I’ve heard trade publications struggle to find fresh content from time to time, but Ethanol Producer Magazine never does—we’re spoiled with choices. New things just keep happening in ethanol, which makes our style of advocacy journalism possible, and a privilege to direct. This month, our writers nailed their assignments on thermal energy storage, the rise of all-renewable E85, ACE’s annual conference, the return of a familiar face, and a wild new use for distillers grains that might have you squirming with interest. &nbsp;&nbsp;Our cover piece, “Bringing Heat,” on page 12, looks at a West Coast startup delivering thermal energy storage to industries moving away from fossil-based heat and power. Rondo Energy’s technology uses ceramic bricks—a centuries old medium—to retain and more flexibly deploy heat generated from solar and wind power. Technologies like this should make intermittent renewable energy sources more dispatchable for ethanol plants pursing decarbonization, and the first commercial installation of Rondo’s technology, a demo unit, is up and running at Calgren Renewable Fuels in Pixley, California. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Next, we see how upstream CI-reduction translates into marketplace value in “Pushing the 100% Renewable Option,” on page 20, which revisits Pearson Fuels’ accomplishment of bringing all-renewable E85 to California consumers. A year ago, we introduced readers to the company’s entirely biobased fuel (save denaturant), which is a blend of ethanol and renewable naphtha, a byproduct of renewable diesel production. The all-bio blend already makes up a third of all the E85 Pearson sells in California, and the plan is to blend all of its E85 with naphtha as the byproduct becomes more widely available at spec.&nbsp;Our focus stays on low-CI ethanol and markets for higher blends in our page-26 review of the American Coalition for Ethanol’s 36th Annual Conference. In “When It All Matters,” we deliver the highlights from the event’s general session—themed “Everything Counts”—covering policy priorities, higher blends, and the state of global oil markets and refining. ACE leadership hit on the importance of advocacy on the Hill that helps define our industry’s role in the clean energy transition, wins support for year-round E15 and shapes policy that rewards low-carbon farming.The subject of our page-34 feature is no stranger to these and other battles being fought on behalf of ethanol producers and American farmers. Tom Buis, the former head of Growth Energy, has come out of semi-retirement to work on what could be the most defining issue of the decade for ethanol. Buis is now the CEO of the American Carbon Alliance, a group formed to bring greater awareness to the benefits and practicality of carbon capture. In “Back In the Fight,” we find out what Buis is up to—he’s walking the halls of Congress again—to set the narrative straight on CCS.&nbsp;Finally, if you like stories with a little crunch, be sure to read “New Use Generates Buzz,” on page 38. When the news broke about the possibility of a North Dakota ethanol plant supplying distillers grains to a commercial fly larvae-to-protein operation, we just had to take our own swat at it.&nbsp;Author: Tom Bryan&nbsp; Editor, Ethanol Producer Magazine&nbsp;

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The latest issue of Ethanol Producer Magazine tackles thermal energy storage, the rise of all-renewable E85, ACE’s annual conference, the return of a familiar face, and a wild new use for distillers grains. 

Batteries, Blends and Bugs

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