Ethanol Week - August 13, 2012

Ethanol industry: USDA report doesn't support RFS waiver efforts The ethanol industry was quick to respond to the USDA's Aug. 10 World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates report, which commodity traders look to for estimates of U.S. and global crop production and expected use. READ MORE SHARE
EPA awards Ineos Bio registration for production, sale of fuel Ineos Bio has announced that its joint-venture project, Ineos New Planet BioEnergy has been granted Parts 79 and 80 registration from the U.S. EPA for the production and sale of advanced bioethanol from non-food waste materials. READ MORE SHARE
	Vilsack renews support for ethanol, charges industry to educate Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack delivered the keynote address on the final day of the American Coalition for Ethanol's annual conference, held this year in Omaha. The audience of approximately 250 was primarily made up of ethanol producers. READ MORE SHARE
USDA pegs corn yield at 123.4 bushels, smallest crop in 6 years USDA is now projecting the national average corn yield will be 123.4 bushels per acre, in the range that was expected by the trade. READ MORE SHARE
Drought, RFS attacks big topics at ACE conference in Omaha The ongoing drought and potential impact on the ethanol industry was a prominent topic at the American Coalition for Ethanol's conference, which began Aug. 8 and ends Aug. 10. About 250 people met in Omaha, Neb., for the event. READ MORE SHARE
ABE announces new ethanol marketer, increases grain storage Advanced BioEnergy LLC and Hawkeye Gold LLC have mutually agreed to terminate their ethanol marketing agreements for ABE's plants in Aberdeen, S.D., Hurbon, S.D., and Fairmont, Neb. The Gavilon Group LLC will serve as the plants' new marketer. READ MORE SHARE
East Kansas Agri-Energy to suspend operations in October East Kansas Agri-Energy LLC in Garnett, Kan. recently announced plans to temporarily suspend production operations beginning October 1, citing drought conditions as having a negative impact on availability of corn and rising feedstock prices. READ MORE SHARE
USDA designates additional counties as natural disaster areas USDA will utilize nearly $16 million in financial and technical assistance to immediately help crop and livestock producers in 19 states cope with the the historic drought, and transfer $14 million to the Emergency Conservation Program. READ MORE SHARE
Brookhaven scientists create low-lignin plants Scientists at the U.S. DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory have created a new enzyme that effectively "masks" the synthetic precursors of lignin. When it was expressed in plants, this enzyme substantially reduced lignin content in the cell wall. READ MORE SHARE
Gevo releases financial results, provides update of operations Gevo Inc. released financial results for the second quarter of 2012 on August 7. During a call to discuss those results, the company also provided participants with an update of operations at its first commercial-scale facility. READ MORE SHARE
Petrobras releases financial results, biofuel segment struggling Brazil-based Petrobras S.A. has released financial results for the first half of 2012, demonstrating its biofuels segment is currently operating at a loss. Several factors are cited as contributing to the loss, including feedstock prices. READ MORE SHARE
Trade organizations form Biofuel Producers Coordinating Council Eight biofuel industry organizations recently announced the formation of the Biofuels Producers Coordinating Council to jointly advocate for national policy for increased energy security through domestic biofuel production. READ MORE SHARE
Ethanol plant regains compliance following EPA violations, fine Yuma Ethanol LLC has agreed to pay a $5,850 civil penalty and correct violations relating to the storage and use of toxic and flammable substances. The violation was related to a risk management plan for anhydrous ammonia storage. READ MORE SHARE
Pa. ethanol plant restarts in midst of widespread drought Pennsylvania Grain Processing LLC, a 110 MMgy ethanol plant that sat idle for about a year, has resumed operations. The former Bionol Clearfield facility was purchased at auction last spring after the original owner filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. READ MORE SHARE
Fulcrum receives conditional USDA loan guarantee for Nev. plant Fulcrum BioEnergy Inc. received a $105 million condition loan guarantee from the USDA, putting its planned 10 MMgy Sierra BioFuels Plant closer to fruition. The facility is expected to break ground in early 2013, and take 18 months to complete. READ MORE SHARE
Fiberight expands demo plant, receives key EPA approval Fiberight LLC received a key approval from the U.S. EPA and is now working on a $20 million expansion of its demonstration facility in Lawrenceville, Va., to 1 MMgy. The plant is expected to begin operations in approximately two months. READ MORE SHARE
Ethanol industry touts lower gas prices with new 'open road' ads Following on the success of its long-running "Right Here, Right Now" ads, the Renewable Fuels Association is debuting a new ad which focuses on ethanol's ability to lower gas prices at the pump and offer consumers relief in a difficult economy. READ MORE SHARE