Advanced Biofuels


30th International Fuel Ethanol Workshop Held in Indianapolis, IN

Date Posted: June 12, 2014

by Jerry Perkins, editor BioFuels Journal

Indianapolis, IN—The 30th International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo (FEW) concluded Wednesday, June 11, at the Indiana Convention Center.

Conference organizers said 1,745 people attended the conference, including 555 ethanol producers from 194 production facilities, which represents 86% of the installed production capacity of the U.S. ethanol industry.

There were 232 exhibitors at the conference trade show and 65 sponsors. The conference opened Tuesday morning with a keynote address by Tom Buis, chief executive officer of Growth Energy, a Washington, DC-based ethanol advocacy organization.

Buis began his remarks by noting that he’s an Indiana native and maintains his ties with his family’s farm.

Buis farmed for 20 years before going to Washington 27 years ago to work on behalf of farmers and the ethanol industry.

The condition of the ethanol industry in 2014 has improved considerably from previous years, Buis stated, when drought and political attacks by the oil industry on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) hurt the industry.

The ethanol industry has fought back from that adversity with more unity than ever before, he said, by creating the Fuels America (www.fuelsamerica.org) coalition, which has brought together a broadly-based group of ethanol supporters to counter the attacks by Big Oil.

“We’re up against some opponents with pretty deep pockets who are not against creating some pretty big lies,” Buis stated.

“We’re in a non-stop campaign over market share.”

Buis reminded the FEW audience that 2014 is an election year and that candidates need to be made aware that there is widespread political support—and votes—for ethanol.

“When you see those candidates, ask them to make a commitment to our industry,” Buis advised. “If we make an effort, we are going to win this fight.”

Aggressive lobbying by ethanol supporters has countered some anti-ethanol measures in Congress, he said, and the proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce the Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) in the RFS was met with more than 300,000 comments, many opposing the reduction and asking the EPA to restore the cuts in its final rule.

“I think (EPA) understands that it made a mistake,” Buis stated. “All that effort by our industry has made an impact.”

Providing more market access for higher blends of ethanol and giving consumers a choice at the pump is still the highest priority for the ethanol industry, according to Buis.

The ethanol industry has been involved in a fight over market share with the oil companies, he said, who are trying to block the sale of blends of 10% ethanol (E10) and higher.

“We’re still in the trenches of this fight,” he added.

In an interview with BioFuels Journal after his keynote address, Buis said the EPA’s proposal to lower the amount of ethanol required to be blended in the RVO was based on flawed methodology.

Buis declined to predict if the ethanol industry will go to court if EPA’s decision is contrary to ethanol’s best interests.

“We need to see what comes out” of the EPA, he said.

“I’m still hopeful the EPA will come to its senses.”

Also addressing FEW attendees on Tuesday was Rick Tolman, who is retiring this fall as chief executive officer of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).

Award Winners

Lars Dunn, director of technical service for DuPont Industrial Biosciences, received the Award of Excellence and Shirley Ball, chairperson of Ethanol Producers and Consumers (EPAC), received the High Octane Award at the opening session of the FEW.

Dunn was given the Award of Excellence for his extensive research and service to numerous producers in the ethanol industry, assisting in the commercialization of new enzyme technology, and helping numerous ethanol plants improve their operations, according to conference organizers.

High Octane winner Ball was recognized for her service, fortitude, and much deserved respect in the ethanol industry, according to conference organizers.

Ball wasn’t present for the Tuesday morning presentation because of travel troubles, but was given the award later in the day.

Winners also were announced for the Kathy Bryan Memorial Scholarship program, which is named for the woman who was a co-founder of the FEW and the former president of BBI International.

This year’s recipients of the $2,000 scholarships are Rebecca Woller of Homeland Energy Solutions LLC in Lawler, IA, and Colby Cook, son of Randy Cook, the general manager at Permolex Ltd. in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

Woller is a five-year employee at Homeland Energy Solutions, where she works in the lab.

Her scholarship money will go to help pay for her enrollment in the MBA program at Walden University in Minneapolis, MN.

Cook’s scholarship will go to the University of Manitoba, where he is working on a Masters of Landscape Architecture degree.

The 2015 FEW will be held June 1-4 in Minneapolis, MN.

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