USDA Announces Funds for Biofuels Infrastructure

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making up to $100 million in competitive grants available to help expand the availability and sale of renewable fuels. “American ethanol and biofuel producers have been affected by decreased energy demands due to the coronavirus, and these grants to expand their availability will help increase their use during our economic resurgence,” said Agriculture Secretary …

Biodiesel, Biofuels, Ethanol, RFA, USDA

Energy Ag News 3-26-20

Cindy Zimmerman

The Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB) and Renewable Fuels Nebraska (RFN) have rescheduled the Ethanol: Emerging Issues Forum 2020 for July 15-16. The Forum will be held at the La Vista Conference Center in Greater Omaha if the threat of COVID-19 has subsided. The Renewable Fuels Association is pleased to welcome two new associate members, Barchart and Bion. Based in Chicago, …

Biodiesel, Biofuels, Energy, Ethanol

Administration Will Not Appeal Tenth Circuit SRE Ruling

Cindy Zimmerman

Biofuels stakeholders are celebrating some good news today with word that the Trump administration had made the decision not to request a rehearing of the recent unanimous ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit that the EPA had “vastly exceeded its authority in granting exemptions from 2016 and 2017 RFS requirements to three refineries.” The challenge …

ACE, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Ethanol, NCGA, RFA

Biofuels Interests Urge President to Protect RFS

Cindy Zimmerman

Biofuel and agricultural organizations are up in arms over news reports out late Thursday saying President Trump is now planning to appeal the 10th Circuit Court decision regarding EPA’s granting of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs). Oil state interests, led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), have been pressuring the White House to fight the unanimous court ruling that threatens to completely …

Ag Groups, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Ethanol

Partnership Testing 100 Percent Biodiesel in Fleet Trucks

Cindy Zimmerman

A new partnership is conducting a year-long test project to demonstrate viability of 100 percent biodiesel (B100) in high-mileage fleet applications. Under this partnership, five trucks owned by ADM will be outfitted with Optimus Technologies’ Vector fuel system, an innovative technology that enables diesel engines to run almost entirely on sustainable biodiesel. The trucks will be used in daily fleet …

Audio, Biodiesel, Soybean

ZimmCast 635 – Biodiesel Blogging & Virtual Newsrooms

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. In this week’s program you’ll hear from the National Biodiesel Conference and some of the content we produced for the Biodiesel Conference Blog – our 15th year as the biodiesel bloggers! Among those featured are National Biodiesel Board CEO Donnell Rehagen; NBB Chairman Chad Stone, REG; American Soybean Association CEO Ryan Findlay; Illinois soybean …

Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Marketing, Public Relations, ZimmCast

New Biodiesel Board Chair Optimistic for 2020

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Energy Group (REG) CFO Chad Stone was recently elected as the new chairman for the National Biodiesel Board and last week he addressed the membership at the National Biodiesel Conference in Tampa. While 2019 was a disastrous year for the industry, which saw REG having to shut down a plant, Stone is very optimistic about biodiesel going forward. “For …

Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, National Biodiesel Conference

Plasma Blue Debuts at Biodiesel Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

A novel process using electricity and liquid plasma to induce the transesterification process needed to produce biodiesel is generating a lot of interest at the National Biodiesel Conference this week in Tampa. The Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council saw the potential for the technology, developed by scientists at the University of Minnesota, which could produce six gallons of biodiesel …

Audio, Biodiesel, Soybean

National Biodiesel Board Shares “Vision 2020”

Cindy Zimmerman

The 2020 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo kicked off Tuesday in Tampa with a new industry vision for a new decade. National Biodiesel Board CEO Donnell Rehagen unveiled the new industry vision statement in his state of the industry remarks to attendees. Biodiesel, renewable diesel, and renewable jet fuel will be recognized as mainstream low-carbon fuel options with superior performance …

Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, National Biodiesel Conference

USDA Deputy Secretary Talks Trade at Iowa Biofuels Summit

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA Deputy Secretary Steve Censky had the pleasure of announcing the Senate passage of USMCA to the crowd at the 2020 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit Thursday in Altoona, Iowa. “Just about 20 minutes ago, I’m proud to say that the Senate finally passed the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement on a vote of 89 to 10,” said Censky as the crowd …

Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Ethanol, Exports, Trade, USDA