Legislation recently introduced in Minnesota aims to increase the minimum biofuel content in gasoline sold within the state to 15 percent. If signed into law, the bill would make Minnesota the first state to require the use of E15.
Open-source software analyzes economics of biofuels, bioproducts
By University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment
March 02, 2020
BioSTEAM, a new open-source simulation software developed by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is a fast, flexible tool to analyze the economics of producing different biofuels and bioproducts.
A group of 13 senators that represent states with oil production and oil refining interests sent a letter to President Trump on Feb. 27 asking him to appeal a recent court ruling that will make it more difficult for refineries to qualify for a SREs.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue issued a memo on Feb. 28 directing the USDA to acquire alternative fueled vehicles (AFVs), including those that can use E85 or biodiesel, when replacing conventionally fueled vehicles.
The U.S. EPA has released Renewable Fuel Standard renewable identification number (RIN) generation data for January, reporting that more than 1.45 billion RINs were generated during the month, including 454,720 cellulosic RINs.
Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, has introduced legislation that sets a goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in U.S. agriculture by 2040. Anaerobic digestion technology would play a part in reaching that goal.
Novozymes' latest yeast release, Innova Fit, allows plant managers to run their facilities how they see fit—either increasing solids, powering through higher fermentation temperature excursions, or both.
The U.S. EPA has released Renewable Fuel Standard renewable identification number (RIN) generation data for January, reporting that more than 1.45 billion RINs were generated during the month, including 454,720 cellulosic RINs.
Gevo Inc. has been awarded part of The Queensland Waste to Biofutures (W2B) Fund to support the development of waste to biofutures projects in Queensland, Australia. W2B provides funds for biorefinery projects that process waste streams or biomass.
U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said on Feb. 27 the agency will soon issue new guidance on the RFS's SRE program related to the Tenth Circuit Court's Jan. 27 ruling that struck down three SREs previously issued by the EPA.
The USDA published a notice in the Federal Register on Feb. 28 announcing a notice of funding availability (NOFA) of up to $100 million in competitive grants under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program.
The Renewable Fuels Association, in partnership with TRANSCAER, will host one-day ethanol safety seminars in Reno on March 10, 11 and 13. The free seminars are funded through a Federal Railroad Administration/TRANSCAER grant.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem recently proclaimed Feb. 25 to be “Premium E30 Day.� Members of the South Dakota Farmers Union and Glacial Lakes Energy Cooperative joined together in Pierre, South Dakota, to celebrate the day.
The U.S. Grains Council has helped Promexa, a rice processing company in the port of Veracruz, Mexico, bring U.S. dried distillers grains with solubles to the southern region of the country.
The U.S. EPA delivered a proposed rule to the White House Office of Management and Budget on Feb. 24 focused on the treatment of biogenic carbon dioxide emissions under the Clean Air Act's permitting programs.
Sens. Tom Udall, D-N.M, and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced a bill on Feb. 25 that aims to update the nation's antiquated public lands royalty system and ensure that taxpayers get fair returns on leases of public lands for oil and gas production.
The RFA, in partnership with the Industrial Steel Drum Institute and TRANSCAER, will host safety training in Davenport, Iowa early next month. The free seminars are funded through a Federal Railroad Administration/TRANSCAER grant.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts sent a letter to the CEOs of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., Ford Motor Co., and General Motors Co. on Feb. 11 urging the automakers to increase production of passenger vehicles designed to run on higher ethanol blends.
Members of the U.S. Grains Council arrived in Tampa, Florida, for the organization's winter meeting in mid-February, where they concentrated on drivers of global demand and how they affect markets overseas in which the Council does business.
Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, is urging President Trump to “make a declarative statement that a minimum of 15 billion gallons will be blended annually and that all gallons actually waived will be annually recaptured under the RFS.�
The U.S. EPA released updated small refinery exemption (SRE) data on Feb. 21, reporting that two additional SRE petitions have been filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard for compliance year 2019.
FROM THE MARCH ISSUE: Some ethanol plants are turning to alternative cleaning methods and naturally derived products that are more environmentally friendly than traditional chemicals.
FROM THE MARCH ISSUE: Editor Lisa Gibson previews the magazine, including feature articles about alternative cleaning methods, a study that highlights the befits of various fractionation techniques, developments in yeast strains, and more.
A recent $3.1 million grant awarded to Oklahoma State University to study greenhouse gas emissions is expected to help sorghum farmers save money and improve the industry's sustainable field management practices.
U.S. ethanol stocks set a new record at 24.781 million barrels for the week ending Feb. 14, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Feb. 20. Ethanol production for the week was at 1.04 million barrels per day.
The USDA unveiled its Agriculture Innovation Agenda on Feb. 20. The initiative, in part, aims to support renewable fuels, including ethanol, biodiesel and biomass. This includes a goal to achieve market-driven blend rates of E30 by 2050.
FROM THE MARCH ISSUE: A technical and economic analysis of eight fractionation techniques shows cost, profitability and coproduct quality comparisons.
FROM THE MARCH ISSUE: Emily Skor highlights Growth Energy's collaboration with biofuels supporters to promote ethanol, expand use of E15 and develop new export markets.
The breadth and depth of the Southeast Asian market for U.S. corn and co-products are hard to imagine, but the incredible innovation and regional demand potential is plain to see once on the ground, according to the U.S. Grains Council.
Reo Menning is the new president and CEO for RINAlliance, effective Feb. 1. Menning previously served as executive vice president for FUELIowa, where she headed multiple successful initiatives for both the association and its subsidiary, RINAlliance.
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