As we send this issue of Ethanol Producer Magazine off to print, we are in the midst of ample corn supplies, growing global demand for low-carbon biofuels in the face of rising petroleum prices, and record export volumes. Alongside all this, though, is the usual policy uncertainty our industry has grown to tolerate.&nbsp;That’s fine. In fact, sometimes we more than tolerate it—we thrive despite it. Producers across the country are investing in upgrades, expansions and enhancements to gain a competitive edge and suit the moods of the markets. In our cover feature, starting on page 18, we share updates on a few of the largest ongoing projects, collectively boosting our industry’s capacity by about 200 MMgy. POET Shelbyville, in fact, is doubling its 96 MMgy capacity. Along with POET, you’ll see some of the other large and/or well-known producers continuously pushing their businesses to be bigger, better and more efficient.&nbsp;We also put a line out to producers, asking about corn kernel fiber (CKF) ethanol production. Via an Ethanol Producer Magazine survey, we learned some of the details surrounding one of the most promising areas of growth in ethanol production. CKF generates a more profitable D3 RIN, requires slight to moderate process adaptation and, in some cases, even boosts yields of other coproducts like corn oil. Find out how much CKF ethanol is being produced, what the largest barriers are to successful production, and more, starting on page 24.Ethanol’s wave of record exports year after year has come without the China market. China exports stopped abruptly in 2022, but a U.S. Trade Representative investigation could jumpstart them again, in a bid to ensure China follows through on previously agreed upon trade volumes. We detail the scenario in the feature starting on page 32, but we also delve into the other strong markets that have pushed our exports to highs every year.&nbsp;And we would like to introduce you to Praveen Vadlani, the new executive director of the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center. Vadlani says he focuses on a new reality for ethanol: All products coming from fermentation have value. NCERC shares his vision for a modern research center that bioprocessing industries will want to work with to add value to their own operations. Read more about Vadlani, his experience and his vision, starting on page 38.Last, we profile the ethanol market in Japan. Long a buyer of U.S. ethanol for ETBE, the country will begin direct blending ethanol into its transportation fuel in 2030. Producing one gallon of ETBE requires 0.47 gallons of ethanol, so the result could be a larger market for U.S. ethanol, potentially up to 1 billion gallons, experts say. It starts on page 46.In the balance of headwinds and tailwinds, we always strive to help ethanol producers read the moods of the markets.&nbsp;We hope you gain some insight from it.-The Editors

The Moods of the Markets

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Upcoming Events

North American SAF Conference & Expo

2027 International Biomass Conference & Expo

The Moods of the Markets