The Renewable Fuels Association was born in 1981 and RFA is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year by spotlighting some of the pioneers in the ethanol industry who were there at the beginning. Like Ron Miller in our first feature, Bruce Heine is another oil guy who started to see the potential of ethanol during the 1970s oil embargo and …
Legislation Would Extend Biodiesel Tax Credit
Legislation was introduced this week in both the House and the Senate that would extend the biodiesel tax credit through 2025. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the bipartisan Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Act of 2021 in the Senate, while Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA) and Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) put forth the bill in the House. The …
Happy Silver Anniversary to Al-Corn
Al-Corn Clean Fuel in Claremont, MN, is celebrating 25 years of successful operations this week. On April 29, 1996 the process of converting corn into ethanol began with the first corn being ground. Originally constructed as a 10 million gallon a year facility, Al-Corn has undergone a series of expansion and modernization projects and now produces 125 million gallons annually. …
U.S. Biodiesel Celebrates 3 Billion Gallons
The National Biodiesel Board is pleased to celebrate National Biodiesel Day by announcing that the industry has reached a milestone of 3 billion gallons in operating capacity. National Biodiesel Day is celebrated on March 18 in honor of Rudolf Diesel who invented the diesel engine, which was originally designed to run on renewable peanut oil. Three billion gallons is significant …
RFA Opposes Extending RFS Compliance Deadlines
In a virtual public hearing this week, the Renewable Fuels Association opposed the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed extension of the 2019 and 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard compliance deadlines, calling it a last minute favor to oil refiners made by former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on his way out the door. In his testimony, RFA Chief Economist Scott Richman said, “All …
DOJ Opposes Supreme Court Review of RFS Waivers Decision
The Department of Justice has recommended against a Supreme Court review of the Tenth Circuit Court’s ruling earlier this year that invalidated several small refinery exemptions issued by EPA under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The DOJ filed its response Wednesday to a petition submitted in September by oil refineries HollyFrontier Corporation and CVR Energy asking the Supreme Court to review …
Has the U.S. Really Achieved Energy Independence?
Opinion by Scott Richman, Renewable Fuels Association Chief Economist From the RFA Blog The recent conflict with Iran and its proxies in Iraq has served as a reminder of the enduring potential for geopolitical risk to unsettle petroleum markets – not just globally but also in the U.S. While the U.S. has become significantly more energy-secure over the last decade, …
RFA Stresses Ethanol Benefits at COP25
The Renewable Fuels Association told world leaders meeting this week in Madrid that low-carbon ethanol is an economical and proven solution for fighting global climate change. RFA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Kelly Davis is attending the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP25) with a small delegation of U.S. farm and biofuel industry leaders to promote the environmental benefits of ethanol …
Celebrate Biodiesel Day
Wear that St. Patrick’s Day green another day today and celebrate the green fuel that is biodiesel. National Biodiesel Day is celebrated on March 18 because it is the birthday of Rudolf Diesel, inventor of the Diesel engine, which he originally ran using peanut oil. Biodiesel today is made from a diverse mix of feedstocks including recycled cooking oil, soybean …
Wheeler Affirms Commitment to E15 Timetable
Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler confirmed the agency’s commitment to getting a rule on year-round E15 out in time for the summer driving season, as long as the partial government shutdown allows it to happen. “We’re still on schedule for that, (but) we’re not able to work on it during the government shutdown,” said Wheeler during a hearing before the …