Aemetis Inc. on Feb. 1 announced the opening of a bid proposal process for $2 billion in offtake contracts for the launch of its proposed 25 MMgy biorefinery in Riverbank, California, that will produce jet fuel, renewable diesel and other byproducts.
On Jan. 29, Growth Energy, along with others in the biofuels industry, filed an opening brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit challenging the U.S. EPA's failure to properly establish 2020 RFS blending targets.
Varennes Carbon Recycling, the landmark waste to biofuels plant in Varennes, Québec, has now reached financial close, with investment agreements signed by Proman and its partners, Shell, Suncor, the Government of Québec, and Enerkem.
The Carbon Capture Coalition on Jan. 21 sent a memo to President Biden's climate team that includes a targeted list of climate, energy, infrastructure and related federal policy recommendations for the first 100 days of his administration.
Isabelle Ausdal joined the U.S. Grains Council on Dec. 14 as the manager of ethanol trade policy and economics in the organization's Washington, D.C., headquarters. She will assist in trade policy and economic analysis of market and policies.
The USDA recently released its Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production report for January, reporting that corn use for fuel ethanol was at 432 million bushels in November, down from both the previous month and November 2019.
Valero Energy Corp. released financial results on Jan. 28, reporting reduced operating income and production levels for its ethanol segment. The company's renewable diesel segment, however, is growing.
An alliance of farm, biofuels, and environmental organizations on Jan. 21 filed an amicus brief in objection to the SAFE Vehicles rule on the grounds that it fails to account for pollution from aromatic-laden fuel and ignores the benefits of ethanol.
Green Plains Inc.'s subsidiary, Green Plains Ord LLC, has entered into an asset purchase agreement with GreenAmerica Biofuels Ord LLC to sell its 65 MMgy ethanol plant located in Ord, Nebraska, for $64 million, plus working capital.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit has directed the U.S. EPA to submit a status report every 60 days “on its progress in complying with the court's remand� stemming from the July 2017 ruling in Americans for Clean Energy v EPA.
President Biden on Jan. 27 issued an executive order that aims to tackle the climate crisis, create jobs and restore scientific integrity across the federal government. The order addresses the production and sourcing of biobased products and fuels.
U.S. ethanol production fell by more than 1 percent the week ending Jan. 22, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Jan. 27. Stocks of fuel ethanol were down slightly.
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor on Jan. 26 delivered the keynote address at IRFA's Annual Iowa Renewable Fuel Virtual Summit. In her speech, Skor reviewed the successes and challenges faced by the ethanol industry over the last year.
During his state of the industry address at the 2021 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw characterizes the Iowa biofuels industry as “battered, but battling for a better future."
DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has announced the launch of the SYNERXIA Gemstone Collection, the next advancement in high-performance yeasts. The new collection from the XCELIS platform includes SYNERXIA SAPPHIRE and SYNERXIA RUBY.
California Ethanol + Power announced it will engage with the local Imperial Valley farming communities to secure formal commitments to grow the first 20,000 acres of sugarcane feedstock for Sugar Valley Energy, a planned low-carbon ethanol plant.
President Biden on Jan. 25 announced plans to replace the federal government's fleet of vehicles with American-made electric vehicles (EVs). Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor expressed disappointment that he did not address the potential of biofuels.
ADM discussed the status of its ethanol operations during a Q4 earnings call held Jan. 26. While ethanol margins are low, the company expects the supply-demand balance to improve through increased exports to China and industry reconfiguration.
A new study published by researchers from Environmental Health and Engineering Inc., Harvard University and Tufts University shows corn ethanol emits 46 percent fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than gasoline.
Aemetis Inc. announced that its “Carbon Zero� biofuels production process has received $16.8 million of solar energy and other energy efficiency grants to fund upgrades of the Keyes, California, plant to support the production of zero carbon biofuel.
Combating the myths that exist about the use of gasoline blended with 10-percent ethanol has been the primary goal of the partnership between Crappie Masters, the Renewable Fuels Association and the National Corn Growers Association.
The U.S. EPA's Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficiency (SAFE) Vehicles Rule is one of the many federal regulations that are set to be reviewed by the Biden administration, according to an executive order issued Jan. 20.
Representatives of the North Dakota ethanol industry on Jan. 20 testified in favor of a bill that aims to create a sales and use tax exemption for CO2 used for secure geologic storage. The state's senate voted in favor of the bill the following day.
Ethanol joined wind, solar, ocean wave and biomass energy as topics of discussion during the Renewable Energy Exhibition in Japan in early December 2020. The U.S. Grains Council took part to provide an overview of ethanol's use around the world.
U.S. ethanol production was up less than 1 percent the week ending Jan. 15 while weekly ending stocks were down slightly, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Jan. 22.
BBI International has announced that the 2021 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo, the ethanol industry's largest conference, will be held July 13-15 in Minneapolis. The event was originally scheduled to be held in mid-June.
Compared to 2019, Iowa ethanol production fell 500 million gallons, or 12 percent, in 2020 as a result of dramatic demand destruction resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, trade disputes around the globe, and illegal exemptions granted from the RFS.
By Renewable Fuels Association
January 21, 2021
In response to an emergency motion filed Jan. 19 by the RFA, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Jan. 21 ordered that EPA's action on to grant three SREs must be “administratively stayed pending further order of the court."
Data released by UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, shows that ethanal sales for the current harvest season are down roughly 10 percent when compared to the same period of 2019. Corn ethanol production, however, is up.
January 21, 2021
The USDA and U.S. Department of Energy on Jan. 21 announced appointments to several senior posts, including USDA undersecretary for Rural Development and chief of staff for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at DOE.
Advertisement