Ethanol annual conference.
ACE 2021 Interview with Ron Alverson, past ACE president 4:26

ACE 2021 - Ron Alverson remarks 14:19

ACE, Audio, Carbon, carbon capture, Ethanol, Ethanol News, FEW

Ohio Governor Petitions EPA on E15

Cindy Zimmerman

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine sent a letter Friday to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan asking that the agency permanently remove restrictions around the sale of 15 percent ethanol (E-15) fuel.

“E-15 offers Ohio consumers cleaner emissions, more fuel from renewable sources, and, perhaps most critically, a less expensive fuel option,” said Governor DeWine. “By permanently removing unneeded summertime E-15 regulations, we can encourage more Ohio gas stations to offer E-15 and give Ohioans an option that provides real gas price relief.”

Earlier this year, the U.S. EPA issued an emergency waiver for 2022, allowing for the sale of E-15 during the summer months when environmental regulations typically prohibit its use. Governor DeWine is requesting that the summer waiver become permanent beginning in the summer of 2023.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper thanked Gov. DeWine for joining eight governors from Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin that took a similar action earlier this year.

“Gov. DeWine should be applauded for pursuing a simple regulatory solution that will allow consumers in Ohio to benefit from E15’s lower cost and lower emissions throughout the year,” said Cooper. “We continue to call on other states and the EPA to take similar action, so that the benefits of E15 can be permanently enjoyed by drivers across the nation.”

The E15 blend currently provides drivers savings of up to 40 cents a gallon or more, compared to regular unleaded E10 gasoline. Cooper also highlighted recent research from refining sector experts that showed the action sought by the governors would impact gasoline production costs by just 1.5 cents per gallon or less in the Midwest.

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

RFA Revved Up for 2022 Fuel Ethanol Workshop

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association is packing up the UTV and heading to Minneapolis next week to take part in the 38th annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo next week.

This year, RFA has three staff members speaking at the conference, while also showcasing its recent build with Hauk Designs, the Flex-Fuel Can-Am UTV, at its Expo Booth.

“We are thrilled to be back again attending the 2022 Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper, who provided the keynote address at last year’s FEW. “With some of our leading staff speaking each day of the conference, and with a great presence in the Expo again this year, we hope to help attendees see the great opportunity and innovation that lies ahead for our industry.”

RFA Vice President for Industry Relations Robert White will be presenting a look at today’s U.S. ethanol industry in the annual FEW Ethanol 101 Workshop, at 1:30 p.m. Monday. During the FEW General Session Tuesday morning, RFA Senior Vice President for Government and Public Affairs Troy Bredenkamp takes part in an executive roundtable on cementing ethanol’s place in tomorrow’s fuels portfolio. Finally, at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Vice President for Technical and Regulatory Affairs Kelly Davis will moderate a breakout panel on exploring new uses for ethanol to diversify markets.

The Fuel Ethanol Workshop runs June 13-15.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, FEW, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Navigator to Provide Carbon Services for POET Plants

Cindy Zimmerman

Navigator CO2 Ventures has signed an agreement to provide carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) services to POET biorefineries on Navigator’s Heartland Greenway system.

The agreement outlines Navigator’s integrated CCUS services for approximately five (5) million metric tons of POET’s biogenic CO2 annually and establishes a collaborative path for the development of a central carbon offset marketplace and carbon use logistics platform. The system will phase in 18 of POET’s bioprocessing facilities across Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota, and is on schedule for operational in-service in 2025.

“We recognize that now is the time to take bold action to preserve our planet for future generations,” said Jeff Broin, POET Founder and CEO. “POET has been a leader in low-carbon biofuels and CO2 capture for commercial use for decades, and this project is another significant step in utilizing bioprocessing to accelerate our path to net-zero. We choose our partners carefully, and we believe Navigator has the expertise to deliver long-term value to rural America by further positioning agricultural commodities as a viable source of low-carbon liquid fuels to power our future.”

The companies say the joint effort will create the largest combined distribution network for high-quality, biogenic CO2. With the addition of POET to the platform, Navigator’s Heartland Greenway system will provide CCUS services for more than 30 industrial processors across the agriculture and food production value chains, representing over 10 million tons of annual CO2 emissions, including the two largest bioethanol producers in the United States.

biofuels, Carbon, carbon capture, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Indy 500 Highlights Ethanol’s Role in Global Market

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) in collaboration with the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, hosted delegations from Japan, South Korea, India and Indonesia at the recent Indianapolis 500 to see the role ethanol plays in the annual race.

Fourteen participants from Indonesia, Japan and Korea were in Illinois to gain on-the-ground experience including stops at farms, retail stations and ethanol plants.

In a similar fashion, a group of 11 participants from India’s automobile trade, government and petroleum industry were in Missouri to get a better understanding of the U.S. ethanol value chain and the environmental, economic and health benefits ethanol presents. Discussions at the various facilities spanned across the technology of ethanol pumps, retail infrastructure and production capacity.

Upon arriving in Indiana, both groups had the opportunity to meet with several drivers competing in the race before taking part in an educational session on ethanol blending and its benefits. The group heard from several speakers during the session: ethanol distributors and retailers, an automotive repair shop and a race organizing agency. The presentations facilitated technical conversations about best practices for ethanol blending among participants from the various countries.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Indy Racing, USGC

Millions and Billions of Miles on E15

Cindy Zimmerman

NASCAR drivers have driven 20 million E15 miles on the track while regular drivers have logged more than 30 billion miles off the track on the 15% ethanol blend fuel, according to Growth Energy.

E15 is currently available at more than 2600 stations in 31 states and is offering drivers a lower priced alternative fuel with rising gas prices. E15 is approved for more than 96 percent of light duty vehicles, which account for 98 percent of all vehicle miles traveled in the United States. Even before the recent run-up in oil prices, it was estimated that nationwide access to E15 could save drivers $12.2 billion annually in fuel costs.

Sunoco Green E15 has powered NASCAR since 2011 and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent across NASCAR’s three national touring series while also increasing horsepower on the racetrack. To celebrate the 20 million mile mileston, Austin Dillon drive the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing Sunday at the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter.

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, NASCAR, Racing