President Joe Biden visited the POET Bioprocessing facility in Menlo, Iowa Tuesday to formally announce an emergency waiver to allow 15% ethanol blended gasoline (E15) to be sold this summer. President Biden was introduced by Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA) and POET grain merchandiser Rachel Conner. (31:03) Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor held a call with reporters after the event to …
Senators Press EPA Administrator on E15
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan appeared before the Environment and Public Works Committee Wednesday to talk about the agency’s budget request, but some senators wanted to know what he was going to do and when he was going to do it to make E15 (15% ethanol fuel) available in the summer months this year. Both Sens. Joni Ernst …
Gevo Testifies at House Ag Committee Hearing
Gevo CEO Patrick Gruber presented testimony before the House Agriculture Committee this week on the future of climate smart crops and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) with updated carbon accounting and a system that rewards farmers for sustainable practices. Gruber outlined Gevo’s concept of a Net-Zero manufacturing plant for SAF they hope to be operational by 2025 and how existing ethanol …
Sen. Grassley Discusses E15 and GREET Model
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) joined Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) this week in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update its greenhouse gas (GHG) modeling for biofuels and adopt the Argonne National Lab’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model. The senator discussed that topic and the importance of getting approval for …
Reps Question Lack of Biofuels in Budget
Representatives from Iowa questioned Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young Tuesday on the lack of biofuels in the $6 trillion White House budget unveiled this week. Reps. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and Ashley Hinson (R-IA) both pressed Young on why there was no mention of biofuels in the budget. Listen: (5:11)
2022 National Ethanol Conference
The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association’s NEC has been recognized as the ethanol conference for the latest, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry. Click here for the official convention virtual newsroom for photos, news, interviews and audio from the …
Biofuels Groups Comment on RFS Proposals at EPA Hearing
Ethanol and biodiesel industry representatives provided comments during a virtual hearing Tuesday on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed renewable volume obligations for 2020 through 2022. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper kicked off the hearing for the ethanol industry with his comments that EPA’s proposal marks “an important and long-awaited step toward restoring order, integrity and stability to …
USDA Announces $633 Million in Climate-Smart Investments
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack was in Pennsylvania Friday to announce $633 million in investments to reduce the impacts of climate change on rural communities. In a press call with reporters, Vilsack highlighted 791 investments that USDA is making in five programs specifically designed to help people and businesses in rural areas. These programs include Community Facilities Disaster Grants, Electric Loan …
Sen. Grassley Sounds Off on RFS Deadline
November 30th was the deadline for the Environmental Protection Agency to release blending obligations for the coming year under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says missing it is bad news for the biofuels industry. “The fact that this deadline is being missed is very unfortunate for farmers and biofuel producers because they’re facing uncertainty at …
Hearing Looks at Rural Renewable Economy
A House Agriculture Subcommittee hearing on the “Renewable Economy in Rural America” provided a forum for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to urge the Biden administration to keep its promises to the biofuels industry, particularly when it comes to issuing Renewable Volume Obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “The administration should immediately issue robust RVO numbers for …
Ethanol Report on RFA Message to COP26
The 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference, better known as COP26, is now underway in Scotland and the Renewable Fuels Association wants to send a message to world leaders that ethanol is already available to help meet climate goals. A new one-page fact sheet spotlights recent research and data proving that ethanol is an immediate solution for cutting greenhouse gas emissions …
Senators Seek Answers on Biofuels COVID Assistance
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and several of his Senate colleagues sent a letter this week to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack asking him to explain the delay in delivering financial assistance to biofuels producers negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grassley addressed that issue during a call with reporters on Tuesday morning. (1:05) Sen. Grassley stressed the need for President …
2021 Farm Progress Show
The 2021 Farm Progress Show is August 31-September 2 in Decatur, Illinois. For over 50 years, the Farm Progress Show has connected farmers from across the globe with agriculture’s leading companies. With hundreds of exhibitors, there’s no better place to engage with the latest farm products and the specialists who developed, tested and designed them. This virtual ag newsroom includes …
Ethanol Report – RFA Summer Ethanol Promotions
It’s summertime and Americans are celebrating by hitting the road again after being mostly stuck at home last year. The Renewable Fuels Association is also celebrating by bringing back the ‘Ethanol Days of Summer’ Contest offering weekly drawings for $100 in free fuel to participants for reporting prices of E15 and E85 on E85prices.com or on the E85Prices.com app In …
Biofuels Coalition Disappointed in Supreme Court Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday reversed an important aspect of the Tenth Circuit’s 2020 determination regarding small refinery exemption extensions granted by the previous administration. The four members of the coalition involved in the court case—the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Coalition for Ethanol, and National Farmers Union—held a conference call for news media to discuss …