My first trip to Nebraska was shortly after I started this job at Ethanol Producer Magazine. I headed to Omaha for an ethanol industry event, ready to cram my head full of information. Being completely new to this industry, I was eager to learn. I still am. Omaha is a beautiful, diverse and active city, and I enjoyed my time there, particularly a walk across the Bob Kerrey pedestrian bridge. In just two years in this industry, I&rsquo;ve been back again for an International Fuel Ethanol Workshop &amp; Expo, in 2018. Nebraska is a hotspot for ethanol events, being the second-largest ethanol-producing state in the country. As such, it takes the focus of our cover feature in this August issue. Nebraska has a trifecta of ag, ethanol and cattle industries playing well together and positively impacting economics in the state. A top legislative champion for the nation&rsquo;s ethanol industry comes from Nebraska, and the state has an EPA-approved pilot program to test E30 in its state fleet. Find out more on page 22. The other feature in this magazine is a recap of the 2019 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop &amp; Expo. Held in Indianapolis, the event attracted 2,000 attendees and 300 exhibitors. It lined up with President Donald Trump&rsquo;s June 11 visit to Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs, changing plans a bit and shifting the keynote address by Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, from an on-site appearance to a remote one, from inside the office of the chief financial officer at SIRE. During Trump&rsquo;s speech, a crowd gathered around a TV on the trade show floor, listening as the president touted ethanol&rsquo;s benefits and celebrated the E15 Reid vapor pressure waiver. It was big news, and I enjoyed talking with some plant managers at FEW about its significance. Turn to page 28 to see photos of the show, from start to finish. One of the best parts of this job is the travel. Sure, it&rsquo;s been mostly Midwest states, but I&rsquo;m always on the lookout for an opportunity to venture farther, perhaps to a continent or country I&rsquo;ve always wanted to visit. Barring any sudden, burgeoning ethanol market springing up in Antarctica, I&rsquo;ve got my eye on Brazil. Author: Lisa Gibson Editor lgibson@bbiinternational.com

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FROM THE JULY ISSUE: Editor Lisa Gibson previews the magazine, including feature articles about Nebraska's importance to the ethanol industry, a review of the 2019 Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo, and more.

Trips and Trump

Many ethanol plants are up to 15 years old, or older, and the subject of increasing production, efficiency and profitability is more prevalent than ever. With new, more efficient technologies coming to market for various processes within a biorefinery, the desire to debottleneck older equipment can drive maintenance and capital project decisions. Producers must decide if they want to budget and plan to maintain, upgrade or scrap and replace with a new unit. When it comes to boilers and heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), maintenance cost and upgrade opportunities often dictate the conversation. Tools for Making Data-Driven Decisions Fully assessing the operation of a boiler or HRSG requires accounting for multiple factors including how a process change will affect related equipment, not just the direct system involved. Process operators and plant engineers can utilize the distributed control system (DCS) to perform on-the-fly performance checks confidently. Combining this with information located in the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) predicted performance data sheets, producers can estimate as-is performance while operating. Additionally, the data historian system provides the ability to trend data over time, providing long-term review capabilities of the boiler. Where Modeling and Data are Key While a control room data assessment can give a brief insight of as-is performance, it doesn&rsquo;t tell the whole story. Boilers are often run differently than originally designed, making a direct comparison to the OEM predicted performance difficult. Additionally, a process change&mdash;such as dryer throughput or feedwater temperature&mdash;can greatly affect multiple aspects of the system that are not as easily quantified. A thermal model can provide more accurate insight into the boiler performance and help fully assess the system. Modeling provides a digital representation of the boiler system, taking into consideration the physical geometries of the water and gas-side flow paths, along with OEM predicted performance values used to validate the model. Taking it one step further, DCS and process information (PI) historian data can be reviewed and matched to the thermal model to provide an as-is representation of operation, ideal for plants that have been operating for multiple years or have changed components. Accurate data is important, so performing mass and energy balances about various sections of the boiler is needed to identify good and bad data, which leads to investigating and correcting miscalibrated instruments or DCS conversion algorithms. Once developed, the model can be used to track degradation, identify under or overperforming sections of the boiler and simulate upgrade and process changes, as well as provide key insights into pressures, temperatures, flows and how they affect ancillary equipment. Case Study: Process Upgrade Effects A facility comprised of two identical firetube waste heat boilers, operating in parallel and sharing a common final steam separator, was investigated for a potential upstream process upgrade being performed elsewhere in the plant. Using HRST&rsquo;s PerformancePro thermal modeling software, a thermal model was developed based on the OEM thermal and mechanical data sheets. Typical process conditions gathered from the PI data historian were used to replicate the existing boiler operation, creating an as-is representation of the system performance. The process upgrade parameters were provided by the plant, including values for increased boiler feedwater (BFW) temperature, as well as flue gas temperatures and mass flow rates. Primary areas of concern were the American Society of Mechanical Engineers boiler design pressures and temperatures, stamped boiler capacity, safety relief valve pressure set points and relieving capacity, as well as the final steam separator capacity. Upon modeling and subsequent analysis, it was determined that multiple shortfalls existed in the system when simulated under the process upgrade conditions, including: &bull; Metal temperatures exceeding the ASME design temperatures for the upstream tube sheet, tube inlets and, in some cases, the bulk tube temperature. &bull; Steam generation exceeding the boiler rated capacity and the safety valve relieving capacity. &bull; Combined (boiler one and two) steam flow exceeding the final steam separator capacity. Additionally, it was determined that the pressure drop from the boiler to the main steam header would increase on the order of 2.25 times over existing, and the increased flue gas mass flow and temperature would increase the stack temperatures by 40 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit over the current baseline. Solutions for meeting ASME code would require a capacity and design temperature rerate, whereas the final steam separator would only require upgraded internal equipment to meet capacity requirements. To rerate for higher temperatures, a condition assessment of all tubes and welds would be required to validate the component thickness for ASME code calculations. Plant personnel said abrasive particulates in the flow eroded tube inlets, causing plugging. While a steam capacity rerate would be advantageous, discussion with plant personnel determined that the scope required to validate all tube and pressure part thicknesses would be costly and, because of the failure history, may only indicate that a temperature rerate would not be possible. Because of those factors and the age of the boilers, the plant opted to continue use under existing conditions for the short term. Ultimately, the decision was made to replace each of the boilers with newer, higher-capacity units specifically designed for the upgrade parameters, with results of the thermal modeling assessment used as justification.&emsp; Key Takeaways When it comes to making long-term decisions about boiler operation or replacement, historical operating data trends and future operating conditions can provide helpful insight and, when combined with system modeling, create a useful tool to analyze the boiler as well as ancillary equipment. Approaches such as this can help operators and plant management make data-driven decisions when facing the choices to maintain, upgrade or replace. Author: Evan Almberg Analysis Engineer HRST Inc. 952.767.8154 ealmberg@hrstinc.com

COST AND OPPORTUNITY: With aging plants and equipment, producers have choices to make about their boilers.

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FROM THE AUGUST ISSUE: Assessing boiler upgrade, retrofit and replacement considerations. 

Performance Matters

Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, delivered his keynote address for the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop &amp; Expo remotely. He was on-site at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy LLC in Council Bluffs, preparing for a visit from President Trump. Trump&rsquo;s June 11 stop at SIRE and address to the ethanol industry on his campaign trail fell in line with FEW, held June 10-12 at the Indianapolis Convention Center. &ldquo;While I am sad to miss FEW for the first time in 11 years, I am thrilled to be able to welcome the president to one of the plants where ethanol is made, and to thank him for his commitment to renewable fuels and the American farmer,&rdquo; Cooper said. Cooper added that Trump&rsquo;s visit to SIRE will be game-changing for the industry, comparing it to other milestones such as the passage of the Renewable Fuel Standard. But Cooper also acknowledged the challenges the industry continues to face, including opposition from the oil industry to the one-pound waiver being extended to E15 to allow year-round sales. A petition against the waiver has been filed in court. He also acknowledged the harm caused by small refinery exemptions that destroyed 2.6 billion gallons of demand, and the importance of exports to an industry experiencing small margins. Cooper also expressed the need for the U.S. EPA to restore the demand lost, through the Renewable Fuel Standard reset. This year&rsquo;s FEW attracted 2,000 attendees and 300 exhibitors. The show included the traditional Ethanol 101 preconference seminar, as well as the first-ever Ethanol Plant Construction &amp; Project Summit pre-conference, featuring new technologies, partnerships and development. Panels during breakout sessions addressed policy, efficiency, maintenance, technology, human resources, and more. A tour of Poet Biorefining &ndash; Alexandria, in Alexandria, Indiana, capped the show. Here are some highlights from the event.
&nbsp;
Photos by Kirsten Wray Photography Author: Lisa Gibson Lisa Gibson Editor lgibson@bbiinternational.com

The 2019 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo attracted 2,000 attendees and 300 exhibitors.

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Steve Vander Griend (center), technical manager for Urban Air Initiative, won the 2019 High Octane Award. Lisa Gibson, editor of Ethanol Producer Magazine, and Tom Bryan, president of BBI International, presented Vander Griend with his award the morn

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Gibson and Bryan also presented the Award of Excellence, which went to Scott Kohl (center), vice president of technology and process improvement for Franzenburg Centrifuge. 

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Meals were served on the trade show floor, facilitating networking during breaks.

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FEW 2019 featured a general session panel composed of Tim Portz, BBI International program developer; Robert White, vice president of industry relations for the Renewable Fuels Association; Chris Bliley, vice president of regulatory affairs for Growt

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Many attendees participated in an evening tour of the NCAA Hall of Champions in Indianapolis June 12.

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Jennifer Aurandt-Pilgrim, director of technical services for Trucent, delivered a presentation titled "Bringing Biochemical Understanding to Corn Oil Extraction" June 11 at FEW in Indianpolis.

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Geoff Cooper, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO, delivered the keynote address for the 2019 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo remotely. Cooper was at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs, awaiting a visit from Presid

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The registration desk at FEW in Indianapolis was busy and booming, checking in more than 2,000 attendees.

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Tim Portz, BBI International's program developer (left), and Angus Ballard, president of Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits, cut the ribbon to officially open the trade show on the evening of June 10. The welcome reception was sponsored by Lallem

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Tom Bryan, president of BBI International, delivered a welcome address the morning 
of June 11. 


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FROM THE AUGUST ISSUE: Finances, technology, streamlined processes and more take the stage at FEW 2019.   

Efficiency, Opportunities, Equipment

It&rsquo;s fitting that the Cornhusker State should be an important player in the nation&rsquo;s ethanol industry. Second only to Iowa in production, Nebraska&rsquo;s ethanol industry has a big impact on the state&rsquo;s economy. In addition to a strong corn-growing contingent, Nebraska has an impressive cattle sector, and strong railroad infrastructure. With the state&rsquo;s central location, it&rsquo;s clear there are several benefits to producing ethanol there. &ldquo;The ethanol industry, the livestock industry and the agricultural community as a whole, we call that the &lsquo;golden triangle,&rsquo;&rdquo; says Roger Berry, incoming administrator of the Nebraska Ethanol Board. &ldquo;You grow the corn to produce the ethanol, you get the distillers grains, which then feeds the livestock, which then just starts the cycle all over again. It just all supports each other.&rdquo; The NEB is the only state agency dedicated to promoting ethanol within Nebraska. &ldquo;Other state ethanol groups are generally trade groups, like the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association or others,&rdquo; says Sarah Caswell, outgoing administrator of the NEB. &ldquo;We are dedicated to helping ensure the continued strength and growth of Nebraska&rsquo;s ethanol industry, recognizing the importance of the industry as a value-added culture market for corn and other commodities.&rdquo; Ethanol&rsquo;s Economics A study by the University of Nebraska - Lincoln found Nebraska&rsquo;s ethanol plants contribute $3.5 billion to the state&rsquo;s economy, as well as more than 1,400 direct jobs with an average salary of $78,000. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s significant because a lot of these jobs are in rural communities, so they help support families and communities in rural towns and areas,&rdquo; Caswell says. &ldquo;These are great paying jobs for our small towns and rural communities,&rdquo; says Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts. &ldquo;So we are very excited about the longevity of some of these companies to be able to create those great paying jobs in our small towns.&rdquo; Ricketts is no stranger to the ethanol industry. Caswell says, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know more of an ethanol advocate than him, to be honest. He and his office have been extremely helpful and supportive to our efforts here at the board to promote the industry.&rdquo; One of Ricketts&rsquo; goals is educating the public about the benefits of ethanol. &ldquo;I think a lot of consumers, even in Nebraska, don&rsquo;t understand how important it is and what a benefit they get from filling up with ethanol,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I think that&rsquo;s an opportunity for everybody who&rsquo;s involved in this industry.&rdquo; Nebraska even has a U.S. EPA-approved pilot program to study the use of higher blends in state-owned vehicles. EPA granted a waiver to the state of Nebraska to use E30 in non-flex fuel vehicles, and a&nbsp; waiver to co-applicant retail stations to sell E30 to vehicles participating in the study.&nbsp; &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to study mileage and maintenance and so forth to help raise awareness, educate people, and really dispel some of the myths that are out there about using higher blends of ethanol,&rdquo; Ricketts says. Caswell says that while other E30 studies have been done, Nebraska&rsquo;s will be the first to be overseen by an engineering team. The study began in early June and will run for one year. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re using 52 state fleet vehicles in this program, 26 matched pairs so that one control vehicle will fill up with regular gasoline, and the E30 vehicle will fill up with E30 and we&rsquo;ll compare and contrast,&rdquo; Caswell says. &ldquo;Especially given the current state of play of the Renewable Fuel Standard, and other ethanol policies at the federal level, it&rsquo;s very encouraging that EPA has provided this waiver to our state,&rdquo; she says. &nbsp; Legislative Support Ricketts isn&rsquo;t the only political figure advocating for ethanol. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., is considered one of the leading Republican advocates for the biofuels industry. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve been the ones at the forefront of fighting or advocating to the EPA in the past couple of years that they implement the RFS in a way to guarantee the most robust volume requirements for ethanol possible and to implement the RFS to help facilitate the industry as it was intended under the law,&rdquo; Caswell says. In June, Fischer introduced a bill with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., that seeks to increase transparency in the small refinery exemption process. &ldquo;In the past, EPA has issued small refinery exemptions after the renewable volume obligations have already been determined,&rdquo; Fischer said when the bill was announced. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s unfair, and it hurts our farmers and ethanol producers. This bill would shine a light on what&rsquo;s been an obscure exemption process and help promote economic growth in rural America.&rdquo; The bill would require petitions for exemptions be filed by June 1 each year, and would require EPA to report to Congress its method for granting small refinery exemptions. In addition, Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., was one of the signatories on a letter sent to EPA outlining concerns about the administration&rsquo;s process for granting small refinery waivers. &ldquo;They ended up getting 35 bipartisan signatures on their letter that they sent to Administrator Wheeler at the EPA expressing deep concern about their current process for evaluating petitions for small refinery waivers,&rdquo; Caswell says. &ldquo;We have excellent representation in Congress and at the state level.&rdquo; Innovation in Nebraska Nebraska&rsquo;s ethanol industry is a leader in innovation, Caswell and Berry say. &ldquo;We have 25 existing ethanol plants, and as the industry develops and grows, those plants and their attributes, like being close to railroads, make it very attractive for, say, renewable chemicals producers to look to partner with those existing facilities and, as a result, we&rsquo;ve seen bio-campuses pop up all over the state,&rdquo; Caswell says. Berry points to innovations like those at Flint Hills Resources in Fairmont, Nebraska. &ldquo;They have developed a system into their plant which is allowing them to produce a very high-protein feed, which is going to aquaculture.&rdquo; The plant added Fluid Quip Process Technologies&rsquo; Maximized Stillage Coproducts technology late last year. Mark Murphy, general manager of ingredients at Flint Hills, says, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re happy with the results. We&rsquo;re able to make another valuable protein product for the market without affecting ethanol production.&rdquo; Siouxland Ethanol in Jackson has recently been certified by the California Air Resources Board to sell its cellulosic corn kernel fiber ethanol in California under the state&rsquo;s Low Carbon Fuel Standard. Another ethanol innovation taking shape in Nebraska is the addition of White Dog Labs&rsquo; ProTyton production technology. ProTyton is a single-cell protein ingredient used in the aquaculture market, and Midwest Renewable Energy in Sutherland will be the first ethanol plant to use the technology. Invest Nebraska, the state&rsquo;s public-private venture development organization, invested in White Dog late last year. Joe Shanle, senior plant manager at MRE, told Ethanol Producer Magazine earlier this year the decision to add the ProTyton production technology was a factor of market conditions. &ldquo;We thought this was a nice way to diversify our product offering so at least we can begin to take the starch from corn and target different markets, whether that&rsquo;s the protein market or the fuels market.&rdquo; Nebraska also hosts the Emerging Issues Forum each year, Berry says. He says the forum is &ldquo;always on the cusp of what&rsquo;s going on in these new technologies and that&rsquo;s attended by people all over the nation. &ldquo;The plants here in Nebraska, they&rsquo;re not standing still,&rdquo; Berry says. &ldquo;They are making sure they continue to increase their efficiencies by bringing in these different processes and, with the increase in efficiency, it helps the profitability of that plant, too.&rdquo; Facing Challenges, Looking Forward Nebraska wasn&rsquo;t immune to the flooding experienced by much of the Midwest this year. States across the corn belt dealt with wet conditions that set planting back, which could impact corn ethanol feedstock across the country. &ldquo;What probably will affect the ethanol plants down the road is how many acres are going to be prevented from planting this year, due to the flooding and due to the wet conditions,&rdquo; Berry says. &ldquo;Those rivers changed course and just deposited sand on the fields.&rdquo; But the future of ethanol in the state is bright. Nebraska&rsquo;s state legislature recently created a grant program for renewable fuel infrastructure. The NEB was supportive of the legislation and is now working with other industry stakeholders in the state to determine how the program will be funded, Caswell says. &ldquo;The ultimate goal is to eventually get every station in Nebraska to be able to offer that choice, so every consumer has the opportunity to buy a better fuel at a lower cost to them and keep money in their pockets,&rdquo; Berry says. &lsquo;We Have it All Here&rsquo; Beyond its &ldquo;golden triangle,&rdquo; a number of factors combine to make Nebraska conducive to ethanol production. &ldquo;It all kind of goes together,&rdquo; Caswell says. &ldquo;We have UNL with top-notch engineers and scientists and facilities, resources. We have an extremely supportive governor. We have an existing, relatively mature ethanol industry here in Nebraska, and expertise in agriculture, we have a low cost of living, we have railroads, we&rsquo;re the western-most ethanol-producing state to be fed into California. We have it all here.&rdquo; Two ethanol companies in the state recently celebrated their 15th year of continuous operations: Trenton Agri Products in Trenton, and KAAPA Ethanol, with plants in Minden and Ravenna. Ricketts says the longevity of these companies shows how favorable Nebraska is for business. &ldquo;Companies like KAAPA and Trenton Agri Products really have that opportunity to have that long-lasting impact on our state, and they will continue to invest here,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ll continue to grow jobs.&rdquo; Author: Matt Thompson Associate Editor, Ethanol Producer Magazine 701.738.4922 mthompson@bbiinternational.com

SOLID SUPPORT: Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts pumps ethanol at a Kum & Go station in Gretna, Nebraska. Ricketts declared May Renewable Fuels Month in the state. 

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ETHANOLâ€™S ENDURANCE: KAAPA Ethanol, with plants in Ravenna and Minden, Nebraska, (left) and Trenton Agri Products in Trenton, Nebraska, each celebrated 15 years of operation in 2019. 

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FROM THE AUGUST ISSUE: In Nebraska, ethanol, cattle and agriculture are intertwined, with major impacts on the state's economy.   

A 'Golden Triangle'

President Trump visits SIRE President Donald Trump visited Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs, Iowa, June 11 to celebrate the Reid vapor pressure waiver issued to E15 on May 31. During his speech, Trump said E15 sales are predicted to more than double this year. &ldquo;&hellip;The fuel you produce brings down prices at the pump for millions of American drivers. Those savings go straight into the pockets of hard working families all across our land.&rdquo; Representatives of Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association, and the American Coalition for Ethanol were among those who attended the SIRE event. &ldquo;As we join President Trump in Iowa today, we thank him for directing EPA to allow year-round sales of E15,&rdquo; said Brian Jennings, CEO of ACE. &ldquo;EPA&rsquo;s decision is good news for the ethanol industry, farmers, and American consumers. Finally, retailers don&rsquo;t have their hands tied when it comes to offering a lower-cost, higher-quality E15 fuel to their customers during the summer months.&rdquo; Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the RFA, released a statement ahead of the SIRE event thanking Trump for keeping his promise to remove the &ldquo;unnecessary and ridiculous regulatory barrier that prohibited the summertime use of E15 in most of the country.&rdquo; &ldquo;President Trump understands that ethanol plants like SIRE are important economic engines in rural America, supporting good-paying jobs and bolstering the farm economy,&rdquo; Cooper said. Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, expressed gratitude to Trump for delivering on his promise to unleash the power of E15 year-round. &ldquo;The approval of year-round E15 is an incredible milestone for the biofuels industry, and the result of over a decade of hard work by Growth Energy, our members, our congressional champions, and folks all across rural America who made their voices heard.&rdquo; U.S. Water Services Joins Kurita Water Industries Ltd.&nbsp; U.S. Water Services Inc. has joined Kurita Water Industries Ltd., an international water management company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The acquisition was announced in early February and was effective March 26. &ldquo;The closing of this transaction represents a new and exciting chapter for U.S. Water,&rdquo; said LaMarr Barnes, U.S. Water CEO. &ldquo;The Kurita Group represents world-class leadership, technology and investment in innovation in the water and environmental solutions industry. Together with the existing Kurita Group companies in North America (Kurita America Inc. and Fremont Industries), we will leverage our technologies and build a solid foundation to offer our customers advanced solutions and capabilities to meet their unique water and energy needs.&rdquo; Nebraska Ethanol Board Welcomes New Administrator Roger Berry has been named administrator of the Nebraska Ethanol Board. Berry is from Nebraska, farmed in the state and has served in senior positions in agricultural organizations. Most recently, he spent over three years as director of market development at the Nebraska Corn Board. In that role, Berry worked with NEB staff to carry out ethanol promotion events, spoke about ethanol markets and policy at industry conferences and was involved in industry ethanol policy discussions. He replaces Sarah Caswell as NEB administrator.

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President Donald Trump addresses the crowd during his June 11 visit to Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs. 

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FROM THE AUGUST ISSUE: Celebrating year-round E15, U.S. Water and Kurita join forces, and Berry named new NEB administrator.

Business Briefs

Access to ethanol is on the rise now that E15 can be sold year-round. As consumers start to use E15, hopefully they will come to recognize the engine, economic and environmental benefits of this ethanol blend. Drivers using E15 know it&rsquo;s a great fuel, but a simple internet search leaves the average driver with a lot of conflicting information when it comes to the benefits of ethanol. The misinformation is largely because of the way fuel and emissions testing is conducted by the U.S. EPA and other research organizations. Earlier this year, the Urban Air Initiative partnered with independent consultant Future Fuel Strategies to review, assess and compare nearly 100 different peer-reviewed vehicle emission studies. This independent review found that the main contributing factor to the vast differences in results when it comes to ethanol and emissions is the way test fuels are blended. The consultants concluded there is a need for an equitable and defensible method for predicting the effects of different fuel blends. As a result, the Urban Air Initiative commissioned Future Fuel Strategies to develop a fuel blending guide that can be used in future emission studies involving ethanol. The guide will develop specific methodologies for emission analyses involving ethanol. It will also develop a vehicle engine test procedure and propose how data should be treated statistically. The development of the fuel blending guide will engage relevant stakeholders in the ethanol, oil and auto industries, as well as in government. We believe that by engaging with stakeholders and receiving input, this fuel blending guide will benefit all of the affected industries and will be proven valuable when used in future studies involving ethanol and emissions. The Urban Air Initiative believes that if nothing changes with current practices, ethanol&rsquo;s benefits will continue to be limited. Until fuel and emission testing becomes uniform across all research institutions, there will be conflicting and confusing information about ethanol, and growing the market here and abroad will remain a challenging endeavor. We know the truth: Adding ethanol to gasoline reduces toxic aromatic compounds, the most toxic parts of gas. This reduces particulate matter, the precursor to health problems like heart disease and asthma. Plus, ethanol increases octane and is better for your engine and your wallet. It&rsquo;s time the studies reflect reality. We are looking forward to the great things this fuel blending guide can do for the ethanol industry as we move to E15 and beyond. Author: Dave VanderGriend President, Urban Air Initiative CEO, ICM Inc. 316.796.0900 davev@icminc.com

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FROM THE AUGUST ISSUE: Emissions testing reforms needed to reduce misinformation about ethanol.

Fuel Blending Guide  Will Bring Consistency 

We celebrated World Environment Day on June 5 and, although the date has passed, I believe the theme of this year&rsquo;s event, air pollution, still deserves our attention. What are we doing locally, nationally or globally to take care of our environment? In Brazil, sugarcane ethanol has been helping improve air quality in urban centers. According to the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association&rsquo;s (UNICA) calculations, between March 2003 (when flex fuel vehicles were introduced into the Brazilian market) and February 2019, the use of sugarcane ethanol reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 535 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. To achieve similar GHG savings, almost 4 billion trees would need to be planted in the next 20 years. What makes the air quality of cities like S&atilde;o Paulo and Rio de Janeiro different from New Delhi or Shanghai is the use of hydrous (E100) and anhydrous (E27) ethanol. When we evaluate its complete life cycle, sugarcane ethanol provides a 90% reduction in GHG emissions compared to gasoline. Also, compared to gasoline and diesel, ethanol significantly reduces the emissions of various pollutants, like sulfur oxides (by about 90% compared to gasoline, about 99% compared to S500 diesel and 50% compared to S10 diesel), particulate matter (by more than 98% compared to gasoline and diesel), and toxic hydrocarbons. Ethanol also has low toxicity and is biodegradable. That is, in case of spill or leakage accidents, the environmental impact would be small and the product is biodegraded in a few days. Brazilian sugarcane ethanol is recognized globally as one of the least carbon-intensive biofuels currently available at commercial scale. The U.S. EPA recognizes Brazilian ethanol as an advanced biofuel in the Renewable Fuel Standard, capable of GHG emissions savings of 61%. California&rsquo;s Low Carbon Fuel Standard also recognizes ethanol&rsquo;s benefits. In the European Union, sugarcane ethanol is recognized by the Renewable Energy Directive (both versions) as the first-generation biofuel that reduces emissions more than fossil fuels (70% when placed on the European market). According to RED, sugarcane ethanol has a low risk of indirect land use change. In Japan, our product exceeds the 50% emissions reduction required. Increasing ethanol blends has been recognized as a way to mitigate GHG emissions and meet the targets of the Paris climate agreement, with several countries setting the blending increase for years to come. As I have shared in my past columns, Brazil already has a National Biofuels Policy (RenovaBio), approved by Congress and expected to come into force in 2020. RenovaBio aims to increase the participation of biofuels, including biodiesel and ethanol made from different raw materials, in the transport matrix with the goal of reducing GHG emissions by 100 million tons in 10 years. The transport sector is a significant source of GHG emissions globally. Tackling transport emissions is imperative to decreasing air pollution and improving air quality. I believe we need all options available to achieve better air quality, but I am an even stronger believer that ethanol is one of the best options for countries around the globe. Ethanol is here now, cars have the technology necessary to use it, and there is ample safe supply. If we want to decrease air pollution and improve the quality of our environment, we need to continue to promote public policies that will ensure the production and use of ethanol as an alternative to fossil fuels. The U.S. and Brazil lead in ethanol production and use in transportation, but more countries need to adopt this solution. The environment will thank us. Author: Leticia Phillips North American Representative Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, UNICA 202.506.5299 leticia@unica.com.br

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FROM THE AUGUST ISSUE: Nations around the globe need to follow Brazil, U.S.'s lead in ethanol adoption to lower GHG emissions.

Ethanol Improves Air Quality 

On June 11, more than 1,000 farmers and ethanol supporters gathered at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs for what will undoubtedly be remembered as a momentous day in the annals of the American ethanol industry. For the first time in nearly a decade&mdash;and only the fourth time in history&mdash;a sitting president of the United States visited an ethanol plant. But this wasn&rsquo;t just a photo-op visit&mdash;this one had special meaning and a definite purpose. President Donald Trump came to SIRE, a member of the Renewable Fuels Association, to celebrate the completion of regulatory amendments that finally allow year-round sales of E15. Two members of the president&rsquo;s cabinet&mdash;Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler&mdash;were also on hand for the event, along with some of our industry&rsquo;s strongest champions in Congress and state government. Fittingly, SIRE sits just a few miles away from Council Bluffs&rsquo; Mid-America Center, where eight months earlier Trump directed the EPA to get started on the amendments necessary to &ldquo;unleash the power of E15 to fuel our country all year long.&rdquo; While the mood June 11 was indeed celebratory and attendees expressed their gratitude to Trump for keeping his promise on E15, the visit also gave us the rare opportunity to share a few concerns directly and candidly with the president. Upon arriving at SIRE, Trump was greeted by Mike Jerke, SIRE CEO; Karol King, SIRE chairman; Mike Naig, Iowa secretary of agriculture; Steve Wellman, Nebraska director of agriculture; and me. Jerke and I were privileged to escort the president on a short tour of the plant, where he was introduced to local farmers Kevin Ross (and his sons Hudson and Axten) and Darrel McAlexander, along with Rick Larson of Larson Farms Trucking. The farmers thanked Trump for honoring his commitment on year-round E15 and spoke briefly about flooding and trade challenges. McAlexander also let the president know Renewable Fuel Standard small refinery exemptions are hurting rural America and asked for his help in stopping them, to which the president replied, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll look into it. We&rsquo;ll look at it.&rdquo; We then escorted the president into the distillers grains storage building. Trump was interested in learning more about coproducts from ethanol production and asked several good questions. There, he met SIRE Plant Manager Dan Wych and three other SIRE employees, and learned more about the ethanol process. From there, the president moved into a tent where more than 1,000 enthusiastic farmers and ethanol fans were gathered. He was introduced and welcomed by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, whose tireless efforts to secure year-round E15 and defend the RFS have been absolutely extraordinary. More than a dozen RFA members sat in the first two rows to watch the president give a rousing speech, in which he strongly underscored the important role ethanol plays in enhancing our energy security and stimulating rural economies. The president asked three guests he&rsquo;d met earlier to join him on stage, including farmer Kevin Ross, the National Corn Growers Association&rsquo;s first vice president; SIRE employee Kenny Wilcox; and E15 fuel retailer Randy Gard, from Bosselman Pump &amp; Pantry. In an especially poignant moment, after thanking Trump for year-round E15, Ross cautioned that &ldquo;EPA&rsquo;s oil refinery waivers threaten to undo your good works.&rdquo; Wheeler and Perdue were seated in the front row next to me&mdash;and they heard this message directly as well. While our message of caution on small refinery exemptions was clearly articulated, time will tell if that message translates into positive action. So far, the signals are mixed. EPA&rsquo;s 2020 renewable volume obligation proposal failed to prospectively reallocate expected small refinery exemptions and essentially ignored a court order to restore 500 million gallons of inappropriate waivers from 2016. Still, the president seemed to understand the challenges described by the farmers and ethanol producers he met that day, and he expressed a sincere willingness to help address those concerns. We&rsquo;re confident the president heard us, and hopeful that he&rsquo;ll take the same personal interest in addressing small refinery exemptions that he took in eliminating the needless and antiquated summertime barrier to E15. Author: Geoff Cooper President and CEO Renewable Fuels Association 202.289.3835 gcooper@ethanolrfa.org

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FROM THE AUGUST ISSUE: An inside look at President Trump's June visit to SIRE celebrating year-round E15.

August 2019

Business Briefs

Business Briefs

Columns

Trips and Trump

Fuel Blending Guide Will Bring Consistency

Ethanol Improves Air Quality

A Historic Day for the Ethanol Industry

Featured

Efficiency, Opportunities, Equipment

A 'Golden Triangle'

Contributions

Performance Matters

August 2019.css-7jxktu{position:absolute;bottom:0px;left:0px;right:0px;height:3px;border-radius:3px;background-color:var(--chakra-colors-brandBlack);}

Business Briefs

Business Briefs

Columns

Trips and Trump

Fuel Blending Guide Will Bring Consistency

Ethanol Improves Air Quality

A Historic Day for the Ethanol Industry

Featured

Efficiency, Opportunities, Equipment

A 'Golden Triangle'

Contributions

Performance Matters

August 2019