Comic Relief Courtesy of Big Oil
Big Oil's lobbyists and their band of merry men are apparently launching a new ad to attack ethanol yet again. This time, as in some previous campaigns, they are calling for more testing of higher level ethanol blends and attempting to scare members of Congress about the boogeyman that would be E15. Getting a lecture from Big Oil is rich, indeed.
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Providing for Seamless E15 Transition
Moving to E15 will require cooperation between the ethanol industry and those in the business of bringing fuel to American drivers. Today, that cooperation was on display as the RFA joined representatives from the nation's major gasoline marketing trade associations to address some of the challenges a move to E15 may present.
Posted in E-Xchange, Ethanol, Energy, EPA, Fuel, Renewable Fuels, Renewable Fuel Standard
Protecting Our Addiction to Oil Comes at a Cost
For years now, we have heard environmentalists and some in the government tell us that gasoline production and oil use don't have indirect greenhouse gas emissions. It is only biofuels like ethanol, we have been told, that must suffer penalties for these so-called indirect emissions. According the a new groundbreaking report to be published in Environmental Science, requiring our military to protect the free flow of oil comes with environmental consequences. And those impacts are potentially HUGE.
Posted in Ethanol, EPA, Environment, Land Use, Renewable Fuels, Research
TGIF!
After a frenetic week in Washington for America's ethanol industry, all i have to say is Thank Goodness It's Friday!
Posted in Ethanol, Energy, Environment, Renewable Fuel Standard, Tariff , VEETC
CBO, Ethanol, and the Rest of the Story
This week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report critical of ethanol tax incentives, but devoid of any comparisons to other energy tax incentives (like those for Big Oil). The report relied on what were, in large part, worst-case assumptions and also failed to give credit for co-products now an undeniable component of the industry that must be taken into account. After a thorough review, we have come up with some of key takeaways and criticisms of the report.
Posted in Ethanol, Environment, Renewable Fuels, Renewable Fuel Standard, VEETC
Farmers, Ethanol Industry Reaffirm Support for Current Ethanol Tax Policies
Farmers and ethanol producers agree that extending current tax incentives for ethanol is the right policy. Read what leaders in the industry had to say in its entirety.
CBO, Chairman Bingaman and the Future of the Ethanol Tax Incentive (First Cut)
A new report from the Congressional Budget Office takes the issue of ethanol tax incentives completely out of context. Nowhere in the report does CBO compare ethanol incentives to those provided to fossil fuels. Neither does CBO give credit to America's ethanol industry for the environmental and efficiency improvements it has made or the production of coproducts such as livestock feed and corn oil.
Posted in Ethanol, Energy, Environment, VEETC
Weekly Ethanol Report Ending 7/9/10
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) put out their weekly ethanol production statistics, this week showing that there was a drop in ethanol production. According to EIA data, ethanol production for the week ending 7/9/2010 was 821,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 34.5 million gallons daily. That is down 4% from 855,000 b/d from the previous week.
Posted in Ethanol, Production
Ethanol Exports Update for May
Total ethanol exports for May fell 58% from April’s totals. Compared to March and April total exports of 48.3 million gallons and 40.8 million gallons, U.S. producers exported only 17.1 million gallons in the month of May. Still, May exports were well above the five-year monthly average. Further, through the first five months of 2010, the U.S. has exported 25% more product than in the entire 2009 calendar year.
Renwable Fuels Standard (RFS) in 2011
For the first time ever under the RFS, EPA today put out for review its estimates for RFS targets in 2011. Under the law, these are not required until November. Of note, EPA has revised down cellulosic ethanol use from original RFS targets for the second year in a row. While this may be prudent for EPA based on market conditions, it does send a chilling effect through the investment community with respect to cellulosic ethanol technologies. EPA's estimates underscore the need for Dept. of Energy and USDA to construct loan guarantee programs that work for cellulosic ethanol companies.
Posted in Ethanol, Energy, EPA, Renewable Fuel Standard, U.S Dept. of Energy, USDA
Senate to Include Ethanol Tax Incentive?
POLITICO is reporting that an extension to the ethanol tax incentive may be in the works on the Senate side as Senate Finance Chairman Baucus and his committee are putting together a package of tax provisions to include an extension of the 45-cent per gallon tax credit for ethanol. The inclusion of this tax credit is suggested to be a going-away present for Senator Grassley (R-IA), a long time supporter of biofuels, ethanol in particular. The fact that leadership is considering this inclusion is more reflective of the fact ethanol enjoys bipartisan support than the term limits imposed by the Senate GOP with respect to committees.
RFA Comments on USDA WASDE Report
This morning USDA’s July WASDE report was released. While it made some changes to the corn supply-demand estimates, it is likely that supply will get a boost with a larger yield estimate likely next month. This morning's report suggests corn producers are still on track for a record crop in 2010. If the corn crop can avoid significant stress during pollination, we should be looking at another record or near-record average yield. But harvest is still several months away and nothing is certain until the crop is in the bins. Read more to see key facts related to today's report.
UNICA’s sweeteralternative.com: A wolf in blog’s clothing
Every week or so, Joel Velasco of UNICA posts a new entry to UNICA's new Sweeter Alternative “blog”. This "blog" appears to more of a non-blog as readers don’t have any opportunity to express their views or respond to the slanted opinions served up by UNICA. In a June 28 post, RFA was accused of "cherry picking" data for a recent presentation to the House Ag Committee that shows Brazil’s increased ethanol output over the past decade has come primarily through expansion of the land area dedicated to growing sugarcane. Since there’s no opportunity for the public to comment on UNICA’s web site, I will address the "cherry picking" allegations here.
Get the Facts on Ethanol, Corn Production and Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico
Opponents of biofuels and agriculture are again dredging up false allegations about the environmental impacts of increasing grain and ethanol production, specifially suggesting that expanded grain and ethanol production in the Midwest is leading to a larger hypoxic area, ("dead zone") in the Gulf of Mexico. The RFA has put together a document discussing the facts regarding these issues.
Response to San Francisco Chronicle article “Dead Zone in Gulf Linked to Ethanol Production”
On July 6, 2010, the San Francisco Chronicle printed an article, “Dead Zone in Gulf Linked to Ethanol Production” attempting to portray a fictitious notion that ethanol is to blame for Gulf hypoxia. This article seems to be a dead zone of its own where facts die and science is buried. While quoting sources to support the theme of this article, the Chronicle failed to share valuable information from the ethanol industry on this issue.
Less Energy, Less Water, More Ethanol…
…is the trend in American ethanol production. In recently released research from Dr. Steffen Mueller from the University of Illinois at Chicago, production of ethanol at the nation’s dry mills has seen dramatic improvements in efficiencies.
Funny if it weren’t so sad
Environmentalists may lack some concrete solutions today to actively address the nation’s energy challenges, but one thing they are not short on is creativity – at least when it comes to finding new ways to thwart biofuels.
Posted in Ethanol, Energy, Environment
Let’s Get the Conversation Started
Welcome to the Renewable Fuels Association venue for ideas and thoughts pertaining to America’s ethanol industry!
Posted in E-Xchange
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