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 SREs in future annual RFS rulemakings.
The USDA and U.S. Department of Energy have announced a memorandum of understanding to promote rural energy and the development of technologies that will support and advance rural and agricultural communities and domestic manufacturing.
Growth Energy, the USGC and the RFA expressed their disappointment with the news that the Brazilian government amended the recent Aug. 31st rule that raised the quota on U.S. ethanol imports under the tariff rate quota to 750 million liters per year.
A coalition of biofuel and ag groups filed a petition Oct. 22 with the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, challenging the process by which the EPA exempted certain unknown small refineries from 2018 RFS obligations.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change has announced plans to hold a legislative hearing on Oct. 29 focused on the U.S. EPA's mismanagement of the Renewable Fuel Standard.
Researchers at Purdue University have received $2.3 million in funding from the Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office for their work to create computer models to simplify the design and construction of biorefineries.
New court documents show that the EPA inappropriately granted RFS compliance exemptions to certain small refineries that did not even qualify for the waivers, and that there was division within in the Trump administration about its approach to SREs.
The EPA's actions regarding SREs were addressed during an Oct. 21 meeting at the White House. Trump directed the EPA to “make sure the small refineries are happy� while USDA indicated farmers will be fine with the plan once they see it implemented.
U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry on Oct. 17 announced plans to resign from his post, effective later this year. The White House has not yet announced a nominee to replace Perry following his departure.
The USDA hopes to have a new program up and running in early 2020 that will support retail sales of higher ethanol blends, including E15, according to statements made by U.S. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Censky during an Oct. 17 hearing.
The U.S. Grains Council has released final export numbers for the 2018-'19 marketing year. Ethanol exports saw a small drop while U.S. distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) exports remained relatively flat.
The U.S. EPA published updated small refinery exemption (SRE) data on Oct. 17 that shows the agency has received five SRE applications for compliance year 2019. All five applications are listed as pending.
FROM THE NOVEMBER ISSUE: Growth Energy report highlights ethanol's environmental benefits as EPA contemplates RFS reset.
Representatives of the Iowa biofuels industry held a press briefing Oct. 16 to explain their outrage over the EPA's Oct. 15 release of its SRE relief rule, explaining the rule did not accurately represent the deal they were briefed on Oct. 3.
FROM THE NOVEMBER ISSUE: Ontario leads the way in adopting E15 and meeting Canada's climate goals.
Day two of the inaugural Global Ethanol Summit began with a panel discussion focused on the economic benefits of blending ethanol into gasoline. Panelists addressed ethanol's role as an octane booster in global fuel markets.
Stephen Censky, deputy secretary of the USDA, delivered a keynote address during the second day of the Global Ethanol Summit on Oct. 15 in Washington, D.C. His presentation focused on international collaboration.
Greenfield Global Inc. has welcomed Quebec's pre-publication of draft regulations to set biofuel requirements for gasoline and diesel fuel, which would require E10 by 2021 and E15 by 2025. Greenfield also said it is considering expansion projects.
The EPA issued a supplemental rule Oct. 15 seeking comments on how it should project the volume of SREs in future RFS rulemakings. The rule fell short of industry expectations and demonstrated EPA's failure to follow past DOE SRE recommendations.
FROM THE NOVEMBER ISSUE: Trump Administration's promised "giant package" is not a hand-out to the U.S. ethanol industry.
The first Global Ethanol Summit, sponsored by the U.S. Grains Council, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association, kicked off in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 14 with presentations from USGC's Ryan LeGrand and Mike Dwyer.
The Biodiesel Production Technology Summit will take place in Minneapolis June 15-17, 2020. Organized by BBI International and produced by Biodiesel Magazine, the event is a new forum for biomass-based diesel producers. Abstracts are being accepted.
Miguel Ivan Lacerda Oliveira, director of biofuels for the Brazil Ministry of Mines and Energy, said during the Global Ethanol Summit in Washington, D.C., that the future of transportation is electric vehicles, but ethanol will still play a role.
The USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service is soliciting applications for the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program. Applications for the current cycle of the loan guarantee program are due April 1.
FROM THE NOVEMBER ISSUE: RFA's newest member, MN Governor's Biofuels Council established, Whitefox Technologies welcomes new member.
The largest commercial feed producer in Ecuador imported 6,650 metric tons of U.S. dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) valued at $1.3 million in the first half of 2019 following an ongoing targeted marketing program by the USGC.
Representatives of the Governors' Biofuels Coalition sent a letter to President Trump Oct. 8 urging him to use existing executive authority take four specific actions aimed and helping to restore and grow the U.S. agriculture and biofuel industries.
The supplemental rulemaking referenced by the U.S. EPA in an Oct. 4 announcement regarding its plans to reallocate RFS volume obligations waived through future SREs appears to be under White House Office of Management and Budget review.
The U.K. government announced Oct. 8 it will adjust tariffs on ethanol in the event of a no-deal Brexit in order to retain support for U.K. ethanol producers, noting the “supply of [ethanol] is important to critical national infrastructure.�
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization has announced that industry veteran Jim Greenwood will step down as president and CEO of the world's largest biotechnology organization after the 2020 election.
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