“Right on the heels of that, the tax credit lapsed, the industry went into a downturn and contraction, and so now the industry has come back and the conference is coming back with more excitement and enthusiasm than ever,” said Jobe, in an interview with Brownfield Ag News prior to the event.

Total biodiesel volume in 2011 was a record at nearly 1.1 billion gallons, according to Jobe. The previous record for biodiesel production was 690 million gallons in 2008.

Soybean growers produce the feedstock of choice for most biodiesel production. That relationship thrives, according to Jobe.

“Without American soybean farmers, we wouldn’t have an American biodiesel industry,” said Jobe. “Soybean farmers are still there, they’re still supportive, they’re still working to help support and grow this industry.”

The biodiesel tax incentive expired again at the end of 2011, although the biodiesel industry is trying to get it reinstated. Meanwhile, the EPA has proposed boosting biodiesel volume under the Renewable Fuels Standard to 1.28 billion gallons in 2013.

Jim Cooper, CEO of Cooper Farms says after exploring the possibilities, a team of individuals determined it made economic and sustainability sense to use wind energy. Cooper says the company will study the effectiveness of the two turbines and if they perform as studies have predicted, wind energy could be used in other areas of the company.

In an Action Alert, ASA is asking members to contact their members of Congress to urge support for the reinstatement of the biodiesel tax credit that expired on December 31, and to support EPA’s proposed increase to the Renewable Fuels Standard 2 (RFS2) volume requirements for biomass-based diesel for 2013.

In comments to the group Leeck, said the Indiana Corn Marketing Council is committed to supporting the ethanol industry.

“Our farmers believe that expanding infrastructure to allow consumers more access to ethanol-blended fuel is crucial to the success and growth of the industry.” said Leeck. “ICMC is funding a program to encourage fuel retailers to add flex fuel pumps that offer mid-level blends, like E30, in addition to E85 to drivers of Flex Fuel Vehicles. Through this program, 14 flex fuel pumps will be added to fuel stations across the state over the next several months.”

The 13 ethanol plants in Indiana produce 1.1 billion gallons of ethanol annually, consuming 407 million bushels of Indiana corn each year. Indiana’s ethanol industry also generated 3,486 jobs and contributed $497 billion to the state’s Gross State Product last year.

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis says the nation has “to move ahead with American ethanol as part of that solution.” He says the ethanol promotion group looks forward to working with the Administration and the Congress.

Ann Steckel, the National Biodiesel Board vice president of government affairs says they couldn’t agree more with the president on making renewable fuels a top priority. Steckel says in a statement – that’s why the NBB is “calling on the Administration to quickly finalize the delayed EPA rule for boosting biodiesel use under the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2013.” She says that “single-handed” decision would support more than 10-thousand new jobs.

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson says NFU is pleased the administration has renewed its pledge to energy independence for the United States, adding, “Homegrown energy is how we keep money, jobs and family in Rural America.”

POET–DSM Advanced Biofuels, LLC, is scheduled to start production in the second half of 2013 at one of the first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plants in the United States adjacent to POET”s corn ethanol plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The two partners will produce cellulosic ethanol from corn crop residue through a biological process using enzymatic hydrolysis followed by fermentation. The initial capacity is expected to be 20 million gallons in the first year, growing to approximately 25 million gallons per year.

POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels, LLC, intends to replicate and license the technology to additional plants to be built at the other 26 corn ethanol facilities in POET’s network and license it to other producers in the United States and the rest of the world.

DSM and POET will each hold a 50% share in the joint venture, which will be headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The initial capital expenditure by the joint venture in Project Liberty will amount to about $250 million. The closing of the joint venture is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that in the United States as many as 350-400 new bio-refineries will have to be constructed by 2022 to meet the volume requirement of 16 billion gallons/year of cellulosic bio-ethanol under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

In March of 2009, POET joined Magellan Midstream Partners to study the feasibility of a dedicated ethanol pipeline that would stretch from the Midwest to the East Coast. Magellan officials announced that they were placing their interest in the project on hold early last year.

POET CEO Jeff Broin says they believe the pipeline is a viable project but with little prospect for a federal loan guarantee in the near future, they’re focused on other efforts.

Broin says while a pipeline could improve the efficiency of ethanol distribution and lower costs for motorists, the existing infrastructure serves the industry well.

Jody Heemstra, KWAT-Watertown,SD, contributed to this story.

It’s the sixth year for Iowa Corn’s sponsorship of the event, which takes place at the Iowa Speedway near Newton. 

Iowa Corn CEO Craig Floss says the INDYCAR race is an excellent opportunity to promote ethanol—and he says this year will be especially exciting as INDYCAR will begin using E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, in its vehicles. 

The IndyCar Series has been running on 100 percent ethanol since 2007.  The switch to E85 is seen as a marketing move designed to align the series with a fuel that consumers can use in their own flex-fuel vehicles.

This year’s race takes place Saturday, June 23^rd.

The event will be held Tuesday, January 24^th at the Veterans Memorial/Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center.  It runs from 8:30 to 3:30.

Among the speakers—Four-Star General Paul Kern on foreign oil’s impact on U.S. military operations and Dr. Gal Luft of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, who will spell out the national security threats posed by the United States’ dependence on foreign petroleum.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will speak on the implementation of Iowa’s proactive public policy for E15 and biodiesel under this leadership—and there will be panel discussions on E15 and the synergies of livestock and ethanol.

The summit is free and open to the public.  Additional information can be found at iowarfa.org.

ARS researchers say Sunn Hemp could be a valuable, sustainable biofuel feedstock one day but more study is still needed.

USDA – ARS – Sunn Hemp