Ethanol Week - October 15, 2012

Platts to acquire sugar and biofuel analytics company Kingsman The McGraw-Hill Companies have announced that Platts, a McGraw-Hill division, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Kingsman SA, a Switzerland-based provider of price information and analytics for the global sugar and biofuels markets. READ MORE SHARE
UCS: 680 million tons of U.S. biomass available by 2030 The Union of Concerned Scientists has published a report that shows that biomass feedstock has the potential to dramatically increase our nation's renewable energy supply. The report is titled "The Promise of Biomass." READ MORE SHARE
	Governors, CEOs speak up in support of maintaining RFS The U.S. EPA isn't just hearing from those that want to waive the renewable fuel standard (RFS). It's also receiving letters that support maintaining the RFS, including those from five governors and one letter signed by 22 CEOs and senior executives. READ MORE SHARE
USDA approves Viaspace's Giant King Grass in U.S. Viaspace Inc. has announced that its proprietary, high-yield, dedicated energy crop Giant King Grass has been released from quarantine by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for distribution in the U.S. READ MORE SHARE
LanzaTech secures $15 million debt financing LanzaTech has closed on $15 million in debt financing from Western Technology Investment, a private investment firm based in Silicon Valley, that has provided more than $3 billion of debt and equity capital to technology and life science companies. READ MORE SHARE
Studies outline state-level benefits of the ethanol industry Two new studies were released this week, highlighting the positive effects the renewable fuel standard (RFS) has had in Minnesota and Ohio. Each provides an overview of the economic benefits ethanol production has created for the local economy. READ MORE SHARE
Ethanol company idles plant, misses debt payment Biofuel Energy Corp., which owns two 110 MMgy ethanol plants, has idled one of its plants and revealed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it had missed a $3.6 million debt payment for principal and interest on a loan. READ MORE SHARE
RFS waiver comment period draws to a close The opportunity to submit comments to the U.S. EPA with regard to the renewable fuel standard (RFS) waiver requests is nearly over. The public comment period closes tonight at 11:59 p.m. EDT. More than 2,000 comments have already been submitted. READ MORE SHARE
TMO Renewables secures feedstock for proposed Brazil plant U.K.-based TMO Renewables Ltd. recently announced it signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Usina Santa Maria Cerquilho, an associate of sugar and ethanol company Copasucar, in Brazil with regard to a feedstock agreement for a cellulosic ethanol plant. READ MORE SHARE
USDA now pegs corn yield at 122 bushels per acre Higher corn yields in Minnesota and North Dakota didn't make up for lower yields than what was previously forecast for Illinois, causing USDA to adjust its projected national average corn yield down 0.8 bushels to 122.0 bushels per acre. READ MORE SHARE
RFS waiver could mean increased feed costs for livestock, poultry A study of the impact of a possible renewable fuel standard waiver concluded that corn prices would only be reduced between 46 and 48 cents per bushel and that, in some cases, the price of distillers grains and soybean meal would actually increase. READ MORE SHARE
California Advanced Energy Coalition calls for E15 accommodation The California Advanced Energy Coalition has proposed immediate action by the California Air Resources Board to adjust its fuel regulations to accommodate E15. By allowing E15 sales, CARB could reduce California gasoline prices immediately. READ MORE SHARE
Tampa Port works to begin operation of 96-car ethanol unit train There are two ethanol firsts at the new Tampa Gateway Rail terminal in Florida. The Port of Tampa now has the nation's first ethanol unit train-to-refined productions pipeline and Florida's first on-dock unit train intermodal container capability. READ MORE SHARE
Obama, Romney reps debate energy and climate policy Representatives from both President Barack Obama and candidate Gov. Mitt Romney took the stage at the MIT Energy Initiative's Presidential Energy Debate to address each candidate's position on energy and climate change. READ MORE SHARE
White paper outlines Romney agriculture policy, addresses RFS Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney released a white paper on his agriculture policy this week. Within the document, Romney announced his support for the renewable fuel standard (RFS), but didn't mention the Farm Bill Energy Title. READ MORE SHARE
GM, Ford announce E15 compatibility with new models General Motors and Ford Motor Co. have made it official. New models vehicles are ready to run on E15. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says the move is an important step forward for the E15, and has extended a thank you to both companies. READ MORE SHARE
Ethanol industry supports more than 1,000 jobs in Ga. The 2012 Georgia Life Sciences Industry Analysis was recently released. The analysis, titled "Shaping Infinity," shows that one out of every 40 jobs in Georgia is tied to the life sciences industry, which includes the biofuel sector. READ MORE SHARE
Sen. Tim Johnson presented with the Fueling Growth award Poet CEO Jeff Lautt and Growth Energy's Vice President of Development Kelly Manning have presented Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D, with the "Fueling Growth" award for his exceptional support of the ethanol industry. READ MORE SHARE
RFS waiver would have minor effect on corn price in short term A Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute report concludes that a reduction in the renewable fuel standard wouldn't greatly reduce corn prices in the 2012/'13 crop year. However, the effects of the waiver could be larger in the next crop year. READ MORE SHARE
USGC releases third edition of DDGS handbook The U.S. Grains Council has released a third edition of A Guide to Distiller's Dried Grains with Solubles. The third edition is greatly expanded, and offers new chapters and expanded feeding sections provide greater detail in feeding methods. READ MORE SHARE