In the News

Renewable Fuels Association

Apr 5, 2023

Biofuel and farm leaders today called on President Biden to get ahead of rising fuel costs by authorizing sales of E15 this summer. In a  letter to the White House,  six stakeholder groups noted that current conditions are analogous to those in place last summer, when President Biden waived outdated Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) restrictions on E15. The move saved drivers up to nearly a dollar per gallon at the pump in some areas, and an average of 23 cents per gallon according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce. 

“The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, now extending into its second year, continues to reverberate across global energy markets,” said the letter, whose signatories include the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, National Sorghum Producers, American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union. “At home, this conflict continues to cause fuel supply disruptions, high gasoline prices, and ongoing uncertainty for millions of Americans. To help remedy these disruptions, provide stability for American families, and support domestic energy and economic security, we urge the administration to authorize the summer sale of gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol (E15).”

Advocates also outlined a range of “extreme and unusual” factors impacting the stability of U.S. fuel markets, including historically low domestic fuel inventories, record exports of U.S. fuel to allies overseas, and continued inflationary pressures on fuel consumers. Protecting summer access to E15 would help relieve pressure on U.S. fuel supplies, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, lowering evaporative emissions, and supporting America’s farmers and rural economies, they argued.

“While a permanent solution that would allow E15 sales year-round remains an important necessity, we urge you to take action on a temporary, emergency RVP waiver as soon as possible to remedy current and expected supply challenges resulting from ongoing conflict in Ukraine,” concluded the letter.

Read the original story here.

Ethanol Producer Magazine

Mar 29, 2023

U.S. fuel ethanol production expanded by nearly 1 percent the week ending March 24, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on March 29. Weekly ending stocks of fuel ethanol were down nearly 3 percent.

Fuel ethanol production averaged 1.003 million barrels per day the week ending March 24, up 6,000 barrels per day when compared to the 997,000 barrels per day of production reported for the previous week. When compared to the same week of last year, production for the week ending March 24 was down 33,000 barrels per day.

Weekly ending stocks of fuel ethanol fell to 25.527 million barrels the week ending March 24, down 661,000 barrels when compared to the 26.188 million barrels of stocks reported for the previous week. When compared to the same week of last year, stocks for the week ending March 24 were down 1.002 million barrels.  

Read the original story here

Renewable Fuels Association

Mar 28, 2023

As the Biden administration and Congress consider taking action to allow continued sales of lower-cost E15 this summer, a new poll shows overwhelming support among voters for ensuring the popular fuel blend remains available year-round and nationwide.

With retail gas prices remaining elevated, 70 percent of poll respondents support increasing the availability of E15 to help lower fuel prices and support energy independence. Just 13 percent of those surveyed did not support expanded availability of E15.  Meanwhile, 62 percent support  recently introduced bipartisan legislation  that would allow the lower-carbon E15 blend to be sold year-round nationwide. Only 15 percent of respondents do not support the legislation, while 23 percent had no opinion.  Morning Consult polled 1,978 registered voters March 20-23, across all demographics, for the Renewable Fuels Association.  Click here for the topline data.

“We are pleased to see these new poll results, but not surprised,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “They match what we observe every day; drivers continue to embrace an American-made fuel that is more affordable and lower in carbon emissions. Simply put, consumers want greater access to E15. Last summer, E15 sold for 20 to 30 cents per gallon less than regular gasoline, on average, saving American families three to five dollars every time they filled up. Those savings will disappear on June 1 unless our leaders in Washington take action.  They need to act quickly to ensure that lower-cost E15 is available at the pump throughout the summer driving season.”

Additional results:

  • Ethanol favorability and support for the Renewable Fuel Standard have reached record highs; 69 percent of respondents have a favorable opinion of ethanol, while 66 percent support the RFS. These are the highest numbers since RFA kicked off baseline polling in June 2016.
     
  • The  Next Generation Fuels Act,  which would establish a high-octane, low-carbon fuel standard, is supported by 64 percent of respondents, an increase of four percentage points from December.
  • 69 percent of respondents believe it is important for the U.S. government to promote the production and sale of flex-fuel vehicles in the United States.
  • Voters strongly oppose government mandates related to their vehicle purchase options. Banning the sale of new liquid-fueled vehicles with internal combustion engines is opposed by 61 percent of respondents, while mandating that buyers purchase electric vehicles is opposed by 63 percent.

An  October 2022 analysis  found that allowing E15 sales in the summer of 2022 saved American drivers nearly $60 million. For more information on E15, check out RFA’s  updated fact sheet.  

Read the original story here.

Renewable Fuels Association

Mar 21, 2023

The Renewable Fuels Association today thanked a bipartisan group of governors  who called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take swift action to ensure consumers in their states will have uninterrupted access to lower-cost E15 throughout the summer 2023 driving season. Signing onto today’s effort are Govs. Kim Reynolds (R-IA), Jim Pillen (R-NE), Tim Walz (D-MN) and Kristi Noem (R-SD). 

“We applaud the efforts of these governors to secure year-round access to E15 for consumers in their states,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We agree with the governors that EPA still has time to implement their petition in time for this summer. But if EPA fails to do that, the governors have made a strong case that EPA could and should use its authority to issue emergency waivers, just as it did last year. The governors’ letter underscores the point that year-round access to E15 saved consumers more than 20 cents per gallon last summer, or about $3 to $5 per fill-up. Those savings are in jeopardy this summer unless EPA acts quickly.”

The governors’ letter notes that if EPA fails to implement their petition before this summer, emergency waivers are justified by current conditions. “The market conditions that justified emergency action last summer still exist today; indeed, fuel supplies are even tighter than they were a year ago and there is greater risk of disruption heading into summer,” the governors wrote.  “U.S. inventories of crude oil and petroleum products recently hit a 19-year low, and nationwide gasoline stocks are 3 percent lower than a year ago. Gasoline futures prices are up roughly 15 percent in just the last two weeks; and with a larger-than-usual amount of refining capacity offline for maintenance, supplies and prices could experience greater pressure as summer approaches. These are the same sort of circumstances that led EPA to issue emergency waivers last year.”

Earlier today at an EPA virtual hearing  on the governors’ proposal, Cooper stressed that action needs to take place as soon as possible to ensure drivers can take advantage of E15 savings this summer. Even though EPA’s proposal is more than seven months late, there remains no economic, environmental, or legal justification for the agency to delay implementation by another year, Cooper said.

Read the original press release here

Senator Amy Klobuchar

Mar 14, 2023

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Deb Fischer (R-NE), both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, reintroduced bipartisan legislation to make E15 available year-round. The Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2023  would enable the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10 percent, helping to lower fuel prices and provide certainty in fuel markets for farmers and consumers. 

“I have long pushed to make E15 available year-round because investing in affordable, readily-available biofuels produced in the U.S. is good for drivers and farmers alike,”said Klobuchar.“By ensuring consumers can access E15 gasoline throughout the year, our bipartisan legislation will benefit our economy, decrease prices at the pump, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It’s critical that we diversify our fuel supply and invest in affordable energy solutions. I look forward to working with Senator Fischer to pass this bipartisan bill.” 

“Our bipartisan legislation is the only permanent, nationwide solution to unleashing the power of year-round E15. It’s why we’ve been able to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders from the oil/gas, biofuel, ag, and transportation sectors to support our legislation. Negating the need for a patchwork of regulations will ensure all Americans can enjoy lower costs at the pump. With this unique coalition of support, I’m more optimistic than ever that we can make year-round E15 a reality,”said Fischer.

The Consumer and Retailer Choice Act of 2023  would allow for the year-round, nationwide sale of E15 by permanently extending Reid vapor pressure (RVP) volatility waiver to ethanol blends above 10 percent. The bill would also prohibit the removal of the 1-psi waiver for E10 ethanol, ensuring uniformity across fuel markets and preventing a patchwork of regulations from disrupting the national fuel supply chain.

In addition to Klobuchar and Fischer, the legislation is sponsored by Senators John Thune (R-SD), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and John Hoeven (R-ND). 

Companion legislation in the House of Representatives is led by Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN) and Adrian Smith (R-NE). 

The Consumer and Retailer Choice Act of 2023  has been endorsed by the American Petroleum Institute, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, American Coalition for Ethanol, SIGMA, National Association of Truck Stop Operators, National Association of Convenience Stores.

In a letter  to Congressional leadership, the coalition of agricultural, energy and transportation organizations urged the bill’s swift passage:“We urge Congress to act quickly to adopt legislation that will bring certainty and consistency to the fuel market, while also finally resolving long-standing differences among many stakeholders about fuel volatility regulations.”

Klobuchar has long been a strong advocate for investing in renewable fuel infrastructure, increasing American biofuel production, and upholding the Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Last July, she introduced  bipartisan legislation to lower fuel prices and improve vehicle efficiency. TheNext Generation Fuels Actwould allow the sale of fuels with higher-octane levels and greater amounts of ethanol.

Last April, Klobuchar led  a bipartisan group of colleagues in pushing the Biden administration to expand American biofuel availability. 

In March 2022, she and Ernst introduced  theHome Front Energy Independence Act, bipartisan legislation to expand the availability and production of American biofuel, following President Biden’s ban on importing Russian oil.

In February 2022, she and Grassley led  a bipartisan letter urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prioritize the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by maintaining the blending requirements for 2022; denying all pending Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs); eliminating proposed retroactive cuts to the renewable volume obligations (RVOs); and setting 2021 RFS volumes at the statutory levels.

Klobuchar and Grassley also introduced  bipartisan legislation in December 2021 to provide certainty to biofuel producers by preventing the EPA from retroactively reducing RVO levels once finalized.

Additionally, in July 2021, Klobuchar and Fischer  introduced  bipartisan, bicameral legislation, cosponsored by Smith, to permit the year-round sale of E15. 

In June 2021, Klobuchar introduced a package of bipartisan bills  to expand the availability of low-carbon renewable fuels, incentivize the use of higher blends of biofuels, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Co-led by Ernst, the Biofuel Infrastructure and Agricultural Product Market Expansion Actwould expand the availability of low-carbon renewable fuels in the marketplace, resulting in cleaner air, lower fuel process, and rural economic vitality. 

Read the original press release here

Ethanol Producer Magazine

By Geoff Cooper 

Mar 10, 2023

For more than a decade, the Renewable Fuels Association has worked with national polling groups to regularly survey American voters about their attitudes toward ethanol, the Renewable Fuel Standard, and other marketplace and policy issues important to our industry. Our most recent round of polling, in which Morning Consult surveyed 1,999 registered voters, showed that support for low-cost, low-carbon renewable fuels like ethanol continues to grow.

According to the survey, nearly 65 percent of the voters support the Renewable Fuel Standard, while only 15 percent expressed some level of opposition to the program. Meanwhile, 64 percent of respondents have a favorable opinion of ethanol, compared to just 18 percent unfavorable. When it comes to higher blends of ethanol, 68 percent support increasing the availability of E15 to help lower fuel prices and bolster energy independence, and 66 percent said it is important for the federal government to promote the production and sale of flex-fuel vehicles in the United States.

This round of polling also looked at some of the current policy debates and questions facing the industry, and the results are not surprising. The survey showed 60 percent of respondents support the Next Generation Fuels Act, which would drive the use of more efficient, lower-carbon liquid fuels like E25 or E30, compared to just 18 percent who oppose such legislation. And when it comes to electric vehicles, 77 percent of voters say it is important for automakers to disclose (to potential buyers) the emissions impacts of the electricity used to power electric vehicles, and 66 percent oppose policies that would ban the sale of new cars with traditional liquid-fueled engines.

RFA also conducted a round of focus groups in late January, held virtually with consumers in Ohio, Florida and California. These sessions provided a more qualitative assessment and a deeper look into how some people view these matters. While there was some ambivalence or misunderstanding about ethanol at first, a short discussion of ethanol’s benefits quickly led to more support; and we learned, again, that consumers are on our side. Over and over in both the Morning Consult polling and our focus groups, consumers say they want fuel options that are lower in cost, American-made, and better for air quality and carbon emissions. And there is still a lot of concern—even among voters in California—about moving too rapidly toward an all-EV future.

When you’re in the trenches fighting for ethanol every day, it’s easy to get distracted by the negative attacks and myths that continue to be hurled at our industry. But the conclusions we can draw from this public opinion work are clear. Americans strongly support expanded use of lower-cost, lower-carbon renewable fuels like ethanol, want greater access to higher ethanol blends, and strongly oppose policies that remove options at the gas pump or the auto dealership. It’s evident that voters understand and support the environmental advantages, energy security benefits, and affordability that renewable fuels like ethanol offer.

Read the original story here

Renewable Fuels Association

Mar 8, 2023

January U.S. ethanol exports jumped 59% to an 8-month high of 117.8 million gallons (mg). Canada was our largest importer for the 22nd consecutive month with 47.5 mg of U.S. ethanol crossing the border (primarily denatured), representing 40% of total U.S. exports despite a 3% decline from December volumes. Shipments increased across the bulk of remaining markets, including the United Kingdom (17.9 mg, up from minimal volumes to the largest exports in over a decade), South Korea (14.5 mg, +271% to an 8-month high), European Union (11.7 mg, up from minimal volumes), India (8.5 mg, up from zero to an 8-month high), Colombia (5.0 mg, +398% to a 15-month high), and Mexico (4.8 mg, +20%).

January was the first time in four months that the U.S. did not log foreign ethanol imports.

U.S. exports of dried distillers grains (DDGS), the animal feed co-product generated by dry-mill ethanol plants, scaled back 13% to 770,344 metric tons (mt). Mexico remained our top customer for the 7th consecutive month despite dipping 9% to a 9-month low of 153,659 mt (equivalent to 20% of January exports). Shipments to South Korea declined 10% to 111,609 mt while the European Union boosted imports by 74% to a 4-month high of 70,774 mt (with the majority bound for Ireland). Other larger markets included Indonesia (53,591 mt, -5%), Vietnam (51,475 mt, -17% to the lowest volume since Sept. 2017), Canada (51,221 mt, -11% to a 20-month low), Japan (39,227 mt, -16%), and Colombia (36,841 mt, -43%). Notably, imports to China hit a 12-month high (32,550 mt, +16%).

In February, RFA released annual analyses of U.S. ethanol and co-products exports in 2022. Find these trade summaries and other RFA publications  here.

Read the original story here

Senator Amy Klobuchar

Mar 2, 2023

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed E15 rule

“Giving certain states, including Minnesota, the flexibility to use E15 in the summer starting in 2024 is a good first step, but we need action now. In order to boost our economy and decrease prices at the pump, we should be giving consumers access to E15 nationwide this summer to prevent a disruption in sales. This is why I joined Senators from both sides of the aisle to call on the Administration to remove barriers to E15 starting in summer 2023, and I’ll keep pushing to pass bipartisan legislation that I introduced to make E15 available year-round for all Americans.”

Klobuchar has long been a strong advocate for investing in renewable fuel infrastructure, increasing American biodiesel production, and upholding the Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). 

She leads bipartisan legislation with Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) to make E15 available year-round. TheConsumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Actwould enable the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10 percent, helping to lower fuel prices and provide certainty in fuel markets for farmers and consumers. 

Read the original press release here