U.S. Grains Council
Date: 2020-04-15
"While U.S. ethanol exports are up by 3 percent year-over-year according to new data from the USDA, the outbreak of COVID-19 will have structural impacts on demand for the rest of 2020. The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) is working to keep end-users around the world informed on the status of the U.S. ethanol industry as the pandemic continues to develop.

"USDA reported last week that U.S. ethanol exports increased slightly year-over-year to 812 million gallons (288 million bushels in corn equivalent) for the first six months of the marketing year (Sept. 2019-Feb. 2020). "Brazil remained the top export destination at 201 million gallons (71.3 million bushels in corn equivalent), despite a small decline due to the restructuring of Brazil's tariff rate quota (TRQ) and a strengthening U.S. dollar. The EU had a notable 28 pct increase from 2018/2019 imports at 79 million gallons (28 million bushels in corn equivalent).

"These data points were not able to take into account the still-developing impacts of COVID-19 and oil production disputes, which have led to deep decreases in demand for gasoline and shifts in the relationship between oil and ethanol prices.

"Compounding the overall demand decline, the lack of an agreement on crude production between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia sent shock waves across global energy markets and is contributing to shortages in a critical component to the industry -- storage.

"To date, U.S. ethanol weekly ending stocks are at a record high, and the United States remains positioned to supply customers globally. (Source: US Grains Council, PR, 13 April, 2020) Contact: US Grains Council, Brian Healy, Global Ethanol Market Development, (202) 789-0789, (202) 898-0522, www.grains.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News U.S. Grains Council,  Ethanol,  

American Coalition for Ethanol
Date: 2020-03-20
With the need for a decision only days away, the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Coalition for Ethanol and National Farmers Union -- the coalition that scored a unanimous court decision against the U.S. EPA -- is now calling for the agency to not appeal the decision.

The coalition took the EPA to court and won over several "hardship" exemptions the EPA granted to small refineries, releasing them from their renewable fuel obligations in 2016 and 2017. The Trump Administration sought and secured an extension of the appeal deadline until Tuesday, March 24, this year.

"With the renewable fuels industry reeling from coronavirus, trade disputes and small refinery exemptions, now is certainly not the time for the Trump administration to take any action that would cause further pain for ethanol producers or the farmers that supply them. The best thing they could do to support our industry and keep ethanol plants open is to announce immediately that they will not appeal," the coalition wrote.

As previously noted, "hardship waivers" were intended for refineries producing 75,000 bpd or less and suffered "disproportionate economic hardship" from the costs of RFS compliance. The waiver frees the refineries from an obligation to provide the EPA with biofuels credits proving compliance. Under the now vanquished administrator Greg Pruitt's direction, the EPA handed out 54 exemptions over two years and not a single request for an exemption was denied.Under the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard, the nation's oil refineries are required to blend billions of gallons of biofuels such as ethanol into the fuel or buy credits from those that do. But the EPA can waive their obligations if they prove compliance would cause them financial distress. (Source: American Coalition for Ethanol , Various Trade Media, 18 March 2020) Contact: U.S. Grains Council, Tom Sleight, Pres., (202) 789-0789, (202) 898-0522, www.grains.org; Renewable Fuels Association, Geoff Cooper, (202) 289-3835, www.ethanolrfa.org; American Coalition for Ethanol, Brian Jennings, CEO, (605) 334-3381 ext. 3389, www.ethanol.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News American Coalition for Ethanol,  RFS,  "Hardship Wiver",  Renewable Fuel ,  

US Grains Council,Nebraska Ethanol Board
Date: 2020-02-28
The Washington-based US Grains Council (USGC) is reporting the Nebraska Ethanol Board has become its newest member.

The Nebraska Ethanol Board serves and advocates for the state's 25 ethanol plants with a combined total capacity of over 2.5 billion gpy of ethanol.

In addition to building consumer support for biofuels and guiding public policy, the Nebraska Ethanol Board helps market growth through targeted strategies and programmes. (Source: USGC, 26 Feb., 2020) Contact: Nebraska Ethanol Board, Roger Berry, (402) 471-2941, www.ethanol.nebraska.gov; U.S. Grains Council, Tom Sleight, Pres., (202) 789-0789, (202) 898-0522, www.grains.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News US Grains Council,  Nebraska Ethanol Board,  

Growth Energy, U.S. Grains Council,Renewable Fuels Association
Date: 2019-10-25
Previously this week in Washington, a coalition of the American Coalition for Ethanol, Growth Energy, National Biodiesel Board, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, and Renewable Fuels Association filed a petition with the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, challenging the process by which the U.S. EPA issue economic "hardship waivers" to over 30 small refineries from their respective Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) biofuel blending obligations for 2018.

The coalition's brief noted, "Even as the Trump Administration indicates it is taking steps to account for future small refinery exemptions, the coalition remains concerned that EPA's abuse of the small refinery exemption program diverges from the spirit and letter of the Clean Air Act. From a substantive and procedural perspective, this is not the way for a federal agency to make such a momentous decision." (Source: Growth Energy, U.S. Grains Council, and Renewable Fuels Association , 23 Oct., 2019) Contact: Growth Energy, Emily Skor, CEO, Elizabeth Funderburk, (202) 545-4000, EFunderburk@GrowthEnergy.org, www.growthenergy.org; U.S. Grains Council, Tom Sleight, Pres., (202) 789-0789, (202) 898-0522, www.grains.org; Renewable Fuels Association, Geoff Cooper, (202) 289-3835, www.ethanolrfa.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News RFS,  Growth Energy,  U.S. Grains Council,  Renewable Fuels Association,  

US Grains Council
Date: 2019-09-11
According to recent research by the Washington, DC-headquartered US Grains Council (USGC), non-beverage ethanol has been the fastest growing US agricultural export at 18 pct over the past five years.

In 2018, American ethanol export totaled over 6.1 billion litres (1611449519.385 gallons) worth roughly $2.7 billion. In total, exports increased by over $330 million year-on-year. (Source: US Grains Council, Various Media, Biofuels Int'l, 10 Sept., 2019) Contact: U.S. Grains Council, Tom Sleight, Pres., (202) 789-0789, (202) 898-0522, www.grains.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News US Grains Council ,  Ethanol,  Ethanol Export,  

U.S. Grains Council
Date: 2019-02-25
The Washington, D.C. headquartered U.S. Grains Council (USGC) is reporting receipt of almost $14 million in funding from USDA's Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) Program to help expand the organization's global footprint and dramatically increase its promotion for ethanol and other feed grains products. The program is part of a larger "trade aid" package in the wake of new tariffs and global market uncertainty.

The Council was awarded just under $14 million from the one-time program, which granted a total of $200 million for organizations working in overseas market development for U.S. agriculture and food products Much of the funding will be used to dramatically expand the Council's ethanol programs, which it coordinates with corn and sorghum checkoff organizations, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association, as well as USDA.

The funding will build upon existing market development and marketing programs operated with support from Council members and USDA through the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development program. (Source: US Grains Council, PR, 23 Feb., 2019) Contact: U.S. Grains Council, (202) 789-0789, (202) 898-0522, www.grains.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News U.S. Grains Council,  Ethanol,  

Growth Energy, U.S. Grains Council, Renewable Fuels Association
Date: 2018-09-21
On 16 Sept., the U.S. Grains Council, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association jointly submitted comments to the United Kingdom's Department of Transport which is considers implementing a nationwide E10 ethanol blend.

The comments highlight the benefits of ethanol for fuel and draw on the experience of the United States in implementing a similar nationwide E10 fuel blend. They also support moving directly to an E10 blended fuel, as the overwhelming majority of gasoline-powered vehicles are approved for this fuel. Doing so would offer benefits for consumers and ensure certainty for U.K. producers, the groups note.

Read the comments submitted to the UK Department of Transport HERE (Source: Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, U.S. Grains Council , 19 Sept., 2018): Contact: RFA, Bob Dinneen, Pres., (202) 289-3835, www.ethanolrfa.org; Growth Energy, Emily Skor, CEO, (202) 545-4000, www.growthenergy.org; U.S. Grains Council, (202) 789-0789, www.grains.org; UK Department of Transport, www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport

More Low-Carbon Energy News Growth Energy,  E10,  Biofuel,  Ethanol,  Ethanol Blend,  U.S. Grains Council,  Renewable Fuels Association,  

POET
Date: 2018-05-25
Poet's investment in its Mitchell plant struck gold Wednesday. Ethanol producer POET is reporting ground breaking on approximately $5 million of upgrades and expansion of its distillers grains (DDG) pellet business in Mitchell, South Dakota. POET markets the DDG live stock feed product as "Dakota Gold ProPellets" DDG exports have grown from 1 million tons in 2006 to 11 million tons during a 12-month period in 2016-17, according to the U.S. Grains Council. (Source: POET, Daily Republic, 23 May, 2018) Contact: POET, Matt Reiners , VP Business Dev., (605) 996-1686, https://poet.com/mitchell

More Low-Carbon Energy News POET,  Biomass Pellt,  DDGs,  

USGC
Date: 2018-05-09
"We appreciate the Trump Administration's strong support of the Renewable Fuel Standard, but the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) is concerned any move that would relate RINs to exporting ethanol could be severely detrimental to the competitiveness of ethanol exports and would harm the U.S. grains industry.

"We believe RINs for exported ethanol could be perceived as an export subsidy, against our World Trade Organization obligations. They could put a target on our back globally. We are already seeing the impact of trade policy barriers on ethanol exports and we would like to have the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) look at the implications of export credits for RINs." -- Tom Sleight, US Grains Council, Pres., CEO , 9 May, 2018 Contact: USGC, (202) 789-0789, www.grains.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News RFS,  US Grains Council,  Biofuel,  RINs,  Ethanol,  

Conestoga Energy,U.S. Grains Council
Date: 2018-01-31
The U.S. Grains Council reports Liberal, Kansas-based Conestoga Energy Partners LLC is its newest member. Established in 2006, Liberal, Kansas-based Conestoga Energy operates three ethanol plants with a total capacity of 205 million gpy as well as distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS). Conestoga Energy Partners oversees all aspects of the marketing, sales, delivery and billing of co-products produced at their three plants. (Source: USGC, Jan., 2018) Contact: Conestoga Energy Partners, (620) 626-2048, www.conestogaenergy.com; USGC, (202) 289-0789, www.grains.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Conestoga Energy,  Ethanol,  DDGs,