Ethanol Week - July 18, 2016

Nearly 42,500 comments filed on 2017 RFS proposal The comment period on the U.S. EPA’s proposed rule to set 2017 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the renewable fuel standard (RFS), along with 2018 RVOs for biomass-based diesel, has officially closed. READ MORE SHARE
DOE releases update of billion-ton report on biomass Within 25 years, the U.S. could produce enough biomass to support a bioeconomy, including renewable aquatic and terrestrial biomass resources that could be used for energy and to develop products for a variety of uses and benefits. READ MORE SHARE
	House members issue letter in support of the RFS On July 14, 17 members of the House Biofuels Caucus sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy urging the agency to compete its 2017 renewable fuel standard (RFS) rulemaking “in a manner consistent with the Congressional intent." READ MORE SHARE
40-plus groups call on Congress to end tax breaks for Big Oil In a letter to U.S. legislators, a diverse coalition of environmental, veterans, labor, renewable fuels and social justice groups are challenging Congress to repeal nearly $4 billion a year in taxpayer subsidies given to Big Oil. READ MORE SHARE
EIA maintains ethanol production, consumption forecasts The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the July edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, predicting ethanol production will average 980,000 barrels per day in 2016 and 2017, up from nearly 970,000 barrels per day last year. READ MORE SHARE
UDSA GAIN reports address Polish, Lithuanian ethanol production Total production of bioethanol in Poland is estimated at 200,000 metric tons with capacity at 511,000 metric tons, according to a report filed with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network. READ MORE SHARE
USDA: No third quarter sugar purchases expected under FFP The USDA Commodity Credit Corp. recently announced it does not expect to purchase sugar under the Feedstock Flexibility Program during the third quarter of this year. The program encourages the domestic production of biofuels from surplus sugar. READ MORE SHARE
Comment period on 2017 RFS proposal closes July 11 at midnight The comment period on the U.S. EPA’s proposed rule to set 2017 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the renewable fuel standard (RFS), along with 2018 RVOs for biomass-based diesel, closes July 11 at 11:59 p.m. ET. READ MORE SHARE
Developer of cellulosic project resubmits grant proposal Pennsylvania-based New Energy Investors has resubmitted a grant request to the North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Committee. The resubmitted grant proposal will be considered at APUC’s quarterly meeting July 18. READ MORE SHARE
WASDE: Projected corn use for ethanol lowered slightly The USDA has released the July edition of its World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, noting corn beginning stocks for 2016-’17 are lowered 7 million bushels. Corn ending stocks for 2016-’17 are projected 73 million bushels higher. READ MORE SHARE
New hybrid sweetgum trees could boost paper, bioenergy production Researchers at the University of Georgia have crossed American sweetgums with their Chinese cousins, creating hybrid sweetgum trees that have a better growth rate and denser wood than natives, and can produce fiber year-round. READ MORE SHARE
USGC event builds relationship with Columbian ethanol industry The U.S. Grains Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service, the Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy, recently traveled to Colombia to cultivate relationships with the local ethanol industry. READ MORE SHARE
Retailer to expand availability of ethanol blends at 20 stations The Renewable Fuels Association is proud to announce that the Power Energy Corp. has been awarded a $1.44 million grant from Illinois to offer higher ethanol blends at 20 retail stations in the state. READ MORE SHARE
USGC: Southeast Asia promotions address DDGS The cities of Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok all played host to seminars targeting feed formulators and regional importers over the last two weeks, part of roadshows put on by the U.S. Grains Council. READ MORE SHARE
Researchers: Genetically improving sorghum could benefit biofuels New research conducted by a group of U.S. universities examines how genetic improvement of specific sorghum traits, with an eye toward sustainability, could help maximize the usefulness of sorghum as a bioenergy crop. READ MORE SHARE
Proposed ASTM standard covers determination of metals in biofuels A proposed ASTM standard will provide a means to test and evaluate alternate fuel sources, such as biofuels, for metals. The proposed standard is being developed by Committee D02 on Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels, and Lubricants. READ MORE SHARE
RFA: Webinars to focus on hazardous chemicals release regulations The Renewable Fuels Foundation has teamed up with the experts at Pinnacle Engineering Inc. to host a six-part webinar series on complying with regulations that aim to prevent or minimize the consequences of a release of hazardous chemicals. READ MORE SHARE