by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From what is an advanced biofuel to why, we take a look at the gallons, the ethanol blend wall, the residue capacity, and over 30 advanced biofuels projects from around the world to watch. In today’s Digest,
Iowa
Back TO HOMEAutothermal Pyrolysis: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Rethinking Thermochemical Processing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Iowa State University is working on fast pyrolysis, and Robert Brown, Director of the university’s Bioeconomy Institute looks at how their work is making us rethink thermochemical processing. By looking at autothermal pyrolysis, and more, Brown
December 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Economics, Expectations and Exports
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol Producer Magazine talked to three experts about the past year, and what they see moving into 2020. -- 2019 brought a Reid vapor pressure waiver for E15, but it also brought excessive small
December 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Bill Would Create ARPA–Terra, a New Research Agency to Invest in Early Stage Research on Innovative Agricultural Technologies that Enhance Environmental Sustainability, Export Competitiveness, and Crop Resilience
(Office of Senator Michael Bennet, D-CO) Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and U.S. Representative Cindy Axne (IA-3) announced they have introduced new legislation to create the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Terra (ARPA–Terra), a new agency at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to
December 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Quad County Corn Processors Seeds Monarch Fueling Station
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) Following the harvest of a small corn field near Quad Country Corn Processors, the ethanol plant recently seeded it once more, only not with corn but with milkweed. Board member Alan Bennett conducted a dormant seeding of native
December 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Kwik Trip Receives Qward for Sustainable Transportation Efforts.
by Molly Ringberg (News8000) Top sustainable transportation leaders around Wisconsin were honored for their commitment to the environment at the Wisconsin Clean Cities 25th Annual Stakeholder Meeting and Awards. First place for the Forward Fleet Award went to Kwik Trip for the amount
December 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Agriculture's Role is Growing in the Effort to Stem a Changing Climate
(Solutions from the Land) The global climate negotiating sessions in Madrid come to a close this week, and producer advocates remain gratified that delegates to the talks have demonstrated a growing acceptance of the agricultural sector's role in addressing the
December 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Gaesser, Shea Share Growth of Climate Smart Ag During Panel at COP 25
(Solutions from the Land) ... SfL Steering Committee member Ray Gaesser, an Iowa corn and soybean producer, and SfL President Ernie Shea appeared on the panel, which focused on climate change and the agriculture sector. They spoke of the role
December 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Opinion: Iowa Ethanol Subsidies Aren’t Worth Getting Burned
by Jason O'Day (Daily Iowan) ... Pumping gasoline with 10, 15, or 85 percent of a slightly less distilled version of the drink is bad for the health of your vehicle. It corrodes the gas tank and fuel line, especially
December 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Deep Dive: Climate Change and U.S. Farmers
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) A meeting last June in Newburg, Md., represented a change for U.S. farmers, Pro's Helena Bottemiller Evich reports . The event was hosted by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, a group made up
December 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Choices at the Pump: Convenience Matters Dives into What It Will Take to Add E15 to Your Fuel Lineup.
(National Association of Convenience Stores) On this week’s episode of Convenience Matters, “Increasing Fuel Options for Consumers,” NACS hosts John Eichberger, executive director for the Fuels Institute, and Donovan Woods, director of operations for the Fuels Institute, discuss the future of
December 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Klobuchar Leads Letter Expressing Concern that the Newly Proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Blending Targets Will Be Undermined by Continued Abuse of ‘Hardship’ Waivers
(Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)) Klobuchar has spent months calling for an end to the harm caused by abuse of hardship waivers -- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led a public comment letter last week to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
December 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Reynolds Requires All New State Diesel Vehicles to Use Fuel at Least 20% Biodiesel
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Gov. Kim Reynolds gave a boost Tuesday to Iowa's renewable fuels industry, requiring that all new state-owned diesel-powered vehicles — from cars and trucks to snowplows and graders — be able to use at least 20%
December 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Could Be a ‘Bridge’ toward Transport Electrification, US Farmers Say
by Sarantis Michalopoulos (EURACTIV.com) This article is part of our special report COP25: Is transport decarbonisation pragmatic enough?. Until electrification of transport is fully in place, ethanol could be used as a “bridge” to make fuels cleaner, US farmers told EURACTIV.com on
December 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Smart Agriculture Forum Serves Up Solutions from the Land
(Solutions from the Land) Iowa agriculture, business, academic, government and conservation leaders met in Des Moines on Monday in a forum that began an exploration of the impacts that extreme weather events and changing climatic conditions are having on the
November 26, 2019 Read Full Article
White House Asks Iowa Senator for Input on Biofuels Policy: Sources
by Stephanie Kelly, Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The White House has asked Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley’s office for input on the administration’s latest proposal to boost the ethanol market in 2020, according to two sources familiar with the matter on Friday, after
November 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Production Idled Citing EPA Decisions, POET-DSM Converting Cellulose Plant to Research, Development
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) In another response to EPA's actions regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard, POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC announced Tuesday the company will "pause" production of cellulosic ethanol at its Project Liberty plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels
November 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Poll: Despite State Impacts, Registered Republicans Approve of How Trump Has Handled Trade with China
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Three-fourths of Iowa's registered Republicans back President Donald Trump’s approach to trade with China, and half say his tariffs have done more to help than harm Iowa agribusiness, a new Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows. The
November 21, 2019 Read Full Article
REG Puts $30 Million Seneca Expansion on Hold Due to Tax Credit Extension Delays
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Iowa, local press reports that the Renewable Energy Group has decided to halt its $30 million expansion project at its Seneca plant, saying the 22 months since the biodiesel producers tax credit lapsed has left
November 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Senators Ask Trump to Stick to Biofuels Agreement
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) A group of United States senators asked President Donald Trump in a letter on Friday to make sure an EPA proposal to account for small-refinery exemptions to the Renewable Fuel Standard will account for actual
November 18, 2019 Read Full Article
NBB Releases New Report on the Importance of the Biodiesel Tax Incentive
(National Biodiesel Board) The tax incentive is crucial to continued growth of the U.S. biodiesel industry -- Today (November 12, 2019), the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) released a new report, "The Importance of the Biodiesel Tax Credit," showing how the emerging
November 13, 2019 Read Full Article
How Iowans Drove The National Debate On Carbon Farming
by Isabella Murray (Iowa Starting Line) ... (Beto) O’Rourke had read a guest op-ed by Leonard and Matt Russell, executive director of Interfaith Power and Light — a group that pushes for faith-based solutions to climate change — in the New York Times
November 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Whose Side Is Trump on? The Fight Continues…Corn Country and Oil Country Still Battling It out in Washington, DC
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... It’s a back and forth game of Trump’s promises to help farmers and agriculture and support ethanol and biofuels, EPA giving small refinery waivers to big oil companies, .... ... (T)he latest responses
November 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Ernst Says President Trump Is Upset by EPA’s Biofuels Rules
by O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) Iowa Senator Joni Ernst today said she’s talked directly with President Trump about the furor over proposed EPA rules which Ernst says do not fulfill the deal Trump struck in September on the renewable fuels
November 08, 2019 Read Full Article
LETTER: Iowa Ag Secretary: EPA Is 'Undermining' RFS
by Mike Naig (Sioux City Journal/Iowa Department of Agriculture) There’s a growing sense of frustration across America’s heartland, and it’s not hard to understand why. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is undermining the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), which is hurting
November 07, 2019 Read Full Article
HDT's Top Green Fleets of 2019
(Heavy Duty Trucking) All of Heavy Duty Trucking magazine's Top Green Fleets of 2019 take sustainability to the next level — through fuel economy, freight efficiency, alternative fuels, energy savings, and more. -- What does it mean to be “green”?
November 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Amy Klobuchar: Donald Trump's Presidency of Broken Promises Is further Dividing America
by Amy Klobuchar (Argus Leader) 'When we’re straight with the American people, we can build an even bigger coalition with an optimistic economic and justice agenda for this country.' -- From town halls to fish fries, debate stages to Hall of
November 06, 2019 Read Full Article
For Trump, Hints of Trouble in Ethanol Country
by Art Cullen (Storm Lake Times/Washington Post) ... (J.D.) Scholten, a 39-year-old former semi-pro pitcher, was out on a 14-county “Don’t Forget About Us Tour” targeting Iowa towns of 1,000 people or fewer in his uphill climb against Rep. Steve
November 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Buttigieg Says There’s Real Cost to Trump’s Broken RFS Promises
by Bob Fisher (KGLO/Radio Iowa) Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says President Trump isn’t keeping his promises to Iowa’s agricultural community when it comes to the Renewable Fuels Standard. “Actions speak louder than words and the president says he cares about farmers,
November 05, 2019 Read Full Article
ABLCNext Top 10 Takeaways – What Was the Industry Buzzing about in San Francisco?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At ABLC Next last week, there was lots of buzz and tons of discussion about all sorts of things, but what were the key takeaways? Let's start with Sustainable Aviation Fuels, CRISPR, new food, the
November 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Flint Hills Resources Menlo Staff Teach Students about Ethanol Production
(Atlantic News Telegraph) On Oct. 15, staff from the Flint Hills Resources Menlo ethanol plant participated in “On the Trail of Iowa Corn,” a field trip and educational opportunity for area third graders to learn about farm and food topics.
November 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump’s Push for Ethanol Not Reaching Pumps
(Finance & Commerce/Bloomberg) Donald Trump’s effort to boost corn demand by allowing year-round sales of ethanol-blended gasoline has run into a logistical problem. Few stations offer it. In corn country, gasoline with a 15% blend of ethanol is now pretty accessible year-round.
October 31, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Posts Call-in Information for Oct. 30 Hearing on SRE Proposal (and Proposal) COMMENT DEADLINE: November 29, 2019
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has posted call-in information for its Oct. 30 hearing on the supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking released Oct. 15 that seeks comments on how the agency should project the volume of small
October 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Foundation Receives Clean Diesel Project Grant
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The National Biodiesel Foundation has been awarded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funding for its 2020 National Clean Diesel Project. In partnership with Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT), Optimus Technologies, and Renewable Energy Group (REG), the
October 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Farm Leaders Warn Trump Could Lose Rural Voters unless He Makes Good on Ethanol Deal
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) Angry over proposed ethanol changes, Iowa agriculture leaders warned Wednesday that President Donald Trump will lose rural voters next year unless he makes good on a deal to restore millions of gallons of lost renewable fuel demand. "No more
October 18, 2019 Read Full Article
South Dakota Farmers Union Says RFS "Fixes" Lack Vision and Progress
(South Dakota Farmers Union) Following yet another disappointing announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on their management of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke said it’s time to recognize the RFS Is broken. "The
October 17, 2019 Read Full Article
“EPA Reneges on Trump’s Biofuels Deal”: Shocker Details Emerge on US Oil Industry Waivers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “EPA Reneges on Trump’s Biofuels Deal”, said the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association in reacting to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s new plans for fulfilling federal renewable fuel requirements. EPA released a proposed supplemental rule for the Renewable Fuel
October 16, 2019 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Positions & Perception of Stakeholders towards Bioenergy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It matters of course, what people think about bioenergy, not just the makers and political folk or offtakers, but the broader groups as well in what is called elsewhere ‘civil society’, amongst pressure groups, and
October 11, 2019 Read Full Article
‘Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel’ Program Selects Two New Leaders
(Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel (NGSB)) Hop onto a red CyRide bus in Ames, Iowa, and there’s a pretty good chance it’s fueled by a biodiesel blend. That’s thanks in part to the work of Sam Kramer, a chemical engineering and economics
October 09, 2019 Read Full Article
The Andersons, Marathon Petroleum Combine Ethanol Interests
(The Andersons/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Andersons Inc. today announced that it and Marathon Petroleum Corp. have merged four ethanol entities with and into the new legal entity The Andersons Marathon Holdings LLC (TAMH). The ethanol facilities involved in the merger include
October 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Rep. Axne, Sen. Klobuchar Urge USDA to Conduct Economic Impact Report on EPA Biofuel
(Office of Representative Cindy Axne (D-IA-3) Axne, Klobuchar express concern regarding recent EPA statement claiming “zero evidence” that biofuel waivers are hurting ethanol producers, request USDA conduct an economic impact report -- Today (October 3, 2019), U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA-03)
October 08, 2019 Read Full Article
As Electric Cars Shift into Mainstream, the Corn Belt Begins to Ponder a Post-Ethanol Future
by Amy Mayer (High Plains Public Radio) ...Lee Tesdell is all-in for reducing his carbon footprint. He began installing solar panels on his farm in Polk County, Iowa, in 2013. “And all the time I was thinking that I would like
October 07, 2019 Read Full Article
President Trump Delivers on a Key Promise to American Farmers as EPA, USDA Announce Agreement on Promoting Biofuels
(Environmental Protection Agency) Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue issued the following statements after President Donald J. Trump successfully negotiated an agreement on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): “President Trump’s leadership
October 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Cruel Summer
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A series of unfortunate events this summer—all caused by U.S. government action or inaction—has led to a precarious situation in the biodiesel sector, but there may be a silver lining. -- ... The volume of
October 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Farm-State Fury Creates Pressure for Trump as Trade, Energy Pain Collide
by David J. Lynch (Washington Post) ... After two decades, Siouxland (Energy Cooperative) this month halted operations following the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to exempt 31 small oil refiners from a federal law requiring them to blend ethanol in their
October 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Farmers Urge Trump to Address ‘Economic Crisis’ Facing Biofuels Industry
by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) Leaders in the renewable fuels industry say it’s urgent that President Trump fix the demand destruction and “economic crisis” created by RFS waivers. Ron Heck of Perry, Iowa, secretary of the National Biodiesel Board, says there’s
September 27, 2019 Read Full Article
State Level Climate Smart Ag Groups Growing
(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) State-level climate smart ag groups are growing, evidenced by wide media attention drawn by a forum held last month by the Florida Climate Smart Agriculture (FL CSA) Work Group, and an early meeting of
September 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Economist Proposes Two RFS Changes to Appease Oil, Ethanol
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) With a reported big deal for biofuels in flux, an economist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign put forward a plan on Thursday to account for more than 4 billion gallons of biofuels exempted
September 23, 2019 Read Full Article
NBB Member Testifies on Biodiesel’s Clean Energy Contribution
(Biofuels International) A member of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has testified to the House Small Business Committee on Rural Development on the contribution of biodiesel to the clean energy economy. Thomas Brooks, general manager of Western Dubuque Biodiesel, spoke at
September 19, 2019 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
"I've been hoodwinked so many times, not just by the EPA on this issue, but by other bureaucracies as well, so I'm going to see if what we talked about is the end product," Senatory Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told reporters
September 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Charlotte Water Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions With Renewable Diesel
(Renewable Energy Group/Business Wire) Charlotte Water is running a renewable diesel pilot project, operating 34 diesel vehicles on 100 percent renewable fuel. -- Charlotte Water, the largest public water and wastewater utility in the Southeast, is expanding its commitment to environmental
September 17, 2019 Read Full Article
USDA Numbers Confirm Declining Demand For Ethanol
by Amy Mayer (Iowa Public Radio) The national average price for corn this season is back to $3.60 a bushel, about where it’s been most of this year except for an early-season spike ($4.16 in July) before the size and quality of the
September 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Oil vs. Electric Vehicles
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Oil-backed groups are countering utilities' plans to expand electric vehicle infrastructure with regulatory and lobbying campaigns against the proposals in at least 10 states so far, Pro's Gavin Bade reports. The efforts, some greens
September 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Manager Says EPA’s Waivers “Ironic”
by Julie Harker (Brownfield Ag News) An Iowa biodiesel business manager has testified at a House subcommittee hearing that his business is contributing to the clean energy economy, saying strong consistent federal policy is needed, “It’s ironic that the EPA
September 13, 2019 Read Full Article
White House Presses Biofuel, Oil Executives for Compromise
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg/Investors Business Daily) Discussions aimed at breaking logjam over biofuel plan; Friday deadline issued for ideas on potential compromise -- Trump administration officials are squeezing biofuel and oil refining executives to agree to
September 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Many U.S. Farmers Fume at Washington, Not Trump, over Biofuel, Trade Policies
by P.J. Huffstutter and Tom Polansek (Reuters) ... Many farmers are angry, and some are directing their anger not at the Republican president, but at Washington’s bureaucracy. Trump has faced backlash from agricultural groups, ethanol producers and Midwestern politicians upset that
September 10, 2019 Read Full Article
King Willing to Debate Feenstra, Taylor
by Ty Rushing (NWestIowa.com) ... During his town hall, King addressed multiple topics including immigration, trade negotiations and the struggles of the agricultural renewable fuels community. POET Biorefining, the nation’s largest ethanol producer, has a plant south of Ashton, which King made
September 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuel Plan Faces Fresh Backlash from U.S. Agricultural Trade Groups
by Chris Prentice, Stephanie Kelly and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) U.S. agricultural trade groups on Friday told the Trump administration a proposed biofuel reform package falls short of expectations, four sources familiar with discussions said, complicating plans the administration had for
September 08, 2019 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters)
According to Reuters' reporters Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw, Terry Branstad, the former Iowa governor and now U.S. ambassador to China, showed a map of counties that had flipped in Trump’s favor in 2016 but were now considered at risk
September 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump in High-Stakes Balancing Act between Oil and Corn ahead of 2020 Bid
by Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) At a closed-door meeting at the White House on Aug. 19, President Donald Trump looked increasingly alarmed as his top envoy to China delivered evidence of rising Farm Belt frustration over his biofuel policy
September 06, 2019 Read Full Article
REG Looking to Fuel Ames' Sustainability Efforts through B100 Biodiesel.
by Robbie Sequeira (Ames Tribune) Ames-based Renewable Energy Group (REG) is looking to fuel the city of Ames' ever-expanding sustainability efforts through 100 percent biofuel, as part of their B100 Pilot Program. In conjunction with Optimus Technologies, based out of Pittsburgh,
September 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Corn Farmers to Trump: The Government Put Us in 'One Hell of a Bad Situation'
by Tal Axelrod (The Hill) The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) blasted the Trump administration on Tuesday, saying the government has put it in “one hell of a bad situation.” The trade association hammered President Trump for approving what it called 31 “unjustified” refinery waivers
August 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Governor Planning DC Meeting over ‘Short Term Crisis’ in Ethanol Industry
by O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) Governor Kim Reynolds and Midwest governors are planning a trip to Washington, D.C. to talk with President Trump about unrest in farm country. “Let him know first-hand what’s happening on the ground,” Reynolds said this morning. The
August 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Klobuchar: In First 100 Days as President, Pledges Moratorium on Oil Refinery Waivers, Restoration of Renewable Fuels Tax Credit and More
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Klobuchar says “I will stop the oil refinery waivers”: In Iowa, US Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said that, if elected President in 2020, would in her first 100 days in office order a moratorium on oil
August 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Internal White House Documents: EPA Ignored Trump Administration Recommendations to Redistribute Small Refinery Waived Volumes
(Renewable Fuels Association) Documents obtained by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) show that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ignored strong recommendations from within the Trump Administration to redistribute Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending obligations lost to small refinery exemptions in the
August 27, 2019 Read Full Article
UNL Researchers Leading Biofuel Studies
(KFORNOW) Sorghum, the third most abundant cereal crop in the United States, is emerging as a star player in the biofuels industry. Right now, however, maximizing the crop’s potential is challenging. The function of much of its complete set of DNA remains
August 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuel Retailers Have What It Takes
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Mike Lewis co-founded Pearson Fuels in 2003 as an “alternative fuels” station in San Diego, California. Today, Pearson Fuels is the largest distributor of E85 in California, supplying over 140 locations and about 76% of the market. Receiving
August 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump Set to Discuss Biofuels Thursday with USDA, EPA: Sources
by Humeyra Pamuk and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) President Donald Trump, faced with mounting anger in the farm belt over policies that allowed oil refineries to use less corn-based ethanol, is set to meet with cabinet members on Thursday to discuss ways to
August 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Governors Ask EPA to Clarify Biogenic CO2 Not Regulated under CCA
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Governors representing Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska and North Dakota recently sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler urging the agency to clarify biogenic CO2 is not a pollutant subject to regulation under the Clean
August 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Wound up over Waivers
by Alex Guillén (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA's internal watchdog is being asked to determine how the agency decided to grant the vast majority of exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard that oil refiners have requested. EPA approved 31 petitions for waivers
August 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Dems Fear another Rural Wipeout Will Reelect Trump
By Elena Schneider and Catherine Boudreau (Politico) Pitches by some 2020 candidates aren’t yet translating into a broad conversation about the needs of rural voters. -- As Democratic presidential candidates descended on the Iowa State Fair, a plane buzzed overhead, an
August 20, 2019 Read Full Article
How to Fix the Ethanol Industry
by Robert Rapier (Forbes) ...In this model, the entities that control the model are the same as those that benefit from it: The Midwestern states that produce essentially all of the nation's ethanol. The key goal here is to get the federal
August 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Environmental Advocates Should Take Another Look at Biofuels
by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Sen. Timothy Wirth (D-CO) (The Hill) ... But public policy to date has put almost the entire burden of the sector’s transformation on the nation’s vehicles. Shouldn’t the fuels they burn get equal attention? Look
August 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Farmers Stick With Trump Despite Trade War
by John McCormick and Jesse Naranjo (Wall Street Journal) ... “He’s doing the right thing,” said Leo Balk, a fifth-generation farmer who raises corn, soybeans, oats, beef and dairy cows on about 300 acres near New Hampton, Iowa. “It hurts, but
August 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Pete Buttigieg: To Tackle Challenges Like Climate Change, Unlock the Potential of Rural America
by Pete Buttigieg (Des Moines Register) ... To empower farmers to confront climate disruption, we will dramatically increase agricultural R&D. As president, I will double these investments over four years, dedicating nearly $50 billion over a decade. With scientists indicating
August 14, 2019 Read Full Article
Golden Grain Receives LCFS Certification for Cellulosic Ethanol Production
(Biofuels International) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has approved Golden Grain Energy for cellulosic ethanol production from corn kernel fibre, according to biotechnology company Edeniq, which has supplied the technology for production. Golden Grain operates a corn ethanol plant in
August 14, 2019 Read Full Article
A 'Golden Triangle': In Nebraska, Ethanol, Cattle and Agriculture Are Intertwined, with Major Impacts on the State's Economy.
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) It’s fitting that the Cornhusker State should be an important player in the nation’s ethanol industry. Second only to Iowa in production, Nebraska’s ethanol industry has a big impact on the state’s economy. In addition to
August 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Senate Biofuel Advocates Want a Piece of Transportation Bill
by Elvina Nawaguna (Roll Call) The bill would set aside $1 billion to build charging and fueling stations for electric-, hydrogen- and natural gas-powered vehicles -- A provision in the Senate’s surface transportation bill that would help pay for charging and refilling stations for zero-
August 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Letter: Protect Renewable Fuels
by Jim Lykam (Quad City Times) I respectfully disagree with Kerry Etringer’s July 18 letter in which he described homegrown ethanol as a "sop" to farmers rather than a "good renewable source of energy." The truth is that Iowa farmers deserve credit
August 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Senate Committee Acknowledges Climate Change in Passing $287 Billion Transportation Bill
by Ashley Halsey III and John Wagner (Washington Post) ... The bill got pushback from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), whose state is a major producer of ethanol, the corn-based product that is added to about 98 percent of gasoline. She objected
August 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Positive Climate Perspective: Iowans Educate Democrats on Solutions Farmers, Biofuels Offer on Climate Change
by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) As Democratic presidential candidates traipse through Iowa talking about their plans to address climate change, a mixed group of farmers and biofuel advocates are stressing the role agriculture can play as a solution. Matt Russell, executive
July 31, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol vs. Environment: Democratic Hopefuls Campaign on Clashing Agendas
by Jarrett Renshaw and Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren is a champion of the corn-based ethanol industry when she campaigns in rural towns dotting the U.S. Farm Belt. But in Washington, the U.S. senator from Massachusetts is among the co-sponsors
July 29, 2019 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
"EPA is screwing around with the program to the detriment of agriculture and the ethanol industry. EPA needs to stop doing the bidding of big oil companies," Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told reporters July 23, 2019, with regard to small
July 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Energy Department Says EPA Issued RFS Exemptions Against DOE Advice
(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) Contrary to assertions by the EPA, the Energy Department confirmed in a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) that the EPA has issued so-called “economic hardship” exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to small refineries, often
July 24, 2019 Read Full Article
POET Outlines Lessons from 4-Year Long Startup of Project Liberty Cellulosic Ethanol Project
(Green Car Congress) Commercially viable cellulosic ethanol plants has proven devilishly difficult to bring to fruition. The primary outlier from the list of efforts that have shut down over the past few years is POET/DSM’s Project Liberty (earlier post). In an
July 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Biden Plan Seeks to Boost Rural America through Investments
by Alexandra Jaffe (Associated Press) Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Tuesday sought to build on his appeal to rural voters with the release of a broad plan to revitalize rural America through investments in agriculture, rural economies and infrastructure. ... The plan
July 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Gillibrand Tours Plant
by Mike Putz (Dyersville Commercial) Democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand might be trailing in the polls both in Iowa and nationally, but she believes stops like the one she made to Big River Resources in Dyersville will convince Iowans to send
July 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Mexican Fuel Marketers Confident They Can Offer Ethanol Following Tour of Iowa Ethanol Supply Chain
(American Coalition for Ethanol) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) hosted a tour in conjunction with the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) in Iowa last week to show nine decision-makers from key Mexican retail and supplier
July 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Stating Carbon Fuel Standards: BIO World Congress Eyes Taking Low-Carbon Fuel Standards Beyond California
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) The uncertainty of the federal Renewable Fuels Standard and political fights with the petroleum industry are giving more weight to the need for major biofuel states to consider their own low-carbon fuel standards. After years
July 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor at the 2019 BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (T)he bioeconomy’s biggest and grandest show, the BIO World Congress, takes us on an accustomed journey through the present and future in a sector that has more twists and turns than the rides at
July 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Firm Launches Plan to Cut One Trillion Tons of CO2 From Atmosphere
(Solutions from the Land) A company that says it is "dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet," announced last month the launch of The Terraton Initiative™, a project designed to accelerate carbon sequestration at an unprecedented scale. ... Among the
July 09, 2019 Read Full Article
With 2020 Looming, Trump Weighs Boosting Farmers at Refineries’ Expense
by James Osborne (Houston Chronicle) The future of an exemption shielding oil refining companies from a federal mandate that they blend corn-based ethanol into the nation’s fuel supply is looking increasingly uncertain amid increasing political pressure on the Trump administration ahead of
July 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa State University Is Home to a New Bioenergy Crops Research Farm
(Iowa State University Extension and Outreach) Iowa and Midwest agriculture has started to change in recent years. One visible change is the interest to grow crops for biofuel and bioproducts (referred to as “energy crops”). Fossil fuel usage contributes to the
July 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Raised & Rooted Alt Protein, African Iron Superfood, Biological Biocide, Digital Agronomic Tools, CO2 Munching Microbe, and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of July 4th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the U.S., it’s Independence Day and many folks are celebrating across the country, but it doesn’t mean the bioeconomy is taking a break. In fact, bioeconomy innovations, much like hamburgers and hot dogs across America,
July 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Decision 2020 Bioeconomy – 25 Declared Presidential Candidates and How They Stand on the Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Who's best for you? Who's best for us? Who supports what you do, and how strongly? In this guide, we've looked at the policies and activities of 25 declared presidential candidates, which we have listed in
July 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Oh My! Dan’s Back: AgCertain Industries Acquires KemX Global
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For some time, many have been uncertain as to what direction former REG CEO Dan Oh would take in developing a new entry into the fast-growing bioeconomy, but now we can be certain, or rather, AgCertain. News
July 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Integrated Landscape Management Reduces Biomass Production Costs By 20%
by J.Richard Hess (Idaho National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy) A new techno-economic analysis by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) demonstrated that, by using integrated landscape management (ILM) techniques, bioenergy stakeholders could produce biomass at costs 20% lower than previous assumptions.1 The efficiencies
June 26, 2019 Read Full Article
King Introduces Bills Protecting RFS from Small Refinery Exemptions
(Office of Congressman Steve King (R-IA-4th) Legislation Recovers Volume Lost to Waivers by Increasing RFS Requirement Gallon -for-Gallon -- Congressman Steve King releases this statement following his introduction of two bills that are designed to protect the volume requirements in the Renewable
June 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa State Researchers Studying Slow-Release Fertilizer to Feed Crops, Improve Water Quality
(Iowa State University) Iowa State University researchers weren’t looking for a slow-release fertilizer that could feed crops while protecting water quality, but they may have found one. Researchers looking to add value to biochar – a solid, porous co-product of heating corn
June 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Could the RFS Move Toward a Low Carbon Program Like LCFS?
by Jeff Barber (OPIS) The idea of revising the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to operate more like the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) appears to be getting a fresh look. The rise in prices for California’s LCFS credits may be a motivating factor. More about
June 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Bioprocessing in Iowa: Reflecting on Our Journey
by Debi Durham (Iowa Economic Development Authority/Biofuels Digest) ... For decades, we’ve applied our work ethic and expertise in laboratories, innovation centers and refineries throughout the state. As a result, we’ve become a leader in bioprocessing, in addition to our agrarian achievements. ... There’s
June 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Lallemand’s Biofuels Division Surpasses Ethanol Production Milestone
(Biofuels International) Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS), part of Lallemand, has announced that the company’s TransFerm platform has surpassed over 25 billion gallons of ethanol production. The TransFerm platform comprises yeast strains that produce glucoamylase within fermentation, which reduces the need
June 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Sapp Bros. Opens New Biodiesel Blending Facility in Sioux City
(MEG Corp./Biodiesel Magazine) Sapp Bros. is celebrating the opening of its newest biodiesel blending terminal located in Sioux City, Iowa, with an open house June 13 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm Central time at 4800 Frelon Drive. Media representatives are
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump in Iowa Touts Ethanol while Bashing Biden
by Miranda Green (The Hill) President Trump gave rallygoers in Iowa on Tuesday a sign of what might come in 2020, speaking to them about ethanol while taking hard jabs at Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Speaking in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to celebrate his administration’s
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
As Biden Tours Iowa, Farmers Want to Know Where He Stands on Ethanol
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) Joe Biden may have an ethanol problem. The former U.S. vice president has pledged support for advanced biofuels as part of his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. But Biden, who leads the crowded Democratic field in opinion
June 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Daily on Energy: Inslee Sees a Place for Corn in Plan to Scrap EPA’s Ethanol Mandate
by John Siciliano and Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) Democratic presidential hopeful Jay Inslee says there would be a place for corn ethanol in his plan to replace the nation’s renewable fuel program with one that has a record of making corn farmers wary. Inslee tells
June 10, 2019 Read Full Article
2020 Democratic Front-Runner Joe Biden and President Trump Plan Dueling Campaign Stops in Iowa on Tuesday
by Jeff Daniels (CNBC) -Former Vice President Joe Biden plans to return to Iowa next Tuesday, marking only his second trip to the key caucus state since formally declaring a run for the White House. - But Biden plans to skip
June 07, 2019 Read Full Article
The Daily 202: Trump Keeps Trying to Pick Winners and Losers – from the Bailout for Farmers to a Border Wall Contract
by James Hohmann (Washington Post) ... Trump proceeded to tout initiatives he’s taken to help corn growers. He noted that he directed the EPA to make it easier to sell more ethanol in vehicle fuel, lifting summertime fueling restrictions on E15
May 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Project LIBERTY: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to POET
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) POET has been turning one big idea after another into biofuel and renewable alternative product solutions for thirty years. They have grown from a single, humble refinery in Scotland, South Dakota, to one of the world’s
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Significance of Ag's Role in Addressing Climate Change Grows in Congress This Week
(Solutions from the Land) A hearing held this week by the Senate Agriculture Committee on the impact of climate change on the ag sector marks what is hoped will be the start of a serious effort by Congress to address the needs
May 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Possible Trump Visit to Iowa Ethanol Mill Signals E15 Win
by Mario Parker and Jennifer Jacobs (Bloomberg) President Donald Trump is considering visiting an ethanol refinery in Iowa in the coming weeks, according to people familiar with the matter, a signal that the administration will fulfill a pledge to permit the year-round sale
May 23, 2019 Read Full Article
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio Tours Ethanol Plant with Former Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack
by Katy Siddall (River Cities' Reader) New York Mayor Bill de Blasio toured the POET Biorefinery in Gowrie, Iowa and discussed the benefits of value-added agriculture in rural America. De Blasio was joined by Secretary Tom Vilsack, who served both as Secretary
May 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Innovative Foundation in Iowa
by Debi Durham (Iowa Economic Development Authority) ... Iowa is home to three public universities – the University of Iowa, Iowa State University (ISU) and the University of Northern Iowa – that are world-renowned for dynamic research capabilities in plant, animal
May 21, 2019 Read Full Article
US Fuel Mandates No Salve for Farm Trade Losses
(Argus Media) Higher US biofuel blending mandates cannot make up for lost export trade opportunities, according to farm groups caught in the crossfire of the country's trade war with China. US independent refiners show little concern that the administration will blunt sharply
May 21, 2019 Read Full Article
California Certifies Two Edeniq Customers for Corn Kernel Fiber Ethanol
(Edeniq/Business Wire) Siouxland Ethanol and Elite Octane received LCFS approvals using Edeniq’s Intellulose 2.0 corn fiber technology -- Edeniq, Inc. (“Edeniq”), a leading biotechnology company that develops processes for producing and measuring cellulosic ethanol, today announced that the California Air Resources Board
May 14, 2019 Read Full Article
House Members Call on EPA to End Refiner Exemptions
(St. Joseph Post) A bipartisan coalition of 35 members of the House of Representatives says the Environmental Protection Agency should stop issuing small refiner exemptions to large or unqualified refiners. The EPA has approved 54 waivers through the Renewable Fuel Standard,
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
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
May 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Caucus: Marianne Williamson Stops at Golden Grain Energy for Ethanol Crash Course
by Lisa Grouette (The Globe Gazette/KPVI) Marianne Williamson, a proclaimed spiritual leader and activist, sat in on a PowerPoint-style presentation Monday afternoon at Golden Grain Energy to learn more about an Iowa staple: ethanol and ethanol production. The ethanol educational crash-course
May 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Iowa Legislature Provides FY 2020 Funds for Blender Pump Program
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Iowa legislature funded another year of Iowa’s cost-share blender pump program. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program, commonly referred to as the state’s blender pump program, provides cost-share grants to Iowa retailers wishing to upgrade
April 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Andrew Yang Tours Ethanol Plant in Rural Iowa
by Katy Siddall (River Cities' Reader) Entrepreneur and presidential-candidate Andrew Yang toured POET Biorefining in Gowrie, Iowa. Yang was joined by Focus on Rural America Chair Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge, who has served Iowa as Lt Gov and as Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture. “I’m
April 29, 2019 Read Full Article
2019 Ethanol Producer Award Winners Announced
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The 2019 Ethanol Producer Award winners have been selected. Following a nomination period and voting process that included Ethanol Producer Magazine editorial staff and editorial board members, EPM is proud to announce this year’s winners. They are
April 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Former DuPont Employee Gets 42 Months in Prison for Stealing Trade Secrets
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) ... As part of his guilty plea, Isler (Josh Harry Isler) admitted that, during August 2013, while employed with DuPont, and after having accepted an offer of employment with a smaller competitor, he stole and misappropriated,
April 19, 2019 Read Full Article
SW Iowa Renewable Energy Sows Seeds for Monarchs
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWire.com) Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) is one step closer to providing monarch butterflies with a new place to fill up on their cross-country journey. The ethanol plant seeded their Monarch Fueling Station this week with the help of
April 18, 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
April 17, 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
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
April 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Sen. Grassley Honored for Lifetime Achievement in Bioenergy
by Cindy Zimmerman (AgWired.com) Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was honored at the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC) in Washington DC this week with the Holmberg Award for Lifetime Achievement in Bioenergy. Accepting the award, Grassley said he was honored, but noted that his
April 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Sustainable Chemicals Produced by Vertimass Now Eligible for Iowa Renewable Chemical Production Tax Credit
(Vertimass/Cision/PR Newswire) Vertimass' ethanol to renewable chemicals offers ethanol producers alternative product capability -- The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has approved the addition of four new renewable chemicals to the list of those eligible under its first-in-the-nation renewable chemical production tax
April 02, 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
April 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Mighty Earth Wants to Push 2020 Candidates on the Use of Biofuels
by Zachary Oren Smith (Iowa City Press-Citizen) ... Mighty Earth, a program affiliated with left-leaning think tank Center for International Policy, has three paid organizers setting up shop in Iowa City, Des Moines and the Quad-Cities in hopes of getting 2020 candidates to
April 01, 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
March 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Oregon Rack Gasoline Jumps Nearly 34 Cents in Two Weeks on Ethanol Troubles
by Kenneth Raphael, Jeffrey Bair and Wes Swift (S&P Global Platts) Portland, Oregon, rack gasoline has jumped more than 33 cents since March 12 on ethanol shortages tied to the recent "bomb cyclone" in the US Midwest that set off flooding
March 28, 2019 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Top 10 Celluosic Project Flashpoints, 10 Quick Takes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s all very rosy on the cellulosic potential frontier. As Gevo and Renmatix recently observed, “cellulosic sugars are one of the most abundant feedstocks in the world, and in many geographies with dense vegetation, using woody
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
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Front Group Taking Aim at Biofuels
by Kevin Kinney (The Gazette) ... I’m concerned that Mighty Earth — a group based in Washington, D.C. — is starting to campaign locally against ethanol and other biofuels. The group claims to care about the planet, but their entire campaign seems designed
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Celebrating Leading Women in Biofuels
(Growth Energy) Supporting American ethanol ... also means supporting female leadership. In honor of International Women’s Day, we are taking a moment to recognize just a FEW of the female pioneers leading the biofuels industry – and all the women who
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
March 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Candidates Should Recognize Biofuel Benefits
by Mike Naig and Dave Loebsack (Quad City Times) We may come from different political parties, but we share at least one common vision. Both of us strongly support renewable fuel, like biodiesel, for the vital role it plays in Iowa’s
March 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Midwest Storms Wreak Havoc on Ethanol Trade and Potentially Production
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Nebraska, Platts reports that last week’s major storm that saw flooding and blizzards across the Midwest lead to major disruptions of ethanol supplies around the region as well as getting product to deficit markets on the coasts
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
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
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,
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Commitment to R&D is the Key
by Debi Durham (Iowa Economic Development Authority/Biofuels Digest) ... Toward that end, Iowa offers incentives such as the Research Activities Tax Credit to alleviate the potential financial risk associated with R&D investments, and ultimately, improve the potential for profitability. As one
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
O’Rourke Mostly Gets a Pass for His Lack of Specifics
by Edward-Isaac Dovere (The Atlantic) ... The first woman who asked a question wanted to know about ethanol. E10 or E15? ... Beto O’Rourke’s full answer went on for a bit. “How do we free ourselves from a commodity market over which we
March 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Presidential Candidate Sen. Cory Booker Visiting Iowa This Weekend
(WeAreIowa.com) ... Senator Booker held a meet-and-greet in Indianola at the Annelise Winery Saturday evening. He spoke about his platform including that of green technology. He is a leading proponent of the Green New Deal. "If I'm your President, I'm going to double and triple
March 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Former Sen Beto O'Rourke's First Iowa Trip Includes Ethanol Plant
by Katy Siddall (River Cities Reader) ... Beto O’Rourke, former Texas Congressman and newly-announced presidential candidate, made a visit to an ethanol plant in rural Iowa on one of his first stops as he courts caucus-goers. O’Rourke toured Big River Renewables LLC, an ethanol
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
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
March 15, 2019 Read Full Article
The Energy 202: A Wave of State Bills Could Threaten Science and Climate Education
by Paulina Firozi (Washington Post) State lawmakers from Connecticut to Florida are proposing measures that some groups say could threaten how science and climate change are taught in the classroom. More than a dozen such bills have popped up this year, including