USGC Sees Potential for Ethanol Exports in Industrial Uses

July 30, 2020

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by By Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) The U.S. Grains Council is taking a harder look at promoting ethanol for industrial use. USGC CEO Ryan LeGrand says value-added products like hand sanitizer have helped buoy ethanol exports as fuel demand falls off.

“People started out by saying it’s just a drop in the bucket. But when you look at a country like Mexico, it typically imports 3 million gallons of ethanol. And the last two months, they’ve been anywhere from 12 to 13 million gallons of imports per month. And that’s hand sanitizer demand.”

Speaking to Brownfield during USGC’s summer meeting held virtually because of the pandemic, LeGrand says hand sanitizer demand from Korea has seen tremendous growth as well.

“That’s just two examples, but we’re looking for these opportunities wherever they may lie around the world.”

He says he’s not concerned about weakening demand once the pandemic is over because coronavirus has caused people to be a lot more conscious about how often they wash their hands.

LeGrand also points to other potential ethanol markets on the industrial side like windshield wiper fluid and fuel for cook stoves. READ MORE

INDUSTRIAL-USE EXPORTS SUPPORT U.S. ETHANOL AMID COVID-19 (Biofuels International/Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association)

Global ethanol production will not recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2022 -U.S. Grains council (Reuters)

APPEC: Global ethanol market recovery not in sight before 2022: US Grains Council's Healy (S&P Global Platts)

USGC highlights ethanol’s advantages during APPEC conference (Ethanol Producer Magazine)