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Some ‘unrest’ in the biofuels industry

Uncertainty over presidential and congressional support for biofuels and the RFS, combined with tighter ethanol production margins, is creating some “unrest” in the renewable fuels industry.

So says Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association.

“There’s unrest in the markets, in our politics, in our policies. The margins have tightened up,” Shaw said. “I really think, as we look forward, we better tighten our seat belts. I think the next year is going kind of a wild ride.”

But the industry has overcome many challenges in the past and will do so again, Shaw said. And he remains optimistic about future ethanol demand.

“Just as we saw with E10 going nationwide, as we’re seeing with E15, and as I believe we’ll see with E30 in the future, renewable fuels are going to continue to grow and take their rightful place in America’s fuel supply.”

Shaw presented an industry overview at this week’s Renewable Fuels Summit in Altoona, Iowa.

AUDIO: Excerpt from Shaw’s presentation