Ethanol Week - June 24, 2013

Oil industry relies on bad assumptions in asking for RFS waiver The American Petroleum Institute has asked the Obama administration use its waiver authority to lower the ethanol blending requirements of the renewable fuel standard. In response, the Renewable Fuels Association called it flat out wrong. READ MORE SHARE
Ethanol industry responds to NCCR's RFS attack The National Council of Chain Restaurants has launched a new campaign to repeal the renewable fuels standard (RFS). Representatives of the ethanol industry have been quick to criticize the action and dispute NCCR's claims. READ MORE SHARE
	Enerkem raises $50 million in latest financing round Enerkem Inc., a waste-to-biofuels and renewable chemicals company, has announced the closing of a $50 million financing, which brings total equity investment raised by Enerkem in 2013 to $87 million. READ MORE SHARE
Ethanol margins improve in past 3 months A recent FarmDocDaily post shows increased ethanol prices over the past three months has moderated the impact of high corn prices and put the ethanol industry into positive margins again. READ MORE SHARE
Gevo resumes commercial production of biobased isobutanol Gevo Inc. has announced that it has resumed commercial production of isobutanol at its Luverne, Minn., plant in single train mode, successfully utilizing its proprietary Gevo Integrated Fermentation Technology (GIFT). READ MORE SHARE
EIA June STEO report predicts further ethanol rebound in 2013 The U.S. Energy Information Administration has published data showing that ethanol production has partially recovered since last year's drought. Production is expected to increase after the third quarter, and average 930,000 barrels per day in 2014. READ MORE SHARE
House votes down Farm Bill The U.S. House of Representatives has voted down its version of the Farm Bill, the "Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act," by a vote of 195 to 234. The bill did not include mandatory funding for Energy Title programs. READ MORE SHARE
Motorcycle lobbying day 'absurd,' E15 illegal for small engines On June 19 an American Motorcycle Association-organized group of motorcyclists will descend on Capitol Hill to talk about the dangers of E15 for use in motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. E15, however, isn't approved for use in those vehicles. READ MORE SHARE
Three U.S. Senators introduce bill to repeal RFS Senators John Barrasso, R-WY, Mark Pryor, D-AR, and Pat Toomey, R-PA, introduced the Renewable Fuel Standard Repeal Act which aims to eliminate the regulations and statutory authorizations of the standard. READ MORE SHARE
California LCFS to meet 10 percent carbon reduction goal by 2020 The alternative fuels market is evolving faster than anticipated in California, heartening those involved in implementing the state's Low Carbon Fuel Standard. A report concludes the state can meet its carbon intensity goals for transportation fuel. READ MORE SHARE
LANL investigates the properties of a novel cellulose structure Scientists are investigating the unique properties of crystalline cellulose nanofibers to develop novel chemical pretreatments and designer enzymes for biofuel production from cellulosic, or non-food, plant derived biomass. READ MORE SHARE
Vermeer supports stronger U.S.-Brazil trade relations at hearing A representative of Pella, Iowa-based Vermeer Corp. advocated for a more open, transparent trade relations with Brazil during a recent U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee hearing. READ MORE SHARE
MIT discovery could lead to cheaper biofuels, biochemicals MIT chemical engineers have devised a cheaper way to synthesize a key biofuel component, which could make its industrial production much more cost-effective. The compound, known as gamma-valerolactone (GVL), is attractive because of its versatility. READ MORE SHARE
Siemens, LanzaTech partner to convert industrial gases to ethanol Siemens Metals Technologies and LanzaTech have signed a 10-year cooperation agreement to develop and market integrated environmental solutions for the steel industry worldwide. The collaboration will utilize LanzaTech's ethanol production technology. READ MORE SHARE
Black locust trees evaluated in Illinois for biofuel potential The black locust tree is being evaluated by researchers at the Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of Illinois to determine its potential for biofuel production. The tree features high biomass production and rapid growth rates. READ MORE SHARE
BCNC publishes woody biomass assessment The Biofuels Center of North Carolina recently completed a statewide woody biomass assessment in cooperation with Gelbert, Fullbright & Randolph Forestry Consultants and North Carolina's seven economic development regions. READ MORE SHARE
Cosan FY 2013 results show improved ethanol revenue The Raizen Energia business unit, which focuses on the production and sale of sugarcane products, operated 24 sugar, ethanol and cogeneration mills during the fourth quarter of FY 2013, producing 1.9 billion liters of ethanol. READ MORE SHARE
Leaf-cutter ants teach researchers about biofuel production Researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison are studying how fungus and bacteria work together to process biomass within fungus gardens of insects. The enzymes found in these fungus gardens may be useful for biofuel production. READ MORE SHARE
RFA to co-host ethanol safety seminar in Oregon The Renewable Fuels Association and Portland & Western Railroad will co-host a free Ethanol Safety Seminar June 18 and 19 at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore. Certificates will be awarded to attendees at the completion of the course. READ MORE SHARE