Ethanol Week - May 23, 2016

EPA releases proposed rule to set 2017 RFS RVOs On May 18, the U.S. EPA released a proposed rule to set 2017 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the renewable fuel standard (RFS), along with 2018 RVOs for biomass-based diesel. READ MORE SHARE
Queensland Renewable Fuels Association names board members The Queensland Renewable Fuel Association has appointed a board of directors. Mike Bryan, a 32-year veteran of the renewable fuels industry in the United States and a tireless advocate for the industry, was named chairman of the board. READ MORE SHARE
	STB issues SNPR for rail reporting requirements In early May, the Surface Transportation Board published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPR) that aims to update pending regulations requiring Class I railroads to report certain service metrics, including data on ethanol unit trains. READ MORE SHARE
SIRE reports reduced net loss for fiscal second quarter Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy has published financial results for its second fiscal quarter of 2016, the three-month period ended March 31, reporting a slight decrease in revenues, but improved net income and modified EBITDA. READ MORE SHARE
UNICA releases forecast for 2015-’16 sugarcane season UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, recently published a sugarcane harvest forecast for the 2016-’17 season, predicting the south-central region of the country will crush approximately 605 to 630 million tons of sugarcane. READ MORE SHARE
USGC launches aqua DDGS promotion program in Egypt U.S. Grains Council staff and consultants recently conducted a program in Egypt to promote distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS) in aqua rations. This program was done in conjunction with Mirasco, a USGC member company. READ MORE SHARE
RFA holding FDA-certified FSMA training classes this summer The Renewable Fuels Association has scheduled four training courses to help facilities meet the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act. The classes are designed for individuals overseeing the food safety plan of an ethanol plant. READ MORE SHARE
RFF, MathPro hosting webinar series on ethanol’s octane benefits The Renewable Fuels Foundation has teamed up with fuel refining experts at MathPro Inc. to sponsor a five-part webinar series on ethanol’s unique octane properties and its potential role as the octane source of choice in future fuels. READ MORE SHARE
ICM collaboration with Fournier Industries creates success An important aspect of ICM Inc.'s Fiber Separation Technology process was developed through a joint partnership with Fournier Industries Inc., an equipment manufacturer headquartered in Quebec, Canada. READ MORE SHARE
Clariant to scale-up catalysts for Gevo’s ETO technology Gevo Inc. had announced that it has entered into an agreement with Clariant Corp. to develop catalysts to enable Gevo’s ethanol-to-olefins (ETO) technology, which produces tailored mixes of propylene, isobutylene and hydrogen. READ MORE SHARE
Scania trucks use ethanol made with Clariant's sunliquid process Clariant and Scania are celebrating the results and the opportunities generated by the partnership established last year, which involved an investment in sustainable technologies for cargo transportation. READ MORE SHARE
Solving the biomass puzzle Biomass holds great promise as a petroleum replacement, but unlocking its true potential remains a puzzle. Researchers at Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory hope to develop the pieces of that puzzle to create a clearer picture. READ MORE SHARE
RFA welcomes fuel infrastructure expert Cassie Mullen to staff Petroleum and fuel equipment expert Cassie Mullen has joined the Renewable Fuels Association as director of market development. She will work to facilitate expansion of infrastructure capable of offering higher level ethanol blends to consumers. READ MORE SHARE
UM researchers earn $1.4 million grant to study biomass University of Montana researchers will use a newly grant awarded by the USDA and U.S. Department of Energy to identify and overcome the barriers to using biomass from fuels-reduction and forest-restoration treatments. READ MORE SHARE
RFA recognized for ethanol education safety initiatives The Renewable Fuels Association has received a TRANSCAER National Achievement Award for hosting its series of seminars last year on ethanol safety and emergency responders. This is the fourth year in a row that RFA has been awarded this honor. READ MORE SHARE
UCR researchers win funding for biofuel, biochemical development University of California, Riverside researchers have received a $1.3 million award from the USDA that will fund research on developing commercially viable processes to create biofuels and chemicals from waste plant materials. READ MORE SHARE