South Dakota – Advanced BioFuels USA

Thune Discusses Climate Change and Other Questions with Sioux Falls High Schoolers

by Jackie Hendry (SDPB Radio) U.S. Senator John Thune made a classroom visit to New Tech High School in Sioux Falls. In January, students wrote letters to South Dakota’s congressional delegation, and Thune took them up on the invitation. He also answered a variety of student questions—most centering on climate change,

May 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Letter to Editor: Using E30 Necessary to Support Ag Economy

by Dale Christensen (Farm Forum) … Unless we all use the products that come from our fields, such as higher ethanol blends like E30, we are not fully supporting our local industries and producers. Renewable, clean-burning (with no cancer causing benzene, toluene or xylene octane boosters), higher octane, and lower cost

May 10, 2019 Read Full Article

POET Ads Spotlight Farm Crisis

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) South Dakota-based ethanol producer POET, LLC, is launching a major advertising campaign directed at “leaders in the nation’s capital to confront the economic crisis in rural America and support crop-based products like ethanol to revitalize farm income.” “American farmers are no strangers to adversity,” said Kyle Gilley, POET Senior

May 10, 2019 Read Full Article

More States Follow California’s Lead with Low Carbon Fuel Standard Programs

by Cliff Gladstein (ACT News/GNA) … Following the example of California and other West Coast states and provinces, more and more states across the nation are considering the development of their own low carbon fuel programs. One of the most recent advances is in the state of New York. On February

May 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Midwest Sees Surge in Clean Energy Jobs

by Casey Leins (US News and World Report) The Midwest added more than 28,000 clean energy jobs in 2018, resulting in a 4 percent growth rate, according to a recent report released by national advocacy groups Clean Energy Trust and Environmental Entrepreneurs. The 12 Midwestern states employed more than 737,000 workers

April 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Sioux Falls-Based Ethanol Producer Poet Awarded Millions by Arbitration Panel

by Jonathan Ellis (Argus Leader) Sioux Falls-based Poet has asked a federal judge to confirm a multi-million dollar arbitration award it received from a company that it claims botched an ethanol production system at a plant in Iowa. A panel of three arbitrators from the American Arbitration Association held three hearings

April 12, 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

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

Clover Improves Soil Quality, Feeds Biofuels Crop

by Christie Delfanian (South Dakota State University/Phys.Org) A four-leaf clover might bring good luck, but a stand of Kura clover can produce healthier soil—in the long run, according to a South Dakota State University study. Planting Kura clover, a pasture legume, with prairie cordgrass can improve microbial activity in the soil, thus reducing

March 1, 2019 Read Full Article

GROWMARK Offers Pre-Blended E15 at More Terminals

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) GROWMARK Energy is adding to the number terminals around the Midwest offering pre-blended E15, according to the Renewable Fuels Association, which has worked closely with the farmer-owned cooperative on related issues such as regulatory compliance and adoption of RFA’s Misfueling Mitigation Plan (MMP). GROWMARK will now offer pre-blended E15

February 26, 2019 Read Full Article

SD Farmers Union Calls Out GM on Weak Octane Proposals

(South Dakota Farmers Union) In a letter to General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra today (February 21, 2019), South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke challenged the automaker on its claim that 98 RON (Research Octane Number) or higher gasoline was not feasible and called on them to look at

February 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Groups Exploring Potential Midwest LCFS Collaborative

by Jordan Godwin (OPIS/Governors’ Biofuels Coalition) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has been involved in preliminary conversations around the possibility of a collaborative effort of Midwest states seeking to establish a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program similar to the West Coast Collaborative, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper said Tuesday. In

February 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Governor Tim Walz to Chair Governors’ Biofuels Coalition

(MyAlbertLea) The Governors’ Biofuels Coalition will name Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to serve as the 2019 chair of the coalition, a move that has the support of Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen along with thousands of corn and soybean farmers throughout the state. “Midwest governors have played an important role on

February 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Open the Door to Higher Blends

by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union and Farmers Union Enterprise/Biofuels Digest) … The reality is that the RFS is going backwards, we have effectively capped the use of corn ethanol in the United States, and the EPA continues to play lip service to the President they work for and the public

February 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol Conference Scholarship Winners

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Renewable Fuels Association and the Renewable Fuels Foundation have awarded two student scholarships for the 24th annual National Ethanol Conference next month in Orlando. This is the tenth consecutive year in which this scholarship has been made available to students. This year’s scholarship winners are Krista Russell and

January 28, 2019 Read Full Article

On Tap: Retailers Preparing for Year-Round E15 Have Options for Pumps, Financing and Marketing.

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) …(W)ith the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expected to extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver to E15, hopefully before next summer’s driving season. Retailers will have to decide not only if they will offer the blend, but how they’ll dispense it. For those who

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Rounds: Corn Ethanol Production Plays Important Role in South Dakota’s Economy

by Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) (Brookings Register) Corn and corn ethanol production are vital components of South Dakota’s economy. The corn ethanol industry supports thousands of jobs in our state and contributes a significant amount of revenue to our local communities. Corn ethanol has taken a hit in recent years,

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Thune Meets With Acting EPA Administrator

(Office of Senator John Thune) “Acting Administrator Wheeler is committed to the president’s efforts to provide greater regulatory relief and certainty to the American people, including through the EPA’s rewrite of the WOTUS rule and by providing for the year-round sale of E15.” — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today met with

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol Is the Safe Option

by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Tri-State Livestock News) … Well, let’s hope we don’t see the price at the pumps go up. Instead, let’s use more ethanol. What I’m suggesting is oil companies increase the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline – from the mandatory 10 to 30 percent. And,

January 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Farmland Expansion Increases Carbon Footprint across Northern Corn Belt

(Illinois Farmer Today) Faster conversion of land into agricultural production in recent years has raised the region’s carbon cost of producing grains, according to recently published research from an Iowa State University scientist. The study, published in the academic journal Environmental Research Letters, shows that increases in crop production due

January 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Green Plains and Optimal Fish Food Announce Formation of Aquafeed Joint Venture

(Green Plains, Inc./Globe Newswire) Green Plains Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRE) and Optimal Fish Food LLC. today announced the companies have formed Optimal Aquafeed, a 50/50 joint venture to produce high-quality aquaculture feeds utilizing proprietary techniques and high-protein feed ingredients. The joint venture brings together Green Plains’ production capabilities, commodity expertise, and back office

December 18, 2018 Read Full Article

Farm Carbon and Biofuels: Focus of Carbon Sequestration and Farming More Practical Than Global Climate Talks

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Ohio corn farmer Fred Yoder returned late Friday from a frustrating week in Poland listening to foreign ministers and others talk about what they think farmers globally must do to address climate change. As chairman of the North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance, Yoder

December 11, 2018 Read Full Article

Immovable Objects: Railroad Delays …

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Railroad delays in 2014 forced ethanol plants to slow production or find other ways to move their products. Four years later, the situation has improved, but rail traffic is on the rise again. … In late 2013 and through much of 2014, ethanol shipments were

December 6, 2018 Read Full Article

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to Visit Sioux Falls Area on Thursday

by Jeremy Fugleberg (Sioux Falls Argus Leader) Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will visit South Dakota on Thursday morning. An initial schedule from the Department of Agriculture indicates Perdue will visit several locations in the Sioux Falls area. He will: Tour the Poet ethanol plant in Chancellor and hold a roundtable

October 24, 2018 Read Full Article

Concept to Construction and Exports are Crucial

by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In the U.S. ethanol industry, three plants are under construction, while a fourth makes its way through the permitting process. — In an industry with more than 200 existing plants, four new projects is a small figure. Greenfield ethanol plant development is in a lull,

October 24, 2018 Read Full Article

Myth-Buster or Warranty-Buster? Nebraska Ethanol Test Will Push beyond Auto Manufacturers’ Specs

by Joe Duggan (Omaha World-Herald Bureau) Nebraska literally put the rubber to the road more than 40 years ago to give ethanol a shot of much-needed street cred. It was called the “Nebraska 2 Million Mile Gasohol Road Test Program.” It began on Dec. 23, 1974, when a roads department supervisor

October 6, 2018 Read Full Article

Development, Deployment of Integrated Biorefineries: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Biorefining in the US

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 42’s goal is to contribute to the development and deployment of integrated biorefineries as part of highly efficient sustainable value chains (co-)producing food/feed ingredients, chemicals, materials, fuels, power and/or heat out of sustainably sourced biomass (wood, crops, residues, etc.) as base for a global

October 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Nebraska Will Test 30 Percent Ethanol Blend in State Vehicles

by Joe Duggan (Omaha World-Herald) Nebraska will run 50 state-owned vehicles on a 30 percent ethanol blend to see how the corn-derived fuel performs in conventional engines. The pilot program will monitor the effects of E-15 and E-30 blends on vehicle performance, fuel economy and emissions control systems in state

September 26, 2018 Read Full Article

iSEE Helps Secure $6M+ in New Research Grants for U of I Agriculture Studies: $5M DOE Grant for Energy Crops Study

(Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) … A U of I Crop Scientist will lead a team of researchers on a five-year study of new crops that could contribute to the production of affordable, sustainable sources for market-ready fuels and other valuable products. U of I College of Agricultural, Consumer, and

September 20, 2018 Read Full Article

A Worldwide Oil Mandate

by Orrie Swazye (Yankton Daily Press and Dakotan) Our gasoline market today is 90 percent gasoline and Brazil’s 75 percent gasoline but oil still supplies 99+ percent of transportation fuels worldwide. As we begin to net export oil, oil remains a mandated commodity nations will go to war to gain

September 18, 2018 Read Full Article

Making America Great Again Starts with the States

by David Vander Griend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Urban Air Initiative) Dave VanderGriend, president of Urban Air Initiative, doesn’t mince words in his column this month, calling out EPA for what he says is collusion with the oil industry. — … The 15.8 billion gallons of ethanol we produce and the economic benefits it

September 5, 2018 Read Full Article

Red Trail President Speaks up for Ethanol Production

by Mikkel Pates (Forum News Service/Bismark Tribune) Now more than ever, farmers who believe in the future of ethanol need to speak up for it, says Gerald Bachmeier, president of the North Dakota Ethanol Producers Association. Bachmeier, who also serves as chief executive officer of Red Trail Energy LLC, in

September 3, 2018 Read Full Article

SD Mines Researcher Receives $2.2 Million DOE Grant to Turn Biorefinery Waste into Valuable Products

(South Dakota School of Mines and Technology) Rajesh Shende, Ph.D., associate professor in the chemical and biological engineering department at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology has received a $2.16 million grant from the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office to research and demonstrate cost-effective ways to turn waste from biorefineries,

September 1, 2018 Read Full Article

Six States Account for More than 70% of U.S. Fuel Ethanol Production

(U.S. Energy Information Administration) Six states accounted for 72% of U.S. fuel ethanol production in 2016, according to the most recent estimates from EIA’s State Energy Data System. Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and South Dakota collectively produced 265 million barrels of fuel ethanol out of the U.S. total of 367 million

September 1, 2018 Read Full Article

Ethanol Promotion at #SturgisBuffaloChip

(AgNewsWire) The presence of ethanol and the Renewable Fuels Association is bigger than ever this year during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and especially at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. For the tenth consecutive year, the Renewable Fuels Association is partnering with the Buffalo Chip Campground to host the 78th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, scheduled

August 10, 2018 Read Full Article

Marking Decade-Long Partnership, RFA and Buffalo Chip Campground Again Collaborate on Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

(Renewable Fuels Association) For the tenth consecutive year, the Renewable Fuels Association is partnering with the Buffalo Chip Campground to host the 78th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, scheduled for Aug. 3-12 in Sturgis, S.D. The event will also be the first time the motorcycling community will have a chance to view

July 31, 2018 Read Full Article

With Friends Like This… … EPA’s Proposed Renewable Enhancement and Growth Support Rule

by Doug Sombke (Ethanol Producer Magazine/South Dakota Farmers Union) South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke discusses how the EPA’s proposed Renewable Enhancement and Growth Support rule would hurt both the ethanol and agriculture industries — … There is no precedent for the anti-ethanol, pro-oil actions of a federal agency like we are

July 23, 2018 Read Full Article

Ethanol Provides Value to Everyone in the Chain

by John Duff (Delta Farm Press) … Regardless of policy, ethanol presents a value proposition to all involved. Ethanol gives farmers access to more markets and greater global market liquidity. In a world where 74% of the variance in the price of corn is driven by the price of crude oil,

June 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Pruitt Heads out on Ethanol Visit

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is expected to travel to Kansas this morning, where he’ll stop by East Kansas Agri-Energy’s ethanol plant in Garnett. The trip comes a week after the White House quashed the release of a plan to change the Renewable Fuels Standard amid

June 12, 2018 Read Full Article

A Blueprint for Keeping Midwest Dollars in the Midwest

by Dave VanderGriend (Urban Air Initiative/ICM/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Urban Air Initiative President Dave VanderGriend says increasing the availability of ethanol blender pumps and higher blends will keep ethanol in the Midwest, pumping millions of dollars into the economy. — … The problem lies in the fact that Iowa consumes 1.4 billion gallons

June 4, 2018 Read Full Article

Ethanol Report on Biker and Boater Education

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) A custom-made motorcycle will be the centerpiece of a new educational campaign by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) to inform consumers about the proper use of ethanol-blended fuels in boats, motorcycles, and other small engines. RFA has partnered with American Chopper‘s Paul Teutul Junior to design a custom bike that

May 30, 2018 Read Full Article

South Dakota State Vehicle Fleet Burned Nearly Two Million Gallons of Ethanol in Last Year

(Go Watertown) The South Dakota state vehicle fleet burned nearly two million gallons of ethanol-blended fuels in the last year, according to the South Dakota Bureau of Administration. From mid-May 2017 through mid-May 2018, its fleet of almost 4,000 vehicles utilized 1.91 million gallons of E-10, E-30 and E-85 fuels during

May 17, 2018 Read Full Article

A Higher Market for Ethanol Former Author of RFS Legislation Sees Octane Levels as Advancement for Ethanol

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle keeps close tabs on what’s happening with biofuels even though he’s been out of the U.S. Senate more than a decade now. Daschle, who is working with the High Octane Low Carbon Alliance, told DTN in an

May 15, 2018 Read Full Article

Groups Ask EPA to Prioritize Cellulosic Pathway Approvals

(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Today (May 3, 2018) five Midwest biofuels associations sent a letter to the EPA asking the agency to shift administrative time and staff away from demand-destroying Renewable Fuel Standard exemptions and toward pathway approvals for cellulosic ethanol. The letter was signed by the Iowa Renewable

May 9, 2018 Read Full Article

Pruitt’s Renewable Fuel Attacks Cost Him GOP Support in Congress

by Mike Carr (The Hill/New Energy America) As the drip, drip of Pruitt scandals becomes a deluge, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s supporters continue to claim that he should be protected because he’s “advancing the president’s agenda.” But because he’s breaking a key Trump promise made to Iowa voters, he is losing the support

May 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Mail Call! Biofuels Write to EPA on Strategy

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) A coalition of Midwest biofuels associations sent a letter Thursday to EPA asking it to move administrative time and staff away from Renewable Fuel Standard exemptions and instead toward approvals for cellulosic ethanol. “The discrepancy between the way EPA is handling RFS exemptions and

May 4, 2018 Read Full Article

POET Honored with Biorenewable Deployment Consortium’s Achievement Award

(Biorenewable Deployment Consortium) The Biorenewable Deployment Consortium (BDC) honored POET, a privately held corporation headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and the world’s largest producer of ethanol and other biorefined products, with the organization’s Spring 2018 Achievement Award at its spring meeting in Omaha on May 1, 2018. POET is recognized for its

May 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Hatching Higher Protein

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Technologies for feed coproducts are evolving, pumping out high-protein ingredient alternatives. Experts assure the market is ripe. — The pile of distillers grains at nearly a dozen plants is about to get smaller. Production of Fluid Quip Process Technologies LLC’s high-protein feed ingredient is expected

April 26, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Farm Bill Delays, Ethanol Waivers Worry SD Sen. Rounds

by Barry Amundson (Grand Forks Herald) U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D, is concerned about two major issues that can affect farmers and ranchers this year. One is the farm bill that faces an uncertain future as it’s set to expire in September. The other is waivers that some small U.S. refineries have

April 23, 2018 Read Full Article

Your Turn: South Dakota Ethanol Policy Genius

by Orrie Swayze (Argus Leader) Sen. Kent Frerichs looked to further capitalize on the genius of our incredibly successful ethanol policy taxing imported petroleum one cent/gallon at the pipeline to fund incentives to build a strong South Dakota ethanol industry. His Senate Bill 210 used $1 million of those remaining funds to

April 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Blender Pump Legislation to Go before SD Senate Committee

by Tim Albrecht (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A new legislative bill to fund more ethanol blender pumps across South Dakota is set to go before the state Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Thursday, Feb. 20. The bill is being proposed by Sen. Jason Frerichs, of Wilmot, South Dakota. The bill, SB

February 20, 2018 Read Full Article

Biofuels Feedstock Study Supports Billion-Ton Estimate

(South Dakota State University/Biomass Magazine) Can farmers produce at least 1 billion tons of biomass per year that can be used as biofuels feedstock? That’s the question that researchers are trying to answer, according to North Central Regional Sun Grant Center Director Vance Owens. The goal is to replace 30 percent of

February 11, 2018 Read Full Article

Broin Brings E15 Message to Pence Summit at Trump Hotel

(The Fence Post/Hagstrom Report) Jeff Broin, founder and CEO of POET, the South Dakota company that builds and manages ethanol plants, brought his view that the government needs to authorize the sale of E15 blend year-round to a State of the Union summit chaired by Vice President Mike Pence at the

February 2, 2018 Read Full Article

City Vehicles Filling up on E30, Saving Money

by Dan Crisler (The Public Opinion) As Glacial Lakes Energy and its partners continue to promote 30 percent ethanol (E30) fuel blends for use in gas vehicles, two City of Watertown departments have jumped on board. Housing two of the largest vehicle fleets in city government, the Watertown Police Department and

January 29, 2018 Read Full Article

My Voice: A ‘Swing and a Miss’ from the USDA

by Doug Sombke (Argus Leader/South Dakota Farmers Union) Our esteemed U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released a report of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. While it is hard to get excited over any government report, I had high hopes for this particular effort given the title and the supposed

January 18, 2018 Read Full Article

MKU Inks MoU with US-Based Institutions

(The Hindu) Madurai Kamaraj University on Tuesday has signed memorandum of understanding with US-based institutions to facilitate collaborative research and faculty exchange. According to a statement issued by the university here on Thursday, the first MoU was signed with Extreme ProTech, a company formed based on the research output from South

January 8, 2018 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

In a special to the Biofuels Digest, South Dakota Farmers Union president, Doug Sombke, pointed out that “Section 202(l) provision (of the Clean Air Act) requires EPA to regulate and reduce toxics in gasoline to the “greatest degree achievable”. In a review of air toxics in 2007 the agency acknowledged that other

January 3, 2018 Read Full Article

A New Years Resolution for EPA: Do Your Job!

by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Biofuels Digest) … I am referring to the mandatory requirements in the Clean Air Act that EPA enforce section 202 (l), the “clean octane” provision designed to reduce the use of toxic aromatic compounds in gasoline. These Mobile Source Air Toxics are derived from a family

January 3, 2018 0 comment Read Full Article

Letter: Fuel Choice: A Right of All Auto Owners

by Orrie Swazye (Argus Leader) This is America: Contrary to EPA statements, all auto owners have the self-evident, unalienable constitutional right to save typically several dollars/tank by choosing splash blended 94 octane thus premium half E85/ E30’s more power, same mileage and cleaner engines lower maintenance costs. It protects them and

December 15, 2017 Read Full Article

Discussing the Importance of Ethanol

by Dan Crisler (Watertown Public Opinion) Glacial Lakes Corn Processors welcomed a strong ethanol advocate in Emily Skor at its annual meeting Wednesday afternoon at the Codington County Extension Complex. Skor, the CEO of Washington, D.C.-based ethanol trade association Growth Energy, spent more than 20 minutes touting the benefits of

December 8, 2017 Read Full Article

Benefits of Ethanol Touted at LATI Event

by Dan Crisler (The Public Opinion) Watertown automotive and fuel retailers and technicians got a special visit from one of the most respected automotive reviewers in the country in Marc Rauch. Rauch, an executive with internet automotive research website and television channel The Auto Channel, spoke Thursday night at the

December 5, 2017 Read Full Article

Results of UW-Madison Study on Carbon Emissions Disputed

by Carol Spaeth-Bauer (Wisconsin State Farmer) A University of Wisconsin-Madison study released on Nov. 15 has officials in the ethanol industry frustrated, disputing the methodology of the study saying the claims of the study are not supported by fact. The study showed a shift of more than 7 million acres into cropland that led to massive

November 29, 2017 Read Full Article

Farm to Flight – Carinata Crop Commercialization Takes off

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, Qantas will operate the world’s first biofuel flight between the United States and Australiaearly in the new year in collaboration with World Fuel Services and Altair Fuels. Qantas’ new Dreamliner is being powered by Brassica Carinata (carinata), a non-food, industrial type of mustard seed that

November 20, 2017 Read Full Article

30 Hot Cellulosic Technologies, 30 Quick Takes

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last week, DowDuPont said it was exiting the cellulosic biofuels business and you’d think that the company just burned down the warehouse with the original text of the Renewable Fuels Standard — the coverage of the announce in few cases focused on the changes in DowDuPont’s

November 14, 2017 Read Full Article

Breaking the Bottleneck – POET-DSM Achieves Cellulosic Biofuel Breakthrough

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In South Dakota, POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels achieved a major breakthrough in cellulosic biofuels production at its Project LIBERTY plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The company has solved the critical challenge in pretreatment, overcoming what has been the No. 1 hurdle to commercialization for producers around the world, according

November 6, 2017 Read Full Article

Industry Teams Learn About U.S. Ethanol Value Chain Firsthand

(U.S. Grains Council) Three ethanol trade teams consisting of ministry and industry delegates traversed the U.S. ethanol value chain from the field to the pump ahead of the Ethanol Summit of the Americas. The three teams included representatives from 12 countries that explored the U.S. ethanol industry in Missouri, South Dakota

October 29, 2017 Read Full Article

Letter from Washington: The Grand Alliance Flashes V for Victory in Renewable Fuels Fight

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been a very busy week in Washington DC, the high point being a letter to seven senators sent late Thursday by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who took significant (and as of a few days ago, unexpected) steps toward strengthening the foundation for ethanol and renewable

October 25, 2017 Read Full Article

POET “Breakthrough” in Cellulosic Ethanol Production

by Julie Harker (Brownfield Ag News) The nation’s largest ethanol producer says it’s made a breakthrough in cellulosic ethanol production. Matt Merritt with POET-DSM tells Brownfield they are using a combination of heat, pressure and acid to break down materials to get the sugar out of corn stover and other feedstocks,

October 24, 2017 Read Full Article

30% Ethanol Blend Plan Coming for County’s Vehicle Fleet

by Shannon Marvel (Farm Forum) Brown County officials will develop a plan to use a 30-percent ethanol blend in the county’s vehicle fleet. The move, discussed at Tuesday’s county commission meeting, is in response to Glacial Lakes Energy’s E30 Challenge. Watertown-based Glacial Lakes operates ethanol plants in Mina and Watertown. Brad

October 18, 2017 Read Full Article

Pruitt’s Charm Offensive Has Few Actual Promises

by Anthony Adragna (Politico’s Morning Energy) Seven corn-state Republican senators emerged smiling from what they deemed a “good” meeting with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt on Tuesday but they got no concrete policy promises on the Renewable Fuel Standard from him, Pro’s Eric Wolff and your ME host report. Iowa Sen. Chuck

October 18, 2017 0 comment Read Full Article

Republican Governors Express Concern to President Trump Over EPA Actions on RFS

(National Biodiesel Board) “We Were Drawn to Your Explicit Promises to Our Farmers… But Now We Are Concerned” — Today four Republican Governors sent a letter to President Trump with concerns on the recently proposed changes to America’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), urging the president to keep his promises to rural America

October 17, 2017 Read Full Article

University of Wyoming Scientists Part of $6 Million Biofuel, Carbon Capture Project

(University of Wyoming) Agricultural economists at the University of Wyoming will generate models of what economies in the Upper Missouri River Basin might look like if raising biofuels and carbon capture technologies were implemented. UW is part of the four-year, $6 million National Science Foundation project working with Montana State University

October 9, 2017 Read Full Article

Siouxland Ethanol Speaks at Governor’s Conference

(American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … Each of the governors shared initiatives their states are implementing to support the use of ethanol-blended fuels during the conference. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds mentioned a test program for E30 in the Iowa Energy Plan. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, who recently keynoted ACE’s 30th

October 4, 2017 Read Full Article

Bioprocessing Engineers Recover Glucosinolate from Oilseed Meal

(Phys.Org/South Dakota State University) The oil extracted from ground seeds of camelina and carinata, oilseed plants from the mustard family, can be used as jet fuel. However, with oil prices at an all-time low, that is economically challenging. These promising biofuel sources may be one stop closer to reality due to

October 3, 2017 Read Full Article

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry Announces Integrated Biorefinery Optimization Projects

(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (September 20, 2017), U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has selected eight projects to negotiate for up to $15 million in total DOE funding to optimize integrated biorefineries. These projects will work to solve critical research and developmental challenges encountered

September 21, 2017 Read Full Article

Letter: Is the EPA Scamming Auto Owners?

by Dale Christensen (Glacial Lakes Energy/Argus Leader) How long can the Environmental Protection Agency ignore clean air and soaking auto owners with high priced inferior gas? It seem to me those EPA (‘dirty rotten scoundrels’) as described by Doug Sombke, South Dakota Farmers Union president, for deceptively claiming E-30 use in

September 18, 2017 Read Full Article

Call from the SD Hall: Broin Changed the World of Biofuels

by Caitlynn Peetz (The Daily Republic) … Thirty years into a career in biofuels, (Jeff) Broin has built POET from a one-plant operation that started in Scotland, S.D., to today’s 28 plants that produce more than 1.75 billion gallons of ethanol annually, making POET the largest producer of biofuels in the

September 13, 2017 Read Full Article

Letter – EPA Scams Drivers

by Dale Christensen (The Public Opinion) How long can the Environmental Protection Agency ignore clean air and soak auto owners with higher-priced, inferior gas? It seems to me the EPA, those “dirty rotten scoundrels” as described by S.D. Farmers Union President Doug Sombke, deceptively claim e30 use in standard autos is

August 29, 2017 Read Full Article

Letter: The Economic Consequences of a Post-2022 RFS

by Lon Carrier (Argus Leader) … The ethanol volume requirements will likely remain at this level until the EPA takes over the program entirely in 2023. At that point, the agency could cut corn ethanol out of the mandate altogether, which would be devastating to South Dakota’s economy. Thus, raising the

August 23, 2017 Read Full Article

Letter – We Are the Enemy

by Orrie Swayze (The Public Opinion) … In this case government verbally declared ethanol’s optimal, lower cost best performance blend E30 is illegal. Never before has a major industry resource so successfully quashed the competition by having the competition declared illegal by government. Interestingly with the permission of the people. Actually

August 17, 2017 Read Full Article

My Voice: EPA’s ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’

by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Argus Leader) … On behalf of rural communities and family farmers, I am calling out the EPA and those who still drink the Kool-aid of EPA’s fraudulent assessments that E30 is illegal for and damages standard auto engine systems. We also counter EPA’s propaganda with South

August 10, 2017 Read Full Article

ACE Scholarship Program Awards Three Deserving Students

(American Coalition for Ethanol) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) announces and congratulates the 2017 scholarship winners: Carrie Kemmet, Hailea DeJong and Keithen Drury. Each student receives a $1,000 scholarship through ACE’s Scholarship Program to help further their collegiate education. “ACE congratulates these bright, young students and wishes them the best

August 9, 2017 Read Full Article

RFA Revs Up for Sturgis

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Ten percent ethanol is the official fuel of the Buffalo Chip Campgroundfor the 77th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Aug. 4-13 in Sturgis, S.D. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is teaming up with the Buffalo Chip for the ninth consecutive year to promote the benefits of high-octane, low-cost ethanol to

July 31, 2017 Read Full Article

OUR OPINION: EPA’s RFS Proposal Is Mixed Bag for Farm States

(Sioux City Journal) Announcement earlier this month by the Environmental Protection Agency on new volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standards program produced a mixed bag of news for farm states like Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. The federal RFS began with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and was expanded

July 24, 2017 Read Full Article

RFA: Buffalo Chip Motorists Can Now Fuel with Ethanol

(Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Motorcycle riders traveling around Sturgis, South Dakota, now have the ability to fuel with 93 octane, 10 percent ethanol. As part of an overall effort to educate motorcyclists on ethanol, the Renewable Fuels Association has donated a permanent fueling station to the Buffalo Chip Campground.

July 7, 2017 0 comment Read Full Article

Husker Ag Recognized for Ethanol Direct Marketing

(High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal) Since 2012, Husker Ag in Plainview, Nebraska, has contributed more than $250,000 to Nebraska’s fuel infrastructure by funding higher-blend ethanol pumps at stations across the state. “The goal is not just to produce ethanol, but to give every Nebraskan the opportunity to use it,” said Seth

June 28, 2017 0 comment Read Full Article

POET Founder, Chairman and CEO Jeff Broin to Receive 2017 BIO George Washington Carver Award

(Business Wire/Biotechnology Innovation Organization) Broin to accept award and deliver remarks at 2017 BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology — The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today announced that POET Founder, Chairman and CEO Jeff Broin will receive the 10th annual George Washington Carver Award for Innovation in Industrial Biotechnology. The

May 31, 2017 Read Full Article

New Facility Brings Biodiesel Blending to Western South Dakota

(NewsCenter1.tv) … The automated skid system receives biodiesel fuel from rail cars and stores it. Utilizing a code, contracted customers can pump the fuel into trucks that normally transport diesel to then take back and distribute elsewhere. … Victory Renewables officials said the new blending facility could stimulate the local economy.

May 9, 2017 Read Full Article

Poet Accuses Engineering Company of Failure in Quest for Cellulosic Ethanol

by Jonathan Ellis (Argus Leader) Ethanol producer Poet is suing an international engineering company that was hired to create a system to help convert biomass into ethanol, underscoring the challenges of creating inexpensive cellulosic ethanol. Poet Design & Construction Inc. hired Andritz Inc. of Georgia in 2010 to design a system

May 1, 2017 Read Full Article

Letter: Auto Owners Would Stand to Benefit Most

by Kent Frerichs (Argus Leader) … Why don’t we encourage retailers to convert limited use E85 pumps to E30? Better yet, simply add an inexpensive flex fuel kit to enable dispensing both E85 and ethanol’s super premium 94 octane E30? All auto owners can use E30 effectively gaining better performance at a

April 28, 2017 Read Full Article

South Dakota State University Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Projects Use Cutting-Edge Science to Feed and Fuel the Future

(Farm Forum) … Through Senior Capstone Design projects, the senior engineering students partner with innovators in the ag industry using the latest technology. The experience provides an opportunity to work on projects that will impact agriculture for future generations. The designs and work involved in these projects will be showcased at

April 25, 2017 Read Full Article

Columnist Misstates the Facts on Corn

by Troy Knecht (Rapid City Journal) Columnist Frank Carroll recently took shots at the corn/ethanol industries so I’d like to share some facts. Carroll opines that corn ethanol isn’t environmentally friendly. On the contrary, a recent federal study concluded that greenhouse gas emissions from corn-based ethanol are 43 percent lower

March 27, 2017 Read Full Article

National Farmers Union Passes Resolution to Support E30 Use

by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) National Farmers Union called for the U.S. EPA to open the market to higher blends of ethanol in a landmark resolution passed during the group’s annual meeting held last week in San Diego. “National Farmers Union, as an organization, considers increased ethanol use one

March 20, 2017 Read Full Article

Ethanol Co. Says Ex-Employee Gave Its Tech To Competitor

(Law 360) Ethanol production conglomerate Poet LLC slapped its competitor Nelson Engineering and an ex-employee with a lawsuit in South Dakota federal court Monday, claiming the employee violated a confidentiality agreement by sharing proprietary fermentation tech with Nelson. In a complaint demanding a jury trial and alleging Nelson and former

March 7, 2017 0 comment Read Full Article

Passing the Test with Flying Colors

by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Glacial Lakes challenge in Watertown, SD, demonstrates E30 is a winner. The midlevel ethanol blend caused no check engine lights, mileage was virtually unchanged and resulted in real savings. — The E30 Challenge passed the test—from the organizers to the participants, praise was

February 20, 2017 Read Full Article

POET-DSM Plans On-Site Enzyme Manufacturing Facility at Project Liberty

(POET) POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels will build an on-site enzyme manufacturing (OSM) facility in Emmetsburg, Iowa, pending state and local approvals. The facility will be integrated into the Project Liberty technology package, replicable in future facilities. For Project Liberty, the OSM will directly pipe enzymes into the Liberty production process without

February 17, 2017 Read Full Article

My Voice: Renewable Fuel Standard Problems after 2022?

by Merle Pochop (Argus Leader) … Currently, stakeholders have a say in how the current RFS is operated through their congressional delegates since the program is overseen by federal lawmakers. However, in 2022, the RFS will be handed over entirely to the Environmental Protection Agency. Unlike our elected representatives from South Dakota,

February 16, 2017 Read Full Article

Letter – Connect the Dots

by Dale Christensen (Watertown Public Opinion) A few weeks ago, Gov. Dennis Daugaard said, “It’s all about the corn; as corn goes, so goes South Dakota’s economy…” Let’s connect the dots. If that is the case, with an abundance of corn available and an industry with an annual economic impact of

February 3, 2017 Read Full Article

Letter: Ethanol Boosts Incomes and Jobs in State

by Roger Johnson (National Farmers Union/Argus Leader) … The truth is, the markets created for agriculture have been a tremendous economic boon for our nation’s family farmers and rural America. At the same time, food price inflation has continued a downward trend since the implementation of the RFS, and consumers are saving

January 3, 2017 Read Full Article

Governors Press Trump on RFS Following Pruitt EPA Nomination

by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Just two days after President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team announced Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt was the nominee to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition reminded Trump about his previously stated support for the Renewable Fuels Standard in a

December 12, 2016 Read Full Article

2016: Looking Back on a Busy Year

by Dave Vandergriend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ICM) … At the Urban Air Initiative, we have been relentless in our efforts to open the market for higher ethanol blends. … During 2016, we have worked hard to understand where EPA has gotten it wrong. We have challenged the agency to open its

November 21, 2016 Read Full Article

MSU Awarded Grant to Research Biofuel, Carbon Capture Technologies for Upper Missouri River Basin

by Evelyn Boswell (Montana State University) A regional interdisciplinary team led by Montana State University has received $6 million to develop new innovations at the intersection of food, energy and water systems while training the next generation of scientists. The four-year grant from the National Science Foundation will allow MSU,

November 4, 2016 Read Full Article

Auto Club Monitoring Proves Ethanol Blending Safe

by Gene Hammond (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Association Motor Club Marketing) Guest columnist for ACE’s Grassroots Voice column in the November EPM writes about the AMCM and Travelers Motor Club experiences with ethanol. — … I founded both the Association for Motor Club Marketing and Travelers Motor Club. Based

October 19, 2016 Read Full Article

Value of E30 Proven in Real Time

by Jim Seurer (Glacial Lakes Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Our good friend and colleague Dave VanderGriend wrote in this column in April that a little place called Watertown, South Dakota, could be the beginning of a revolution in how we think about ethanol blends. The E30 Challenge initiated by Glacial Lakes Energy

October 14, 2016 Read Full Article

Letter: Will Renewable Fuel Standard Hurt Economy?

by Dirk Lohry, McCook Lake (Argus Leader) … Sen. Mike Rounds is questioning corn ethanol’s future under the RFS. I know that seems counterintuitive, but in 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency will take control of the ethanol mandate, with the authority to completely eliminate corn-based ethanol requirements from the statute. Given that

October 3, 2016 Read Full Article

Letter: A Big Vision Business Plan

by Jason Frerichs (Argus Leader) … As a state senator, I am hopeful we can generate bi-partisan support for putting S.D. state-owned undesignated flex fuel autos on E30. Then, adjoining state leaders will be encouraged to follow our lead to openly support all auto owners’ right to benefit by choosing ethanol’s

October 1, 2016 Read Full Article

New Ethanol Blend Now Available In Sioux Falls

by Heidi Kronaizl (KDLT News) E-15 now sold at four Kum & Go locations — A cheaper, cleaner blend of fuel has made its way to Sioux Falls. E-15 pumps made their debut at four Kum & Go gas stations Wednesday, being the first in Sioux Falls to offer the fuel.

September 29, 2016 Read Full Article

7 Governors Ask EPA to Remove RVP Limit on E15

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Sept. 13, the governors of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy asking her to remove the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) limit on E15. The letter explains the RVP is a significant

September 14, 2016 Read Full Article

Dear EPA: Watertown Is ‘Premium E30 Ready’

by Jim Seurer (Watertown Public Opinion/Glacial Lakes Energy, LLC) … The E30 Challenge is a campaign initiated by GLE and its industry partners ICM and Urban Air Initiative to encourage the voluntary use of Premium E30 fuel (30 percent ethanol blend) in both flex and non-flex vehicles. Essentially, we are challenging

September 12, 2016 Read Full Article

White Dog Labs Looks to Build Delaware’s Next Chemical Giant

by Scott Goss (The News Journal) … Now the rather smelly, colorless liquid is poised to become the cornerstone of a Delaware startup that is seeking to revolutionize the biochemical industry and even possibly — maybe someday — upend the global fuel market. “That might sound like some unbelievable boast,” said Bryan Tracy, the

September 5, 2016 Read Full Article

No Need to Panic Says Watertown Auto Expert

(KXLG) There’s no need to panic, says an auto expert, following reports of a recent equipment malfunction at six Magellan pipeline distribution bays in Oklahoma that caused a 30 percent versus 10 percent higher ethanol blend to enter the pipeline. Magellan’s Midstream Oklahoma terminal reported this week that it has issued

September 2, 2016 Read Full Article

Letter: ‘Growing’ Biofuels Worthy of Pursuit

by Jeremy Halgerson (POET/Argus Leader) The oil industry has been busy sending columns to papers around the country attacking biofuels like ethanol. Their arguments against ethanol always omit a key point: Cutting our biofuel use means more devastating impacts from oil. Growing our biofuels use is something worth doing. It’s worth

September 1, 2016 Read Full Article

Glacial Lakes In Midst of Premium E30 Challenge

by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) The ethanol industry knows that one area for the growth of the renewable fuel is through mid-level ethanol blends such as E30. The auto industry is calling for more octane and has indicated that ethanol is one great solution with E30 as the ideal blend. While

August 31, 2016 Read Full Article

Land-Use Change Rapidly Reducing Critical Honey Bee Habitat in Dakotas

(U.S. Geological Survey) The Northern Great Plains of North and South Dakota, which support over 40 percent of United States commercial honey bee colonies, are quickly becoming less conducive to commercial beekeeping as a result of land-use changes, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study published today. The USGS scientists found

August 30, 2016 Read Full Article

#Ethanol Report from 2016 Sturgis

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) once again partnered with the Buffalo Chip Campground to host the 76th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Aug. 8–14 in Sturgis, South Dakota. RFA Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White was joined at this year’s event by association board members Dana

August 15, 2016 0 comment Read Full Article

Automotive Expert & Car-Talk Host Bobby Likis Talks with Robert White, Vice President, Renewable Fuels Association

(EIN Presswire) E10 for engines on two wheels – as well as four – is covered under warranty by every major motorcycle manufacturer in the market — Bobby Likis, automotive expert and host of nationally syndicated car-talk program “Bobby Likis Car Clinic,” shares the mic with Robert White, Vice

August 12, 2016 0 comment Read Full Article

Rounds: Market Ethanol to Boost Octane, Ag Economy

by Todd Epp (KELO) Senator Mike Rounds has been traveling all over the state during the summer break. The issues he says he’s hearing most about are low commodity prices and the ag economy. He says one partial solution is expanding ethanol production. But he also says ethanol should market itself as a

August 12, 2016 Read Full Article

RFA Board Member Educates Bikers on #Ethanol

by Chuck Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Dana Siefkes-Lewis … is the Chief Administrative Officer for Redfield Energy, an ethanol plant in Redfield, SD. She is also the President of the South Dakota Ethanol Producers Association, board member for the Renewable Fuels Association and a great spokesperson for the industry. This year Dana

August 11, 2016 Read Full Article

SD Farmers Union Pumps E-30 Ethanol Blend in Pierre for a While

by Stephen Lee (South Dakota Capital Journal) South Dakota Farmers Union representatives were out hustling higher-ethanol-blend gasoline Wednesday for a couple hours at a Pierre Sinclair station. “We want to bring attention to the benefits of E-30,” said Matt Sibley, a legislative specialist for the state Farmers Union based in

August 4, 2016 Read Full Article

Mitchell, S.D., Event to Celebrate Home-Grown, Renewable Fuel

(AgWeek) South Dakota Farmers will be hosting a 30-For-30 event at the Shell Station in Mitchell (2160 Highland Way) July 14, 2016 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to celebrate the benefits of fueling up with Premium E30. During the 30-For-30 event, drivers receive .30 cents for every gallon of

July 8, 2016 Read Full Article

South Dakota Ethanol Industry Calls for Larger Ethanol Market

by Selena Yakabe (The Dickinson Press) South Dakota’s $3.8 billion ethanol industry is facing a “glass ceiling,” according to officials. … Hunter Roberts, the South Dakota representative for the Governor’s Biofuel Coalition, said this (Renewable Volume Obligation announced by the Environmental Protection Agency) could hurt South Dakota by causing an excess

June 27, 2016 Read Full Article

Letter: Ethanol: Dream big

by Orrie Swayze (Argus Leader) … Let’s revive S.D.’s leadership for big vision, good business policies by putting state-owned non-flex fuel vehicles on E30 and utilize remaining pipeline tax revenues assuring all S.D. auto owners’ access to lower cost ethanol’s premium blend E30. We will double corn ethanol demand, enabling free

June 17, 2016 Read Full Article

Helping Tell Ethanol’s Real Story

by Dave VanderGriend (ICM, Inc./Urban Air Institute/Ethanol Producer Magazine) In the world of ethanol, we need to get people smarter and “coach up” the public, media and policymakers as to the real story about our product. — … In our world of ethanol, that certainly is the case as we need

June 17, 2016 Read Full Article

My Voice: The Positive Reach of Ethanol Impacts Many

by Keith Alverson (Argus Leader) As a sixth-generation corn farmer in South Dakota, and one who is deeply involved in sustainability programs in U.S. agriculture, I have learned first-hand how biofuels such as ethanol are good for our health and environment, our security and our economy – and for S.D. We

May 19, 2016 Read Full Article

Biodiesel Blends Benefit Soybean Farmers at Aberdeen Station

(Tri-State Neighbor) A gas station in Aberdeen added a biodiesel blender pump as part of a program sponsored by the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. … “Brown County is one of the top soybean producing areas in South Dakota. Having a locally-grown, renewable biofuel available not only adds

May 19, 2016 Read Full Article

Women Head 3 Ethanol Plants in the Midwest

by Janna Farley (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Passion, leadership and vision are more important than gender in the work of three top managers. — In fact, there are only a handful of women in top management in the industry. Ethanol Producer Magazine talked to three about their experiences and how they’re

May 18, 2016 Read Full Article

Corn Ethanol’s Success Post-2022

by Senator Mike Rounds, R-SD (Capital Journal) In a recent letter to the editor, “Rounds sends mixed signals on ethanol,” the author’s critique was based on my decision to speak at an event sponsored by an anti-ethanol group. I’d like to be very clear: I support corn ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard

May 11, 2016 Read Full Article

Letter: Rebuttal to My Voice on Ethanol

by Mike Pap (Angus Leader) In response to the My Voice written by George “David” Banks, “Corn ethanol mandate harmful to environment.” Everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, I question Bank’s intent, thinking he probably has oil interest in his portfolio. The Environmental Protection Agency established a substitute to

May 9, 2016 Read Full Article

Project LIBERTY in “Ramp-Up” Phase

(POET) Project LIBERTY in Emmetsburg, Iowa, has produced and shipped several tank cars of cellulosic ethanol even as the plant is ramping up to its full 20 million gallon-per-year capacity. Last year’s startup phase yielded great experience that will benefit subsequent plants and the learning continues each day as POET-DSM

May 4, 2016 Read Full Article

Protein Packs A Punch in New Ethanol Coproducts

by Holly Jessen and Kassidi Andres (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Two companies gain traction in the quest to produce high-protein feed products from ethanol coproducts. — Novita Nutrition and Nutrinsic Corp. approach producing high-value feed products from ethanol coproducts differently—Novita removes unsaturated fat from distillers grains while Nutrinsic targets the condensed syrup

April 15, 2016 Read Full Article

Species-Specific, Process-Specific DDGS Nutrition Profiles Needed

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) How do low-oil, low-fiber, high-protein coproducts successfully find their best markets? — An array of distillers grains coproducts are entering the market—low oil, low fiber, high protein—with great potential. But animal nutritionists caution that finding the best and right market for the modified

April 15, 2016 Read Full Article

Rounds Sends Mixed Signals on Ethanol

by Erin Wicox (Capital Journal) Recently, South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds was a keynote speaker at an event in Washington, D.C. hosted by the American Council for Capital Formation (ACCF). The ACCF sounds harmless, but if you do a little research, you will quickly learn they are a shadowy front

April 14, 2016 Read Full Article

Biofuel Producers with Poor Soil Should Consider Prairie Cordgrass

by Lauren Quinn (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Salt-affected land is not useful for producing food crops, but biomass producers could take advantage of salt-tolerant perennial grasses to make use of that land. –In a greenhouse study, germination of prairie cordgrass was greater than switchgrass in high-salt conditions. –Three prairie cordgrass

April 4, 2016 Read Full Article

SDSU Works toward Ground-Breaking Way to Fuel Planes

by Kelli Gerry (The Collegian) South Dakota State researchers are working to perfect a process that could allow them to turn mustard seeds into jet fuel for Navy fighter planes. If people like Bill Gibbons are successful, some West River farmers could have a new crop to plant as early as

March 24, 2016 Read Full Article

First Midwest Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Is Producing Tank-Car Loads of Fuel

by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) Poet Inc. is shipping fuel from Iowa facility, which could hit full output by year’s end. — Poet Inc., the nation’s first commercial-scale producer of cellulosic ethanol, is shipping the fuel from its plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa, and could hit full production by the end

March 23, 2016 Read Full Article

Are You Ready for the E30 Challenge?

by Dave VanderGriend (ICM/Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … Watertown is challenging conventional wisdom in order for biofuels like ethanol to finally realize their true potential. Conventional wisdom says our nonflex autos can only operate on 10 percent ethanol blends and, at most, 15 percent. But those of us in the ethanol

March 10, 2016 Read Full Article

Opinion: South Dakotans Send Ethanol Message

by Orrie Swayze (AgWeek) The idea that shale makes us crude oil independent is an oil industry fantasy that enables us to deny we willfully sacrifice our troops to fight endless Middle East conflicts to support the U.S. addiction to imported oil. … South Dakota VFW had an ongoing statewide “Foreign

February 23, 2016 Read Full Article

Meeting the California Low Carbon Challenge

by Susanna Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Eighty-nine ethanol producers west of the Mississippi River prepare for the revised LCFS. … After a couple of years in limbo due to challenges to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, the California carbon credit market is heating up again. In mid-January, LCFS credits were

February 22, 2016 0 comment Read Full Article

GOED Awarded $1.5 Million for Ethanol Program

(South Dakota Ag Connection) South Dakota is ramping up its efforts to increase ethanol usage in South Dakota, thanks in part to a $1.5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation (USDA – CCC) federal grant awarded to the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). “As the

February 8, 2016 Read Full Article

Trestle Energy Wins Approval for Innovative, Low Carbon Biofuel Pathway from California Air Resources Board

(Trestle Energy/PR Newswire) Trestle Energy LLC – a California company working with ethanol and power producers across the Midwest – announced that California’s Air Resources Board officially approved its groundbreaking ethanol production process under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Building on Trestle’s 2014 approval by British Columbia, California’s approval

January 26, 2016 Read Full Article

Dirt Work Begins on Ringneck Energy as Project Details Finalized

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … “Most investors are from South Dakota by far,” he reported, but the project did attract investors from Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois. “Generally, from areas where they understand the ethanol investment,” he added. When completed, there will be between 150 to 200

January 4, 2016 Read Full Article

SDFU Delegates Vote to Take Pro-E30 Challenge

by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) The South Dakota Farmers Union celebrated its 100th annual meeting by taking another step forward in history by unanimously passing a resolution that dedicates its members to use a 30 percent ethanol blend in all of their engines. … The resolution is what some call the

December 11, 2015 Read Full Article

Keeping America Fueled by South Dakota

by Rep. Krisit Noem (Argus Leader) … Today, about one-third of the petroleum used in the United States is imported from foreign countries, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Most of this petroleum is refined into gas or diesel. Especially with conflicts arising in energy-rich areas of our world, the

December 8, 2015 Read Full Article

SD, VA Projects Receive USDA Value-Added Grant Funding

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Five bioenergy projects in two states were among the 258 businesses nationwide receiving a total of nearly $34 million from the USDA Rural Development Value-Added Producer Grant program. The grants were announced last week by Deputy Under Secretary Vernita Dore. … “Value-Added Producer Grants

November 18, 2015 Read Full Article

Strong RFS Support Offers Low-Risk Opportunity for Democrats to Connect with Voters They Need to Retake Majority

by Ryan Fitzpatrick (Third Way) Although relatively obscure by Washington standards, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) carries a unique level of importance and visibility in many rural states. The fact that the RFS invariably becomes a priority campaign issue for presidential primary candidates passing through Iowa serves as evidence of

November 9, 2015 Read Full Article

Will the Renewable Fuel Standard Impact the 2016 Elections?

by Jonathan H Harsch (Agri-Pulse) The escalating battle over the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) added another front Thursday. National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson warned President Obama that lowering the RFS volume requirements could result in Democrats losing otherwise winnable congressional races in the 2016 elections. Johnson warned that unless Obama

November 9, 2015 Read Full Article

All Auto Owners Can Choose Premium E30

by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Back in September I brought you a story about Orrie Swayze, an active ethanol advocate, who wants all drivers to use E30 in their cars. At the time, there was a special order in front of the South Dakota Farmers Union and this has since passed

November 4, 2015 Read Full Article

Court Appeal of Onida Ethanol Plant Not Slowing Plans as Construction to Start

by Stephen Lee (Capital Journal) An attorney for a handful of Onida residents opposing the siting of a proposed new ethanol plant just outside of Onida argued in court Monday that Sully County leaders improperly gave the plant a special use permit. Monday’s court appeal was a sort of latter-day

October 28, 2015 Read Full Article

Priming the Pump for Higher Blends

by Ray Defenbaugh (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Prime the Pump/Growth Energy) Prime the pump, an effort to grow the ethanol market to accelerate the build-out of higher blend retail infrastructure, has had tremendous success, writes Ray Defenbaugh. — The ethanol industry is going on the offense to bring higher blends into the

October 27, 2015 Read Full Article

ICM Aims for Strong Legacy

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) For two decades, ICM has adapted with the changing times, bringing technology solutions to the ethanol industry. — In 1995, ICM Inc. got its start with the purchase of the engineering, manufacturing and marketing divisions of High Plains Corp. located in Colwich, Kansas. On

October 27, 2015 Read Full Article