The Renewable Fuels Association recently held its annual membership meeting in Milwaukee and elected new officers, including Jeff Oestmann with Aztalan Bio. Oestmann has been actively involved in the ethanol industry for nearly 30 years and is excited to take on this new leadership role for RFA. In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, Oestmann discusses the current state …
Ethanol Report on Election Issues
No matter what happens in November, there will be a new president in January and a new administration that could be radically different than the current one, and that could mean a big difference in the outcome of policy issues for the ethanol industry. In this edition of the Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper discusses …
Ethanol Report From Farm Progress Show
It was a beautiful week in Boone, Iowa for the 2024 Farm Progress Show, the nation’s largest outdoor ag show and one that the Renewable Fuels Association always attends because it brings out farmers from all over the ethanol-producing part of the country to see what’s new in the industry. RFA displayed its custom Flex Fuel Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle …
2024 American Coalition for Ethanol Conference
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) 37th annual conference was held August 14-16, at the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District. Participants can expect to delve into cutting-edge technologies, policy developments and market trends that are shaping the biofuels sector. The lineup of experts and thought leaders will explore innovative strategies to boost production, enhance efficiency and maximize policies …
Court Decision Impacts RFS Small Refinery Exemptions
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Friday issued an order vacating most of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2022 denials of petitions for small refinery exemptions from Renewable Fuel Standard obligations, and remanding those petitions to EPA for further proceedings. The court’s opinion remains under seal and is unavailable for public review. The following is a …
Ethanol Report on DC Board Meeting
Renewable Fuels Association board members had the opportunity this past week to meet with administration officials and lawmakers in both Houses and from both sides of the aisle to talk about priorities for the ethanol industry. The event included a timely talk with USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small about tracking climate-smart farming practices and hearing from EPA Administrator Michael …
ACE Announces Gold Standard Conference Agenda
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has announced the agenda for the upcoming 37th annual event taking place August 14-16, at the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District. “Our conference agenda is packed with dynamic sessions, insightful speakers and networking opportunities, making it the premier destination for anyone passionate about advancing biofuels,” said Katie Muckenhirn, Vice President of Public …
RFA CEO Comments on Chevron Reversal
One of the federal agencies likely to be most impacted by the recent Supreme Court decision that reversed the Chevron deference is the Environmental Protection Agency, which was the one responsible for the original case decision in 1984. Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper says it’s still too early to tell exactly what the reversal could mean for …
Ethanol Report on California and E15
It has been nearly 15 years since the Environmental Protection Agency approved the sale of 15% ethanol blended fuel (E15) for 2001 model year cars and older, and nearly every state in the nation now sells it, often at a discount to regular gasoline. The only state that bans the sale of E15 is California, despite the fact that the …
Ethanol Report on EV Push Back
The Renewable Fuels Association and National Farmers Union have joined in a lawsuit challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s light- and medium-duty vehicle emissions standards, which they say essentially mandate battery electric vehicles while ignoring other technologies such as low-carbon ethanol and flex fuel vehicles. In this edition of the Ethanol Report, RFA president and CEO Geoff Cooper discusses the lawsuit …
Ethanol Report on Days of Summer
When it’s summertime, the driving is easier with ethanol. As millions of Americans are looking ahead to summer vacations and family road trips, high fuel prices may be a concern, but ethanol is helping to keep prices lower than they might be otherwise, and the Renewable Fuels Association notes that higher ethanol blends like E15 and E85 offer even lower …
Ethanol Report on 40B SAF Tax Credit and Beyond
The 40B tax credit guidance and modified GREET model released April 30 by U.S. Treasury lays the groundwork for U.S. ethanol producers and farmers to participate in the emerging market for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). But since 40B expires at the end of this year, all the attention will now turn to implementing the 45Z credit to start next year, …
Farmer Consultant Digs Into SAF Tax Credit Guidance
Iowa farmer and consultant Mitchell Hora, Continuum Ag, spent some time Wednesday morning breaking down the 40B sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit guidance released this week for farmers hoping to be eligible. There were over 400 farmers and other stakeholders on Hora’s webinar which ran for an hour and still was not able to address all the questions. Continuum …
Ethanol Industry Reacts to SAF Guidance
Ethanol industry stakeholders reacted to the 40B sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit guidance and modified GREET model released Tuesday by the Biden Administration. The new 40B GREET model will recognize GHG reductions from carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), renewable natural gas, and renewable power used to produce ethanol for qualifying SAF and include a “safe harbor” pilot program for …
Treasury Department Releases Guidance for SAF Credit
Tuesday afternoon the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released guidance on the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Credit established by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The guidance released today will “catalyze innovation in the aviation industry and incentivize the production of cleaner and more sustainable aviation fuels,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during a House …