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US Water Facility in Minnesota Wins Safety Award

Ethanol Producer Magazine

May 24, 2016

U.S. Water’s Cambridge, Minnesota, facility, the leading national provider of integrated solutions for water treatment, was awarded a Meritorious Achievement in Occupational Safety 2015 Governor’s Safety Award during the 2016 Minnesota Safety & Health Conference in Minneapolis.

The 2016 Minnesota Safety & Health Conference was organized by the Minnesota Safety Council, and took place at the Minneapolis Convention Center on May 5. David Provost, Cambridge plant manager, and Shae McClanahan, environmental health and safety specialist, accepted the award on behalf of U.S. Water’s Cambridge facility.

“This is just one outstanding example of U.S. Water’s commitment to safety as we focus to offer safe and environmentally sound solutions for our customers, employees, company, and communities. I’m very proud of our Cambridge team,” said Rob Marino, vice president of manufacturing and logistics. “They consistently lead the company in safety innovation, as many of our companywide programs were conceived and developed at this facility. Dave and his team continue to raise the bar with acceptance of this award.”

The Meritorious Achievement in Occupational Safety is awarded to organizations that receive a score of 50-74 on the safety program evaluation scorecard, and have a better than average Days Away Restricted Transferred rate for at least the past three years based on industry averages. The safety program evaluation scorecard rates the organization in 20 health and safety measures, which can be placed into four broad categories: responsibilities and accountabilities; identifying, controlling and analyzing hazards; incident investigation; and communication and training. DART rates come from the number of cases with days away from work, job transfer or restrictions due to injury or illness.

See the original story: US Water Facility in Minnesota Wins Safety Award

Ethanol Fuels Energy Security

May 20, 2016

By Wesley K. Clark

Today is Armed Forces Day. It is a good reminder to thank the men and women in uniform who spend every day protecting our freedoms, on and off the battlefield. Strange as it may seem, sometimes those victories don't require bombs or bullets.

Earlier this year, the Navy deployed the Great Green Fleet — a carrier strike group powered by renewable energy systems designed to keep our war fighters mobile, even if oil is scarce. It includes five biofuel-powered ships using some of the same technologies now available to consumers at the gas pump in the form of gasoline blended with 10 or 15 percent ethanol. Both efforts were borne from the simple notion that homegrown fuels will help insulate America from price shocks and foreign manipulation while protecting our environment.

The development and use of 21st-century clean, American-made biofuels has helped keep America moving forward. In 2015, gross U.S. oil imports totaled almost 10 million barrels of foreign petroleum daily. Put another way, our country spends hundreds of thousands of dollars every minute on foreign oil — billions of dollars annually.

American biofuel producers answered the call to reverse this resource drain, striving to develop homegrown sources of energy. While many have struggled to compete financially or have been deemed too troublesome environmentally, ethanol has been a true success story.

Ethanol is an advanced biofuel that is renewable and better for the environment. As a fuel additive, it already is blended into 97 percent of the gasoline sold across the country. In most cases, it is blended at the 10 percent level.

But increasingly, higher ethanol blends of gasoline such as E15, which contains 15 percent ethanol, are being offered to American drivers who are reaping the benefits. Not only is ethanol grown and produced right here at home, it is cooler and cleaner burning than standard gasoline, and it has a higher octane level so engines benefit from increased horsepower.

In the past decade, the United States has become the global leader in ethanol production. Since 2000, U.S. ethanol production increased 13-fold in response to heightened demand for a clean, domestic fuel source. Every gallon of ethanol decreases our dependence on oil — one truckload of American ethanol displaces more than 60 barrels of imported oil. We have cut our imports in half since the introduction of ethanol into the fuel supply.

In addition to breaking our dependence on foreign oil, the ethanol boom is yielding other benefits. The industry created or supported nearly 400,000 jobs in 2015 across the U.S., and experts predict expanded use of higher ethanol-blend fuels, such as E15, could create thousands more.

Ethanol also has saved consumers as much as $.50 to $1.50 a gallon when gasoline prices spike, according to some estimates.

America's ability to produce its own energy to fuel our economy will help ensure our safety and keep our financial resources here at home. The use of American-made biofuels also will decrease the likelihood that we are drawn in to foreign entanglements around energy production. In the 21st century, energy security will continue to be vital to our national interests, and ethanol is set to play a central role at home.

Read the original story: Ethanol Fuels Energy Security

Gov. Ricketts Highlights Benefits of Biofuels During Renewable Fuels Month

May 19, 2016

LINCOLN – Today, Governor Pete Ricketts highlighted Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska and the importance of biofuels to the state by kicking off a unique ethanol promotion at Sapp Brothers in Omaha. The Governor previously designated May as Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska by signing a proclamation.

“With renewable fuels, we are not only adding value to the crops we grow, but also expanding America’s domestic fuel supply while creating quality jobs all across our state,” Governor Ricketts said. “Renewable fuels have a positive influence on our economic landscape in Nebraska. By filling up with biofuels, you support Nebraska’s farm families and bring good-paying jobs to our state’s rural communities.”

Nebraska’s economic prosperity is closely tied to agriculture, the state’s number one industry. Nebraska ranks second nationally for ethanol production, which consumed 43 percent of the state’s corn crop in 2014 according to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.

Both American Ethanol and soy biodiesel are clean-burning, renewable fuels made from homegrown Nebraska commodities. These fuels and co-products greatly contribute to Nebraska’s economic vitality and make an impact across the entire country. More than 1,500 people in rural Nebraska and more than 850,000 people nationwide are employed in the renewable fuels industry, according to a 2014 economic impact study released by Fuels America.

In addition to financial benefits, biodiesel and American Ethanol also provide many environmental and consumer benefits. According to the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest, some 70 percent of harmful air pollution is attributable to mobile sources such as passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, and construction equipment. Biodiesel reduces hydrocarbon emissions by 67 percent. Similarly, American Ethanol is a non-toxic, clean-burning fuel that dramatically reduces the level of toxics added to gasoline, including proven and suspected carcinogens such as benzene, toluene, and xylene.

“When it comes to air quality, renewable biofuels such as American Ethanol and biodiesel burn cleaner and help make our air healthier,” Governor Ricketts noted. “Renewable Fuels Month is a great way to bring awareness to the wide range of benefits biofuels provide. Nebraska-produced biofuels are cost-effective, American-made, renewable, and better for our environment.”

Read the original story: Gov. Ricketts Highlights Benefits of Biofuels During Renewable Fuels Month

It's Time For An Octane Boost

The Detroit News

May 17, 2016

By Tracey King

While our automobiles have experienced remarkable changes over the past several decades, the fuels we put in them have not. Specifically, the octane rating of regular gasoline today is the same as it was 40 years ago; in some areas of the country it is even lower.

From the 1920s to the early 1970s, fuel octane ratings increased in tandem with engine horsepower and compression ratios, culminating in the much-loved “muscle car” era of the late 1950s through early 1970s. But the octane rating of gasoline has stagnated ever since.

Modern and future engines need more octane — not less — to maximize fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

Smaller engines with increased compression ratios and turbocharging can significantly improve fuel economy while simultaneously providing the same — or greater — horsepower and torque of larger engines. However, these technologies also increase cylinder pressure, and that can lead to premature combustion of the fuel. Pre-ignition of the fuel causes “engine knock” or “pinging,” which can seriously damage engines.

That’s where octane comes into play. A fuel’s octane rating is a measure of its ability to resist premature combustion. The higher the octane number, the lower the risk of pre-ignition and engine knock. More octane also means more power.

These characteristics are appealing to automakers who face a serious challenge in the decade ahead. Federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards require automakers to manufacture vehicles that will achieve average fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. That’s more than double the actual average of 24.3 mpg in 2014. Automakers are responding to these aggressive standards by exploring a broad range of technologies that can boost fuel economy. The most promising and economical approach identified by the automakers is to greatly expand the use of turbocharging and high compression ratio engines. And that will require an increase in the octane rating of our gasoline.

Accordingly, the auto companies are pleading for more octane. Just two weeks ago at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit, GM’s vice president of propulsion systems underscored that “Higher octane is necessary for better engine efficiency. It is a proven low-cost enabler to lower CO2.”

There are a variety of options for increasing the octane rating of gasoline, but one octane source stands out from the crowd: ethanol.

Made from the starches and sugars in crops, waste and other biological material, ethanol is a renewable fuel that reduces CO2 emissions and has an incredibly high octane rating of 113. That compares to an octane rating of 84 for base gasoline produced at the refinery. In addition, ethanol costs less than other octane enhancers produced by oil refineries, many of which are toxic in nature.

Research by automakers and the Department of Energy confirms that gasoline blends containing 20-40 percent ethanol can provide the necessary octane boost for high-compression, turbocharged engines, while delivering better fuel economy than today’s gasoline. In the words of a Mercedes-Benz engineer, ethanol-based high octane fuels can provide “ridiculous power and good fuel economy.”

While upping the octane rating of regular gasoline would assist automakers in meeting new CAFE standards, it would also help petroleum refiners comply with the Renewable Fuel Standard. By requiring refiners to blend annually increasing volumes of renewable fuels with petroleum fuels, the RFS diversifies our nation’s energy mix and reduces demand for imported oil. Moreover, the RFS ensures oil refiners choose ethanol as the pathway to higher octane, rather than petroleum-based octane sources that increase air and water pollution.

Automotive technologies have experienced tremendous advancement in the past 40 years, but our fuels haven’t kept up. We need to modernize our fuel to reduce emissions and enable more efficient engines; higher octane is the key to accomplishing both of those goals. It’s past time to increase the octane content of our nation’s gasoline.

Tracey King is technical director of the Renewable Fuels Association

Read the original story here : It's Time For An Octane Boost

RFA Statement Opposing Bill Capping Ethanol Blends

Renewable Fuels Association

May 11, 2016

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, biofuel critics Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) introduced legislation that would cap ethanol blends in the U.S. transportation pool to no more than 9.7 percent by volume. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen had the following statement:

“Passage of this bill would represent a complete capitulation to the oil industry that steadfastly refuses to provide consumers higher octane, lower cost alternative fuels at the pump. They whine about a so-called blend wall even as they continue to build it themselves by denying consumer access to E15 and E85. The RFS was made necessary by oil company intransigence. It was intended to break the stranglehold oil companies have on the motor fuel market by forcing access. This bill would gut the RFS and send America’s energy and climate change policy back decades. Americans want choices at the pump, they want to see lower carbon fuels, they want to spend less on motor fuel, and they want to stimulate investments in new technologies and new fuels to drive our economy in a low carbon world. This bill would sacrifice all of that at the altar of Big Oil, and that is why it will never pass.”

Read the original release: RFA Statement Opposing Bill Capping Ethanol Blends

Boating and Engine Experts Call on Lawmakers to Boost Biofuel Blends

The Auto Channel

May 10, 2016

By Fuels America

Certified mechanics, engine performance experts, and professional fishermen are briefing lawmakers on Capitol Hill today about the importance of ethanol in protecting the environment, preserving America’s energy security, and providing a high-octane boost to marine engines. The briefing, hosted by Fuels America, provides an important opportunity for experts to dispel myths about ethanol and discuss key benefits of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).

“We work on a wide variety of racing engines for watercraft, and they run at their absolute best on a high-octane ethanol blend,” says Keith Holmes, President and Owner of CK Motorsports in Nunica, Michigan and a Certified Mercury Marine Racing Technician. “Ethanol burns cleaner and cooler. Since the introduction of E10, we find that many engine parts have a 25 to 50 percent longer lifespan. The National Boat Racing Association exclusively uses E10 for all their races.”

“One hundred percent of the winners on our tournament trail use an ethanol blend in their tanks,” adds Brian Sowers, Co-Host of Crappie Masters TV, covering the Crappie Masters All American Tournament Trail based in Clinton, Missouri. “I want to take my grandkids fishing someday. That means having clean water and clean air. Mixing ethanol into our fuel is the best way to reduce the pollutants that fossil fuels leave behind, so our lakes and rivers stay clean and marine life can flourish.”

“It doesn’t matter whether a boat has a two-stroke or four-stroke engine, an in-board or out-board motor, or a built-in or portable fuel tank,” says Marc Rauch, Executive Vice President and Co-Publisher at The Auto Channel, based in Louisville, Kentucky. “Decades of experience with modern engines shows that E10 is the best fuel for marine applications. As an oxygen booster, ethanol replaces toxins like MTBE, which are notorious for contaminating water supplies. And it reduces CO2 emissions by 34 to 100 percent or more compared to gasoline.”

Rauch recently returned from Taiwan, where he was part of the American presentation team sent to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. ethanol industry.

“We serve communities on the Minnesota River and Prior Lake, and our customers expect to have choices at the pump," says Joel Hennen, President and Owner Hennen’s Auto Service in Shakopee, Minnesota. “Companies like Kawasaki, Mercury Marine, OMC, Pleasurecraft, Tigershark, Tracker, Honda, and Yamaha all approve the use of E10 in their engines. The labels are clear, and whether customers have a flex fuel vehicle or a race boat, we make it easy to pick the most affordable option with the lowest emissions.”

Today’s briefing is being held as the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) works to complete its review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed blending requirements for ethanol and advanced biofuels in 2017.

Read the original release: Boating and Engine Experts Call on Lawmakers to Boost Biofuel Blends

US Looks to Go Big on Biofuels as It Diversifies Away From Foreign Oil

May 9, 2016

By Anmar Frangoul

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced as much as $90 million in funding for projects relating to the design, construction and operation of "integrated bio-refinery facilities."

In a statement at the end of last week, the DOE described the production of biofuels from "sustainable, non-food, domestic biomass resources" as an important part of the administration's aims to cut both carbon emissions and the U.S.'s reliance on foreign oil.

"The domestic bio-industry could play an important part in the growing clean energy economy and in reducing American dependence on imported oil," Lynn Orr, the DOE's under-secretary for science and energy, said in a news release.

"This funding opportunity will support companies that are working to advance current technologies and help them overcome existing challenges in bioenergy so the industry can meet its full potential," Orr added.

The DOE added that the U.S. is currently spending around $1 billion every three days on "imported oil."

According to the Energy Department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it's estimated that the U.S. could produce over a billion tons of biomass that could be turned into biopower, biofuels and bioproducts.

The importance of biofuels is only set to increase. A 2011 report from the IEA projects that by 2050, biofuels could provide 27 percent of the world's transportation fuel.

Read the original story: US Looks to Go Big on Biofuels as It Diversifies Away From Foreign Oil

Nearly All U.S. Ethanol is Produced and Sold in Domestic Markets

Ag Professional

May 9, 2016

By Economic Research Service

U.S. production of ethanol hit a record 14.8 billion gallons in 2015, and when combined with the carry-over stocks from the previous year and 2015 imports, the total ethanol supply reached an all-time high of 15.7 billion gallons, according to data released by the United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service.

Nearly all ethanol blended into the U.S. gasoline supply is produced domestically, and, over the past five years, about 94 percent of domestic production was used in the United States.

Ethanol imports peaked in 2006 at 731 million gallons (equal to 12 percent of the U.S. supply), but each year since 2010 exports have exceeded imports, making the United States a net exporter of ethanol.

The domestic market for ethanol is at full capacity due to the technical and regulatory constraints that limit most of the U.S. gasoline supply to a 10 percent maximum ethanol blend, so the export market is now the primary opportunity for growth.

Ethanol exports peaked in 2011 at nearly 1.2 billion gallons, but have remained below 850 million gallons for the past four years.

This chart is based on the ERS U.S. Bioenergy Statistics data product.

Read the original story: Nearly All U.S. Ethanol is Produced and Sold in Domestic Markets

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Volkswagen to Promote Biofuel-Powered Cars Ahead of Electric Ones to Tackle Carbon Emissions, New Report Suggests

Biofuels International

May 3, 2016

Car giant Volkswagen (VW) has published a new study and called for the promotion of biofuel-powered cars over electric ones to help tackle carbon emissions.

The report, entitled Integrated Fuels and Vehicles Roadmap 2030 and Beyond, and was commissioned by automakers and oil companies.

In the report the companies maintain that additional reduction potential through 2030 could be achieved by an adapted policy approach promoting technologies with lowest greenhouse gas emission abatement costs to society and highest customer acceptance.

The European Union (EU) is currently creating new fuel efficiency and emissions’ targets for 2025 and 2030.

The EU has been tipping toward plug-in electrified vehicle technologies on these new standards emanating from the Paris climate summit last year, and the coalition that funded the study would like to see biofuels win out.

Roland Berger, a consulting firm based in Munich, Germany, was commissioned by the EU Auto Fuel Coalition, to conduct the study. The coalition is comprised of BMW, Daimler, Honda, NEOT/St1 (North European Oil Trade), Neste (an oil refining and biofuels company), OMV (an oil and gas company), Shell, Toyota, and Volkswagen.

At a meeting in Brussels last week, executives from VW and Shell made public statements supporting and explaining the study.

Ulrich Eichhorn, VW’s new head of research and development, said that plug-in hybrids and more efficient vehicles were “building blocks” for the future, but that “higher shares” for biofuels would be needed in the meantime.

Post-2020 target

He told a meeting in Brussels: “Modern diesel and natural gas engines will absolutely be required to deliver CO₂targets until 2020 and they will also contribute to further reductions going on from there.”

Both VW and Shell see alternative fuels such as E85 offering an easier, more profitable path than EVs. Possible solutions for hitting targets include CO₂ car labelling, adding more biofuel blends, and the expansion of the EU’s emissions trading system (ETS).

Shell’s Colin Crooks said that liquid fuels will remain essential during the EU’s transition since internal combustion engines are expected to take the lead for years to come.

The study maintained that many customers perceive many hurdles when it comes to acceptance and adoption of electric mobility. These hurdles include higher purchase prices for EVs, perceived risks in using the technologies, range limitations, limited charging infrastructure, and long charging times. As for the technology hurdles, the study identifies burning lithium ion batteries in early EVs and lack of customer experience with battery lifetime reliability.

“The EU's current regulatory framework for road transport decarbonisation needs to be updated for the post-2020 period in order to create certainty for investment in low-carbon vehicles and fuels," explained Thomas Schlick, partner at Roland Berger.

Speaking about the push for biofuel-powered cars, Schlick added: “These technologies are not yet capitalising on their full GHG emission reduction potential in terms of deployment under the current regulatory framework and can come at a cost of below 100 €/tonne CO₂ abated.

"The push that these technologies are being given by vehicle manufacturers and fuel producers needs to be complemented by a stronger market pull on the part of customers.”

Read the original story: Promote Biofuel-Powered Cars Ahead of Electric Ones to Tackle Carbon Emissions, New Report Suggests

New Ethanol Production Technology Could Use DDG for Biofuels

The Progressive Farmer

May 2, 2016

By Cheryl Anderson

Researcher Blake Simmons believes his new non-toxic ethanol technology could reduce ethanol production to just one step, as well as using the process to convert distillers dried grains into biofuels, according to an article by Illinois Farmer Today.

Simmons has been working for nine years, to develop "high-gravity" one-pot production, funded by the U.S. BioEnergy Institute in California.

The method, refined in the past 18 months, uses one process that pre-treats, hydrolizes and ferments biomass without any separation of byproducts. The new technology involves less time and water and can also utilize other materials such as crop residue or grasses.

Simmons said that the new process uses powerful solvents, ionic liquids, which dissolve biomass into sugars for the production of biofuels. These ionic liquids increase biomass digestibility, exceeding current production distillation levels for ethanol production.

The new technology is envisioned as a component to be added to current ethanol production facilities while continuing traditional ethanol production methods, Simmons said. He expects the process to be available on a commercial scale within five to six years.

Simmons said his research on the project includes using the new process to convert DDG to biofuel, thereby using all the carbon found in plant material and increasing efficiency.

Read the original story: New Ethanol Production Technology Could Use DDG for Biofuels

US Water to present at Fuel Ethanol Workshop

Ethanol Producer Magazine

April 28, 2016

U.S. Water, the leading national provider of integrated solutions for water treatment, will give three technical presentations during the upcoming Fuel Ethanol Workshop, June 20 – 23, 2016 at the Wisconsin Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

During the FEW program, U.S. Water’s Jared Galligan, applications engineer, will provide an industry update on water re-use and reduction. Michael Mowbray, U.S. Water’s director of product management, will discuss phosphorus discharge restrictions and their impact on plant cooling systems, and Mitch Manstedt, U.S. Water’s strategic business leader - ethanol, will present on plant reliability, focusing on updating outdated controls and equipment in aging facilities.

At U.S. Water’s booth #223, the company will feature its integrated solutions and “Together We Can” approach to solving the challenging water, energy and process needs of ethanol facilities. In addition, the copmany will share case study results obtained through use of the Ethanol Final Filter. This bolt-on, mechanical/chemical system, brings unique value to the ethanol industry due to its ability to improve final fuel quality through the removal of both existent and potential sulfate. In addition to sulfate removal, the EFF addresses issues of color, turbidity, acidity, pH, chloride and iron.

“The ethanol industry is one of U.S. Water’s key markets,” said Al Bly, U.S. Water’s founder and CEO. “Our company was created in 1997, and had its early successes by improving the efficiency of ethanol plants. Our continued commitment to the ethanol industry, coupled with our integrated solutions model combines the best equipment, engineering services, and sustainable chemistry. This allows us to resolve the ‘root cause’ of the ethanol plant’s problem and improve its overall efficiency.”

Read the orignal story: US Water to present at Fuel Ethanol Workshop

RFS Central to America’s Manufacturing Strength

Morning Consult

April 28, 2016

By Leif Magnusson

We have heard a lot about the importance of manufacturers during this election season, and as the head of a manufacturing business in Nebraska, I couldn’t agree more. But what many candidates – and voters – do not understand is how essential the strength of our agriculture sector is for manufacturing jobs as well.

For manufacturers of farm equipment like my company, CLAAS of America, our business’s fortunes rise and fall with the prosperity of American farmers. Our company manufactures combine and forage harvesters (among other products) in Omaha, Nebraska, where we support hundreds of good-paying manufacturing jobs. As chairman of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), I hear similar things from other colleagues throughout the industry about the conditions facing manufacturers and their customers.

That is why equipment manufacturers have a strong voice on agricultural issues, which includes our support for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). It is a mistake to think of the debate over the RFS as a provincial issue affecting only farmers and ethanol producers. In reality, protecting the RFS is of utmost importance to a number of manufacturers who depend on a strong and thriving agricultural economy.

The Renewable Fuel Standard is good policy. It reduces our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, helps cut net greenhouse gas emissions and generates tens of billions of dollars for our economy each year.

But ethanol production is not just a farmers’ issue; it supported almost 28,000 manufacturing jobs and generated over $2.75 billion for manufacturers in the United States just last year. Elected leaders who want to support manufacturing in America can do just that by protecting the RFS and ensuring that the government honors its statutory commitments to the RFS.

This June presents a great opportunity for the Obama administration to support manufacturers and agricultural producers when it issues the RVO requirements for 2017. The administration should heed the recent call by a bipartisan group of senators and restore those requirements to the levels intended by Congress.

Of course, the RFS is not the only way to promote a strong agricultural sector; policymakers need to make a lot of various smart decisions to ensure that America is supporting its farmers. But the RFS is still an important tool to both strengthen American farming and promote the next generation of biofuels.

That is why equipment manufacturers support a strong Renewable Fuel Standard: Because promoting ethanol is not just critical to the continued growth of our agricultural sector, it is also an important way our elected leaders can help manufacturers thrive.

Leif Magnusson is President of CLAAS Global Sales America Inc. and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

Read the original story: RFS Central to America’s Manufacturing Strength

EPA: 1.52 billion RINs Generated in March

Ethanol Producer Magazine

April 22, 2016

By Erin Voegele

The U.S. EPA has published renewable identification number (RIN) data for March, reporting nearly 1.52 billion RINs were generated during the month, bringing the total for the first three months of the year to more than 4.37 billion.

Nearly 15.34 million D3 cellulosic RINs were generated in March, bringing the net total for the first quarter of 2016 to 30.15 million. More than 1 million D3 RINs have been generated for ethanol so far this year, along with 17.83 million for renewable compressed natural gas and 12.7 million for renewable liquefied natural gas. Most, 28.45 million, D3 RINs have been generated by domestic producers, with 3.09 generated by importers.

In addition a net total of 114,835 D7 cellulosic diesel RINs were generated in March, marking the first time D7 RINs were generated this year. All were generated for cellulosic heating oil by importers.

More than 4.56 million D5 advanced biofuel RINs were generated in March, bringing the net total for the first three months of the year to 12.6 million. Nearly 6.2 million D5 RINs have been generated for ethanol, with 4.15 million generated for naptha, 567,781 generated for heating oil, and 1.69 million generated for nonester renewable diesel. All 12.6 million D5 RINs generated so far this year have been generated by domestic producers.

Nearly 1.25 billion D6 renewable fuel RINs were generated in March, bringing the net total for the first quarter of the year to nearly 3.68 billion. The majority, 3.6 billion, were generated for ethanol, with 1.99 million generated for biodiesel, and 74.6 million generated for nonester renewable diesel. So far this year, 3.6 billion D RINs have been generated by domestic producers, with 4.37 million generated by importers and 74.6 million generated by foreign entities.

Nearly 253.38 million D4 biomass-based diesel RINs were generated in March, bringing the net total for the first three months of the year to 650.25 million. Most, 533.45 million, were generated for biodiesel, with 116.76 million generated for nonester renewable diesel. Nearly 530.3 million D4 RINs were generated by domestic producers, with 64.76 million generated by importers and 55.57 million generated by foreign entities.

As of the close of March, the EPA estimates 4.37 billion RINs have been generated so far this year, with 133.12 million retired, 228.15 million locked and available and 4.01 billion unlocked and available.

Read the original story: EPA: 1.52 billion RINs Generated in March

EPA Submits 2017 RFS Rule To White House OMB For Review

Ethanol Producer Magazine

April 18, 2016

By Erin Voegele

The U.S. EPA delivered the proposed rule for the 2017 renewable fuel standard (RFS) to the White House Office of Management and Budget on April 15. OMB review marks a final step before the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register and opened for public comment.

The proposed rule contains 2017 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for renewable fuel, advanced biofuel and cellulosic biofuel. It also contains the 2018 RVO for biomass-based diesel. The 2017 standard for biomass-based diesel was finalized in a previous RFS rulemaking.

Delivery of the proposed rule to the OMB seems to indicate the EPA is on track to finalize the final rule for 2017 RVOs in line with the Nov. 30 statutory deadline. In February, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy testificed during a congressional hearing that the agency has taken steps to improve implementation of the RFS intends to keep on track with future RFS rulemakings.

The EPA delivered the proposed rule to set 2014, 2015 and 2016 RVOs to the OMB on May 7, 2015. The proposed rule was released for public review less than one month later, on May 29.

Read the original story here : EPA Submits 2017 RFS Rule To White House OMB For Review

Think It's Fair Big Oil Receives $5 billion Per Year In Tax Subsidies? Neither Do We

Renewable Fuels Association

April 18, 2016

WASHINGTON - Today is Tax Day. While hardworking Americans will recieve an average of more than $2,800 in refunds, did you know that oil producers and refiners receive $4 billion - $6 billion in federal tax incentives and subsidies every year? What makes that worse is that many of those favorable tax provisions never expire.

The U.S. ethanol industry agreed to let its tax incentive expire in 2011, while oil producers continue to cling to subsidies that have existed for more than a century. The Joint Committee on Taxation recently estimated that elimination of certain "fossil fuel preferences" (i.e. subsidies) would save U.S. taxpayers at least $24.5 billion - or roughly $210 per U.S. household - between 2015 and 2020.

"Big Oil needing any government assistance is preposterous," said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen. "Why would an incumbent industry that has a virtual monopoly at the pump need taxpayer dollars to compete?

"On this tax day, Congress should seriously consider repealing this absurb and costly corporate welfare. Consumers will benefit when there is a truly a free market in motor fuel, when alternatives like ethanol have access to the pump, when a variety of biofuel blends (E15, E25, E85) are accessible to consumers and when taxpayers no longer have to subsidize the most profitable industry on the planet. Until then, programs like the Renewable Fuel Standard are all we have to compel some level of competition and cost-control on an otherwise broken and unfair market."

Read the original story here : Think It's Fair Big Oil Receives $5 Billion Per Year In Tax Subsidies? Neither Do We

EIA : 2016, 2017 Ethanol Production To Increase Over 2015

Ethanol Producer Magazine

April 14, 2016

By Erin Voegele

The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the April edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, predicting ethanol production this year will increase when compared to 2015 levels.

According to the EIA, ethanol production averaged 966,000 barrels per day last year. The agency currently predicts production will increase this year and next year, averaging between 970,000 and 980,000 barrels per day in 2016 and 2017. In its March STEO, the EIA predicted ethanol production would average slightly more than last year's 966,000 barrel per day level during the same timeframe.

Ethanol consumption averaged approximately 910,000 barrels per day last year, and is forecast to increase to an average of 970,000 and 980,000 barrels per day in 2016 and 2017. This level of consumption results in the ethanol share of the total gasoline pool averaging 10 percent both this year and next year. This summer, the EIA projects ethanol blending into gasoline will increase by 20,000 barrels per day when compared to last summer's level of 950,000 barrels per day. According to the EIA, it does not expect significant increases in E15 or E85 consumption over the forecast period.

Read the rest of the story here : EIA : 2016, 2017 Ethanol Production To Increase Over 2015

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