Federal Agency – Advanced BioFuels USA

Guest Column: Read the Fine Print on the New E15 Rule

by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union) and Jim Seurer (Glacial Lakes Energy) (Farm Forum) … It does in fact, propose to provide year-round exemption from vapor pressure limits for blends of 15 percent ethanol, but does no more. The EPA proposal does not extend to higher blends. The anticipated increase

April 24, 2019 Read Full Article

Time to Keep the Promises for Farmers to Compete in Energy

by James Talent (The Hill/Americans for Energy Security and Innovation) … (Environmental Protection Agency head Andrew) Wheeler announced more oil industry handouts last month, bringing the total to 2.6 billion gallons over two years, which is enough to eliminate the market for nearly one billion bushels of grain. … Rural Republicans who

April 24, 2019 Read Full Article

The Advanced Bioeconomy: New Fortunes 2019

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Let’s turn to New Fortunes 2019 – our overview of what we believe will be the 24 hottest market segments in the near term – places to focus your innovations and to unlock value. From cannabis and new crops to advanced materials and superfoods, the bioeconomy is

April 24, 2019 Read Full Article

Jury Finds Pennsylvania Biofuel Company Owners Guilty of Tax and False Statements Conspiracy

(U.S. Department of Justice) Following a 14-day jury trial in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Ben T. Wootton, of Enola, Pennsylvania, and Race A. Miner, of Buena Vista, Colorado, were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to make false statements to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), six counts of making false statements to

April 24, 2019 Read Full Article

Celebrate Earth Week: Take a Look under the Hood of Advanced Biofuels USA’s E85 Retrofitted 2002 Ford Focus

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) You can reduce your travel carbon footprint without waiting for electric cars to be affordable, available, and running on renewable electricity with fair trade batteries. Recently, Advanced Biofuels USA co-founder and Treasurer, Bob Kozak and I have had two opportunities to take people on a

April 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Royal Farms Celebrates Sustainability Initiative with Opening of Latest Renewable Fuel Station

(Royal Farms/Protec Fuel) Pollution reduction equivalent of planting more than 54,000 trees already achieved with leading ethanol retail partner Protec Fuel — Royal Farms and Protec Fuel Management, LLC (Protec) today announced the completion of the first phase in a sustainability initiative designed to offer customers renewable fuel options that save money

April 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Earth Day 2019 – A Look at Carbon Negative and Carbon Capture Technologies, Advancements, and Possibilities

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … What was a nationwide celebration and peaceful demonstrations for environmental reform in the U.S. by some estimated 20 million Americans, Earth Day events have now expanded to over 193 countries and more than a billion people every year. … The top 5 CO2 producing countries in the

April 23, 2019 Read Full Article

NFU Urges Implementatin of E15 Waiver, Common-Sense Provisions for Higher Level Blends

(National Farmers Union/KTIC Radio) As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works towards allowing year-round use of E15 gasoline, National Farmers Union (NFU) is concerned EPA’s proposed rule will make it harder for retailers to sell higher level blends of ethanol. In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, NFU President Roger Johnson

April 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Putting CO₂ Emissions to Work: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Opus 12

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Opus 12 has developed a device that recycles CO₂ into cost-competitive chemicals and fuels. Their technology bolts onto any source of CO₂ emissions, and with only water and electricity as inputs, transforms that CO₂ into some of the world’s most critical chemical products. Opus 12 was

April 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Eligibility Criteria for Tribal and Alaska Native Biomass Demonstration Projects Under the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act

(U.S. Forest Service) The Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2017 amends the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), to enter into contracts or agreements with Indian tribes, and, in Alaska, tribal organizations to carry out demonstration projects to promote biomass

April 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Thank You, Biodiesel Industry

by Donnell Rehagen (National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) … This past year we engaged with organizations like National Renderers Association, National Association of Truck Stop Operators, American Soybean Association, Petroleum Marketers of America, and many more. The National Biodiesel Board has strengthened its reach and relationships by increasing regular dialogue with our industry

April 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Where Will All the Feedstock Come From?

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) As a new wave of large-scale biomass-based diesel projects develops, experts suggest market forces are ready to deliver the necessary fats, oils and greases. — …Many of these new biomass-based diesel projects intend to produce renewable diesel at a much larger scale than even the largest biodiesel

April 17, 2019 Read Full Article

2017 Ag Census Includes Data on On-Farm Methane Digesters

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The USDA announced the results of its 2017 Census of Agriculture on April 11. The report includes millions of new points of information about America’s farms and ranches and those who operate them, including data on on-farm biogas operations. According to the census, 686 methane digesters

April 17, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Seeks Comments on SRE Portion of Proposed REGS Rule DEADLINE: TBD

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA announced April 12 that it will reopen the comment period on one aspect of proposed rule issued in 2016 in an effort to “expand transparency surrounding the small refinery exemption program and provide further opportunity for input.” The agency’s announcement relates to its proposed

April 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Sustainable Super JET Fuels: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to High Performance Fuels

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Researchersfrom several labs and universities like Georgia Tech, Sandia National Labs, University of Dayton, and others are working together on Engine Optimized Sustainable Drop-in JET High Performance Fuels (HPF). Anthe George manages the Biomass Science and Conversion Technologies department at Sandia National Laboratories and gave this illuminating

April 17, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA to Propose Rule on Biomass Carbon Neutrality This Summer

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler recently informed federal lawmakers that the agency is working on a rulemaking that will define biomass as carbon neutral. A proposed rule is expected to be released this summer. … During the hearing, Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, said the past several

April 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Spero Renewables Announces Cooperative Agreement with the Department of Energy

(Spero Renewables/Online PR News) Spero Renewables Awarded $1.6 Million to Develop & Scale-up SPERLU™ Biomass-based Polymers Production — Spero Renewables, LLC, a Green chemistry company today announced a $1.6 million cooperative agreement with the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable energy division of the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and scale-up production of the company’s

April 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Gov. Ivey Awards Grant to AU for Feasibility Study on Biofuels Crop

(Office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey) A $39,757 grant, awarded by Gov. Kay Ivey, will enable Auburn University to determine if an oilseed crop can be successfully grown and marketed in Alabama as a biofuel and become another cash crop for the state’s farmers. Carinata, also known as Ethiopian mustard, is

April 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Queensland’s Quest for a Circular Bioeconomy

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) …Today we look at Queensland, Australia – the innovators, the leaders, the investors. In the last few days, a Queensland oil refinery said it is making biofuel from old tires and hopes to commercialize it soon to help take care of a huge tire waste issue in

April 15, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. EPA to Revise Proposed Freeze of Vehicle Fuel Economy Rules

by David Shepardson (Reuters) The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday the agency would revise its proposed freeze of vehicle fuel economy standards before unveiling its final regulation in the coming months. In August, the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed freezing requirements for new

April 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Senators Introduce Bipartisan Carbon Capture Bill

by Miranda Green (The Hill) A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill Thursday to increase federal funding toward developing carbon capture technology while also committing to fossil fuel use. Introduced by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), the bill is being hailed as an important step to addressing

April 12, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA’s Latest Effort on SRE Transparency Helpful Progress But Not Enough

(Growth Energy) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced they will take comment on the current process for issuing small refinery exemptions, allowing EPA to post the names of refineries who have applied for and received small refinery exemptions, an important first step in providing transparency in the process. While

April 12, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. EPA May Grant Fewer Biofuel Waivers Due to Low Credit Prices: Wheeler

by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could grant fewer waivers exempting small refineries from the country’s biofuel policy as lower prices for blending credits have reduced the cost of compliance, the agency’s administrator Andrew Wheeler told Reuters on Thursday. The Trump administration’s use of such waivers to save the

April 12, 2019 Read Full Article

From Bioenergy to Bioproducts: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to JBEI

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Joint BioEnergy Institute is a U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Center dedicated to developing advanced biofuels—liquid fuels derived from the solar energy stored in plant biomass that can replace gasoline, diesel and jet fuels. Inside JBEI’s Emeryville laboratories, researchers are using the latest tools in

April 12, 2019 Read Full Article

DOE Offers $59 Million for Advanced Vehicle Technologies Research DEADLINE: May 1, 2019

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy has opened a $59 million funding opportunity that aims to accelerate advanced vehicle technologies research. Clean Cities coalition-led alternative fuels projects are eligible to apply for a portion of that funding. According to the DOE, the funding opportunity seeks projects

April 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol Industry Gets Welcome News: USDA Study Shows It’s More Environmentally Friendly than Gasoline

(The Messenger) … The United States Department of Agriculture has just released the findings of a USDA study about the environmental impact of the corn-ethanol industry. The conclusions are superb news — ethanol has significant greenhouse gas benefits when compared to gasoline. The most important conclusion of an extensive research project,

April 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Study Shows Ethanol’s Impact

by John Huthmacher (Hastings Tribune) Ethanol continues to be a driving force in Nebraska’s economy, affecting a sizable portion of the state’s business sector. This, according to a recent impact study released by University of Nebraska-Lincoln economists. The report examines the economic impact of Nebraska’s ethanol industry between 2015-17. Authors are UNL agricultural

April 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Blender Pump Program Fuels Ethanol Demand

by Andy Raun (Hastings Tribune) An infrastructure investment initiative funded three years ago by several agencies and businesses has doubled the number of ethanol blender pumps in place throughout the state, giving motorists more options for powering their vehicles with renewable fuels. The last of 88 new advanced blender pumps was

April 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Augean RNG Project to Convert 150,000 Gallons of Dairy Waste Per Day

by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Brightmark Energy, a San Francisco-based owner and operator of waste and energy projects, recently launched a biogas project in Yakima County, Wash. The project is expected to convert 150,000 gallons per day of dairy waste from up to 7,000 cows into 160,000 MMBtu of renewable natural

April 9, 2019 Read Full Article

ABLC 2019 Round-Up

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … ABLC 2019 kicked off on Wednesday with about 540 delegates in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Department of Agriculture building complete with secret service protection and escorts for some big-name super star speakers, with a pretty exciting vibe in the room. In ABLC terms,

April 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Emissions from Low- and Mid-Level Blends of Anhydrous Ethanol in Gasoline 2019-01-0997

(SAE International) Typically ethanol is present in gasoline as a 10% blend by volume (E10), although E15, E85 (51 to 83%), and E0 are also available at selected stations. Numerous studies of tailpipe regulated emissions have been conducted to compare emissions from E10 and E0, and there is a growing body

April 8, 2019 Read Full Article

California Sues Trump Administration over Rollback of Emissions Standards

by Bob Egelko (San Francisco Chronicle) California’s Air Resources Board sued the Trump administration Friday for information that might support the federal government’s claim that its proposed weakening of auto emissions standards would save lives. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency introduced regulations last August to roll back fuel-efficiency standards adopted under

April 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Wheeler Addresses SREs, RVO Reallocation during Recent Hearings

by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler told federal lawmakers in early April that it would be difficult for the agency to reallocate biofuel volumes waived by small refinery exemptions (SREs), even if Congress provided a legislative mechanism to do so. He also said the agency aims

April 5, 2019 Read Full Article

UPDATE 1-EPA Waits on DOE Input to Process Small Refinery Waivers for 2018 from U.S. Biofuel Law

by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is waiting to receive input from the Department of Energy to process 2018 applications exempting small refineries from U.S. biofuel laws, the agency’s administrator Andrew Wheeler said on Tuesday. Speaking at a hearing at the House Appropriations Committee, Wheeler said he expected

April 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol Advocates Worry RIN Reform Proposals Will Derail E15 Expansion

by Jordan Godwin (Oil Price Information Service) With about two months to go before the start of the summer driving season, ethanol advocates are growing increasingly worried that EPA’s decision to combine in the same proposed rulemaking changes to how Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credits are trading and a volatility waiver for

April 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Democrats Still Need Rural Voters to Defeat Trump

by J.D. Scholten (The Hill) … To win back the White House, Democrats can’t just rely on “Whole Foods” districts of educated, affluent suburbanites. Democrats can do well in “Dollar General” districts if they show up and address the issues. No one gave me much of a chance when I ran against Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), but

April 1, 2019 Read Full Article

Biofuels Advocates Testify at EPA Hearing

(Ag News Wire) The Environmental Protection Agency held a hearing Friday on proposed regulatory changes related to retail sales of 15% ethanol blended fuel (E15) and the renewable identification number (RIN) compliance system Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. Biofuels advocates, organization representatives and company officials testified at the hearing about the proposal

March 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Algae R&D Featured in Interagency Framework for Advancing the Bioeconomy

(Algae Biomass Organization) This month the federal Biomass Research and Development (BR&D) Board unveiled a multi-agency strategy to accelerate innovative biomass technologies for affordable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. Algae cultivation is prominently featured among the suite of technologies the effort is harnessing. The B&RD Board is an interagency collaborative which is

March 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Backstabbing the Ethanol Industry

by David Kruse (The Daily Reporter) I was told by a director of the Iowa Corn Growers that at a meeting they discussed my recent reports where I had noted that the National Corn Growers Association is dropping the ball in pushing back against President Donald Trump personally on renewable identification

March 29, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Grants Additional 2017 Small Refinery Waiver from Nation’s Biofuel Laws

by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted an additional 2017 small refinery waiver from the nation’s biofuel laws, bringing the tally to 35, the agency disclosed on Thursday. READ MORE EPA Grants Another Small Refinery Waiver (Energy.AgWired.com) US EPA approves another 2017 small refinery exemption to RFS (Biodiesel

March 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Fuel Standards to Prevent Overdependence on Foreign Oil Are Out of Date

by Merrill Matthews (The Hill/Institute for Policy Innovation) … President Trump wants to roll back unattainable Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards imposed by President Obama. And he wants those revised fuel efficiency ratings to apply nationwide, including California, according to The Hill. But environmentalists and the Golden State are rejecting the change. They

March 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Reports Analyze High-Octane Gasoline Market

(Convenience Store Decisions) A high-octane standard for the U.S. gasoline market could be the fastest and most cost-effective way to enhance fuel efficiency for vehicles produced in the next few years. New reports published by the Fuels Institute analyze the market’s ability to deliver higher octane gasoline to consumers — and how it would

March 28, 2019 Read Full Article

South Dakota Farmers Union: Say No to E15 Rule; Farmer Leader Says We Can Do Better

(South Dakota Farmers Union) On the eve of a public hearing to receive comments on the long awaited ruling to allow year round rvp relief for E15, the South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) called the rule a backdoor effort to limit ethanol blends. In a call with supporters today, SDFU President

March 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Insight: US Ethanol Moving to China by Various Means, Including Ship-to-Ship Transfers

by Clare Pennington, Izham Ahmad, Steven McGinn (ICIS) Trans-shipments of ethanol from the US to China are taking place in renewed efforts to thwart US-China tariffs, including ship-to-ship transfers, several sources in Asia and Europe have confirmed. Importing US ethanol into China carries a penalty of up to 70%, one of a

March 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Gone but Not Forgotten: The Green New Deal Resolution Sunk in the Senate on Tuesday.

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) — The Green New Deal resolution sunk in the Senate on Tuesday. Now Senate Democrats will unveil their own Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, while House Republicans press ahead with their own push for a floor vote on the resolution. … The Senate may

March 27, 2019 Read Full Article

The Next Chapter for Algae: The Farm Bill of 2018 Recognizes Algae as a Crop for the First Time. Will We Be Bold Enough to Treat It Like One?

by Rebecca White (iWi (Qualitas Health, Inc.)/Biofuels Digest) This Wednesday marks a major milestone in the history of the American algae industry: the first meeting in which the Biomass R&D Board Technical Advisory Committee officials will discuss algae as an agricultural crop. Up until now, the vast majority of governmental funding and support

March 27, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Seeks Input on E15 Information Collection Request Extension DEADLINE: May 17, 2019

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of a proposed extension of an existing information collection request (ICR) related to E15 it plans to submit to the Office of Management and Budget. A notice published in the Federal Register March 18 explains

March 26, 2019 Read Full Article

Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to $7.2 Million Biodiesel Tax Credit Fraud Scheme

(U.S. Department of Justice) A Colorado resident pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado to conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. Matthew

March 26, 2019 Read Full Article

Petrochemical Fire in Houston Reveals Much Larger Issue.

(Urban Air Initiative) On Sunday, March 17, tanks of toluene and xylene caught fire at Intercontinental Terminal in the Houston, TX area, releasing plumes of black smoke into the air. As a result, incomplete combustion of toluene and xylene combined to form benzene, a known carcinogen. Toluene and xylene are toxic aromatic chemicals added

March 26, 2019 Read Full Article

Floods Threaten to Cause Ethanol Disruptions and Higher Pump Prices

by Mario Parker and Michael Hirtzer (Bloomberg) Midwest rail lines have washed out, delaying biofuel shipments; Gasoline futures rise to five-month high before peak season — Flood waters spilling across the U.S. Midwest have swamped ethanol shipments, disrupting refineries and threatening to push up gasoline pump prices ahead of the summer

March 26, 2019 Read Full Article

Biofuels: Recent Stability and Future Uncertainty

by Pat Westhoff (Columbia Daily Tribune) … Long-term changes in the vehicle fleet could result in even larger changes in biofuel demand. If electric cars and trucks become widespread, the demand for both petroleum-based fuels and liquid biofuels could decline. How the biofuel industry develops will be critical to U.S. agriculture.

March 26, 2019 Read Full Article

Gaetz Drafting ‘Green Real Deal’ Climate Resolution

by Zack Coleman (Politico) Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is circulating a “Green Real Deal” resolution to counter the “Green New Deal” floated by Democrats, according to a draft copy obtained by POLITICO. The resolution acknowledges climate change as a threat to national security and says the government should promote innovation to reduce greenhouse

March 26, 2019 Read Full Article

E15 Ethanol Is Coming, Like It or Not. Here’s What You Need to Know

by Jim Koscs (Hagerty) … In the United States, ninety-eight percent of gasoline sold already contains some amount of ethanol. Cars produced in the past two decades or so generally have no problem burning the common E10 blend, which contains 10 percent ethanol. Some stations have offered E15, which bumps the amount

March 24, 2019 Read Full Article

FAA Launches Voluntary MRV Program for US Aircraft Operators Participating in CORSIA

(GreenAir Online) The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched the CORSIA MRV Program for US airplane operators with international flights participating in the ICAO carbon offsetting scheme. According to ICAO, it is mandatory for all operators, regardless of the country they are based in, to report verified CO2 emissions above a certain

March 24, 2019 Read Full Article

Alternative Protein Startups: Let’s Get the Facts Straight about Livestock’s Carbon Footprint

by Lauren Manning (AgFunder News) … the issue of livestock farming’s impact on the environment is not as clear cut as many of these businesses would have you believe. In fact, many of the data dairy and meat alternative businesses are using to market their animal-free wares are inaccurate and misleading.

March 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Daily on Energy: Trump Quietly Makes New Energy Inroads in Brazil

by John Siciliano and Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) The Trump administration is quietly negotiating an energy partnership with Brazil, the largest economy in South America, to encourage more oil and natural gas production by tapping the expertise of U.S. energy firms, with the ultimate goal of lowering energy prices across the Western

March 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee — March 27-28, 2019 — Arlington, VA

This notice announces an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee under Section 9008(d) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that agencies publish these notices in the Federal Register. Purpose of

March 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Comment Period for E15 Underway

by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) The EPA has given stakeholders a little more than a month to weigh in on the proposed rule that would allow year-round sales of E15. The proposal is being published in the Federal Register today, and the comment period ends April 29th. Minnesota Corn Growers president

March 22, 2019 Read Full Article

RPT-Floods Shut Nearly a Sixth of U.S. Ethanol Production

by Humeyra Pamuk, Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) Massive flooding in the U.S. Midwest has knocked out roughly 13 percent of the nation’s ethanol production capacity, as plants in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota have been forced to shut down or scale back production following the devastation. Production facilities owned by large companies like

March 22, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Likely to Grant Partial Waivers from U.S. Biofuel Laws for 2018: Sources

by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is likely to issue partial waivers to some of the 39 small refineries seeking relief from the nation’s biofuel laws for 2018, in an unusual option to balance the competing interests of oil and corn producers, two sources briefed on the matter

March 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Trump’s Top Economic Adviser Still Supports Carbon Tax

by Scott Waldman (E&E News) President Trump’s top economic adviser is not backing away from his belief that a carbon tax would be an effective way to address greenhouse gas emissions. Kevin Hassett, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, has expressed support for a carbon tax for years. In

March 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Study Shows Biofuels Are 3 Percent of Iowa GDP

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has released a new study that shows biofuels are responsible for over $5 billion of Iowa’s GDP, or roughly three percent. The study, authored by John Urbanchuk of ABF Economics and commissioned by IRFA, also found that biofuels account for over 48,000 Iowa jobs and

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Waivers Reduce Incentive to Produce Biofuels

(KCRG) Between 2017 and 2018, U.S. ethanol consumption dropped for the first time in a decade and the Renewable Fuels Association says that’s because of the Environmental Protection Agency hurting demand. One of the reasons former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned from the agency was because of approving dozens of refiner

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Come Together: At NEC, a GM Executive Outlined Some Controversial Advice for the Ethanol Industry.

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) …Collaborate with the automotive industry, the petroleum industry, fuel retailers and other stakeholders in the liquid fuels market to push for a national high-octane standard. “We’re advocating for a reasonable and manageable proposal—a new, national high-octane based fuel for all new vehicles,” said Dan

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Amy Klobuchar Knocks EPA’s Secret Waivers that Boost Big Oil

by Pat Rynard (Iowa Starting Line) Senator Amy Klobuchar blasted the Trump Administration’s continued use of blending waivers for renewable fuels usage while in Iowa this weekend. Using it as an example of how Donald Trump’s presidency has hurt rural America, she linked the EPA’s decisions to the first decline in

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Bright Skies for Plant-Based Jet Fuels

by Aliyah Kovner (Berkeley Lab) Joint BioEnergy Institute researchers demonstrate that jet fuels made from plants could be cost competitive with conventional fossil fuels — … However, a new analysis by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) shows that sustainable plant-based bio-jet fuels could provide

March 20, 2019 Read Full Article

Public Hearing for Modifications To Fuel Regulations To Provide Flexibility for E15; Modifications to RFS RIN Market Regulations March 29, 2019

(Environmental Protection Agency/Federal Register) The EPA is announcing a public hearing to be held in Ypsilanti, MI on March 29, 2019 for the proposed rule ‘‘Modifications to Fuel Regulations to Provide Flexibility for E15; Modifications to RFS RIN Market Regulations.’’ This proposed rule will be published separately in the Federal Register. The pre-publication version of this proposal can be

March 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Cruz Says EPA’s Wheeler Promised to Continue Granting Small Refinery Waivers

by Jim Wiesemeyer (Pro Farmer) Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) says he won “explicit promises” from EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to keep granting small refineries waivers from U.S. biofuel mandates, without retroactively reallocating those quotas to non-exempted facilities. Cruz says he secured those commitments after joining with other Republican senators to slow

March 19, 2019 Read Full Article

US-Brazil Trade Tensions Could Rise over Ethanol TRQ Issue

by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, MercoPress reports that the US won’t budge on allowing Brazil to export more limes that are facing phytosanitary trade barriers until the issue of the ethanol import quota and tariff is dealt with. When US ethanol exports pass 150 million liters per quarter, a 30%

March 19, 2019 Read Full Article

UAI’s Studies Tell the Truth

by Dave VanderGriend (Urban Air Institute/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The need for an updated fuel testing process. — Every time we fill our gas tanks, we are exposed to chemicals known to cause cancer. Think about how often that happens, and how a cleaner fuel is rarely an option. These toxic chemicals, known as

March 18, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. Ethanol Market Sees First Sales Decline in Decades: Lower U.S. Demand, Plunge in Exports Made for Rough 2018.

by Jim Spencer and Mike Hughlett (Star Tribune) … As production increased and sales to foreign countries rose to record levels, profits went down roughly 20 cents per gallon. … The domestic market for ethanol had stopped growing at the same time production hit a new record. Figures from the U.S.

March 18, 2019 Read Full Article

NBB Commemorates National Biodiesel Day with Biodiesel Success Stories

(National Biodiesel Board) Meet just a few of biodiesel’s movers and shakers making an impact in this innovative industry — National Biodiesel Day takes place March 18, in honor of Rudolf Diesel’s birthday. In the 1890s, Rudolf invented the diesel engine, which was designed to run on peanut oil. Rudolf knew early

March 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Rural America Is Ready for Some Sort of a New Deal, Preferably Green

by Art Cullen (The Guardian) Here in farming country we have the opportunity to rethink our approach to renewable energy and food production — … Meanwhile, we’re losing our precious topsoil and polluting our rivers – killing the Gulf of Mexico in the process – as we chase ever-higher corn yields in

March 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol Use Falls for First Time in 20 Years

by John Herath (Farm Journal Media) RFA Blames Waivers for Refiners — Ethanol use in the United States last year fell for the first time since 1998, according to data from the Energy Information Administration. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is blaming that fall on waivers EPA granted to refiners allowing them

March 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Celebrating Sustainability at Royal Farms — April 23, 2019 — National Harbor, MD

During Earth Week, on Tuesday, April 23, at 10:00-11:00, you are invited to celebrate the great impact of the USDA Biofuel Infrastructure Project Grant (USDA BIP Grant), totaling nearly $9.1 million investments to install ethanol refueling infrastructure in Virginia and Maryland. The Virginia-Maryland collaboration was the only multi-state proposal selected

March 15, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA Grants More RFS Waivers, Undercuts Add’l Demand for Biofuels

by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) U.S. EPA retroactively granted five new small refinery exemptions for 2017, releasing them from their obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The five new small refinery exemptions reduced the 2017 renewable volume obligation (RVO) for biomass-based diesel by an additional 48 million gallons. Previously granted exemptions

March 15, 2019 Read Full Article

NTSB to Prioritize Safe Shipment of Ethanol

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board recently released it’s Most Wanted List for 2019 and 2020, with a focus on the ethanol industry. According to the list, the safe shipment of hazardous materials—including ethanol and crude oil—can be achieved by upgrading current tank cars to

March 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Avenue 45Q

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Trump administration is developing guidance to help companies qualify for a built-out tax credit for carbon capture, utilization and storage — a welcome addition for industry officials and lawmakers who have complained the IRS is moving too slowly to implement the increased credit,

March 14, 2019 Read Full Article

EPA’s Proposed Rule Changes Around Higher Ethanol Blends Draw Mixed Reactions

by Danielle Romano (Convenience Store News) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing regulatory changes around higher ethanol blends, and they’re drawing mixed reactions. … “NACS is concerned that the proposed rulemaking would generate more problems than solutions,” said Paige Anderson, NACS’ director of government relations. “We believe that EPA’s proposal would

March 14, 2019 Read Full Article

This Beetle’s Gut May Hide Clues to Making Better Biofuels

(Berkeley News) The passalid beetle’s unique gut architecture helps it transform decaying wood into energy-rich materials. — Decaying wood doesn’t make the most nutritious food, but the long-horned passalid beetle has evolved to make the best of it. The guts of this forest-dwelling insect are adapted to take tough plant materials,

March 13, 2019 Read Full Article

U.S. EPA to Decide on 2017 Waivers from Biofuel Laws within Week

by David Gaffen and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will decide on the seven pending applications for small refinery waivers from the nation’s biofuel laws for the 2017 calendar year in the next week, agency administrator Andrew Wheeler said on Monday. Once the 2017 applications are decided, the