Ethanol Week - February 29, 2016

February 29, 2016

Valero asks EPA to redefine RFS definition of obligated party Valero Energy Corp. has filed with a petition for reconsideration with the U.S. EPA, asking it to revise its definition of “obligated party” under the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The company has also challenged the recent RFS rule in court. READ MORE SHARE
Senate holds hearing on RFS oversight On Feb. 24, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing on oversight of the renewable fuel standard (RFS). Janet McCabe, acting assistant administrator of the U.S. EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, was among those testifying. READ MORE SHARE
	EPA: 1.74 million cellulosic RINs generated in January The U.S. EPA has released renewable identification number (RIN) generation data for January, reporting that a net total of 1.44 billion RINs were generated during the month, including nearly 1.74 million cellulosic RINs. READ MORE SHARE
Abengoa files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in US Abengoa Bioenergy U.S. Holding LLC and five of its U.S. bioenergy subsidiaries filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. court on Feb. 24. The filings do not include two of Abengoa’s corn ethanol plants and the cellulosic plant. READ MORE SHARE
Ethanol industry leaders gather in Orlando Growth Energy recently kicked off its seventh annual Executive Leadership Conference at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida. One panel of the event focused on “The E15 Revolution." READ MORE SHARE
Growth Energy members discuss eliminating ethanol market barriers On Feb. 23, Growth Energy held a panel at its seventh annual Executive Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, focused on the important actions the policy, legal and regulatory teams must take so the industry can overcome these hurdles. READ MORE SHARE
International policy experts discuss ethanol’s global role On Feb. 23 Growth Energy held a panel entitled, “Ethanol on the World Stage,” at its seventh annual Executive Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida. The discussion focused on the important role that ethanol occupies in the global marketplace. READ MORE SHARE
UN report gives sweeping overview of advanced biofuels Advanced biofuels can be exploited to meet sustainable development and climate change mitigation goals, says a new report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The report updates a similar 2014 survey. READ MORE SHARE
Bunge reports improved ethanol sales, prices In February, Bunge Ltd., a global agribusiness company with ethanol operations in Brazil, released 2015 financial results, reporting improved prices and sales volumes for Brazilian ethanol. READ MORE SHARE
Federal biomass board releases bioeconomy report The Biomass Research and Development Board, an interagency collaboration composed of senior decision-makers from federal agencies and the White House, recently published a report, titled “Federal Activities Report on the Bioeconomy.” READ MORE SHARE
API calls for repeal of RFS, ethanol industry responds On Feb. 23, the American Petroleum Institute held a press conference, again calling for the repeal of the renewable fuel standard (RFS). Representatives of the ethanol industry have spoken out to dispute claims made by the API. READ MORE SHARE
Ethanol mandate and the price you pay for gas Professor Bruce Babcock of Iowa State University says oil companies were making “thoroughly outrageous claims” about what it would cost them, and you, to keep up with the plan to reduce greenhouse emissions through the renewable fuel standard. READ MORE SHARE
Platts, Department of Commerce’s ITA form strategic agreement Platts has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration to provide fundamental forecasting data and in-depth analysis that bring awareness of export opportunities for U.S. ethanol producers. READ MORE SHARE
Best regions for growing bioenergy crops identified Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have identified regions in the United States where bioenergy crops would grow best while minimizing effects on water quantity and quality. READ MORE SHARE
Lux: Cellulosic ethanol price hinges on feedstock cost Six companies have now brought cellulosic ethanol facilities online, but with widely varying costs that indicate where innovation is still needed to make next-generation biofuels competitive, according to Lux Research. READ MORE SHARE
Gevo signs licensing and joint development agreements with Porta Gevo Inc. recently announced that it has entered into a license agreement and a joint development agreement with Porta Hnos S.A. to construct multiple isobutanol plants in Argentina using corn as a feedstock. READ MORE SHARE
RFA welcomes auto industry vet Tracey King to staff Tracey King has joined the Renewable Fuels Association as technical director. King will serve as the RFA’s top liaison to the automakers, and will focus on forging the path to future high octane fuels and optimized spark ignition engines. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers find bioenergy potential in fungi found in manure Nature’s figured it out already, how to best break down food into fuel. Now scientists have caught up, showing that fungi found in the guts of goats, horses and sheep could help fill up your gas tank too. READ MORE SHARE
ACE video illustrates E15 retail market potential In a new animated video geared toward retail fuel station owners, the American Coalition for Ethanol is illustrating the market potential of E15. Thev video highlights the rapidly growing number of vehicles on the road today that can use E15. READ MORE SHARE
ANL: Genetic diversity can lead to more productive biofuel growth Researchers have mixed different genetic varieties of switchgrass on production-size plots, hypothesizing this could increase yield, produce a fuller crop and potentially reducing the crop's vulnerability to weather fluctuations. READ MORE SHARE
JP Energy Partners announces ethanol unit train project JP Energy Partners LP recently announced that it has initiated the expansion of its existing rail facilities at its North Little Rock refined products terminal to allow for unit train deliveries of ethanol. READ MORE SHARE